Toyota Might Build an Absolutely Badass Take on the World’s Best-Selling Vehicle

Would you say no to a spicier, turbocharged RAV4? We wouldn’t. No, not at all.

Red Toyota SUV with black grille and GR badge driving on a winding road with desert landscape.

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Published May 4, 2026

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Updated May 4, 2026

Imagine this. What if Toyota took its best-selling vehicle, the RAV4, gave it a potent turbocharged four-banger, tweaked its suspension, brakes, and steering, and let’er rip?

Sounds like the sort of far-fetched fantasy that’s akin to hell freezing over, right? Well, not so fast.

Word on the street is that Toyota is seriously considering turning the RAV4 on its head and making a spicy version. According to sources down yonder, the model’s product team is currently canvassing options.

For the sake of no more boring cars, is this even a question?

Red and black Toyota SUV driving on a desert highway with mountains and cloudy sky in the background. — Toyota introduced the first-ever RAV4 GR Sport on the most powerful model ever, the plug-in hybrid.

Speaking to the RAV4’s chief engineer, Yoshinori Futonagane, Drive confirmed that Toyota is really interested in making a serious performance machine out of the RAV4. The goal would be to take on Germany’s Volkswagen Tiguan R, which is slated to return in the coming months.

VW helped pioneer the performance compact SUV segment with the Europe-only Tiguan R in 2020, where it gained serious traction. So much, in fact, that VW is making an effort to bring it back with the newly introduced third-gen Tiguan.

Red and black compact SUV driving on a dirt road with blurred green trees and blue sky background. — The RAV4 PHEV is the fastest RAV4 ever, taking around five seconds to go from 0-60 mph. Yep, you read that correctly.

In essence, the Tiguan R is basically the Tiguan’s equivalent to the hi-po Golf R. It features the same hot turbo-four and dual-clutch automatic powertrain, nearly the same performance-tuned 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, R-spec steering, suspension, brakes, the whole nine yards.

In the vast sea of compact SUV options, the Tiguan R is the only hot CUV of its kind. Only Europe’s Cupra Formentor VZ/VZ5 has come close to matching the formula.

A spicy RAV4, or what would basically become a GR RAV4, would absolutely change that.

Toyota can build it, but only if customers want it

Red and black Toyota RAV4 parked on a stone driveway with desert plants and trees in the background. — Although the RAV4 GR Sport exists, a full-fledged GR RAV4 would be a completely different animal.

When asked about the prospect, Futonagane supposedly expressed excitement, claiming a GR RAV4 is genuinely possible. But it isn’t a question of whether it’s a technological or engineering hurdle.

“We could actually fit a 2.4-litre turbo in that engine compartment,” Futonagane told Australia’s Drive in their exclusive interview. “There are no official plans at the moment, but you know, the only bits that are missing is a corporate appreciation of the market demand and the potential wow factor.”

Close-up of a red GR brake caliper behind a black alloy wheel. — There are a lot of GR badges and appointments on the RAV4 PHEV GR Sport, but it’s not a full-fledged GR model.

Futonagane referred to the turbocharged 2.4-liter “T24A-FTS” four-cylinder powering the current Lexus NX and RX SUVs, the Toyota Highlander, Land Cruiser, and even the Tacoma and 4Runner.

While Futonagane said the engine fits, it’s also a matter of how such a model will fit in the RAV4’s lineup. Currently, the team is proud of the RAV4 plug-in hybrid GR Sport, which is the most powerful and fastest RAV4 ever.

Today’s fastest RAV4 is already pretty damn fast, but a GR RAV4 would be gamechanging

Three Toyota RAV4 SUVs in red, brown, and blue on a dark background. — Toyota launched the all-new sixth-gen RAV4 just last year in 2025.

Said RAV4 PHEV is already good for a combined system output of 324 horsepower and 293 pound-feet and a 0-60 time of almost five seconds. Yes, you read that correctly.

By any performance metrics, including the RAV4’s own standards, the PHEV model is an absolute beast. But a full-fledged GR RAV4 would even be more potent.

We appreciate the effort that went into the RAV4 PHEV GR Sport, but we’re lusting for a straight-up GR RAV4.

Toyota

The current RAV4 PHEV ain’t no slug in a straight line. But its heavy plug-in hybrid gear definitely has performance limitations: weight. Despite not being a heavy EV, the electric motor, battery pack and additional supporting equipment adds heft with estimates hovering around the 4,500-pound mark.

For any performance machine, that’s heavy, but especially so for a small SUV. In comparison, a regular hybrid RAV4 tips the scales at around 3,700 pounds.

Red and black Toyota RAV4 SUV driving on a city bridge with steel beams and modern buildings in the background. — Could you imagine how epic a lighter, hotter GR RAV4 would be?

Should a legitimate GR RAV4 happen, it would likely be more ideal to forgo the plug-in hybrid, and even hybrid, powertrains to save weight for performance sake. GR models, like the Supra, GR Corolla and GR Yaris, all leverage lightweight performance on top of power for their recipes.

So, while a RAV4 PHEV GR Sport is plenty quick, a non-hybridized GR RAV4 would even be more welcome. That is, if it fully embodies the GR ethos. And it would also ultimately be a completely different machine, altogether.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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