2026 RAV4 vs 2025 RAV4: should you wait for the new one or grab a leftover 2025?

So if you're shopping for a RAV4 right now, you've probably noticed two things. The 2026 RAV4 is a completely new design, and it's hard to find at sticker price. And a few 2025 RAV4s are still sitting on dealer lots. So the big question is whether the 2026 is worth the extra money, or whether you're better off grabbing a 2025 before they're gone.

Basically, the answer depends a lot on whether you want a gas RAV4, a RAV4 Hybrid or a RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. So in this guide I'll go through what actually changed, what each year costs by trim, and what the 2026 gives up. Then I'll cover how hard each year is to find, the early 2026 recalls, and who I think should pick which year.

Quick picks: 2025 or 2026 RAV4

Those starting prices, checked October 15, 2026, are MSRP, the manufacturer's suggested retail price. MSRP is the sticker price Toyota sets. And it doesn't include Toyota's destination fee, which is the delivery charge every new car carries.

What changed from the 2025 RAV4 to the 2026 RAV4

So the 2025 RAV4 is the last year of the fifth generation, the design Toyota sold for seven years, through 2025. And the 2026 RAV4 is the first year of the sixth generation. The biggest change is that Toyota dropped the gas-only RAV4. Every 2026 RAV4 is either a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid or a 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid.

Basically, a hybrid has a gas engine helped by electric motors and a small battery, and you never plug it in. A plug-in hybrid has a bigger battery that you charge from an outlet, so it drives on electricity first and then switches to gas. I explain both in more detail in my 2026 Hybrid vs Plug-in vs electric guide.

And a few terms show up in the table below. FWD means front-wheel drive, where only the front wheels are powered. AWD means all-wheel drive, where all four wheels can be powered.

The IIHS, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, is the group that crash tests cars and hands out Top Safety Pick awards. And Toyota Safety Sense is Toyota's name for its set of driver aids, like automatic emergency braking and lane keeping.

Something to note is how the IIHS ratings work. The IIHS rates each crash test Good, Acceptable, Marginal or Poor, so Marginal is second from the bottom. And over-the-air updates mean the 2026 RAV4 can download new software by itself, without a trip to the dealer.

And my 2026 RAV4 technology guide covers what each 2026 trim includes. That covers the new screens, the 360-degree camera and new driver aids like Lane Change Assist. The gauge screens on both years are covered in my digital speedometer guide.

So ultimately, the 2026 RAV4 is about the same size as the 2025 RAV4 on the outside and inside. The changes are mostly in the hybrid system, the screens and the safety tech.

Gas mileage and yearly fuel cost: 2025 vs 2026 RAV4

So the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid gets about 1 to 3 mpg (miles per gallon) more than the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid, trim for trim. Here are the EPA combined ratings, which are the government's official mileage numbers for mixed city and highway driving.

And in real driving, one 2026 RAV4 Hybrid XSE owner reports 42 mpg over 6,500 miles, even with a lot of fast highway driving. Consumer Reports got 40 mpg overall in its testing, and Car and Driver got 36 mpg at a steady 75 mph.

Now here's what that means in dollars. This table assumes 12,000 miles a year and gas at $4.331 a gallon. That's the US average for regular in the week of October 12, 2026, from the government's Energy Information Administration. The math is miles divided by mpg, times the gas price.

So going from a 2025 gas RAV4 to a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid saves about $500 to $600 a year. But going from a 2025 RAV4 Hybrid to a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid only saves about $65 to $100 a year. Edmunds came to the same number, "about 100 bucks or so a year."

So ultimately, gas savings alone won't justify paying more for a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid over a 2025 RAV4 Hybrid. The reasons to pay more for the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid are the power, the towing, the safety tech and the newer screens.

2025 vs 2026 RAV4 prices by trim

So here are the prices trim by trim. All of these are MSRP without the destination fee. And keep in mind that Toyota's destination fee was $1,450 on the 2025 RAV4. For the 2026 RAV4, the price builder on toyota.com showed $1,595 on October 15, 2026.

