The all-new Plug-In Hybrid Electric Toyota RAV4 is due in our showrooms in the first half of 2026 – and we’ve been run off our feet with enquiries.
The RAV4 started the SUV revolution (we call it RAVolution) in Australia, and it’s been leading the charge ever since.
In 2024, it created history when it became our country’s top-selling motor vehicle, the first time that honour has gone to an SUV.
The sixth-generation RAV4 will be the first Toyota offered in Australia with a plug-in hybrid power train (PHEV), offering the choice of powerful 2WD or 4WD and targeting a substantial around-town electric-only driving range.
It will be headlined by a brand-new flagship – a GR Sports version which will be available exclusively as a PHEV with All Wheel Drive, sports suspension, and a standalone power steering calibration to match its performance.
The big news is that RAV4 has committed completely to hybrid power.
RAV4 still employs an economic 2.5-litre petrol engine, but it’s now part of a power-partnership which RAVolutionises the motoring experience.
It’s a major statement by Toyota on how it views the future of automotive power delivery.
As well as the PHEV versions, there is also an extensive hybrid 2WD and AWD range that delivers improved electric motor output and efficiency.
The new RAV4 is a breakthrough,
It pioneers safety and multimedia technologies and new look exterior and interior designs.
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Talking about the RAV-olution
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A plug for plug-in
Plug-in power is the big story. It opens a whole new world of economic, ecological driving opportunities.
If you travel only short distances each day, it’s likely you’ll do all your driving on RAV4’s electric motor alone.
Toyota is targeting 100km of range for RAV’s PHEV system. That’s dependent on the way you drive. But it is quite feasible that your round-town travel will never call on RAV’s petrol engine. Your tailpipe emissions will be zero, and your fuel costs will be far less.
At night (or at a time to suit you), you simply plug-in RAV’s AC charger to a power point and approximately 7.5hours later your electricity “tank” has filled from empty to full.
How much does it cost? Well, it’s less than petrol, and some people will even choose to top up when the electricity grid is offering off-peak rates.
What about a hybrid without a plug?
Toyota introduced hybrid technology to the world in 2001, and it remains the world leader. On-board electric generation supplements the petrol engine.
Energy produced by braking tops up the electric system so that it approaches a state of near perpetual motion.
For short runs around town, you’ll only use the electric motor, but usually the clever on-board system will mix and match between petrol and electricity to optimise efficiency.
Fuel consumption and emissions are both a lot less than with a petrol engine alone.
That’s why Toyota has now standardised on Hybrid, plug-in or not. They see it as the perfect solution to future motoring and community responsibility needs.
RAV goes on when the road runs out
RAV4 pioneered the SUV. Until the RAV4, motor vehicles were either passenger cars or cumbersome, hard to handle four-wheel drives. There was no in between.
The first RAV looked like a four-wheel drive but drove like a passenger car – only better.
We billed it as the car that went on when the road ran out, not a hardcore off roader but a versatile, multi-purpose people and luggage carrier. We had a great idea. Let’s call it a Sports Utility Vehicle.
It perplexed motoring critics. It looked like a four-wheel drive, but it lacked the low-range gearbox, which helped off-roaders go off-road.
We never claimed RAV could scale mountains, but journalists’ expectations were that it should. They challenged us to a duel. We went to an Army tank testing course and pitched our RAV4 against a small ‘conventional’ 4x4. We won.
Then we had adventurer Hans Tholstrup AM drive our RAV4 solo from the westernmost point of Australia, Steep Point, to the easternmost point, Cape Byron. It was the first time that feat had been accomplished. It was so easy that Hans even contrived to ‘get lost’ in the Simpson Desert just for the publicity.
Nowadays RAV4 has nothing to prove. It is our most popular medium-sized SUV, and its owners are happy to take it wherever they wish, within the capability of its extraordinary ride clearance and on-board electronic traction.
If anyone wants to go ‘serious’ off-roading, we point them to our LandCruiser range. But we still say RAV is quite capable of going on when the road runs out.
A RAV for all generations
Some of Sydney City Toyota’s enthusiastic customers have owned each of the five generations of RAV4 since its introduction to Australia in 1994.
Total sales for RAV4 exceeded 500,000 last year, coinciding with its 30th anniversary. Demand continues to accelerate.
It took 21 years to reach the quarter-million mark and only another nine to get to half a million. RAV4 has created milestones along the way.
In July 2020, it became the first SUV ever to become Australia’s best-selling vehicle, and four years later, it took the Number One spot for the year.
