6th-gen Toyota RAV4 launched in Japan, Z and Adventure prices, GR SPORT and PHEV due by March 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: Toyota has plaunched the all-new, sixth-generation RAV4 in Japan, positioning it around the tagline “Life is an Adventure,” and three development pillars, “Diversification, Electrification, and Intelligence.”

In simple terms, it is the same familiar midsize SUV idea, but now split into clearer personalities, pushed harder toward electrified powertrains, and built around a new software backbone that Toyota says will speed up how features like Toyota Safety Sense and cockpit functions are developed and rolled out.

Also Read: Toyota Veloz Hybrid makes world premiere at Gaikindo Jakarta Auto Week

Three looks, one RAV4 core

Under “Diversification,” Toyota is offering three distinct styles. There’s the Z, pitched as the more sophisticated, road-focused look, the Adventure, which leans into a tougher image and is meant to handle off-road driving, and a GR SPORT that’s focused on driving performance. Toyota says the GR SPORT is scheduled for release within fiscal 2025, which ends March 2026.

Design-wise, Toyota says the new RAV4’s shape is built around three elements called “Big Foot,” “Lift-up,” and “Utility,” basically a planted stance with large-diameter tyres, a more capable off-road vibe, and cargo practicality. The Z gets a “hammerhead” style front with body-coloured bumpers and a mesh grille, while the Adventure adds chunkier wheel arch mouldings and a higher nose profile. Inside, the Adventure also gets an exclusive “Mineral” colour scheme, plus orange accents and camouflage patterns on parts of the trim.

Size stays familiar, boot space grows

Toyota is keeping the overall footprint about the same for everyday usability. The Z is listed at 4,600 mm long, 1,855 mm wide, and 1,680 mm tall, while the Adventure is slightly larger at 4,620 mm long and 1,880 mm wide, with the same 1,680 mm height.

One practical change is luggage space. Toyota quotes a boot capacity of 749 L (VDA method), and says that’s 16 L more than the previous G grade’s 733 L. It also claims a flatter load floor when the rear seats are folded, by reducing the slope of the floor.

Cabin changes, new shift setup and HUD

Inside, Toyota has moved to what it calls an “island architecture,” grouping the main controls and displays into clustered “islands” to reduce eye movement. Two new items are highlighted as Toyota firsts, with Toyota noting these claims are “As of December 2025 according to Toyota Motor Corporation research.”

• Color heads up display, now an angled display rather than an upright style, with three display modes (Full, Standard, Minimum).

• Electro-Shiftmatic, a one-direction shift-operation system that also clusters the gear selector with the electric parking brake and brake hold switch, aiming to cut down on driver hand movement and glances.

Hybrid now, PHEV later

Under “Electrification,” Toyota is confirming an HEV and a newly developed PHEV system, with the PHEV scheduled for release within fiscal 2025, ending March 2026. For the hybrid, Toyota is quoting a 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder setup with a maximum system output of 177 kW (240 hp).

Toyota’s E-Four electric AWD system is said to vary front to rear drive distribution between 100:0 and 20:80. There are also TRAIL and SNOW modes that use brake-based traction control to manage wheelspin and shuffle torque side-to-side.

Toyota also claims a more premium ride through an improved platform and newly adopted shock absorbers, though it does not go into detail here beyond the hardware mention.

“Intelligence” means Arene, Toyota’s software push

The headline tech story is Toyota’s move to use its Arene software development platform in the RAV4 for the first time. Toyota’s claim is that Arene shortens development time for key UI software, including Toyota Safety Sense and cockpit systems, and should also support faster installation of these features into the vehicle.

Longer term, Toyota says Arene is expected to enable simultaneous updates of multiple functions, plus customer-specific customisation, as part of its Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) direction.

Toyota Safety Sense update, plus 3D view camera and faster voice response

Toyota says the latest Toyota Safety Sense evolves through software work done with Arene, including modularisation, software evaluation, and improvements to image recognition and automatic braking control, alongside better camera and radar performance.

Key changes Toyota highlights include:

• Pre-collision Safety that detects deceleration of vehicles ahead more quickly, and can also detect vehicles emerging from behind other cars at intersections, plus an updated low-speed Acceleration Suppression Function that works while turning as well as straight-line driving.

• Radar Cruise Control with earlier recognition of surrounding vehicles, including better detection of merging vehicles at close range in low-speed traffic, and earlier detection of turn signals.

• Driver emergency response system gains a shoulder stop function, where the car warns the driver, activates hazard lights, then slows and stops in-lane or on the shoulder if an emergency is detected.

Toyota also calls out a Panoramic View Monitor with 3D View, another Toyota first claim (again tied to “As of December 2025 according to Toyota Motor Corporation research”), where users can swipe the screen to view the surroundings from different angles.

On infotainment, Toyota is fitting a 12.9-inch display audio as standard across all models, and says the voice recognition response is about three times faster than before, responding within about one second after the user speaks.

Japan pricing and sales target

For Japan, Toyota has published pricing (including consumption tax, excluding recycling fees, with separate pricing for Okinawa):

• Z (HEV, E-Four): 4,900,000 yen (RM128,870)

• Adventure: 4,500,000 yen (RM118,350)

Toyota also lists a base sales volume target for Japan of 3,000 HEV units per month. A PHEV model is scheduled to launch within FY2026.

Accessories and appearance packages will be offered through Toyota genuine parts and accessories, MODELLISTA, and TZ accessories, with multiple package themes depending on grade.

Also Read: All-new 9th-gen Toyota Hilux debuts - Both BEV and ICE variants on offer