2021 RAV4 plug in prime

[ER2B]

Just wondering if anyone is going to buy this SUV when it comes out summer 2020. Over 300 hp, 0-60 under 6 seconds, 39 miles EV range. I am seriously considering this vehicle to buy. Tesla I believe still has to prove reliability and better long term cost over ICEs.

 

[Chuckanut]

Just wondering if anyone is going to buy this SUV when it comes out summer 2020. Over 300 hp, 0-60 under 6 seconds, 39 miles EV range. I am seriously considering this vehicle to buy. Tesla I believe still has to prove reliability and better long term cost over ICEs.

Is this a plug-in hybrid or totally an EV?

 

[ER2B]

It's a plug in hybrid.
https://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/rav4prime/

 

[RunningBum]

I would consider it when I'm ready to replace my Forester. Hopefully won't be in the next year or two though.

 

[OldShooter]

"When fully charged, RAV4 Prime has up to an estimated 39 miles of thrilling, EV-only driving."

I think I'll be able to resist this without much effort.

 

[travelover]

Sounds nice. I like that it uses a heat pump as opposed to resistance heating when cold. That will help EV range.

 

[braumeister]

Sounds pretty good. No interest myself, since I just bought a new PHEV last year (which I love). Mine only gets 20 miles on pure battery power, but 90% of the time that's enough or nearly enough, as long as I don't go out of town.

 

[erkevin]

I would never say that I am going to buy a vehicle until I have read the reviews, driven it, and negotiated a price.

 

[RunningBum]

"When fully charged, RAV4 Prime has up to an estimated 39 miles of thrilling, EV-only driving."

I think I'll be able to resist this without much effort.

For every day driving, that'll cover a lot of people. All electric for most work commutes, grocery shopping, and other errand running. And you can fall back to using gas/hybrid on longer trips.

 

[Chuckanut]

Perhaps I bought my RAV4 a year to early. But, then again, I enjoy driving it, and the F150 driver did not exactly ask my opinion before he totaled my previous car. I guess I will have to live with my 2019 RAV4 that gets well over 30 mpg in the winter and got over 40 mpg in warmer weather. Life is tough.

 

[Another Reader]

While I applaud Toyota's engineering, it is unlikely I would buy this or any RAV 4. I looked at one a couple of weeks ago. Uncomfortable seat that was impossible to adjust to a good driving position, gear shift at my elbow with no place to put anything at my fingertips, and really cheap looking and feeling interior. I did not bother to test drive it.

 

[aaronc879]

I think it'll be too expensive for me. I am on the fence about the regular RAV-4 Hybrid and I assume the plug-in will be thousands extra.

 

[Chuckanut]

Sounds nice. I like that it uses a heat pump as opposed to resistance heating when cold. That will help EV range.

I noticed on my Hybrid Camry, on cold mornings when I kept the car in ECO mode the engine often stopped at red lights which delayed warming up the cabin by a bit. Switch the car to Normal mode and the engine was kept running longer, which resulted in a warmer cabin. It sounds like they now have an electrical heating system to use when the care is in total EV mode. I guess that's better than freezing during those first 39 miles.

 

[Midpack]

We’ve had three hybrids, we don’t plan to bother with a plug-in hybrid, never made $ sense to us. We’ll go full EV next but our cars are ‘18 and ‘19 and we tend to keep cars for 8-11 years...

 

[Zathras]

I think it'll be too expensive for me. I am on the fence about the regular RAV-4 Hybrid and I assume the plug-in will be thousands extra.

Make sure to double-check when it arrives in your area.
Many people found the Prius Prime cheaper than the gas version.
The plugin RAV4 should still get the full $7500 credit and Toyota is very eager to sell these, in CARB states at least.

 

[aaronc879]

Make sure to double-check when it arrives in your area.
Many people found the Prius Prime cheaper than the gas version.
The plugin RAV4 should still get the full $7500 credit and Toyota is very eager to sell these, in CARB states at least.

I have never in my life had a high enough earned income to pay anywhere close to $7500 in Federal tax so that credit is pretty much meaningless to me.

 

[wolf]

Con: Must be more expensive than "regular hybrid".

For me, biggest negative, would be to "plug" it in "every" night. To obtain, the
"pure" electric car experience. (for only 39 miles).

 

[harley]

I will never buy again buy a first model year of anything. I need at least a couple years of other people's experiences to go by. I also don't upgrade operating systems until forced to, usually by buying a new laptop.

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

"front lower spoiler" on an SUV?

I like the concept a lot - best of both worlds being a plug in hybrid.

Lots of power too.

The only thing that's plain silly is putting a low front spoiler on an SUV, which greatly reduces it's ground clearance and makes it easy to damage on parking ties and uneven driveways. Yes, it looks sporty but it's just not practical in the real world.

 

[ER2B]

Another con is gasoline getting stale after extended EV mode use. We hardly drive more than 39 miles per day.

 

[rk911]

"When fully charged, RAV4 Prime has up to an estimated 39 miles of thrilling, EV-only driving."

I think I'll be able to resist this without much effort.

+1.

 

[frayne]

While I applaud Toyota's engineering, it is unlikely I would buy this or any RAV 4. I looked at one a couple of weeks ago. Uncomfortable seat that was impossible to adjust to a good driving position, gear shift at my elbow with no place to put anything at my fingertips, and really cheap looking and feeling interior. I did not bother to test drive it.

I just bought a 2020 RAV4 XLE and couldn't disagree more on any of your points. Coming from a Nissan Altima, the seat driving position in the RAV is much more comfortable and with a great lumbar support, the interior fit and finish is just fine and driving in the sports mode is downright fun.

As far as a response to the OP, I'd probably consider one if I was in the market and did a lot of city driving.

 

[ER2B]

I like the concept a lot - best of both worlds being a plug in hybrid.

Lots of power too.

+1 this is really why I'm seriously considering this. The best of both worlds. It also has a lithium ion. My DB has a RAV4 2017 hybrid. It has NIMH. MPG is not as good as the 2019 and later model.

 

[Koogie]

We have a 2012 Rav4 with the V6 and I really enjoy it. Great vehicle.

I must admit the PHEV Prime is intriguing. Especially the "horsepower" and speed numbers they posted for it.

I would prefer an all electric but it would need to get about 1000km per charge to be realistic for us (winter trips south).

Won't realistically be in the market for a new car until 2022 at the earliest though so who knows....

 

[Another Reader]

I just bought a 2020 RAV4 XLE and couldn't disagree more on any of your points. Coming from a Nissan Altima, the seat driving position in the RAV is much more comfortable and with a great lumbar support, the interior fit and finish is just fine and driving in the sports mode is downright fun.

As far as a response to the OP, I'd probably consider one if I was in the market and did a lot of city driving.

Maybe the car works better for tall people. The LE I looked at was sparse and the finishes cheap. I hate that tablet screen. My elbow was in the gear shift which was placed too high.

I have been buying Toyotas since 1978. I simply do not like what they build today and find them grossly overpriced for what you get.