Ford Ranger Rivals New Car in 2026 Ute Battle

October 14, 2025 Victoria Sterling -Business Editor Business

Here are the relevant facts from the ‌provided‌ text:

*‍ RAV4 Sales Performance: The Toyota RAV4 was the second best-selling car last year, the best result for an SUV ‌in a market traditionally dominated ‍by utes (pickup trucks) and passenger cars.
*‍ Current Sales Trend: The RAV4’s sales have slipped in 2025, with the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux ⁣currently battling for ‌sales supremacy.
* New Generation RAV4: A new-generation Toyota⁤ RAV4 is coming to⁢ Australia in 2026.
* Hybrid Technology: The new RAV4 will be available as a hybrid and will also introduce ‍plug-in hybrid technology to Toyota’s Australian lineup.
* Sales Prediction: Toyota Australia VP Sean Hanley predicts an SUV could be the top-selling car in the next few ​years, potentially as early as 2026, and believes the RAV4 is a ‌likely ⁢candidate.
* Ute Market: The ute market is stable and not growing as rapidly as‌ some expect,with a potential shift towards smaller SUVs.
* Hanley’s Confidence: Hanley remains confident in his prediction of an SUV ‌(potentially ​the RAV4) becoming the‍ number one selling car.