What's This V8 Doing in Toyota's New Hybrid Explainer Video?
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Toyota is gradually weeding out the V8 from its global range. The 300-Series Land Cruiser sold in global markets is V6-only, and even the Tundra is no longer available with eight cylinders. The Toyota V8 isn't entirely dead, however: It mysteriously lives on in a video highlighting the plug-in hybrid system that's available in the new RAV4. Is this a preview of a next-gen V8, or a random choice with no hidden meaning?
Embedded below, the nearly five-minute-long video is titled '6th Generation 2.5L Plug-in Hybrid System.' As its name implies, it takes a deep dive into the sixth-generation plug-in hybrid system available on the 2026 RAV4. It's a pretty standard marketing and technical video, but the outline of a vehicle that's very clearly V8-powered appears on the screen at the 12-second mark. It illustrates 'an intuitive driving experience with powerful acceleration and responsive handling.' There's no denying it's a V8: You can see the valves and the pistons.
Realistically, we're probably looking at generic stock footage added to fill a few seconds of screen time. We can't even tell whether the V8 in question is one made by Toyota or another manufacturer. Hell, it might just be an asset the production company simply used because it had access to it, and not even exist in real life. There's nothing ambiguous about the video, either. Carmakers know dozens of subtle ways to tease an upcoming engine or car, and this isn't typically how that's done.
But, what if we're wrong? What if this is the subtlest of all previews? Nothing suggests that the RAV4 will get a V8, of course, but the rumor mill has churned out reports of a new, V8-powered Toyota in recent memory. Japanese magazine Best Car , which is either eerily accurate or stunningly wide of the mark, believes that a supercar developed as a follow-up to the Lexus LFA and marketed as a standalone GR model will make its debut before the end of 2025. And guess what its anonymous sources say will be under the hood? Yep: Eight cylinders. Power will reportedly come from a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 linked to a hybrid system for a total output of approximately 900 horsepower.
Would Toyota really give us a preview of what sounds like its most exciting model in over a decade via a corporate training-like video? We doubt it, but we can't be sure. And, admittedly, we really, really like the idea of a V8-powered, GR-branded supercar. We've reached out to the company to ask about the enigmatic V8, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Keep your fingers crossed in the meantime.
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