Image Credit: ToyotaToyota is looking to expand the drive mode range for the RAV4 SUV, as it appears it is adding its off-road Multi-Terrain Select traction system to hybrid versions of the car. The manufacturer is looking to make one of its flagship models an even more rugged SUV.The sixth generation of the RAV4 isn't that old, but Toyota is already seemingly keen to give it a few neat upgrades. Its overall aim is to improve the crossover's off-road capabilities, with the hybrid versions set to get drive modes that you would normally find only on the gasoline-powered models.This news has come thanks to the Japanese publication Creative Trend. The website has said that the Snow and Trail modes on the all-wheel-drive hybrid models will be replaced with two new modes, bringing that new system to all versions of the SUV.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe report also states that these two new modes will arrive in time for the 2027 model year. Production for these updated hybrids is set to begin in November 2026, and RAV4 plug-in hybrid production is also expected to begin soon, most likely in early 2027.What We Know About the RAV4 Hybrid's New Drive ModesImage Credit: ToyotaRuggedness is the aim of the game with these new modes. The Snow and Trail modes on the hybrid RAV4s are being replaced with new modes: Mud & Sand and Rock & Dirt. The addition of these means the off-road Multi-Terrain Select system will be available on the hybrid versions of the RAV4 for the first time. Only regular combustion models previously had access to this.It is an interesting update, albeit only a minor one, ahead of the 2027 model year, when these modes are set to appear. Creative Trend says they will appear in time for the next model year in Japan, and production of the updated hybrid will begin in November 2026. Its absence from the current lineup, however, doesn't appear to have put buyers off the current version of the SUV, with demand still incredibly high.In June, a report from Automotive News stated that a Californian Toyota dealership had 800 buyers on a waiting list for a 2026 RAV4. Toyota did warn dealerships that inventory would initially be limited before production began to ramp up. So clearly, despite not having all-wheel drive as an option on the hybrid, buyers have not been put off by one of Toyota's flagship models.Will the Updated Drive Modes Be Coming to the United States?Image Credit: ToyotaAt the time of writing, Toyota had not said if and when the new modes will land on 2027 model-year RAV4s in America. However, given how much Americans love off-roading and how rugged the RAV4 has already proven to be, it seems like adding the new modes is a no-brainer for Toyota. In fact, it seems like a very easy win for the Japanese manufacturer to bring them over to America.AdvertisementAdvertisementRugged SUVs are still popular in the United States, and that doesn't look likely to change anytime soon. Even electric SUVs like the Rivian R1S have shown that they are quite capable on tougher terrain. The bonus of the hybrid RAV4s is that buyers get combustion and electrical power, and potentially some extra off-road capabilities as well.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
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