Latest news with #CheddarToyota
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Toyota just announced its sportiest RAV4 SUV ever: What car buyers should know
Toyota just announced its sportiest RAV4 SUV ever: What car buyers should know Internal combustion and electricity are at the heart of the RAV4 GR Sport. Show Caption Hide Caption Self-driving tech coming to personally owned vehicles Waymo & Toyota have announced a partnership to co-develop autonomous vehicle platforms, aiming to integrate Waymo's self-driving technology into Toyota's POV's. Cheddar Toyota just introduced a Gazoo Racing trim for the RAV4 small SUV for the first time ever. The 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport is a plug-in hybrid SUV with sufficient power and electric driving range. The RAV4 GR Sport combines thrilling driving dynamics with a more aggressive appearance than other trims. The sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 was revealed on May 20. The new RAV4 generation features a major redesign and an exciting new performance-oriented GR trim. The RAV4 small SUV is more powerful than ever before thanks to its powertrain options. Its new Gazoo Racing model incorporates design elements from Toyota's world-renowned motorsports engineering division. The 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport is the most powerful RAV4 ever Like several Toyota models, the next generation RAV4 has completely moved away from internal combustion engine powertrains. Now, every new RAV4 model will be powered by a hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain setup. The 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport uses an internal combustion engine and electric motors to drive power to the wheels. It "takes inspiration from motorsports for a model that is an expression of driving enjoyment", Toyota says. The 2026 RAV4 GR Sport produces a whopping 320 horsepower. It's the only GR model that's also a PHEV(plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), since other GR models tend to be powered by turbocharged gas engines. The RAV4 GR Sport features an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. It comes standard with all-wheel drive for better traction and capability. The SUV also features Toyota Gazoo Racing-tuned handling. Toyota's upcoming performance oriented RAV4 model is its most powerful RAV4 yet. The 2025 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid produces 302 horsepower, 18 ponies shy of the 2026 GR Sport's total power output. It rockets from 0-60 miles per hour in a mere 5.6 seconds, according to Toyota. Toyota's new performance trim has 50 miles of electric driving range Thanks to its electric motors and battery, the 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport is able to travel on just electricity. It has an estimated electric-only range of 50 miles. Its battery can be recharged (and range replenished) via electric vehicle chargers similar to EVs. Electric-only driving range allows plug-in hybrids like the RAV4 GR Sport to be more efficient. The new performance SUV is likely to feature several different driving modes including an EV-only mode and sport mode. The 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid has a similar powertrain setup and offers drivers four different primary driving modes, allowing drivers to use hybrid and electric power in different ways. 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport features Plenty of power and electric-only driving range are just the tip of the spear when it comes to the 2026 RAV4 GR Sport. It's also loaded with plenty of sports car touches for drivers interested in exterior/interior styling and design. Features include: Aggressive exterior styling GR functional MATRIX grille Summer tires on 20-inch wheels Front/rear wing-type spoilers Red interior stitching, GR logos on front headrests and steering wheels Toyota is also including paddle shifters and aluminum pedals on the RAV4 GR Sport to "give it a sporty appeal", according to the press release. Between its high power output, tuned suspension, and refined interior, the GR Sport is as sporty as the RAV4 gets. The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is slated to hit dealers later this year.
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Toyota's 2026 GR86 Yuzu Edition: A bold new look for the iconic sports car
Toyota's 2026 GR86 Yuzu Edition: A bold new look for the iconic sports car Show Caption Hide Caption Self-driving tech coming to personally owned vehicles Waymo & Toyota have announced a partnership to co-develop autonomous vehicle platforms, aiming to integrate Waymo's self-driving technology into Toyota's POV's. Cheddar Toyota's GR86 sports car is still around, and still without a (factory) turbocharger. That quick razz out of the way, the GR86 is being kept fresh — or at least fresh in the minds of customers — by way of yet another special-edition variant for 2026. Following similar efforts in past years such as the GR86 Trueno Edition and last year's Hakone model, the 2026 Toyota GR86 Yuzu special edition wears its name on, well, its entire body: "Yuzu" is denotes the blazing yellow paint that comes standard. Lest you think this special-edition GR86 has all the depth of that coat of paint, just wait. This specific yellow hue has a history tied to Toyota's 2+2 sports car — it dates back to the 2015 Scion FR-S Series 1.0 release. (Remember: The GR86 was preceded by the Toyota 86, a name- and badge-swapped variant of the Scion FR-S that carried on the lineage after Toyota's affordable and youth-focused Scion brand was buried in the backyard in 2016.) Seeing as how time these days seems to stretch on forever, 2015 feels like a different era altogether, seemingly so far back that we'll give the Yuzu revival credit for being "retro." Electric vehicles on the horizon: Toyota teases smaller, cheaper compact EV SUV Not-so-mellow yellow The yellow theme continues beyond the sheetmetal, with yellow accents brightening the stitching on the steering wheel, handbrake handle and door padding. Yellow is also used on the otherwise black sueded seat upholstery. The black-and-yellow contrast is further set off by the 18-inch matte-black wheels. Every Yuzu Special Edition GR86 comes with the GR86's Performance package standard, which means up-sized Brembo front and rear brakes and SACHS-brand shock absorbers. This setup is available as a dealer-installed kit on other GR86s, so its factory inclusion here is matched only by the 2024 GR86 Trueno special edition. Toyota says Yuzu buyers can also add an accessory cat-back exhaust and even a body kit, seemingly for extra cost. 2025 Toyota SUVs: What's new with RAV4, Highlander, 4Runner and Crown Signia Mechanically, the Yuzu is otherwise identical to other GR86s. A 2.4-liter flat-four engine lives under the low hood, making 228 hp and 184-lb-ft of torque, and doing its work through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Don't get us wrong, the GR86 is huge fun to drive, but it's merely satisfyingly quick — it is not fast. It'll be rare Toyota will only ship 860 GR86 Yuzu Special Edition models to the U.S. market, making it sure to be a pretty rare sight on American roads. Hey, when was the last time you noticed a Scion FR-S Series 1.0? At least the Yuzu paint will make those rare sightings pop a bit more. Expect the 2026 GR86 and Yuzu versions to go on sale by this fall, near the end of 2025; final pricing, option availability and other details will be revealed closer to the launch. Photos by Jofel Tolosa and manufacturer
