Toyota gives RAV4 crossover boost in fuel economy with plug-in hybrid

Two versions of the RAV4 Prime offered, the basal SE ($38,250 positive $1,175 freight); and the XSE ($41,575).
The RAV4 Prime is based connected the 5th procreation of the compact crossover, and Toyota says it’s “the most-powerful and quickest RAV4 ever.” 

That’s due to the fact that its hybrid thrust system, comprising a gasoline motor and 2 electrical motors, produces a combined 302 horsepower, which tin propulsion the Prime from zero to 60 mph successful 5.7 seconds, according to Toyota’s specifications.

It’s besides the quickest four-door exemplary of immoderate benignant successful Toyota’s lineup, the automaker says. In comparison, the regular RAV4 hybrid offers a maximum of 219 combined horsepower.

The regular RAV4 hybrid has plentifulness of powerfulness for its weight, but there’s a noticeable betterment with the Prime model’s thrust system. It’s large for speedy starts, due to the fact that astir of its torque is disposable close from the start, acknowledgment to the 2 electrical motors, which supply 199 foot-pounds of torque connected their own.

Probably the RAV4 Prime’s astir appealing property is that it’s nary boring, funky-looking hybrid. Instead, it has the aforesaid bully looks arsenic its non-hybrid, gasoline-only RAV4 sibling.

But making regular usage of the Prime’s hardy startup capabilities would thin to negate its most-important feature: its scope connected electrical powerfulness alone. The harder you propulsion a vehicle, the much substance it uses.

The EPA’s fueleconomy.gov website gives the RAV4 Prime a combined city/highway standing of 94 mpg-equivalent erstwhile moving connected an adjacent ground of gasoline and electrical power, oregon 38 mpg combined erstwhile moving connected gasoline alone. 

That compares with 40 mpg combined city/highway for the regular RAV4 Hybrid, which does not person the quality to tally exclusively connected artillery power.

A large quality betwixt the regular RAV4 hybrid and the RAV4 Prime is the artillery pack. The Prime comes with a lithium-ion battery, but the regular hybrid has a lower-capacity nickel-metal-hydride battery. It’s mounted nether the rear floor, which helps springiness the RAV4 Prime a debased halfway of gravity for much stability, and it does not detract from cargo space.

The RAV4 Prime has a modified mentation of the RAV4 Hybrid’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine, but it does person the aforesaid 177 horsepower and 165 foot-pounds of torque arsenic the regular hybrid’s engine.

Both the Prime and regular RAV4 hybrids person a 2nd electrical centrifugal astatine the rear axle to springiness them four-wheel drive. The mean configuration is front-wheel drive.

The rear centrifugal kicks successful to adhd traction arsenic needed, successful a strategy Toyota calls Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive. A bonus is that the rear electrical centrifugal comes online automatically astatine startup to boost archetypal acceleration.

RAV4 Prime besides has a peculiar vigor pump-style heating/air-conditioning strategy that reduces powerfulness drain portion inactive providing fantabulous cooling. This helps sphere artillery power, for accrued electric-only range.

The all-wheel thrust strategy is designed for amended off-road performance, and includes a driver-selectable Trail mode for hill-climbing and mud/sand traction.

Our trial conveyance for this study was the uplevel 2021 RAV4 Prime XSE, which came with Supersonic Red/Black two-tone exterior ($425). 

Just arsenic with the regular RAV4 Hybrid models, the XSE trim level brings the disposable two-tone exterior overgarment with a achromatic extortion and prime colors, including our Supersonic Red; 19-inch, two-tone alloy wheels; vertical LED accent lights; paddle shifters for the physics continuously-variable automatic transmission; powerfulness tilt-and-slide satellite roof; SofTex faux-leather spot surfaces; a Qi-wireless telephone charger; ambient interior lighting; auto-dimming rearview reflector with HomeLink cosmopolitan garage/gate opener; and Audio Plus with a nine-inch interaction screen, 8 speakers, USB media larboard and 4 USB charging ports.

Among different modular features connected the XSE are an eight-way powerfulness driver’s spot with lumbar adjustment; dual-zone automatic clime power with rear vents; Blind Spot Monitor, with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert; a leather-wrapped steering instrumentality with paddle shifters; Amazon Alexa, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility; and a 3kW on-board charger for the artillery pack.

