What's the difference?
The Toyota RAV4 is arguably Australia’s darling and has been for years. It’s long set the benchmark in the mid-size SUV segment - a position rivals like the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5 would love to occupy.
It’s also been close to a decade since we’ve seen anything new from the RAV4, so expectations for this sixth-generation update are understandably high. For this family review, we’re testing the flagship Cruiser Hybrid 2WD, which brings the most features and the biggest price tag in the line-up.
On paper, it promises meaningful upgrades, particularly in technology and refinement, while holding onto the practicality and efficiency that made it so popular in the first place.
But with stronger competition and rising expectations in this segment, the question is no longer whether the RAV4 is good, it’s whether it’s done enough to stay at the top.
Something important has shifted.
This is the Skoda Enyaq facelift. Yes, it’s been barely a year since the original finally launched in Australia, after endless delays, in September 2024. And they’ve already gone and changed it.
Yet there’s more going on here than merely updating an ageing mid-sized SUV electric vehicle (EV), because Volkswagen’s Czechian brand is rediscovering its roots. The era of the $40K supermini seems to be passing.
And that’s terrific news for buyers and likely terrifying news for rivals like the BYD Sealion 7, Kia EV5 and Tesla Model Y.
Welcome, then, to the 2026 Enyaq Series II. Does sharper pricing stand for ‘Extra Value’ in this family-focused EV? Let’s find out.
The new Toyota RAV4 Cruiser Hybrid 2WD builds on what made it so popular in the first place. It’s easy to drive, efficient and well equipped, with enough features to suit a wide range of buyers.
The updated technology is a clear step forward and lifts the overall experience, but there are still elements that feel out of step with the flagship positioning, particularly the use of hard plastics and some less refined finishes. Even so, it remains a practical and well-rounded option in the segment.
The Enyaq facelift is a big deal, and hopefully the start of a fresh era for Skoda, marking a long-overdue return to brand values. Its first Toyota RAV4-sized family EV SUV nails it for value, functionality, comfort, ease, driving enjoyment, efficiency and even the overall ownership experience.
We have yet to drive the base 60 Select with that headline low price so cannot make a definitive call, but the more-expensive 85 Sportline proves Skoda is taking the family EV very, very seriously. Consumers considering a BYD Sealion 7, Kia EV5 or Tesla Model Y would do themselves a disservice to not check out the Enyaq first. The most convincing Skoda in years.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.