Though the competition is still fierce in the Compact SUV category, the completely redesigned 2026 Toyota RAV4 is still worth your consideration, whether you go off-road a little or go off script a lot.
This year, the RAV4 is available only as a pure hybrid or a Plug-In Hybrid (the model I tested). Depending on which trim you get, mileage will average anywhere between 40 and 45 mpg. Prices start at around $33K US for the hybrid $41K US for the Plug-In Hybrid and go up from there.
This top-selling passenger vehicle still has a lot of punch, and it certainly is still worthwhile for those who value performance and utility over glamour and trendiness. I truly enjoyed driving it because it really does park easily anywhere, can move easily from garage to street to highway and it always gives you a feeling of being in command.
The base trim LE gives you Front-Wheel Drive and a standard hybrid engine, along with 18-inch wheels, heated front seats and blind-spot monitoring, among other standard features.
Know upfront that you will not be winning any races while driving the 2026 RAV4. Some have complained that it is sluggish and not the prettiest thing at the dance, and while true, this is a car you buy when you need reliability and predictability, not another sash.
Toyota says this SUV can hold five adults. Yeah, well, okay, but I would safely go with just you, the adult love-of-your-life, maybe one kid and a dog no bigger than a labrador. You will get almost 38 cubic feet of cargo room with the backseats up, and when you put them down, you will have about 70 cubic feet. Not bad for the class.
A new and very useable feature is the infotainment screen (10.5 to 12.9 inches) that uses the Next-Generation Toyota Audio Multimedia system. Just use your finger and you can customize the screen however you like. And for those who want to command-by-voice, all you have to do is say “Hey Toyota” and a vocal genie will even tell you how close you are to a burger joint or fabric shop.
A dashcam, or ‘event recorder’ is also standard. Your parents and your lawyers will be happy about that.
I tested the Plug-In Hybrid RAV4 and got my hands on its top-tier trim, the GR Sport (seen here), which starts at just under $49K US. This one came with faux-suede seating, a lower ride height, front performance damper and dedicated damper tuning. All not truly necessary if you just need a reliable car to go from home to a laundromat named Wishy Washy Washateria (Dolly fans will get the reference) to over the river and through the hill to grandmother’s house you go.
(GR stands for Gazoo Racing, a dedication of sorts to finely tuned cars that can go fast and impress easily.)
With this class of Compact SUVs, it always pays to shop around and do your homework.
So here we are just a few weeks from Dia De Los Muertos, and the national average price of gasoline in the U.S. is at about $4.40 US per gallon. For reference, the average price on New Year’s Day 2026 was about $2.80 a gallon.
Who’s to blame? My editors would prefer I avoid addressing that question, but let’s just say that on an individual household level, I know you are not burning up the road like you did in 2025 because that has gotten far more expensive.
You may have even requested more Work-From-Home (WFH, or is WTF?) days as a result.
A hybrid or a Plug-In Hybrid makes sense, assuming you have a safe space to actually plug it in at night. You will still need to get gas, as if prices everywhere do not already give you gas. And heartburn.
What I can tell you is this: Go Vote in November. This is not an option.
I beg you to study the voter guide ahead of time, fill out your ballot and, most importantly, fill in the correct bubble. This year, I personally am hand-delivering my ballot to county clerk’s office. And if you have to vote in person, please, go and do it and take the day off if need be.
Your LGBTQ+ ancestors were thrown in jail for dancing together, cross-dressing and/or self-identifying. Many had lobotomies or electric shock therapy to try to turn them into something like what our current Vice President and Second Lady are.
The least we can do is fully exercise our constitutional right to vote.
Honestly, our lives depend on what some are seeing as an act of defiance.
