Toyota intends to expand the availability of GR Sport cars in the US market. The 2026 Toyota RAV4, built on the 320 hp plug-in hybrid version, will be the first vehicle in this segment to feature the GR Sport trim. We believe the Camry and Prius might be strong contenders for the GR Sport treatment. When the new 2026 Toyota RAV4 comes out in the US, it will be the first time that Toyota will use the GR Sport name. However, it won’t be the last time. Cooper Ericksen, Toyota’s senior vice president of products, told us that more GR Sport models would be coming to our market soon when we talked to him about the future of the GR Sport nameplate at the launch of the new RAV4. First, Ericksen said that this sporty trim is not the same as full-fledged GR models like the GR Corolla hot hatchback. “It features authentic GR suspension tuning, handling, and styling but retains the most powerful powertrain available for that vehicle,” he said. The GR Sport also uses the RAV4’s 320-hp plug-in hybrid system. Ericksen emphasized that a Toyota vehicle must possess sufficient power to uphold the brand’s reputation to receive the GR Sport designation. “If we don’t have enough engine performance, the last thing we want to do is dilute the GR name and make it into a sticker package,” he told me. Some of them are likely to be on the roster. It won’t be a lot. “ This made us think about what models GR Sport might come out with next. All over the world, Toyota sells GR Sport versions of many of its cars, such as the Hilux pickup and the Corolla Cross. However, these changes are mostly for looks, so they might not fit with Ericksen’s plans for GR Sport models coming to the US marketplace. Instead, the Camry family sedan and the Prius hybrid hatchback are the most likely candidates from Toyota’s current US lineup. When discussing the GR Sport models, Ericksen cited the previous-generation Camry TRD as an example of a solid mid-size sedan capable of delivering performance. Ericksen said that the current Camry Hybrid’s 232 horsepower wouldn’t be enough to support a GR Sport version, but there have been long-time rumors that a more powerful plug-in hybrid Camry could earn the badge. Toyota had shown off a concept version of the Prius that had been changed for the GR race at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2023. Toyota is open to the idea of making a future Prius GR Sport, but it won’t look as wild as this one-off, which has a wing, wide tires, and a lowered suspension. If there were a GR Sport model, it would probably use the Prius’s more powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain option, which makes 220 horsepower and, according to our tests, speeds the Prius PHEV to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, the same time as the RAV4. Of course, the Hybrid Max powertrain can be added to many different cars. The luxurious Crown sedan and the roomy Grand Highlander three-row SUV both have 360 horsepower, which we think is enough to match the GR Sport treatment, even though neither car is very sporty. We’re excited to see where Toyota takes this new trim line as the GR family grows.
