Toyota USA updated the RAV4 for 2026 and eliminated the non-hybrid model, marking a major efficiency improvement. As with the 2026 model year, the RAV4 will only be offered in HEV and PHEV configurations.
However, Toyota is confusingly referring to its vehicles as “100% electrified” in an act of greenwashing that is reminiscent of many previous actions taken by the company, even though every RAV4 has a petrol engine.
New trim lines and designs, such as an outside Woodland variant (like the one the bZ recently received) and a more powerful “GR SPORT” model (though we must remind everyone that SUVs are not and never will be sports vehicles), as well as increased power from both PHEV and HEV models, are among the enhancements.
The range of the PHEV model has also been increased from 42 to 50 miles. This is still less than what we would normally deem worthy of being covered, but it is at least sufficient to keep the usual driver using electric power for most of their everyday driving (if they care to plug it in).
You can charge certain trims from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes thanks to DC rapid charging.
Notably, there is no longer a non-hybrid engine choice available for the RAV4. Every trim level is either plug-in or hybrid. It was previously thought that an EV model may be added to the roster, but it appears that Toyota is sticking with the recently renamed bZ model for that reason.
Although Toyota refers to its new RAV4 alternatives as “highly efficient electrified powertrains”, it did not provide expected EPA mileage figures for either the PHEV or the HEV model when running on petrol. We anticipate that the upgraded RAV4 hybrid will achieve about 39 mpg, which is roughly 10 mpg better than the non-hybrid model.
“Later this year”, the 2026 RAV4 will be offered at Toyota dealerships throughout the United States. The price has not yet been disclosed.
However, the usage of the word “electrified” and, more especially, “100% electrified“, is the true problem here.
Regarding its electrification initiatives, Toyota has a long history of misleading advertising. It has previously been afoul of the law in the US and Norway due to its lies.
Toyota has continuously been rated as the worst auto sector lobbyist on climate policy globally and is the biggest financier of climate denial.
Since the firm has previously used the term “electrified” to mislead customers into believing that its cars are more efficient than they actually are, its usage of it should be viewed with some scepticism. See the FTC’s complaint against Toyota for making misleading promises about electrification for some earlier coverage on that topic.
In this instance, Toyota has taken things a step further by declaring that its cars are “100% electrified” rather than merely electrified.
In order to greenwash businesses’ efforts, many phrases are employed in the EV industry in a misleading way, frequently on purpose. EV, all-electric, electrified, PHEV, EREV, FCEV, HEV, BEV, and so forth.
But any variant on “all-electric“, “100% electric“, “fully electric“, or similar terms has always been reserved for models without a petrol engine.
Therefore, switching from “electrified” to “100% electrified” seems like deliberate wording on Toyota’s part. “Electrified” was already dubious, but “completely electrified” is much over the top.
Therefore, even though we should be pleased that the RAV4’s powertrain availability has much improved and that the non-hybrid model has been phased out, Toyota had to pull one of its ploys and remind us why they are the auto industry’s biggest adversary of electrification (well, save one).