Key Points
- Toyota's RAV4 PHEV may have become Australia's best-selling plug-in hybrid within a month of launch.
- RAV4 PHEV made up roughly 40 percent of RAV4's 5,564 July sales, which would put it ahead of the BYD Shark 6, the previous PHEV volume leader.
Toyota's RAV4 PHEV may have quietly become Australia's best-selling plug-in hybrid, just one month after launch. Toyota confirmed to CarsGuide that around 40 percent of the RAV4's 5,564 July sales were the PHEV grade. If that holds, it would put the RAV4 PHEV ahead of the BYD Shark 6, the ute that has led PHEV volume for most of the year.
RAV4 sales surge in July
The RAV4 was Toyota's second best-selling model in Australia in July behind the HiLux, and the top-selling model in the SUV Medium under $65,000 bracket. VFACTS puts RAV4 volume at 5,564 units for the month, a 26.0 percent increase on the 4,415 sold in July 2025. Year to date, the RAV4 sits at 21,115 units, down 25.8 percent on the same period last year.
The year-to-date decline reflects the changeover to the sixth-generation RAV4 earlier in 2026, which disrupted supply while the outgoing model was phased out and the new range, including the first RAV4 PHEV, was brought to market. July's monthly result suggests that changeover disruption is easing.
How much of that was PHEV?
VFACTS reports the RAV4 as a single nameplate, combing every variant, petrol hybrid and plug-in hybrid alike. There is no official, publicly reported split showing how many of the 5,564 RAV4s sold in July were the PHEV grade.
It has been reported that PHEV variants accounted for around 40 percent of RAV4 sales. Based on this estimate, roughly 2,200 RAV4 PHEVs sold in July - making it easily the best selling PHEV model in the country.
The RAV4 PHEV went on sale in late June, so July was its first full month in the market. Below is how it stacks up to key PHEV competition. Despite costing significantly more (starting from $58,840 plus on-road) than the competition, it has outsold them by a significant margin.
Model | Segment | July 2026 sales | Note |
Toyota RAV4 (all variants) | SUV Medium | 5,564 | VFACTS confirmed. Combines petrol, hybrid and PHEV grades. |
Toyota RAV4 PHEV (estimated) | SUV Medium | ~2,226* | *Not a VFACTS figure. Based on CarsGuide's reported 40 percent PHEV mix, unverified. |
Geely Starray EM-i | SUV Medium | 1,177 | VFACTS confirmed. PHEV-only nameplate. |
BYD Sealion 6 | SUV Medium | 569 | VFACTS confirmed. PHEV-only nameplate. |
BYD Sealion 8 | SUV Large | 399 | VFACTS confirmed. PHEV-only nameplate, larger segment. |
MG QS | SUV Large | 79 | VFACTS confirmed. PHEV-only nameplate, larger segment. |
BYD Shark 6 | Ute (4X4) | 1,216 | VFACTS confirmed. PHEV-only nameplate, different segment, included for context. |
Where this leaves the medium SUV segment
Even taking the RAV4 PHEV estimate out of the picture, plug-in hybrid SUVs are growing fast nationally. VFACTS fuel-type data shows SUV PHEV sales at 8,544 units in July, up 261.4 percent on July 2025 and up 196.8 percent year to date. Toyota's RAV4 PHEV, priced from $58,840 plus on-road costs across XSE 2WD, XSE AWD and GR Sport AWD grades, entered that growth curve in its first full month on sale. These trends show a strong appettite for electrified options, even if not fully electric.
About the author
Danny is a consultant and entrepreneur working at the cutting edge of the electric vehicle and energy transition. He is passionate about educating and helping consumers make better decisions through data.
