2026 RAV4s Score Marginal and Acceptable With IIHS, Missing the Award List

The redesigned 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid rated Acceptable and the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid rated Marginal in the IIHS’s updated moderate overlap front crash test, which keeps both off the institute’s award list.

Both versions earned Good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side tests, along with Good headlights and Good front crash prevention for vehicles and pedestrians, so back-seat protection in the moderate overlap test is the only thing keeping them off the list. The IIHS requires a Good moderate overlap rating for either of its awards, and the RAV4’s other scores would have met the stricter Top Safety Pick+ criteria.

The results came out on October 22 in an IIHS ratings release led by the Nissan Kicks, which moved from Poor to Good in the same test after Nissan changed the rear seat belts on vehicles built after June 2026. The Audi Q3 and Chevrolet Trailblazer were rated Poor in moderate overlap, so neither qualified for an award either.

In the IIHS test of a RAV4 LE Hybrid, the structure and every driver dummy measure rated Good, but the rear passenger dummy scored Acceptable for restraints and kinematics, head and neck, and chest. The Plug-In Hybrid did worse, with Poor rear passenger restraints and kinematics. The IIHS hasn’t published a written explanation for either result.

The Hybrid’s result is still a step up from the previous-generation RAV4, which the IIHS rated Marginal in the same test for the 2021-2025 model years after scoring its rear passenger restraints Marginal.

The Toyota Report Take

Toyota closed part of the gap with this redesign. Still, a family SUV that sells on its sensible reputation shouldn’t trail a Nissan Kicks for back-seat protection. Nissan showed that a running change to the rear belts can move a car from Poor to Good, and Toyota should make the same kind of fix to the RAV4, especially the Plug-In Hybrid, before the 2027 models arrive.