New Toyota RAV4 first impressions: practicality, interior and technology
May 21, 2025 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
The Toyota RAV4 is the most popular petrol-powered SUV in the world, and news editor Jamie Edkins has had a look around the new one to see if it’s a worthy replacement.
- New Toyota RAV4 revealed
- The world’s most popular hybrid SUV gets a complete redesign
- Solid, practical cabin
- New infotainment tech
- Updated plug-in hybrid system
- On sale next year
This is the new Toyota RAV4, and it’s the sixth generation of this hugely popular SUV. It’s had a design overhaul, been given some new tech and has an improved plug-in hybrid engine, but how does it stack up against the increasingly stiff competition?
To find out, I’ve flown to Brussels for the reveal of the new RAV4 and to have a poke around this Kia Sportage alternative.
New Toyota RAV4 first impressions: interior, practicality and tech
The first thing you notice when you step into the new Toyota RAV4 is that it’s a little bit dark inside. Now it’s worth noting that this is a pre-production car, so some of the materials aren’t showroom-ready, but it could do with a pop of colour or some metallic trim to liven things up.
Still, at least the build quality feels solid – as you’d expect from a Toyota. There are plenty of soft-touch plastics around the cabin, it just doesn’t quite have the same pizzazz as a Peugeot 3008 inside.
You get a 12.9-inch touchscreen as standard which gets over-the-air updates to continuously improve the software over time. This pre-production car didn’t have the finished software yet, however there is one thing of note straight away.
There are a couple of small buttons to control the temperature, but most of the climate control is buried in the screen. There are physical buttons for your driving modes, but the infotainment system will need to be really intuitive if Toyota plans to route more of the car’s functions through it.
As for practicality, there’s loads of space up front to get comfortable behind the wheel, and there’s plenty of interior storage as well. You get a big bin under the centre armrest, which can open to face either the driver or the passenger, just like a Lexus.
Moving to the rear seats you’ll immediately notice the benefit of the boxy bodywork, because there’s loads of headroom. Legroom is decent as well, although it does feel a little bit tighter than a Skoda Karoq.
The boot is a good size as well. Toyota hasn’t given the exact litreage yet, but it’s a nice square shape and there’s no load lip to haul heavy items over. The seats fold completely flat as well, although there’s no lever in the boot to do it. You have to walk around to the rear doors.
New Toyota RAV4 design
The outgoing Toyota RAV4 was starting to look a little bit dated compared to cars like the Peugeot 3008 and Renault Austral, but this new one certainly has more personality.
Starting up front you’ll notice a much more rugged-looking design. It has an upright, body coloured grill and C-shaped headlights which look similar to the ones you’ll find on the bZ4X.
From the side you’ll notice that it’s much more boxy than before. The old RAV4 had a sporty, sloping roofline, but this one almost looks like a mini Land Cruiser. Go for the GR Sport version and you get black 20-inch alloys, a more aggressive-looking bodykit and mesh grilles up front.
Moving to the rear, there’s something about that taillight design which might remind you of the Nissan X-Trail. You also get RAV4 spelled out across the tailgate now.
New Toyota RAV4 engine and hybrid system
The Toyota RAV4 gets a totally new plug-in hybrid system with better range and charging speeds than the outgoing car, thanks in part to technology borrowed from its electric cars.
It has a 23kWh battery which will deliver a claimed 62 miles on electric power alone, up from 46 miles in the outgoing RAV4 plug-in hybrid. It’s still 13 miles shy of the MG HS though. Still, thanks to 50kW DC charging you can go from 10-80% in just 30 minutes, or three hours from an 11kW home wallbox.
The plug-in hybrid system uses a 2.5-litre petrol engine paired to an electric motor, and there are two power outputs to choose from. The all-wheel drive model has 304hp, and there’s also a front-wheel drive model with 270hp.
There’s also a self-charging hybrid RAV4. You won’t be able to cover significant distances without the engine, but it’ll shuffle along in traffic using only electric power. You can have it either with all-wheel drive and 191hp or front-wheel drive with 183hp, unless you live in the UK, because we’re only getting the plug-in hybrid. For now at least.
For the keen drivers among you there’s a GR Sport version of the new RAV4, which gets a 20mm wider track than the standard car (that’s the distance between the rear wheels) to make it more stable through the corners.
It also has additional bracing, tuned suspension and lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels – it’s a pretty comprehensive upgrade for a family SUV.
How much is the new Toyota RAV4?
The new Toyota RAV4 will go on sale next year, possibly in the spring. Can’t wait until then? Check out these great alternatives to consider in the meantime. It’s a bit early to put a price on this car just yet, but you can expect it to fetch a premium over the current one.
As it stands the RAV4 starts from around £44,000 in the UK, so expect a figure of around £50,000 for this all-new version.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
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