Toyota RAV4 Review & Prices

The Toyota RAV4 was the best-selling car in the world in 2025, with over a million models shifted. That’s a serious accomplishment, so the latest model has a lot riding on it. It’s a brilliantly practical SUV with a family-friendly interior, a great plug-in hybrid system and Toyota’s class-leading reliability record - but in the face of cheaper opposition from China, it’s looking quite expensive.

The RAV4’s spot as the global best-seller means it’s a little bit like an iPhone - more technically capable alternatives are available, but people just keep buying what they know. However, in other ways the RAV4 is nothing like an iPhone - it’s not about being image-conscious or stylish, and instead is super-pragmatic and practical.

The new RAV4 is available exclusively as a plug-in hybrid, which means there are scores of alternatives to contend with. The Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Tiguan, Volvo XC60 and Kia Sportage are all worth considering, but you could also go for a cheaper option from a Chinese manufacturer such as the MG HS or Chery Tiggo 8.

In terms of styling, the RAV4 plays it quite safe - its boxy proportions are similar to the previous car, while the detailing is taken straight from newer Toyota models such as the C-HR and Prius. You get C-shaped headlights and a stacked-effect grille, plus chunky wheelarches hinting at the car’s off-road ability.

At the rear, the ‘RAV4’ name is spelled out across the tailgate - very in-vogue - and it’s flanked by quite cool stripy taillights. All models apart from the base ‘Icon’ get a two-tone paint effect with a black roof, too. At the top of the range, the GR Sport model features the typical sporty SUV makeover, with blacked-out trim and black, 20-inch alloy wheels. It’s a good-looking car, with nice proportions - but not particularly exciting.

The interior is a similar story. If you’re a fan of physical switchgear in cars (we are) then you’ll love the sheer number of buttons on display - there are temperature controls, switches for the drive mode and a volume dial, plus lots of nice clicky buttons on the steering wheel.

However, it’s not particularly attractive. The design is very blocky, and it’s all one colour making for quite a monochrome experience. Even the GR Sport model, with a few flashes of red, doesn’t really lift the ambiance much.

That effect is worsened when you start poking around. Toyota isn’t exactly a luxury car brand, but the RAV4’s interior is made with lots of hard, scratchy plastics just about everywhere you touch. There are a few softer areas on the door, but other parts just feel really cheap - such as the centre console or the lid for the armrest storage box.

It feels built to last - Toyotas always do - with no creaks or rattles and beautifully tight tolerances between different bits of trim. But it doesn’t feel as luxurious as it should, considering the RAV4 costs over £50,000 in its higher trim levels.

The new touchscreen is an improvement, though. At 12.9-inches across, it’s not the largest, but it’s plenty big enough and an updated interface compared to other Toyotas puts more information closer to hand.

It’s responsive, bright and clear, and the new voice assistant works much better than it did before. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, plus you get a wireless phone charger on all but the base model. The digital driver display is also better than the one on the old car, and it feels more integrated - on most Toyotas, it operates entirely separately from the infotainment screen, leaving you confused about which functions have to be adjusted in which screen.

The RAV4 hasn’t grown with this update, but it’s still a slightly larger car than the Kia Sportage or Ford Kuga, and that pays dividends for passenger space. The front seats have loads of adjustment, and even with a six-foot driver in place there’s ample room for a rear-seat passenger of a similar size. Headroom is great thanks to the boxy roofline, too.

The boot is 446 litres in capacity, which is smaller than the Kia Sportage PHEV (540 litres), Chery Tiggo 8 (494 litres in five-seat mode) or VW Tiguan eHybrid (490 litres). It’s a nice square shape and there’s no loading lip, so it’s easy to fill up. The rear seats fold in a 60:40 split and go quite flat.

While other markets get a self-charging hybrid RAV4, the only model in the UK is the plug-in hybrid - which you can have with front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive model has 272hp and the four-wheel drive model 309hp, thanks to an extra motor on the rear axle.

Thanks to a large, 22.7kWh battery pack, electric range is a real highlight - up to 85 miles in the FWD model and up to 83 for the AWD car. That’s one of the longest PHEV ranges on offer - it’s bested by the Chery Tiggo 9 and the VW Golf eHybrid, but that’s about it.

Top-spec Excel and GR Sport models can also fast-charge at up to 50kW, so a top-up while you’re out and about isn’t a totally futile endeavour like it is in a lot of PHEVs. It makes the prospect of using the RAV4 like a full EV during the week very feasible. With a discharged battery, we saw around 50mpg on the trip computer.

Whichever model you choose, the RAV4 isn’t very exciting to drive. It feels easy-going around town thanks to good visibility and light steering, plus a proper high-set SUV driving position to help you see over other traffic. It’s great on the motorway too, with the electric motor taking the brunt of the acceleration. Even with a discharged battery, the engine isn’t too noisy unless you really floor it.

On a twisty country lane, the RAV4 leans quite a bit in the bends - but the soft suspension does a great job of absorbing bumps. You can opt for the range-topping GR Sport model, which beyond being just a visual makeover actually gets a lower ride height, reinforcement in the chassis and a wider wheel track - but this doesn’t transform how the car takes corners. If you want a fun-to-drive SUV, go for a Cupra Terramar or a Ford Kuga.

The all-wheel drive model will go off-road much better than most alternatives, though. The RAV4 has higher ground clearance and more off-road features than the majority of other SUVs, so while it won’t show up a Range Rover it’ll still easily tackle a muddy field or gravel track.

Verdict

The Toyota RAV4 doesn’t rock the boat too much, instead it’s a moderate improvement on the old model in most areas where it counts. The brilliant electric range is a real selling point and the easygoing driving manners will appeal to lots of people - but it’s a shame that the interior feels so cheap and nasty considering the car’s price. It’s easy to look at a much cheaper Chery Tiggo 8 and think it better value than the Toyota.

The brand’s class-leading reputation for dependability is a boon if you plan to keep your car for a long time, though, and the RAV4 is still very comfortable and relaxing. You probably won’t be disappointed if you buy one, but you won’t be pleasantly surprised either - so shop around first.

You can find the best deals on a Toyota RAV4 right here on Carwow, and make sure to check out Toyota RAV4 leasing deals too. You can search for a used RAV4 for sale, or browse other used Toyotas for sale. And remember Carwow can even help you to sell your old car when the time comes.

The RAV4 kicks off at nearly £44,000 for the base ‘Icon’ trim. There’s a £1,900 jump to Design trim, and then a big leap of more than £4,000 up to Excel. GR Sport sits at the top, costing just over £52,000. This does mean all models pay the expensive car supplement on their yearly road tax, and makes the RAV4 a fair bit pricier than a Kia Sportage PHEV, a Ford Kuga PHEV or a Chery Tiggo 8 - all of which can be had for less than £40,000.

Icon trim gets 18-inch alloy wheels, a powered tailgate, the large 12.9-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch driver display, plus all the usual safety features you’d expect. Design adds 20-inch alloy wheels, two-tone paint, synthetic leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats and a wireless phone charger - it’s the sweet spot of the range, though it’s a shame it doesn’t have fast-charging.

The Excel trim can be had with all-wheel drive as an option and also adds full leather seats, some more assisted driving features, a 360-degree camera, panoramic roof, head-up display and fast-charging capability. GR Sport gets unique design and interior styling features and an opening sunroof.