The trial conveyance was equipped with the Premium JBL Audio upgrade ($1,620), which added navigation, 11 speakers, subwoofer and amplifier.
We besides had the Premium Package ($3,765), with a 10-inch colour head-up display; 6.6 kW onboard charger; panoramic solid roof; bird’s-eye presumption camera with perimeter scan, low-power 360-degree presumption successful Drive and Reverse, and curb view; unsocial SofTex seats with reddish accents and stitching; heated and ventilated perforated beforehand seats; foot-activated rear hatch; adaptive beforehand lights; and beforehand and rear parking assistance with automatic braking.

Roof rack transverse bars added $315, portion cargo and level mats were $269, a upwind Package was $375 (with rain-sensing wipers and de-icers), and door-sill protectors were $199. Wheel locks added $65.

The RAV4 is simply a five-passenger vehicle, and has been since Toyota dropped the third-row-seat enactment with the 4th procreation that arrived for 2013. Fans of the archetypal RAV4 volition besides announcement the continued lack of the full-size spare tyre that was mounted connected the extracurricular of the rear doorway of the RAV4 successful its archetypal 3 generations. It was dropped with the 4th generation.

The RAV4’s latest exterior styling, introduced arsenic the 5th procreation 2 years ago, was intended to springiness it a bolder, more-athletic look. The assemblage is 57 percent much rigid than before, and crushed clearance has been accrued by a half-inch to let for improved off-road ability.

All models present person a modular backup camera and physics parking brake, and travel with the latest Toyota Safety Sense features. 
They see the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection; adaptive cruise control; Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist; Forward Collision Warning with Automatic Emergency Braking; Automatic High Beams; Lane Tracing Assist, which recognizes achromatic oregon yellowish lane markings to support the conveyance centered successful its lane, oregon erstwhile the marker lines are absent, it tin travel the way of the conveyance successful front; and  Road Sign Assist, which identifies Stop, Yield, Do Not Enter and Speed Limit signs and gives alerts audibly and connected the Multi-Information Display. 

Eight aerial bags are standard, arsenic is the Toyota Star Safety System, which includes Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Electronic Brake-force Distribution with Brake Assist, four-wheel antilock disc brakes and the Smart Stop technology.

The thrust is amazingly creaseless and quiet, particularly connected electrical powerfulness alone, overmuch much truthful than that of erstwhile generations. The beforehand seats were rather comfortable, adjacent connected a agelong drive. Outboard rear passengers had capable limb and genu country arsenic agelong arsenic the beforehand seats weren’t afloat backmost connected their tracks; the mediate rear presumption is champion near to a child.

On our tester, the hybrid strategy gave america an mean of 38.8 mpg successful a premix of astir 50-50 local/highway driving. The electrical motors gave america immoderate other powerfulness rapidly for passing and merging from uphill freeway ramps, arsenic good arsenic pulling distant from stops.

We did not trial the battery-only driving range, oregon effort to recharge the artillery battalion by plugging successful to an outer powerfulness source.
Total sticker terms of our 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Plug-in Hybrid was $49,633, including freight and options.

The automotive columns of G. Chambers Williams III person appeared regularly successful the Express-News since 2000. Contact him astatine chambers@auto-writer.com.

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid 

The package: Compact, all-wheel-drive, 4 passenger-door, five-passenger, gasoline/electric plug-in hybrid crossover inferior vehicle.
Highlights: Completely restyled and upgraded for 2019, the RAV4 is present successful its 5th generation. For 2021, determination is the caller Prime model, which is simply a plug-in hybrid that tin tally up to 42 miles connected artillery powerfulness alone, betwixt charges pf the lithium-ion battery.
Negatives: No third-row spot available.
Overall length: 180.9 inches.
Curb weight: 3,710-3,800 pounds.
Engine/motor: 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine, positive 2 electrical thrust motors.
Transmission: Continuously adaptable automatic with optional paddle shifters.
Power/torque: 176 HP./163 foot-pounds (gasoline motor alone), full combined 302 HP., gasoline motor positive electrical motors.
Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, antilock.
Cargo volume: 37.5 cubic feet (behind rear seat).
Towing capacity: Not provided.
Electronic stableness control: Standard.
Side aerial bags: Front seat-mounted, some rows side-curtain.
EPA substance economy: 94 mpg-e (gasoline-electric, equivalent combined); 38 mpg combined, gasoline motor arsenic superior power.
Fuel capacity/type: 14.5 gallons/unleaded regular.
Price range: $38,250-$41,425, positive $1,175 freight (2021 RAV4 Prime).
Price arsenic tested: $49,633, including freight and options (Prime SE).
On the Road rating: 8.7 (of a imaginable 10).

Prices shown are manufacturer’s suggested retail; existent selling terms whitethorn vary.