- The 2026 Toyota RAV4 adds a new trim, the aggressively styled GR Sport.
- The GR Sport is only available as a plug-in hybrid, sending 320 horsepower—18 more than the outgoing model—to all four wheels.
- A front bumper with a large grille and chunky vents is complemented by a black roof and an athletic-looking rear spoiler.
The Toyota RAV4 Prime—which changed its name to the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid for 2025—was shockingly quick for a compact SUV. With a 302-hp hybrid powertrain, the RAV4 PHEV zipped from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, making it quicker than the four-cylinder Supra 2.0 sports car. Now, as the RAV4 enters its sixth generation, Toyota is pairing the potent plug-in hybrid powertrain with more aggressive exterior styling on the 2026 RAV4 GR Sport.Track-Ready StylingThe GR Sport is one of three trim levels that will be offered with the RAV4’s Sport design package; the RAV4 will also be offered with a more pedestrian look on the LE, XLE, and Limited models and adventurous styling on the Woodland model. The Sport design look will also be offered on the XSE and SE trims, which are available with either the standard hybrid powertrain or the plug-in hybrid setup; the SE hybrid also offers front-wheel drive. Toyota says the GR Sport’s sharp styling was designed with help from the company’s Gazoo Racing engineering arm, and it features a unique front bumper with a large grille framed by bulky side vents. There’s also a chin spoiler along the bottom edge of the front fascia and gloss-black wheel-arch trim. The special black 20-inch wheels spin in front of red brake calipers, while a sizable rear wing protrudes from the roof. The GR Sport is also the only RAV4 that will give shoppers the choice to pair Supersonic Red paint with a black roof.Inside, the GR Sport features faux-suede seat upholstery with red stitching, as well as GR logos on the front headrests and the steering wheel. The GR Sport also gains paddle shifters and racy aluminum pedals. The GR Sport comes standard with the larger 12.9-inch touchscreen, instead of the 10.5-inch unit found on the SE and other trims.More Power and EfficiencyWhile other RAV4 variants will be offered with the standard hybrid powertrain—mating a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors for up to 236 hp—the GR Sport will be exclusively sold with all-wheel drive and a plug-in hybrid setup. The PHEV powertrain also uses a 2.5-liter inline-four along with two electric motors and a higher-capacity battery. Toyota says this latest plug-in hybrid system features silicon-carbide semiconductors on the front axle, reducing the size of the front drive unit while improving efficiency. The PHEV now produces 320 horsepower, an 18-hp increase over the outgoing model, which should shave some time off that 5.4-second zero-to-60-mph run. The PHEV can now travel a Toyota-estimated 50 miles on pure electric power, compared with the current model’s EPA-estimated 42-mile range. While the PHEV powertrain in the XSE and Woodland trims includes DC fast-charging, the PHEV setup in the SE and GR Sport does not. All fast-charge-capable PHEV models will feature a CCS charging port, instead of the NACS-style port being adopted by most new EVs.The GR Sport isn’t any more powerful than other plug-in hybrid RAV4s, but Toyota says it benefits from specific GR-tuned suspension and steering that aim to make it feel more agile and fun to drive. Toyota also says the GR Sport’s body is more rigid, while the 20-inch wheels are shod in “wide-tread” summer tires. The 2026 RAV4, including the GR Sport, will reach dealerships later this year. Pricing won’t be announced until closer to the RAV4’s on-sale date, but the outgoing SE PHEV started at $45,660 and the XSE PHEV started at $49,530, so we expect the new GR Sport model to start at around $51K.In Depth with the New RAV4Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Source: caranddriver.com
