- Toyota offers RAV4 with a gas option in the Middle East.
- A 2.0-liter engine with 169 hp carries over unchanged.
- The lineup drops the plug-in hybrid and GR Sport trim.
While Toyota has shifted its best-selling SUV to a hybrid-only lineup in North America, Europe, and Japan, the internal combustion engine clearly is not ready for retirement everywhere. If you are a RAV4 purist who prefers the simplicity of a non-electrified powertrain, you can still find one, though it now requires a passport.
The automaker has announced the debut of the 2026 RAV4 in the Middle East, where the powertrain menu looks a little different. Alongside the familiar hybrid 2.5-liter unit with up to 236 hp (239 PS), the SUV is also offered with a base 2.0-liter gasoline engine producing 169 hp (171 PS). It is largely carried over from the previous generation, something made possible by the region’s more relaxed emissions regulations.
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While Toyota customers in the Middle East gain the ICE option, they lose the more potent plug-in hybrid setup available elsewhere. The new RAV4 / Wildlander is also offered with a pure gasoline engine in China, although that version differs and is produced locally by GAC and FAW.
Familiar Looks
Visually, nothing separates the Middle Eastern model from the American, European, and Japanese versions of the RAV4. Buyers can choose between the Core and the more rugged Adventure body kit, with wheel sizes ranging from 17 to 20 inches.
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The same consistency carries over to the cabin, which features either a 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch infotainment display depending on trim, paired with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Available extras include a head-up display and a panoramic moonroof with an electric sunshade.
Lineup And Pricing
In the United Arab Emirates, the RAV4 range includes the EX FWD, EXR, GXR, Adventure, and VXR trims, meaning local buyers do not get access to the GR Sport.
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The Adventure and VXR sit at the top of the range and come exclusively with the hybrid setup. The EX, EXR, and GXR offer a choice between the two powertrains.
Pricing for the ICE-powered RAV4 ranges from 105,900-123,900 AED (equal to $28,800-$33,700 at current rates), while the hybrid spans 114,900-152,900 AED ($31,200-$41,600). That makes the new model slightly pricier than its predecessor, which starts at 99,900 AED ($27,200), although the hybrid variant is now more affordable than before.
