Named the world’s best-selling vehicle of 2024 with global sales, including those of its Chinese sibling, the Wildlander, of 1 187 000 units, the current fifth-generation Toyota RAV4 will officially bow out next year in South Africa after what will be seven years.

According to The Citizen, on sale globally since 2018, the internally named XA50 will make way for the XA60 at an undisclosed time in 2026, with the exact powertrain and model line-up still to be revealed.

The first generation RAV4 to be powered solely by hybrid powertrains, the XA60 rides on a heavily revised version of its predecessor’s TNGA-K platform with not only uprated suspension joints, but also upgraded frame mounts and, in the case of the new off-road-focused variant, 13mm more ground clearance.

Said to be more practical than the XA50, the XA60’s interior has also been dramatically revised to include the same steering wheel as the North American Tacoma bakkie, a centre console seemingly derived from the Land Cruiser Prado and a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

Based on the US variant, the RAV4 also gains a new freestanding infotainment system in two sizes: 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch, both equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In terms of specification, notable items, which will vary depending on the eventual trim level, comprise a head-up display, heated front seats, a nine-speaker JBL sound system and the first-time inclusion of Toyota’s Safety Sense array of safety and driver assistance systems.

As mentioned, the RAV4’s biggest difference from previous generations involves the solitary availability of hybrid powertrains as Toyota has opted to drop all conventional combustion engine options. Modelled around the stalwart 2.5-litre petrol engine, outputs, again based on those of the Stateside model, amount to 166kW or 174kW with the inclusion of a second electric motor on E-Four all-wheel-drive models.

At the range’s summit, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) combines the same petrol engine with a 22.7kWh battery pack powering two electric motors. The result is a combined system output of 235kW, more than not only the outgoing RAV4 PHEV, but also than all of Toyota’s current GR models excluding the GR Supra.

What’s more, the PHEV will be the sole option for the new GR Sport, which finally becomes an export variant having previously been marketed solely in Europe and Japan.

Reported to have a starting price tag of $35 000 in the States, which amounts to approximately R614 600 when directly converted and without taxes, the RAV4’s market arrival, as mentioned, will take place next year at a still undisclosed time.

As a reminder, the current line-up spans five models priced from R719 800 for the entry-level all-wheel-drive 2.0 GX-R to R858 500 for the flagship Hybrid VX E-Four. Thus, expect a considerable premium to be applicable once sales of the XA60 start next year.