Although in Brazil Toyota has always positioned the RAV4 as a niche product, its importance for the brand worldwide is enormous. In the USA, for example, the Japanese company sold 475,193 of them, numbers well ahead of the Camry and Corolla sedans. And even with the current generation already showing signs of its age, the large SUV recorded a 9.3% increase in sales compared to the previous year.

Therefore, it is vital for Toyota that the RAV4 has a worthy successor. And it seems that this new generation should not take long to appear, as the Japanese brand recently released the first teasers model, confirming the reveal date for May 20th. Even though it doesn't explicitly say that this is the new generation, the images correspond closely with the images seen in recent months.

Photo by: Toyota

Aerial images in the teaser highlight the RAV4's versatility, showing it in a winter landscape on a winding road and, presumably, taking children to school in a suburban neighborhood. Toyota says its bestseller is ready for "urban streets and outdoor lounging," although the model name is not mentioned.

Previous sneak peek photos of the RAV4 suggested a slightly larger vehicle with a taller silhouette, offering more headroom and cargo capacity. The design appeared to feature cleaner lines and a flatter profile, although the camouflage may have distorted some details. The prototype showed a larger window and what appeared to be C-shaped headlights to reflect Toyota's latest design language.

Photo by: Toyota

Toyota is reportedly keeping production of the RAV4 in the United States to avoid tariffs of the Trump era. Although the original plan involved importing the model from Canada and Japan, a Reuters suggests that production will continue at the brand's factory in Kentucky (USA). If that's the case, production of the next-generation model wouldn't begin there until 2027.

However, with the official debut set for next week, the redesigned RAV4 could arrive in the US as early as the 2026 model year. Our colleagues at Motor1 US Toyota was asked about production plans, but the brand declined to comment.

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Fonte: KGP Photography

While the RAV4 isn't the most interesting car in Toyota's lineup, its huge success helps fund fun projects like the GR86 and GR Corolla. Without popular SUVs like this, Toyota wouldn't be able to tease fans with the possible return of the Celica or promise to keep the Supra name alive beyond the current BMW-like generation. For that alone, even enthusiasts have good reason to appreciate the RAV4's popularity.

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