Toyota has launched the sixth-generation RAV4 in Japan, introducing the SUV with a hybrid electric (HEV) powertrain and confirming a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version will follow within the current fiscal year ending March 2026. The new RAV4 also marks a major milestone for Toyota as the first model to use its Arene software development platform, laying the foundation for the brand’s software-defined vehicle (SDV) strategy.
Arene enables simultaneous over-the-air updates across multiple vehicle systems, allowing Toyota to enhance functionality and features over time. In Japan, the RAV4 is offered in Z and Adventure trims, priced at ¥4.9 million and ¥4.5 million respectively. A more performance-oriented GR Sport variant is scheduled to arrive within fiscal 2025, with Toyota targeting monthly sales of 3,000 units.
Power comes from a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with electric motors, delivering a combined output of 177 kW (240 hp). The E-Four electric all-wheel-drive system can vary torque distribution between the front and rear axles from 100:0 to 20:80, depending on driving conditions.
Inside, the sixth-gen RAV4 features a 12.9-inch central display as standard, a colour head-up display, and Toyota’s new Electro-Shiftmatic gear selector. Safety tech has also been upgraded, with an expanded Toyota Safety Sense suite offering improved pre-collision detection and a new shoulder-stop function that can guide the vehicle safely to the roadside in the event of a driver emergency.
