While Toyota is known for building safe, reliable, efficient automobiles, it has never been known for the software in its vehicles. Toyota infotainment systems over the years have been average at best, never once being the fastest, slickest, or offering the biggest screens. That may change with the introduction of the all-new 2026 Toyota RAV4, which will come with the new Toyota Audio Multimedia System. The Japanese automaker revealed today what its new infotainment system will offer, some of which are truly welcome additions.
- Base Trim Engine
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2.5L Inline 4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
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CVT
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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226 hp
- Make
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Toyota
- Model
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RAV4
- Segment
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Compact SUV
Of course, Toyota’s new infotainment software features all-new graphics that look very crisp and clean. The company claims it will respond faster to inputs, though it doesn’t mention what chip’s powering it, and the system also benefits from the first 5G data connection ever fitted to a Toyota. New features include a customizable home screen, Quick Control menu, faster replies for voice commands, full-screen navigation in the driver’s display, exterior cameras that can record, and more. Plus, it’s still compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which isn’t a given these days.
Some Impressive Features And Too Many Subscriptions
The user interface of the new Toyota Audio Multimedia System looks fairly standard and easy to use, which can be a good thing. Experimentation in this regard has not always worked out well for those automakers that have tried it. Of course, being displayed on larger 10.5- and 12.9-inch infotainment screens helps with usability, too.
The main screen can display two or three customizable, smartphone-like tiles that feature content such as navigation, drive modes, audio, connected smart devices and the weather. There’s also a new Quick Control Menu that’s always accessible from the upper right of the screen and displays your most frequently used items.
Toyota says its Voice Assistant, which is accessed by saying, “Hey Toyota”, is faster now too. Engineers have moved to an “on-device” embedded solution for this feature, so it no longer has to access the cloud to work.
One of our favorite new features is navigation being added to the driver information display. Toyota has employed an Audi-like solution where the navigation map becomes the entire background of the driver info display, with other information and data layered on top of it.
Another nice feature that’s been cribbed from a competitor is the new Drive Recorder functionality. Just like any Tesla, the new RAV4 can use its external cameras to record, and they can be remotely activated or set to be triggered by an event. You can even adjust the sensitivity to a triggering event, and clips can be downloaded to a USB drive.
Unfortunately, there are a number of features that Toyota requires a paid subscription to access. For instance, a subscription is required to access Remote Connect ($15/month), which lets you use the Toyota app to activate certain vehicle functions. The Drive Connect subscription ($15/month) is required for real-time traffic data in your nav system. And if you want to stream Spotify through the system, you’ll have to pay for Integrated Streaming ($15/month).
TopSpeed’s Take
This new infotainment system from Toyota looks competitive, but it has merely caught up to its competition rather than passed it. Many cars have 5G data connections at this point. Teslas have been recording video using their exterior cameras for years. And Audi first introduced full-screen navigation maps in its driver displays back in 2014.
That said, Toyota didn’t become the Toyota we know today by making moonshots. It’s one of the world’s largest automakers because it produces vehicles that appeal to the widest part of the bell curve. That means new features and innovations must first and foremost be easy to use and understandable by the masses. Most Toyota customers will merely notice and appreciate the better graphics in their 2026 RAV4, but for those who dig a little deeper, these extra new features are worth exploring.