RAV4 Hybrid prices, 2025 vs 2026

Now the price difference between the 2025 and 2026 RAV4 Hybrid XSE is smaller than it looks. On the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid XSE, a lot of features came in the $2,010 Technology Package. That package added the 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking, and a hands-free liftgate. It also added wireless charging and keyless entry on every door.

So a 2025 Hybrid XSE with the Technology Package came to $40,520. Most of those features are standard on the 2026 XSE, so the real difference on the XSE is about $780, not $2,790. My guide to the 2025 Technology Package explains what the 2025 Technology Package includes on each trim.

2025 gas RAV4 prices (no 2026 gas RAV4 exists)

So the cheapest new RAV4 is still the 2025 RAV4 gas LE FWD at $29,800. That's $2,100 less than the cheapest 2026 RAV4, which is the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid LE FWD at $31,900. The 2026 RAV4 Hybrid LE FWD saves about $520 a year in gas over the 2025 gas LE FWD. So the 2026 Hybrid LE FWD pays back that $2,100 in about 4 years at 12,000 miles a year.

RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid prices, 2025 vs 2026

So the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid is the one place where the 2026 is the clear winner on price. The 2026 Plug-in costs less, goes about 7 to 12 more miles on electricity depending on the trim, and has 324 horsepower instead of 302.

So ultimately, the 2025 gas RAV4 is the cheapest new RAV4 and the 2026 Plug-in beats the 2025 Plug-in on price. And for the RAV4 Hybrid, the 2026 costs $250 to $3,830 more on matching trims. But the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid also gives you more power, better mileage and more towing for that money.

What the 2026 RAV4 gives up compared with the 2025

So the 2026 RAV4 is better in most ways you can measure. But there are a few real things the 2026 RAV4 gives up. Some of them matter a lot if you hate touchscreens, use car seats or want the cheapest RAV4.

• The 2026 RAV4 has no gas-only engine. The 2025 RAV4 is the last RAV4 with a plain gas engine, and it's the cheapest new RAV4 you can still find.
• The 2026 RAV4 drops the physical fan knob. On the 2025 RAV4, temperature and fan speed are big physical knobs. On the 2026 RAV4, temperature still has physical buttons and the volume still has a knob. But fan speed, air direction and seat heat moved to the touchscreen. Edmunds says the previous-generation RAV4's chunky knobs are easier to use, especially with gloves on.
• The 2026 RAV4 loses the soft-touch dashboard. The 2026 RAV4's upper dash is hard plastic. Car Confections, a YouTube car review channel, says the 2026 interior is "downgraded a bit" in materials, and Consumer Reports and Car and Driver also criticize the hard plastics.
• The 2026 RAV4's side mirrors are narrower. Edmunds prefers the previous-generation RAV4's wider mirrors and easier visibility. Edmunds calls the 2026's mirrors "too vertical and a bit too skinny."
• Car seats are harder to install in the 2026 RAV4. Edmunds found the 2026 RAV4's lower LATCH anchors, the metal bars a car seat clips onto, are tucked in further and harder to reach. The IIHS rates the 2025 RAV4's LATCH anchors Good for ease of use, and the IIHS hasn't rated the 2026 RAV4's LATCH anchors yet.
• The 2026 RAV4's gauge screen has no shade over it. The 2026 RAV4's 12.3-inch gauge screen sits out in the open, and owners and Car Confections report glare in direct sun.
• The 2026 XLE Premium loses the memory seat option. The 2025 RAV4 XLE Premium's Weather Package cost $1,075 on the Hybrid and $1,185 on the gas model. The 2025 XLE Premium's Weather Package added heated seats, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers and a power driver's seat that remembers two seat positions. And on the 2026 RAV4, the memory seat only comes on the XSE and Limited.
• The 2026 XLE Premium's Weather Package is smaller. The 2026 XLE Premium's Weather Package ($375) is only the heated steering wheel and the rain-sensing wipers. My 2026 Weather Package guide covers what the 2026 Weather Package includes on each trim.
• The 2026 XLE Premium may lose a few extras. Car Confections found the 2026 XLE Premium they drove had no fog lights, no standard sunroof, gloss black mirror caps and no separate daytime running light. Those aren't confirmed in Toyota's own data, so check the window sticker on the car you're looking at.
• The 2026 RAV4 has no track record yet. The 2025 RAV4 is the seventh year of a well-known design. The 2026 RAV4 is the first year of a new one, and the next section covers its early recalls.

