The Toyota RAV4 GR Sport is trying to buck a trend. Look around the automotive sphere today, and you’ll notice something. It has existed for decades and yet is largely unnoticed by the general public. Countless cars, trucks, and SUVs carry the word ‘Sport’, and it might as well be just about any other word.It doesn’t mean that they’re more powerful. It doesn’t mean that they’re more performance-oriented. And it doesn’t mean that they’re actually any quicker or more engaging to drive. Instead, it often means that they get fancy wheels, maybe some fancy badging, and perhaps some fun stitching in the cabin. In short, they’re appearance packages with all sorts of promises that their powertrains and or platforms can not deliver on. Toyota’s RAV4 GR Sport is different both in name and in result. First, those two little letters, GR, actually mean something. They stand for GAZOO Racing, and in America, they’ve only shown up on proven performers like the GR 86, GR Supra, and the GR Corolla. Now, they’re here in GR Sport guise. Think of it the same way that you do BMW’s M-Sport or Audi’s S-Line models. This is the very first Toyota to come to America with the GR Sport badge. To find out if it could be more than an appearance package and if it was any good to drive, we tested it along with all of the other new RAV4s in Arizona. Here’s what we found out.StylingThe 2026 RAV4 gets new styling that draws it closer to its 4Runner sibling. The GR Sport riffs off of that by bringing in aspects of the latest GR Corolla as well. The grille is wide and full of glossy chrome. It’s not just about looks, though. It has multiple ducts that reduce lift and improve downforce. The entire body is 15 mm lower than in any other RAV4 to improve handling and aerodynamics. There’s also a front lip spoiler, a rear hatch spoiler, and a lower diffuser. These parts are all functional according to Toyota. The GR Sport gets unique offset 20-inch wheels and exclusive sticky summer tires.You’ll notice right away that these changes are aesthetic, but some are genuinely functional. Even if we only consider the tires, that’s an important upgrade that improves acceleration, braking, and handling, all by itself. InteriorWith a bevy of new RAV4 trims, it would be easy to get lost in which cabin belongs to which version in most cases. The GR Sport stands out, though, because it features prominent GR branding. You didn’t think Toyota would resist the chance to add some fancy stitching, did you? The buckets up front are what Toyota calls Static Elimination Stabilizing Plus D-Seats. That said, they look very similar to the other RAV4s but with their own unique upholstery consisting of faux suede and leather. Red piping accents the seat back, and GR logos adorn the headrests. We’d love some more bolstering here. Perhaps the seats from a GR Corolla or GR 86 would be more appropriate for a crossover that can corner harder than the rest of the family. There are four more GR badges in the car. One sits at the bottom of the steering wheel while the other stares back at the driver from the gauge cluster. There are more on the floor mats. They’re small reminders that this isn’t the average RAV4. Beyond those signifiers, this is very much like the rest of the family, though. More: 2025 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid Spices Up Winning IngredientsThe seats are comfortable, easy to adjust, and supportive over longer drives. The control stack is simple, full of physical buttons, and reminds us of the new 4Runner and Tacoma. Toyota’s latest infotainment system is a highlight thanks to great graphics, intuitive menus, and snappy response times. The center console gets a top that feels sort of like magic. Not only does it flip up from the driver or passenger side, but users can actually detach both sides at once to remove it completely. Why do such a thing? Well, it’s double-sided with a hard surface on the bottom that can be flipped over and reinstalled in the console for when you’d rather have a space to write things or to perhaps rest a breakfast burrito for snacking during a stop. The rear seats are spacious and comfortable, though again, we’d love some more bolstering. While there are no GR logos or red piping, we do like that Toyota kept the same general upholstery in the rear. That’s not always true of other brands. Behind the rear seats, you’ll find 33.5 cubic feet of storage that expands to 63.5 cubic feet with the seats down. Drive Impressions As we covered in our main review, every RAV4 gets hybrid power for 2026, but the GR Sport still