Toyota has officially started rolling out support for Apple’s digital car key feature, beginning with the 2026 RAV4. According to MacRumors, the feature is currently appearing for owners of select trims in the United States, marking a major expansion for the convenience tool.
Apple first introduced the digital car key in 2020, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start their vehicles using only an iPhone or Apple Watch. Toyota now joins a growing list of compatible automakers that includes Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo.
Passive Entry with Ultra Wideband
Toyota’s version of the digital key uses Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology. This allows for passive entry, meaning you can simply walk up to the car, open the door, and drive away without ever taking your iPhone 11 (or newer) out of your pocket. Apple Watch users will need a Series 6 or later to use the feature. Your car key is part of Apple Wallet.
While the convenience is a major selling point, there is a recurring cost involved. The feature requires an active Toyota Remote Connect subscription, which costs roughly $15 per month in the U.S. New vehicle purchases do include a one-year free trial before the subscription kicks in. Toyota’s U.S. website says, “Digital Key enables smartphone to be used instead of a physical key (Remote Connect subscription required).”
But here’s the kicker. Toyota Canada confirmed in January that XLE trims or higher get a new wireless charging dock for smartphones and a digital key. Looking at its website, Remote Connect for the 2026 RAV4 comes with a free 3-year trial in Canada. So if you’re buying a new RAV4 in an XLE trim, you should be getting the digital key that supports Apple Car Key. But beyond the 3-year free trial you will need to pay $9.95 CAD per month or $99.95 CAD per year (they need to get you hooked first of course). The RAV4 XLE trim starts at $44,383 in Canada.
The 2026 RAV4 is the debut vehicle for Toyota’s next-gen multimedia system in North America, which includes 5G connectivity and expanded support for phone-as-a-key technology, which we’re seeing here.
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Keyless cars are already getting stolen at high rates, wouldn’t this just increase the options available to car thieves even more?