A Japanese company has received feedback from customers who purchased the current crossover regarding a number of functions whose controls have been moved to the multimedia touchscreen. Many were not pleased with the changes.
The current sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 was unveiled in May 2025, initially with versions for North America and Europe. Later, the manufacturer revealed the SUV intended for Australia, and in November, two different versions of the car for China were presented. In Japan, HEV versions of the new "Rav4" debuted in December 2025, while PHEV variants joined the family in February 2026.
The company has now gathered the first customer reviews of the "sixth-generation" crossover. It turns out that many customers disliked the fact that control of some functions had been moved from physical buttons and knobs to the central touchscreen of the infotainment system.
For instance, the current RAV4 retains a physical volume knob, hazard light button, drive mode selector, and buttons for adjusting air temperature. However, buttons responsible for the fan speed of the climate control system, air distribution, and seat heating have been moved to the multimedia touchscreen. Many users were not fond of this decision.
According to Australian publication Drive, citing Toyota RAV4 Chief Engineer Yoshinori Futonagane, the initial project planned to move all buttons to the touchscreen area, but developers ultimately settled on a "minimum." Nevertheless, even this option was not well received, with dissatisfaction expressed even by Chinese customers, who, according to a Toyota representative, are considered "proponents of touchscreen controls."
According to the publication, the Japanese manufacturer is now considering the possibility of returning some of the most requested physical buttons and knobs to the interior of the current Toyota RAV4. When asked directly whether the company is ready to give the crossover more physical buttons, Yoshinori Futonagane replied: "If needed, yes, we will do it." Such changes may be implemented during future updates to the model.
For context, it was previously reported that the "Rav4" might get a "performance" version. The company noted that they could consider developing and releasing a Toyota GR RAV4 modification if there is a corresponding demand from the target audience. It is speculated that such an SUV could feature a modified 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine, the T24A-FTS, under the hood: this engine is available in the current Lexus RX lineup. In the RX 350, it delivers 279 hp, while in the RX 500h, it is part of a hybrid system with a combined output of 371 hp.
It is worth noting that the current sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 has a GR Sport version. This crossover features several visual differences, particularly in the front-end design, as well as a revised suspension. However, it comes with standard mechanicals: a plug-in hybrid powertrain with an E-Four all-wheel-drive system, delivering a combined output of 329 hp.
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