The 2025 Toyota RAV4 Bids Farewell To FWD, AWD Becomes Standard

The Toyota RAV4 is preparing for its final lap before the next generation takes the spotlight. For 2025, Toyota is giving it a few meaningful send-off updates—especially in its home market of Japan.

The big news? Front-wheel drive is officially out. Moving forward, every 2025 Toyota RAV4 in Japan will be all-wheel drive. Traditional 4WD is now standard on gas models, while hybrids exclusively utilize Toyota's E-Four AWD system, which is the same setup as the plug-in hybrid.

If you’re keen on spotting subtle changes, look for the updated hybrid badge: the once-blue Toyota emblem has been swapped for a sleeker, standard one, now paired with a new HEV badge sporting a small blue dot on the tailgate. Toyota hasn’t stopped there. They’ve packed more features into every trim for 2025. Blind Spot Monitoring, Parking Support Brake, and a Connected Navigation system now come standard.

Even the side mirrors get a touch of luxury with integrated puddle lights. As for the plug-in hybrid? It trades its aluminum spare wheel for a more practical steel one. The refreshed 2025 Toyota RAV4 makes its official debut in Japan on November 28, with production starting in December for gas and hybrid versions and January 2025 for the plug-in hybrid.

Across the Pacific, the U.S.-spec Toyota RAV4 sticks to a mix of FWD and AWD options. We anticipate the release of the next-generation RAV4 in 2025.