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A leaked photo claiming to be the new Toyota RAV4 has surfaced out of China – and it may be the real thing.
This could be our first look at the next-generation 2026 Toyota RAV4 without camouflage, after an image purported to show the new model emerged out of China.
A single photo posted to Chinese social network Weibo allegedly taken at a GAC Toyota dealer meeting in China is claimed to show the new RAV4, which is sold by the joint-venture as the Wildlander.
The authenticity of the image – spotted by Japanese blog Creative Trend – has not been verified, and it's unclear when it was taken.
Reports have claimed it may be revealed as soon as the Shanghai motor show in late April – or even the New York motor show a week earlier, the venue for the current RAV4's unveiling in 2018.
If history is a guide, Australian arrivals are likely to commence nine to 12 months later.
Details such as the contours on the 'hammerhead' LED headlights and honeycomb front grille align with the spy photos, as do the machined-finish wheels, which have only been seen on prototypes on the road, rather than stationary.
The sharp body crease extending from the bonnet, as well as the sculpting on the rear doors, are design elements that have been disguised by the camouflage on test prototypes.
Despite the familiar appearance, the new RAV4 appears to share no body panels with the current model – a departure from the new Toyota Camry and upcoming HiLux, which do wear some of their predecessors' sheetmetal.
While the leaked image shows styling similar to spy photos captured in the US and Japan, there is still a chance this look will be exclusive to GAC Toyota showrooms.
The current model is currently marketed there as the Wildlander, with a different front bumper to the RAV4 sold in the rest of the world, as well as Toyota's other joint-venture in China, FAW Toyota.
As previously reported by Drive, the new RAV4 is set to ride on the underpinnings of its predecessor, but with the Japanese car giant's latest hybrid technology.
In the latest Camry, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine combines with a new electric motor and battery for 170kW combined.
The interior is expected to be upgraded in line with newer Toyota models, with larger 12.3-inch dual screens and new features.
Toyota North America product planning chief Cooper Ericksen told Automotive News last year customers have "spoken clearly with what they want with the RAV4".
"The size, the packaging, the level of performance, technology. We could sell 500,000 of those things a year [in the US] if we could build them, so we do not want to mess up that formula. If we were to change, it wouldn’t be a dramatic change."
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