RAV4 introduced hybrid technology to the SUV segment. When demand for the hybrid version climbed above 90 percent, Toyota decided to standardise on hybrid exclusively, another RAV4 first.
It’s been our pleasure. Happy holidays!
People ask why I support Manly Rugby League.
Given my allegiances south of the Harbour Bridge, it seems an unusual dedication, and yet I’m rusted on to the Sea Eagles. Here’s why.
In 1972, my family was living in the Villawood Migrant Hostel, now known as the Detention Centre. We’d just arrived from Spain, spoke no English, and for me, aged six, it was scary.
But two young guys came out to give us kids a taste of Aussie Sport, and they gifted me a Sea Eagles jerseymy size. Until I grew out of it, it never left my back.
That act of kindness took away the fear. It bonded me not just to Manly, but to Australia, and to the ethos of giving. For me, it’s the Aussie way.
That’s why Sydney City Toyota and Lexus spend what some would call an inordinate amount of time and energy supporting causes – especially those in our own community.
I don’t regard it as excessive at all. I’d do more if we could. It’s all personal. We’re all touched by a need, maybe even an obligation, to help out.
We support the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Girls and Boys Brigade, Vinnies Vans, the Mark Hughes Foundation, Souths Junior Foundation and the Good Blokes Society.
We give of our time as well as money. Across our two dealerships, we employ more than 250 people and, I’m proud to say, better than a quarter freely volunteer to assist on projects like staffing Vinnies food vans, sometimes in the
pre-dawn. One way or another, everyone is aware of our commitment, and everyone participates.
Some businesses allocate a certain quota of funds to charitable activity. I’ve never been able to view community support that way. To me, if a cause is worthy, and we can do something to help, then it warrants consideration.
I guess we’re approached at least once a week.
Next year we’re going to embark on our own not for profit organisation.
My dad is a survivor of Stage 4 Melanoma. Groundbreaking work by the Melanoma Institute of Australia (MIA) saved his life. That’s when I learned that Australia has the highest melanoma rate in the world – 16,000 people a year.
I make no bones of it. Because of Dad, it seems only right that we should give back.
Along with a partner, we’re working on a unique plan which will help beachgoers and raise funds for the MIA.
More of that in 2026.
Right now, it remains simply to thank everyone in our network, our customers, our team members, our business associates and our friends for your support in 2025. We wish you and your families well for the holiday season and look forward, collectively, to next year with optimism.
HAPPY HOLIDAY!
John Roca Dealer Principal
Saying hi to HiLux
There’s never been a Christmas like it. Not only do we have our new RAV4, but now the new HiLux has landed on our doorstep. HiLux has the distinct honour of becoming the first utility to claim the Number One spot in the overall market – and for good reason. It fulfils just about every task required by people for trade or leisure. It will haul tools to a worksite or camping gear to the farthest reaches of Australia.
It is a vehicle that is baked into Australia’s identity.
A lot of the development work has been done in Australia, so we can lay claim to it being the most Aussie HiLux yet.
Along with our customers, we’d anticipated the arrival of the new generation HiLux in the early New Year.
Instead, it will be proudly on our showroom floor in mid-December.
Toyota has gone all out. There are five distinct grades, all powered by our 2.8 litre four-cylinder turbo diesel through either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
The thing we like about the new HiLux is that it’s been developed without gimmicks.
Toyota is so good at building HiLux that its improvements are all logical, necessary and appreciated.
There’s been a real trend in the market recently to jazz up utes – to make them what they’re not and in doing so,
people are buying stuff they don’t need or worse still, stuff that can go wrong.
The reason HiLux has been so successful, and why it holds its value so well, is because it makes utes far more than utilitarian, but within logical reason.
We love the look of the new HiLux. It retains all the Toyota design cues and yet looks so fresh.
Inside, Toyota has listened to long-term users. There’s even more bolstering for the front seats, and the ergonomics work even better.
There’s a panoramic view monitor and tyre pressure monitoring system. You can lock and unlock HiLux remotely via the My Toyota Connect app.
Automatic SR 4x4s add a locking rear differential, multi-terrain select, and downhill assist control.
SR4x4 double cabs even utilise Toyota’s V-active technology that uses a 48-volt system with a 65Nm electric motor generator to improve driving feel during start-up.
There‘s a new Rugged X range topping model that’s got the lot, even down to an LED light bar. Like we said. All logical improvements, based on customer feedback and requirements.
Over the holiday period, come in and have a look. Even better, take a test drive!
