Press a Button, Wake Up the Gazoo Racing Side of the New RAV4

© toyota.com

Toyota has revealed the new RAV4 and put the emphasis not only on electrification but on the car’s character. The core idea: the crossover should comfortably run in electric mode every day, then switch to a more focused GR Performance Mode when the driver wants it. For the RAV4 that’s a meaningful pivot. Family crossovers usually get a «sport mode» that simply sharpens the throttle and adds weight to the steering.

Toyota frames GR Performance Mode as a deeper recalibration tied to the Gazoo Racing philosophy. On genuine GR models, that badge usually signals more than decoration — it means actual chassis work: revised suspension, damping, anti-roll bars, steering, and the car’s overall reaction to cornering. That was the case with the GR Yaris, GR86 and GR Corolla.

With the RAV4, the real question is how far the engineers pushed things on a production car. If GR Mode genuinely changes how the crossover behaves under load, the driver should feel less body roll, a more precise front-end response, and confident turn-in. For a family SUV that can matter more than raw extra power: the car stays comfortable in town but doesn’t go soft on a twisty road.

The second half of the concept is the electric mode. Toyota positions the new RAV4 as a car that can run primarily as an EV on everyday trips. The logic is clear enough: weekdays on electric drive, spirited driving with a dedicated GR calibration.

A degree of scepticism is justified. The market has long got used to sporty names on crossovers where the real difference comes down to graphics on a screen and a slightly twitchier throttle. So the fate of RAV4 GR Performance Mode will be decided by the details: suspension, steering, brakes, powertrain calibration and the first independent tests. The new RAV4 is too important a model for Toyota to let GR become a hollow sticker.

If Gazoo Racing has really given the crossover some mechanical composure, the model will offer a rare combination: family practicality, an electric mode for the city, and real driving character without having to step up to an expensive dedicated sports car. The main question isn’t whether the RAV4 has a GR button. It’s whether the driver will actually feel a difference once it’s pressed.

Earlier, SPEEDME.RU reported that pricing for the new-generation 2026 Toyota RAV4 has been announced.