I post here from time to time. Most know me as a camry/rav 4 owner who changes oil/trans fluid/anti freeze more frequent than most change their underwear. I have a 2015 Rav 4 XLE (120.5K) and have well maintained it. I think it can go to 200K easily. But my wife just told me the 2026 Rav’s are all hybrid/gas and not one model is just gas. I don’t want batteries in my trunk nor extra motors in my engine compartment. It’s hard enough to work on things without all that extra stuff. Do the companies have people who can think??? Not everyone wants a hybrid/EV. So my choices are keep mine until it dies or get a 2025 (don’t have the money to let go now in retirement) or run my Rav 4 and then get another Toyota model (highlander???) or a competitor’s car. I looked at hondas (CRV) but they have turbos (don’t want turbos) and are CVT’s (want regular shifting trans). Also, I buy new so forget getting a used 2025 in 2030 after my Rav has more miles on it. I guess the issue is that probably 95% of the people don’t even change their own oil or do their own maintenance so they go to the dealer and this isn’t an issue. My wife’s friend has a camry and she goes 10K between oil changes (send my hair up on my back). Oh well, sorry for the post. Wonder if any die hard DIY’s on gas cars feels the same. Have a good day. (I’ll probably get a 2025 before they all sell out). UGH.
There are other vehicles for sale besides a RAV4 . Maybe you should just wait a few years and there might be something that appeals to you that you hadn’t even thought about.
Plus many vehicles have 10000 mile or 1 year oil changes and it is not a vehicle death sentence .
Toyota HEVs have been in production for almost 30 years. They are so popular and reliable that their entire SUV lineup will be hybrids next year. If you want to save the cost of the added hybrid technology, buy a new one this year. All but the Crown Signia, Land Cruiser, and Sequoia after non-hybrid drivetrains. Buying soon will guarantee the widest selection.
I just bought a 2025 Rav4 XLE Premium Hybrid. It’s trending on 46 mpg “long term” average in mixed driving and the implementation of the hybrid is practically seamless. It’s also a CVT. So don’t bank on a “shifting” transmission in the 2025 RAV4. Although I do ALL my own work, if the track record from my prior Camry is any indication, I won’t have to do anything for the next 10 years.
The dealer I bought has 10yr powertrain warranty included and offered me a real bumper to bumper 10 year warranty for $1950 (after some back and forth). I’m almost kicking myself for not taking that offer.
I should add that I bought this vehicle through their internet sales team. They quoted me a price that was $2000 under MSRP. I couldn’t believe it. They knew it was a straight up cash deal too. This is one of the most popular vehicles and has an average 8 days on the lot. I wanted a specific color combination and after some searching they found one coming from Japan in 7 weeks. Had the extra JBL sound system so that added a few bucks but they kept it the same amount below MSRP. Longest 7 weeks waiting and worrying about tariffs blowing the deal. BTW- first vehicle I ever bought without ever driving one of them. Finally came in and the closing manager cited MSRP over the phone. After I reminded him of the deal they quoted earlier, he said he would honor it. The closing sales guy couldn’t believe they sold it to me for that. He said they don’t even last three days on their lot at MSRP…left with a smile…
Why are you thinking about a new one? Seems to me that a 2015 with only 120K ish is pretty new, and likely only needs basic maintenance once in a while. Unless something really weird happens you’ve got at least another 10 yrs / 100K with it. (Of course, this coming from a guy whose “newest” car is a 2006 with 260+K on it).
Keep those fluids changed and drive on with what you’ve got.
yeah, wife wants the 2026 due to the computer is in the dash vs. sticking up but she thinks toyota interiors are “boring”. I’m a toyota person since early 1990’s. Might get her a kia sportage so I’d have to get something else. I agree with that one poster…my rav can go 200K easily. I change fluids like crazy (trans has been changed maybe 20 times at least (3 filters). Some of you know my OCD fluid change craziness.
