Toyota RAV4 deemed 'dangerous' by Queensland police

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has warned its officers that their Toyota RAV4 AWD Hybrid patrol cars may overheat or shut down during extreme driving conditions, potentially forcing them to pull over mid-pursuit.

According to the QPS, the problem – discovered during a recent driver training program – relates to the RAV4’s high-voltage battery, which may overheat “under extreme conditions of hard braking combined with high acceleration and high RPMs”, leading it to recommend its officers “cease urgent driving duty and pull over to allow the system to cool” should vehicle warnings appear.

The recommendation was issued to police in a now-leaked internal memo from an assistant commissioner, which also warned that in “extreme circumstances” it’s possible the vehicle could enter limp-home mode, in which the power output of the hybrid system is drastically reduced and relies solely on the petrol engine, limiting acceleration.

“What danger does that put our people at?” Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior told 7News Brisbane.

“That’s what I think is a question the service needs to answer, because if there is any risk whatsoever, those cars simply should not be on the road. All that testing should’ve been done beforehand. We shouldn’t be talking about this after we’ve purchased 400.”

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The QPS maintains that since the RAV4’s introduction in 2020, the overheating issue has not been reported in operational duties, and that the vehicle remains safe for frontline use. The Sunshine State police force’s Safe Driving Policy also requires vehicles to be driven within both the vehicle’s and driver’s capabilities.

Video aired by 7News Brisbane also shows a RAV4 Hybrid’s traction control system shutting down during hard driving, which has an adverse impact on rear-end traction and overall vehicle stability. It’s not clear from the footage whether the disabling of traction control is linked to the overheating issue.

A Toyota Australia spokesperson told CarExpert the RAV4 Hybrid has an inbuilt failsafe mechanism to protect the vehicle’s powertrain, and that nothing reported is considered to be a fault.

“Toyota Australia technical teams have inspected the vehicles in question and determined they are functioning as designed,” the Toyota spokesperson said.

“In extreme scenarios such as police driver training, the vehicle may intervene to protect the hybrid system. As noted by the [QPS], there have been no incidents of this nature during normal duties.”

In January 2025, the QPS purchased 400 new RAV4 Hybrid patrol cars to replace hundreds of Toyota Camrys used by general duties officers across the state. It’s understood that around 200 have been rolled out as of October 2025.

A QPS spokesperson confirmed to CarExpert that the RAV4 would continue to be used for frontline duties, while showing confidence in Toyota’s hybrid systems and associated failsafe measures.

“The QPS is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our members and continually monitors the operational environment to ensure that all equipment meets our ongoing needs,” the QPS spokesperson said.

“All vehicles introduced to the QPS fleet, including the Toyota RAV4 AWD Hybrid, are rigorously tested as part of an internal and external evaluation process to ensure they are fit for purpose. 

“Extensive consultation occurs between the QPS and the Queensland Police Union of Employees (QPUE) on the construct of the QPS Fleet and the needs of the frontline.”

The Toyota RAV4 is now exclusively a hybrid-only model, and all-wheel drive versions pair a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

Unlike AWD systems in traditional combustion-powered cars, there’s no mechanical connection between the front and rear axles of the RAV4 AWD Hybrid. Instead, a separate electric motor is tasked with driving the rear wheels only, while the petrol engine drives the front wheels.

The rear electric motor is primarily engaged to improve traction when wheel front tyre slip is detected, and can also propel the car in low-demand driving conditions.

High-intensity driving, such as that undertaken during QPS driver training programs, places extreme stress on the car’s electric components, which can lead to overheating issues and powertrain performance ‘intervention’.

In previous CarExpert testing – including on-road, off-road, and high-intensity driving – no RAV4 has exhibited any such issues beyond normal drivetrain limitations.

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