But on the other side, the 2026 RAV4 gains a lot too. Car Confections says the 2026 cabin is quieter. And Edmunds says the 2026 seat heaters work better, the cabin storage is much better and the new touchscreen is a lot faster. The lid on the 2026's center console, the storage box between the front seats, flips over to become a tray. And the door pockets are bigger.

So ultimately, the 2026 RAV4 gives up some comfort and simplicity, but it gains a lot of tech, power and towing. If none of those losses bother you, the 2026 is the better RAV4.

Can you still find a leftover 2025 RAV4, and how big is the discount?

So a leftover 2025 RAV4 is a new, never-sold 2025 still on a dealer's lot. Toyota pushed back 2026 production to build more 2025s, which is why 2025 RAV4s lasted so long into 2026. But by mid October 2026, a leftover 2025 RAV4 with a real discount is hard to find. Here's how the supply of 2025 RAV4s changed over the year.

• March 26, 2026: Cars.com found 2025 RAV4s averaged 50 days on dealer lots, and 2025 RAV4 Hybrids were discounted "just over $1,000" on average. Cars.com expected "a couple of months left" of 2025 RAV4s.
• October 12, 2026: RealCarTips, a car pricing site, shows average prices paid on 2025 RAV4s at 5% to 9% under MSRP, depending on the trim. RealCarTips doesn't name where its numbers come from, so treat them as a rough guide, not a quote.
• October 15, 2026: Cars.com's new-car search still showed some 2025 RAV4s and RAV4 Hybrids, mostly in Florida and South Carolina, plus single cars in Nevada, Texas and Minnesota. And several were listed above their MSRP, likely because of dealer add-on packages, which are extras the dealer adds and charges for. I didn't check each listing, so some may be old listings or demo cars that dealers used for test drives.

Here are a few of RealCarTips' October 12, 2026 averages. The sticker prices here include the destination fee.

So if you want to hunt for a leftover 2025 RAV4 Hybrid, this Cars.com search shows new 2025 RAV4 Hybrids still listed for sale. It's a store search, not a single car, so the results change every day. And Toyota's press pages for the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid and the 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid list what each 2025 trim came with.

Basically, leftover 2025 discounts depend on the dealer and the month. The out-the-door price is the total you'd actually pay, including taxes, fees and any add-ons. So ask the dealer for the out-the-door price in writing before you visit.

2026 RAV4 markups, shortages and wait times

So the 2026 RAV4 has been hard to get all year, and some dealers charge a markup, which is an amount added on top of MSRP. Here's what the reports say, by date.

• February 3, 2026: CarBuzz, a car news site, found Capitol Toyota in San Jose, California, adding $5,995 to a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid LE FWD, bringing it to nearly $40,000. Stevens Creek Toyota, also in San Jose, added $4,995 to every RAV4 it listed. But Victory Toyota in Seaside, California, sold at sticker, and Minot Toyota in North Dakota was $500 under.
• March 26, 2026: Cars.com found 2026 RAV4s listed an average of $71 over MSRP nationally, so most dealers were at sticker.
• June 22, 2026: Toyota's sales vice president, Damon Rose, said "It's so hot, we're counting inventory in hours' supply right now, not days." RAV4 sales were down about 40% through May 2026. Longo Toyota in California had more than 800 customers waiting. And Toyota's Kentucky plant started building the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid in June, which is expected to add about 40,000 RAV4s in 2026.
• September 1, 2026: CNBC reported dealers had only a few days' supply of RAV4s.
• October 12, 2026: The Detroit Free Press reported hybrid RAV4s "sell within days of arriving," and some buyers wait months.
• October 12 to 15, 2026: RealCarTips' averages show 2026 RAV4 Hybrids selling 1% to 2% under MSRP. For example, a 2026 Hybrid XSE with a $42,895 sticker (with destination) sold for $42,494 on average. And CarWhere, a car deal site, lists 49 verified RAV4 deals. Those deals, mostly 2026s from April to October 2026, average 2.3% under MSRP, though that's a small sample.

