The sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 has gone on sale in Australia without a safety rating from Australia’s independent safety body, ANCAP.

Production delays have resulted in the new RAV4 arriving later into local showrooms than first anticipated, impacting the new model’s ability to achieve a five-star safety rating under new-for-2026 ANCAP testing criteria.

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ANCAP’s new testing protocols centre on the efficacy of on-board safety technologies which have been overhauled for 2026. Toyota is currently working on updating its technologies in order to comply with five-star standards, but those revised models are not expected until later this year.

According to Toyota Australia’s Senior Product Planner, Peter Phan, the new RAV4 was “originally planned for a late-2025 launch and the vehicle was designed to meet the ’25 ANCAP requirements for a five-star ANCAP [rating].

“Due to changes in production we are now launching the all-new RAV4 in 2026 under tougher ANCAP protocols and we are working to update the vehicle to meet these new protocols. We expect we will meet the requirements for five-stars when testing is conducted later this year.”

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Toyota Australia’s head honcho, John Pappas, said he was already working with fleet and government buyers, many of whom have mandatory five-star policies, to ensure RAV4 remains in consideration. Around 40 per cent of RAV4 sales are made up of fleet and government buyers, according to Pappas.

“No, I’m not [concerned at losing sales],” Pappas told Wheels at the launch of the new RAV4. “The safety spec on this car is the best we’ve ever had. It’s the greatest RAV4 when it comes to safety. And that’s what’s most important.

“We’re already seeing really strong order intake right now. Sixty per cent of our buyers are retail… and even within our fleet clients, for those, like government, that might have a five-star [policy], we’re working with those customers on the order timing [and when] they can place orders.”

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Toyota Australia did not outline the specific technologies affected by the new ANCAP protocols but added that its updates by the end of the year should result in a five-star ANCAP safety score.

Pappas reiterated that Toyota Australia’s relationship with ANCAP remained on solid ground.

“We’ve got a good relationship with ANCAP,” he told Wheels. “We do work with them, and we want to continue to work with them, but what we’re most focussed on is what safety is in our vehicle. And that’s why we’re really proud of the safety in the RAV4… that’s what we pride ourselves on and that’s what we continue to focus on.”