stands out. It’s the only trim in the lineup to be available with only the plug-in hybrid powertrain. That’s quite different from offerings like the Chevrolet Tahoe with its RST (Rally Sport Truck) trim that adds exactly zero power or performance while offering buyers the chance to pay even more for the engine that it probably should have to begin with. The GR Sport comes with the most potent engine, suspension, and chassis setup available with the RAV4. The engine under the hood makes a total of 324 hp (242 kW), and all four wheels get power. The rear gets it from electric motors only, and the front gets it via an e-CVT. That combination isn’t optimal, but it’s far from disappointing. Having heavily tested everything from the everyday FWD RAV4 hybrid to the Woodland PHEV, the GR Sport really stood out. Using a GPS tracker, we registered numerous 5.6-second sprints from 0-60 mph. To put that into context, it’s the same as the GR 86. It’s a full second quicker than the Honda Civic Si. Maybe that says more about how slow the Civic is, though. That’s not with a topped-up battery either, it’s with anywhere from 75 to just 55 percent capacity. While this is no sort of track car, the acceleration is exactly what Toyota promises, and it’s great to see them meeting that number in everyday circumstances. The wider tires, retuned suspension, and stiffer chassis bracing make for a far sharper crossover. Compared to the rest of the RAV4 lineup, it was hardest to let go of time in the GR Sport because it’s far more engaging on the road than any of its siblings. Toyota has a specific power steering setting for when the GR Sport is in its sport setting. It improves steering feel, which is great, but the real story is that this crossover has performance-enhancing parts that are unique to it. It gets specific damper tuning and coil springs that are only on the GR Sport. The front dampers are also built to handle the extra demands of this crossover. There is also a special rear suspension cross member and additional chassis bracing. These components come together to make the GR Sport the best RAV4 to drive. We don’t just mean in this generation, either. It’s more powerful and sharper than the older RAV4 Prime, too. Did we mention that Toyota says it’ll get up to 37 mpg combined and 48 miles of all-electric range? What’s more is that they feel good on the road. This crossover doesn’t feel overly harsh or so similar to the normal RAV4 that it underwhelms. Do we wish Toyota had axed the CVT? Absolutely. It drones when pushed hard… which is kinda the point of a GR model, and that’s annoying. At the end of the day, this is a car built mostly to move people around and secondly to be engaging. We’re happy to say that it does both quite well. CompetitionAs we pointed out in our main review of the RAV4, the big question we have here surrounds pricing. It’ll determine just how good or bad of a deal the GR Sport ends up being. The outgoing RAV4 Prime, which this replaces, hovered around $50,000, so we expect this to do the same. If we’re on the money there, it’ll be a tough call for buyers. More: Toyota’s New RAV4 Infotainment Overhaul Changes More Than You Might ExpectAt $50,000, there are far more engaging performance-oriented options on the market. The Genesis GV70 starts at just over $50,000, offers a RWD-based platform, and is just as quick while being far more luxurious. It has a better warranty, too. The Volvo XC60, BMW X3, and Mercedes GLC-Class all start around the same figure, offer lots more luxury, and are typically as quick, if not sharper to drive than the RAV4. Despite that, the RAV4 will win out for some buyers because of two main things. Not only does Toyota have a lengthy history of reliability, but it’s the only car in this discussion that can achieve the fuel economy that it does. Put another way, people who prioritize performance shouldn’t really consider it, and those who need fuel economy but want a little fun should probably pick it because of the mix it offers. Final Thoughts This is it. The ultimate RAV4. No other example has ever been as engaging from behind the wheel. Honestly, this might be the safest RAV4 in that it encourages drivers to lock in to the task at hand and rewards them for doing so. In a world full of distractions, boring cars make the temptation to lose focus even stronger. The RAV4 GR Sport encourages drivers to focus in, have fun, and get almost 40 mpg along the way. It’s hard not to love a car that puts ‘Sport’ in its name and means it.
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