Toyota has been selling the Camry in the US since 1983, and over nine generations, the sedan has evolved from a boxy econobox into one of the most trusted midsize cars you can buy today. For nearly two decades along the way, it also held the title of America’s favorite passenger vehicle, earning that status with its bulletproof reliability, everyday comfort, and practicality, all at a price that almost anyone could justify. But despite being the best-selling sedan in 2025, it’s no longer even close to being Toyota’s best-selling model.
The Camry hasn’t lost its charm, though; it’s better than ever today, but the market has changed. Buyers are still looking for everything that the Camry offers, just in a different body style, which happens to be an SUV. That’s where the RAV4 comes in. It delivers Camry-like dependability and usability in an SUV package, effectively replacing the Camry at the top of Toyota’s sales chart. Here’s how this compact SUV took the spot of America’s favorite car in the past decade.
The Toyota RAV4 Has Been The Best-Selling Toyota For Almost A Decade
RAV4 Models Sold In 2025: 676,898 Examples
Back in the day, reportedly from 1997 to 2016, except for 2001, the Toyota Camry was the highest-selling passenger vehicle in the US. Of course, at the time, trucks and SUVs weren’t largely factored into the charts, but as far as Toyota models go, the Camry took the top spot. It offered one of the best balances of comfort, efficiency, and bulletproof reliability, while being relatively affordable, which appealed to the masses and made the car fly off the dealership floors.
That changed in 2017, when the RAV4 gradually took over the sales charts. The difference that year was small, though, with the SUV selling only 472 more models than the Camry, but that was just the beginning. Fast-forward to 2025, and the RAV4 has sold a whopping 676,898 models, including its HEV and PHEV variants. Meanwhile, the Camry could only achieve 316,185 in sales, less than half of the RAV4’s numbers. Don’t get us wrong, the Camry is still the highest-selling sedan in the US, but with the SUV being the preferred pick these days, the RAV4 takes the top spot for Toyota.
In 2025, Toyota Sold More RAV4s Than Other Popular Models Combined
Let’s leave the sedans out of the picture and consider other popular Toyota models, like the 4Runner, Tacoma, and Tundra. In its 2025 report, Toyota sold 479,288 gas-powered RAV4 models alone. On the electrified front, Toyota managed to move 181,433 RAV4 Hybrid and 20,272 RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid models, making them among the best-selling models in their respective categories. That’s more than the number of 4Runners, Tacomas, and Tundras, including their hybrid variants, combined. So, not only is the RAV4 eating into the brand’s top-selling sedan sales, but also its pickup truck and other less practical SUV models sales.
The Refreshed 2026 Toyota RAV4 Is Ready To Carry That Legacy
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 belongs to the fifth generation of the model, which has been on the road since 2019. And despite having all the essential features and decent performance, the model was starting to feel a bit old last year. Fortunately, that’s changing now with the new 2026 Toyota RAV4, which brings a complete overhaul inside and outside for this year. The new RAV4 features a fresh design language, bringing it on par with other newer Toyota and Lexus models. Even the interior gets a refresh, featuring more tech goodies as standard.
The new RAV4 also does away with the gas-only engine, and it is only being offered with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Only time will tell whether this lack of a gas-only powertrain will make any dent in the SUV’s sales numbers, though. Still, the new RAV4 starts at $31,900 for the base hybrid model and $44,815 for the PHEV model. In the real world, this new RAV4 promises to be everything that the older RAV4 stood for while offering a bit more in terms of style, features, and performance.
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The RAV4 Has Ridden The SUV Craze Since The Beginning
By the mid-2010s, people started ditching the ever-popular sedans in favor of crossover SUVs, which are seen as being more practical, safer, and versatile by buyers. Today, SUVs make up more than 80 percent of new car sales in the country, and Toyota has always been at the forefront of this trend, with the RAV4 acting as the spearhead. That’s what made the RAV4 the best-selling model in the country, beaten only by a pair of pickup trucks, the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado.
Unmatched Reliability, With All The Right Features
The RAV4 owes this success to its practicality, something that’s unmatched even by other Toyota SUVs on sale today. It’s one of the most practical and versatile SUVs you can buy, which ticks all the right boxes for most buyers. For example, it has seating for five with decent legroom and headroom, along with a spacious cargo hold. It’s also fuel-efficient and easy to live with. So, for most buyers, it can wear many hats: weekday commuting, weekend adventures, an occasional road trip, and even light off-roading.
