Last year, the best-selling SUV in America was, of course, Toyota's iconic RAV4, with almost 435k units. It was followed by the Tesla Model Y rising star and the eternal runner-up, Honda's CR-V, of course. During the first four months of the year, of course, the trend continued.
In fact, after the classic Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado one-two place, nothing was stopping the Toyota RAV4 from taking the bronze medal. It was again followed in fourth place by the Tesla Model Y, and the Honda CR-V completed the top five. As such, you could say that – although a little old – Toyota's RAV4 (XA50) still has the chops for being a darling of the American automotive market.
The fifth iteration was presented at the 2018 New York International Auto Show in the spring of that year and rides on the TNGA-K platform version, which is common to an entire list of cars and crossover SUVs from Toyota, Lexus, and even Suzuki. It is offered with regular, hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid powertrains and has already undergone a mid-cycle revision process in late 2021. So, what keeps it so popular among customers almost three years later?
Most likely, it's the perfect combination of heritage, powertrain range, features, and the slightly rugged yet stylish design, if you ask around. However, that doesn't mean Toyota isn't diligently preparing a sixth generation (XA60) for the 2025 or 2026 model year now that they wrapped with the presentations of the N400 Tacoma, returning Land Cruiser, and 4Runner mid-size models in America.
Of course, the rumor mill and the imaginative realm of digital car content creators are way ahead of them - the virtual automotive artist behind the Evren Ozgun Spy Sketch channel on YouTube has a 'slightly' different interpretation of the 2025 or 2026 Toyota RAV4 that's not necessarily based on anything in the real world except for capturing some of the current models' DNA. It's his second attempt at envisioning the next-gen RAV4, and again, the front fascia has more than a thing or two in common with the current Prius and Prius Prime.
Aside from that CGI hint, the pixel master dreams of a completely different profile and rear end from what's currently in use on any Toyota. The door handles are flush, hidden away inside the body, the C-pillar is a point of inflection for the dual-tone exterior hue, and the rear has extended LED taillights. Compared to the initial project, now we have a couple of new hues – silver and blue with contrasting black tops, and again, there's no hint of what's hidden inside.
So, what do you think about this wacky interpretation of the hypothetical next-generation (XA60) 2025 or 2026 Toyota RAV4, which strays miles away from the current iteration's styling from slightly rugged into very fashionable crossover SUV territory? Is this what the public wants, or is it merely wishful thinking?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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