Now something to note is that Toyota doesn't take factory orders for the RAV4, meaning you can't order one built the way you want it. So when a dealer offers a "reservation," you're reserving one of the cars the dealer has coming in. A real reservation should come with a VIN, the car's 17-character ID number, or at least a build or arrival date. And the deposit should be refundable, in writing.

And as a rule of thumb, CarEdge, a car buying advice site, says to pay MSRP or a bit under on a RAV4 Hybrid. CarEdge says to walk away if the dealer wants more than $1,500 over.

Keep in mind that people who paid markups during the 2022 to 2023 shortage lost that money once supply recovered. A markup doesn't come back when you trade the car in. I go into dealer markups in more depth in my 2026 RAV4 dealer markup guide.

So ultimately, you may have to call several dealers and wait, but you can get a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid at or a little under sticker in October 2026.

Early 2026 RAV4 problems and recalls

So first-year cars usually have some early bugs, and the 2026 RAV4 is no different. Here's every recall the government's recall database, run by NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), listed for the 2025 and 2026 RAV4 on October 15, 2026.

Now the 26V659 recall on the 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid is the serious one. On October 9, 2026, Toyota Australia recalled 5,925 of its 2026 RAV4 Plug-ins for the same fault. The Australian 2026 RAV4 Hybrid wasn't included. So if you're buying a 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, ask the dealer to confirm the 26V659 software fix is done before you take delivery.

What 2026 RAV4 owners are reporting

So NHTSA also collects complaints from owners. As of October 15, 2026, there were 24 complaints on the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid and 13 on the 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. Keep in mind these are reports owners filed themselves, so they don't show how often a problem actually happens. Here are the patterns that show up more than once.

• Seven owners say the overhead sunglasses holder pops open while driving. Five of the six reports are on the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid and one is on the Plug-in. One owner says the warranty replacement still pops open.
• Five 2026 RAV4 Hybrid owners report glass breaking with nothing hitting it. The broken glass was on the panoramic roof, the rear window or the rear side glass. One owner says the dealer denied the warranty claim.
• About five owners report sudden automatic braking with nothing ahead, sometimes called ghost braking, on both the 2026 Hybrid and Plug-in. My guides on turning off automatic braking and the PKSB (Parking Support Brake) unavailable message explain the braking systems.
• Six 2026 RAV4 owners report a "System Malfunction" message with airbag and driver-aid warnings all at once. One 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid owner measured the 12-volt battery, the small battery that runs the electronics, at 11.8 volts, which is low. My warning lights guide explains what each light means.
• Three 2026 RAV4 owners report lines or distortion in the windshield.
• Six 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid owners report a loss of power or a "Hybrid System Malfunction" message at 20 to 600 miles. Those reports match the 26V659 recall.

And on RAV4World, a big RAV4 owners' forum, 2026 owners have started threads about 12-volt battery problems and wireless Android Auto problems. Other threads cover rattles on the 2026 Limited and a speedometer that owners say reads 3 to 5% fast. Two 2026 Limited owners had a frozen software update page, and one owner found a Toyota service bulletin for the frozen page. A service bulletin is a repair instruction Toyota sends to dealers.

Now as for reliability, Consumer Reports predicts the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid will be "more reliable than the average new car." My RAV4 reliability guide covers what the other ratings say. That's based on the previous RAV4 and Toyota's overall record. Consumer Reports has no prediction yet for the 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid.

So ultimately, the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid's early problems are mostly small annoyances so far. The 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid's power loss recall is the one to take seriously, and the fix is on the way.

An open recall is a recall that hasn't been fixed on that car yet. You can check any RAV4 for open recalls with its VIN on Toyota's recall lookup or NHTSA's recall lookup, and both are free.

Will a 2025 RAV4 or a 2026 RAV4 hold its value better?