Step inside the RAV4, and you’ll see the comfort-first interior of the SUV, packed with all the modern tech you’d expect from an SUV. For instance, the 2025 RAV4 featured plenty of cubby storage, faux leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an eight-inch touchscreen, and much more, depending on the trim and options picked. Making it an even better family car was the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 driver assistance system, standard on all models.
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The 2026 RAV4 Adds Even More Features And Conveniences
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 only builds on that formula, with its blocky design hiding plenty of new and improved features. Most trims get cloth or faux leather upholstery, while higher-end models, like the XSE, get faux suede seats. Tech features are led by a larger 10.5-inch touchscreen and an available 12.3-inch unit, paired with a standard 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. It also gets the new Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 system, which brings enhanced sensors and the new Arene software. All that promises to make the new RAV4 an even better model than it ever was.
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It’s Still A Toyota, So Reliability Is Unmatched
Apart from simply riding the SUV wave, the RAV4 also delivers on other fronts that make for a good Toyota, the first of which is reliability. It’s one of the most reliable SUVs on sale today, with a J.D. Power Quality and Reliability rating of 77 out of 100. And you still get to enjoy Toyota’s vast service network, solid build quality, and low maintenance costs. All of which makes the RAV4 a very pocket-friendly and stress-free SUV to own in the long run.
- Reliability And Quality Rating: 77/100 (J.D. Power)
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $429 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $6,005 (CarEdge)
- Recalls: 2 (in 2025, for rearview camera and instrument panel failure)
A 29.1 Percent Chance Of Reaching 200,000 Miles
iSeeCars rates the RAV4 at 8.2 out of 10 for reliability, earning it the top spot in ‘Most Reliable Crossover SUV’ and ‘Most Reliable Small SUV’ today. According to the platform, the RAV4 has an estimated average lifespan of 169,817 miles or 13.8 years, with a 29.1 percent chance of it making it to 200,000 miles. And in the first ten years, the maintenance is quite frugal, too, with CarEdge estimating a ten-year maintenance of $6,005. This beats the industry average by over $2,000.
The RAV4 Also Holds Its Value Well
According to iSeeCars, the Toyota RAV4 also tends to hold its value quite well, losing only 30.3 percent of its original value after five years of ownership. For reference, an average compact SUV loses around 44 percent, and an average SUV loses almost 50 percent in the same five years. Moreover, the RAV4 loses around 57.2 percent of its original value after ten years of ownership. So, even if you sell the SUV after years of owning it, you still won’t be making anyone’s day by selling it for a bargain.
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A Good Mix Of Performance And Efficiency For An SUV
The 2025 RAV4 came with multiple powertrain options, including a plug-in hybrid, which made it suitable for a variety of needs. Those who preferred the old-school gas-only powertrain could go for the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower and optional AWD. For those looking for more power and efficiency, Toyota offered a 219-horsepower hybrid and 302-horsepower plug-in hybrid models, with the latter even offering 42 miles of all-electric range.
All told, the RAV4 Hybrid has a respectable total system horsepower of 219, which delivers good acceleration… Toyota hybrids are famous for their incredible fuel efficiency, and this one does not disappoint.
– Craig Cole for TopSpeed
Speaking of efficiency, the gas-only powertrain with AWD offered the lowest fuel economy of 28 miles per gallon combined, bringing the annual fuel expenses to $1,600 (considering an average of 15,000 miles driven per year). On the flip side, the PHEV AWD powertrain offered the best efficiency figure of 38 miles per gallon, cutting the annual fuel expenses down to just $900, making it an excellent urban roundabout without sacrificing performance.
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Offers Even More Performance And Efficiency
The new RAV4 takes things up a notch by offering more hybrid performance, with the HEV model offering 226 horsepower with FWD and 236 horsepower with AWD. The PHEV offers a respectable 320 horsepower and a 52-mile all-electric range. Toyota also estimates the fuel economy to be between 43 and 47 miles per gallon on most trims. Whether or not the RAV4 retains the top spot in 2026 remains to be seen, but considering what this new model offers, it shouldn’t be difficult for Toyota to maintain the sales numbers.
Source: Toyota, J.D. Power, FuelEconomy.gov, iSeeCars, CarEdge, RepairPal