Toyota RAV4 hybrid faces its biggest challenge in 2025

12/29/2024 07:00 PM

The latest generation Toyota RAV4 has dominated the sales charts since it was introduced to Australian showrooms in 2019, largely thanks to its fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain option.

But that stranglehold is about to be challenged as in 2025 more family SUV options will be available than ever before with electrification.

First, however, let's look back.

In about May this year, Toyota was boasting that an overwhelming majority – 94 per cent in fact – of its RAV4 sales were with the petrol-electric hybrid option.

This led the big Japanese car maker to discontinue the purely petrol-powered option altogether in June, alongside going hybrid-only across its non-GR passenger car and SUV range.

MORE: Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid: What's the difference?

It was a bold move, but not one that has stymied Toyota's sales momentum as it continues to post solid figures month in and month out.

With just the final month of sales reporting to be announced, Toyota is well ahead of Ford with a total of 222,639 units, an increase of 13.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2023 and will again take out the crown for the biggest-selling marque of the calendar year.

RAV4 sales are up a staggering 95.4 per cent as freer supply is now available, with its 53,599-unit tally making it the second-highest-selling nameplate in the country.

The success of the RAV4 has not gone unnoticed though, and while many other brands like Kia and Hyundai retaliated with an all-electric approach in the form of the EV6 and Ioniq 5 respectively, more and more are now coming to the hybrid table.

Hyundai has just updated its Tucson family SUV with a hybrid powertrain, while Kia will continue to offer the Sportage in hybrid form with next year's facelift after first rolling it out the electric-assisted powertrain in mid-2024.

Likewise, the new-generation Honda CR-V introduced late in 2023 is available with a hybrid, while Subaru has also offered a petrol-electric hybrid Forester from as far back as 2020 – though without big savings in fuel economy.

Even newer brands are getting in on the action, with the GWM Haval H6 and new-generation MG HS offering up hybrid choices.

Outside of traditional hybrid rivals, there is also the Nissan X-Trail, which features an e-Power system that uses the small petrol engine to charge the battery and drive the electric motors, as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that promise even greater fuel saving benefits if charged up.

The Mitsubishi Outlander, BYD Sealion 6, GWM Haval H6 GT and MG HS will all be available in 2025 with more advanced PHEV technology, moving the game beyond what is currently offered by the Toyota RAV4 hybrid.

However, the biggest challenge to the Toyota RAV4's reign might come from Mazda, with the new-generation CX-5 due to break cover next year set – finally – for a hybrid option.

The CX-5 became the best-selling family SUV in the first year after its market debut in 2012, a title it held until the latest Toyota RAV4 came along.

While still popular in its own right, it's clear the CX-5 is starting to age against competitors that serve up more advanced powertrain options, so a third-gen Mazda family SUV with a competitive hybrid engine could even the playing field significantly.

This leaves only a few big names in the family SUV space without a hybrid competitor, including the KGM SsangYong Torres, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, VW Tiguan, and Skoda Karoq – a big change from just a few years ago when the script was flipped.

Regardless, will we see the RAV4 lose its top spot in 2025? Unlikely, given many of these new hybrid rivals will need time to gain a foothold and chip away at Toyota's sales.

But it is now very clear that next year, the Toyota RAV4 will lose its edge and one of its unique selling points are the market races towards more hybrids.

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