2026 Best Overall SUV: Toyota RAV4

As winner of the Best Compact SUV title in the 2026 AutoTrader Awards, it should be no surprise that the newest generation of the ever-popular Toyota RAV4 has also been voted as the Best Overall SUV by our discerning jury. The RAV4 got more votes than any SUV or crossover available in Canada, regardless of size, price, or mission, which is an impressive feat.

Our panel of more than 20 automotive experts from all over the country determined this model, which moves into its sixth generation for 2026, is the SUV they most feel confident recommending to friends and family, and in what is generally the most popular automotive segment in Canada. This segment is packed with many excellent SUVs and crossovers, and our experts considered every single one before voting for the RAV4 as the winner.

Key changes for this new generation model include the 2026 RAV4 dropping its gas-only version in favour of a hybrid powertrain across all trims, an improved version of its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option, new styling and features, and new trims. All come standard with all-wheel drive (AWD).

This redesigned RAV4 upgrades to the latest iteration of Toyota’s gas-electric hybrid system. It’s based on a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that, on its own, makes 183 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque; but when combined with the hybrid system’s electric motors, that increases to 236 hp, a step up from the 219 hp in the last-generation 2025 version. The RAV4’s hybrid system is self-charging and doesn’t plug in, and automatically switches between gasoline, electricity, or a combination, depending on driving conditions. Despite the extra power, fuel consumption is as low as 5.4 L/100 km, against 6.0 L/100 km in the 2025 version.

Obviously, the RAV4 PHEV does get plugged in. It also uses a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, but its system produces a combined 320 hp, an additional 18 hp over the 2025 model. When fully charged, it’s capable of approximately 80 kilometres of driving on its battery alone, up from 68 km in last year’s version. Once that depletes, the vehicle reverts to self-charging hybrid mode, so there’s no “range anxiety.” An optional Technology Package allows it to be fast-charged at a public DC charger, reaching 80 per cent battery in 30 minutes.

In his review of the 2026 RAV4, AutoTrader Road Test Editor Dan Ilika noted that the new model uses more high-strength steel and improved construction. “Alongside the similarly-enhanced hybrid drive system, it contributes to a familiar-feeling (and sounding) crossover…other refinements include suspension bushings that help reduce road vibrations, and the effects are noticeable.”

The redesigned interior includes a 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch centre touchscreen, depending on trim, featuring the debut of Toyota’s new multimedia system. Developed in-house, it has a smartphone-style display with a configurable home screen and widgets, faster response time, a dashcam-style drive recorder, and turn-by-turn navigation directions visible in the instrument cluster.

A new trim on the RAV4 is the Woodland, with all-terrain tires that give it more ground clearance for off-the-pavement driving, along with roof rails and crossbars, and a towing hitch. The PHEV offers a new GR Sport, with performance-tuned suspension and steering, stiffer body, and front and rear spoilers.

Pricing for the 2026 RAV4 hybrid ranges from $37,500 for the entry LE trim, to $52,450 for the XSE Technology Package; the new Woodland trim is $47,000 (all prices before delivery fee and taxes).

While the RAV4 PHEV is imported from Japan, all versions of the non-plug-in RAV4 are assembled in Canada, as are their hybrid batteries, made here using cells from Toyota’s factories in the U.S.

The RAV4 is traditionally Toyota’s best-selling vehicle and by a wide margin, as well as the top-selling SUV in Canada; we expect that to continue with the introduction of this new version. For its choice of hybrid or plug-in hybrid, its improved performance, new styling, new features, its efficiency, and its roomy and comfortable interior, the 2026 Toyota RAV4 has earned its wins by impressing our panel of judges.