Well if it is gears you want then it will be gears you will get, the all new for 2019 Rav4’s introduction of the AWF8F35 (1st used by Lexus in 2006), or in layman’s terms 8 speed automatic transaxle (currently being used in BMW, GM, Toyota/Lexus and Volvo applications. Each manufacturer using this transmission will assign its own designation. BMW calls it the GA8F22AW transmission. GM refers to it as their 8F45. Toyota/Lexus calls it their U880F transmission, while Volvo refers to this transmission as their TG-81SC replacing the TF-80SC)…
But since Toyota has been known for it’s long living and dependable CVT transmissions with way less issues than some of the other manufactures geared transmissions, you can’t go wrong with them either…
whoa, I thought the 2025 have a standard trans?? might be due to the premium hybrid version. I looked at the xle. I think it has a standard trans. A CVT is a deal breaker for me too. I think when you work on a hybrid, you have to deengergize the system as it’s higher voltage or something like that. Plus I don’t want to replace batteries in the trunk or deal with that. I don’t even have a full spare in my 2015 rav (donut). I’ve done extended warranties on 2 camries (1994’s) and two grand ams (1985 and 1987) and only the 1987 grand am did I break even cause it fell apart. The others I lost all my 800 bucks on each one. Thanks for your input and others too.
when I went april 2023, they said 2K off sticker. My 2015 was almost 5K off and Kia optima 5K off. They aren’t dealing now. My cousin bought a Toyota truck in pennsy and paid 5k over sticker due to demand. NLOL
I’m looking forward to the new Rav4 hybrid, I have 2 hybrids, no problems at all. You’ll just have to look for a different brand, maybe a Mazda.
I was curious what it looked like and found this- looks like it’s still “sticking up” in these pics-
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 enters its sixth generation with a blockier body, and its interior is redesigned with a simpler aesthetic and myriad color options.
The Prius powerplant has been in service with a CVT (kind of, it’s not a pulley and belt setup like Nissan) and a HV battery for 25 years and has proven to be more reliable and trouble free than most other gas models. Toyota batteries are lasting far longer than anyone ever expected and it’s unlikely you will need any kind of battery service unless you keep the car for over 150,000 miles or 10-15 years. The only time you need to disable the high voltage battery is when you are servicing HV components. Routine maintenance on those cars remains the same. Plus you can expect to get 150,000 miles out of a set of brake pads.
But hey, there are people here who prefer drum brakes and manual crank windows, and I doubt we’re going to change your mind about hybrids. So look at a Mazda CX-5 or CX-50. You’ll be pleased to see they are still available with non-turbo engines.
Well I share your sentiment. I do believe once again the car companies are building cars people don’t want. This happened before. I was ready to trade for a new rdx regardless of cost but instead of the standard v6 that has been great, they changed to a four with a turbo. So I wait in never never land.
You’ll hear a lot of the members here rave about the benefits of electric and that’s fine but remember the folks here are not necessarily a cross section of the general public. I still remain unconvinced of the benefit of two forms of propulsion and the extra cost when one has proven durability. My mechanical genius BIL loves his maverick and it has great acceleration. I’m not interested in 0 to60 times though or gas savings. I don’t spend that much on gas. I still am a little concerned about parking in an attached garage and refuse to park a new car outside. So putting the whole political scene aside, I just ask why and have no good answers yet.
Considering Toyota is the largest car company by far in the entire world I’d say they are building cars people of today want.
Dealers make the most in cars that don’t sit on the lot. They can afford to give up a lot of the dealer holdback since they aren’t paying interest to Toyota while the car awaits sale. There might also have been an incentive. Or maybe they just like you. 
I needed a car to get from my apartment to campus during my senior year. My mother bought a 1970 Malibu in 1973. I went to pick it up and every time the office staff passed by me they had snide comments about the low price of the car. Turns out my mother’s boyfriend at the time was a golf shark. He beat the owner of the dealership and told him he would settle the wager for a big discount on my new to me car. He used to visit our house with color TVs and extra bags of clubs in his trunk. Musta been pretty good.