So according to iSeeCars, a used car research site, the RAV4 holds its value better than any other compact SUV. iSeeCars looked at about 950,000 used car sales and found the RAV4 as a whole keeps 74.6% of its value after 5 years. The RAV4 Hybrid keeps 75.4%, the best of any hybrid SUV, and the RAV4 Prime keeps 69.4%. The average compact SUV keeps 58.8%. Those are iSeeCars' numbers as of October 15, 2026, and my RAV4 trade-in value guide has what each year is worth now.

And used 2026 RAV4 Hybrids are listed about 16% above new MSRP right now, according to CarGurus data from October 2026. But those are asking prices, not what people actually paid.

Now nobody has measured how a 2025 RAV4 will hold its value with the 2026 design on sale. For me personally, I'd expect the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid to keep a strong resale value, since it's the last year of a proven design and still a hybrid. The 2025 gas RAV4 will likely hold its value the least of the three 2025 versions (gas, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid), since more people now want hybrids. But that's my own opinion, not a measured number.

Just keep in mind that any markup you pay on a 2025 or a 2026 won't come back when you trade the RAV4 in. But ultimately, either year of RAV4 should still hold its value well.

Should you wait for a 2027 RAV4?

So as of mid October 2026, Toyota hadn't announced a 2027 RAV4 for the US, and toyota.com still sells only 2026 RAV4s. In Australia, a 2027 RAV4 safety update arrives from late October 2026, with no price rise, but Australian changes may not come to the US.

And keep in mind that waiting for a 2027 RAV4 means waiting through a shortage. Toyota's Kentucky plant is set to build more RAV4s in 2027, but Toyota hasn't said how many. So I wouldn't wait for a 2027 RAV4 unless you're fine driving your current car for a while longer.

Who should pick the 2025 RAV4 and who should pick the 2026 RAV4

• Pick a 2025 RAV4 gas model if you want the simplest, cheapest new RAV4 and you can find one under sticker with no add-ons. The 2025 gas RAV4 makes the most sense if you don't drive much. At 12,000 miles a year, the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid LE FWD's gas savings take about 4 years to make up the $2,100 gap, and longer if you drive less. Just check recalls 26V256, 25V744 and 25V595 with the VIN.
• Pick a 2025 RAV4 Hybrid if you can get it clearly under sticker, around 5% or more. The 2025 RAV4 Hybrid is also a good pick if you want a physical fan knob and a softer dash. And it makes sense if you need a car now or every 2026 near you has a markup. Keep in mind you'll spend about $65 to $100 more a year on gas, and you won't get the 3,500-pound towing, Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 or the faster screens. But the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid is the seventh year of a proven design.
• Pick a 2026 RAV4 Hybrid if you can get it at or under MSRP. The 2026 RAV4 Hybrid is the better pick if you tow up to 3,500 pounds with an AWD SE, XLE Premium, XSE, Woodland or Limited. It's also the better pick if you want FWD for the best mileage or you keep cars a long time. And the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid has Toyota Safety Sense 4.0, the newest set of driver aids. I wouldn't pay more than about $1,500 over sticker, and I'd turn down add-on packages.
• Pick a 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid over a 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid in almost every case. The 2026 Plug-in is cheaper, goes further on electricity and has more power. Just make sure the 26V659 software fix is done before delivery.
• If you hate touchscreens, the 2025 RAV4 keeps physical knobs for the fan and temperature, as I covered above.
• If you use car seats, the rear legroom is the same in both years. But Edmunds found the 2026 RAV4's lower LATCH anchors harder to reach, so try your own car seat in the 2026 before you buy.

And if you're also deciding between the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid and the 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, my 2026 Hybrid vs Plug-in vs electric guide can help. That guide goes through the costs, charging and who each one suits. If you're thinking about a used RAV4 instead, my RAV4 years to avoid guide covers which years have the most problems.

Videos worth watching on the 2026 vs 2025 RAV4

So if you want to see the two RAV4s side by side, here are the clearest videos I found. And under each video, I've put a quick summary of what it covers.