Craig’s cool Christmas
By now, you’ve probably seen it around town – Craig Cook’s mobile billboard for his 15-store Natural Butcher outlets, one of the great success stories of Sydney and Newcastle’s catering scene.
Craig’s long-wheelbase Toyota HiAce van is decked out in his Natural Butcher signage, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s laden with meats. Not so.
“I never use it for food,” the entrepreneurial victualler said. “It’s largely used to carry promotional material from shop to shop.”
He has another six HiAce’s bought from us, with Cooler truck modification.
Craig is into promotion. This year, he’s come to an arrangement with upmarket Woolloomooloo restaurant China Doll to market a range of dumplings, noodles, and curries to his vast audience of customers. He’s coming to terms with Uber Eats to deliver his specialty pies and sausage rolls. He’s introduced click and collect into all his stores to make meat buying faster and easier. And he’s working on opening three new stores by the middle of next year.
Not bad for a young man who started with one small shop in Wollongong’s Dapto Mall.
Craig curates his own meats on his own properties or in partnership with like-minded producers who adhere to his production systems.
Craig is gearing up for a big holiday period – perhaps he says, the biggest yet.
He’s predicting most holiday meals will be eaten at home.
“It’s a lot of money to take a full family out, “he said. Eight or ten people at a restaurant is not cheap. Increasingly, we’re seeing a trend towards eating at home with people able to take advantage of great meats and great recipes in their casual environment.”
Take a look at Craig and his Toyota HiAce in action www.youtube.com/shorts/lhQh7K8WlWw
Harder edge for GR Yaris
Sydney City Toyota has received a very special holiday present – a GR Toyota Yaris GTS with a specially designed aero performance pack.
The aero pack is the topping on the tree – with large cooling ducts, a purpose-built grille, a frontal hip spoiler, and a manually adjusted rear spoiler that takes your breath away. It’s a very limited edition, and we’re not sure we want to part with it.
The aero package tops out the latest version of the even harder-edged GR Yaris, now with an additional 21kW, taking it to 221kW and 30Nm more torque, rounding out at 400 Nm.
The GR Yaris will go down in history as one of those very special Toyotas that will forever be a collectible. Yaris is a legend.
In November, Toyota’s racing brothers Harry and Lewis Bates and their co-drivers Coral Taylor and Anthony McLaughlin delivered Toyota its fourth
successive Australian Rally Manufacturers Championship, all in Yaris.
Globally, GR Yaris is poised to claim its fifth successive world manufacturers title.
All up, between the Toyota Celica, Corolla, and Yaris, Toyota has won the Australian Rally Drivers’ Championship eleven times. That’s one more than in the World Rally Championship.
Getting road trip ready
Sydney City Toyota is offering its guests a special wheel alignment, tyre rotation, and tyre pressure check for this holiday period – with a complimentary exterior wash, all for just $125.
It’s part of our contribution to your well-being and to road safety.
“There are customer’s cars that spend their time in the city and suburbs only to see the open road at holiday time,“ Con Hatzivasiliou, our general manager of service, said.
“It’s important, for safety and for enjoyment of your car, to be prepared.”
A wheel alignment and balance can make the difference between driving satisfaction and feeling just a bit ‘off’.
“It’s not necessarily dangerous, “Con said. “But it can create fatigue over a distance, and there’s no point in enduring it.”
Our team at Glebe and Waterloo is on standby for the December holiday period.
“Our advice is to get your car service done at least a couple of days before you travel,” Con said.
“It’s the little things that count.
“Just cleaning your windscreen wipers of road grime accumulated over the year can make a huge difference if you get caught in rain. You don’t need us for that, but it’s a tip we offer.”
Con is an inveterate traveller and a savvy packer of car boots.
“I was driving a client’s car recently when I went to check the spare tyre and jack - only to find it covered with what I’d describe as an accumulation of boot waste – stuff that would have been better elsewhere.
“To get to the essential tools, you had to dig deep, made even harder if there were suitcases on top.
“Pack wisely, and if you have a hiccup on the road, it’s going to be a lot easier to fix.”
Offer applies to all Toyota passenger and SUV models (4WD vehicles excluded). The offer excludes LandCruiser, Prado, Fortuner and HiLux models. Offer ends 31 January 2026 and bookings are essential. Sydney City Toyota reserves the right to withdraw, extend, or amend the offer at any time without prior notice. Offer is not redeemable for cash and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. For further information, contact - cservice@sydneycitytoyota.com.au
