The RAV4 continues to be the best selling-car from Toyota. It has plentiful off-road-ready character, loads of interior space, a wholesome bundle of technology and safety features, impressive MPG figures, and Toyota's fool-proof reliability.
As a brand, Toyota has garnered a lot of popularity from consumers for their pocket-friendly cars on offer and the RAV4 also makes it to the list. This car packs everything that a daily driver needs, and also packs a bit of fun for those weekend getaways. But in the plethora of RAV4 options from Toyota, the RAV4 Prime is what has intrigued us the most. The Toyota RAV4 Prime is a new offering for 2021 and has made a buzz for being a plug-in hybrid crossover that can do a whopping 94 MPG in one stretch while pumping out 302 horses to all four wheels!
That's a lot to take in, but Toyota has managed to actually make a fun-to-drive hybrid family crossover. Oh, and the RAV4 Prime does 0-60 MPH in 5.7 seconds (that's sportscar category) and weighs a segment-leading 2,500 lbs. The 2021 Toyota RAV4 obliterates its competition that includes the likes of Subaru Crosstrek, Ford Escape, and Lexus UX 250h. So, the RAV4 Prime is not a wolf in sheep's clothing but more of a very clever sheep!
Toyota has managed to make the RAV4 Prime quite fast, that even the GR Supra gets nervous.
At An MSRP Of $38,250, The Toyota RAV4 Is Cheaper And More Powerful Than The GR Supra!
Yup, you heard that right. Toyota has technically got into an internal war with the RAV4 Prime. They have managed to price it aggressively to cater to the masses, all the while, bumping up its performance into sportscar territory. By doing this, they have actually bought an existential crisis for the Toyota GR Supra.
We know that it's stupid to compare a family-friendly crossover to the reincarnation of an iconic sports coupe, but still, 302 horses are no joke by any means. While the standard 2021 Toyota RAV4 tops out at an MSRP of $37,330, the most powerful RAV4 Prime, is offered in 2 trims and is priced at $38,250 and $41,575 respectively.
Clever Hybrid Tech Helps The RAV4 Prime Churn Out A Combined 302 HP Efficiently
There was a time when we thought of hybrid power to be boring (some of them have evolved to be wholesome but there are still some that we won't touch with a 10-foot pole) and made for the conservative. In fact, Totoya themselves fueled this idea with the likes of the Camry Hybrid that were more of the plush and extremely efficient types. But with the all-new 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime, we are striking out the 'conservative only' idealogy of a hybrid car in this price bracket.
And the RAV4 Prime surprises us with its powertrain setup. It comes with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine coupled to two electric motors, one on each axle. The front 134 kW motor churns out 199 lb-ft and the rear 40 kW pumps out 89 lb-ft of torque. For the gasoline engine, a comforting E-CVT takes care of transferring power to the front wheels. All of this combined, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime churns out an impressive 302 HP.
Add Standard AWD To It, And The Toyota RAV4 Prime Does 0-60 MPH In 5.7 Seconds
The clever feat here is that the front and rear axles are powered, tanks to the individual electric motor setups. So, 302 horses to all four wheels help the RAV4 prime do 0-60 sprint in a quick 5.7 seconds. These numbers might make you think that this Toyota might be the only one that isn't conservative!".
But nope. Toyota has given due importance to its efficiency and returns a mind-boggling combined 94 MPG. The electric motors alone can also work things out and run for 42 miles straight. So, a quick yet efficient Toyota. Impressive by all means.
The Prime Is Swift, Even In Corners, But Still Has Lousy Dynamics
The RAV4 Prime sure gives a thrill, but momentarily. Its performance peaks out in the mid-range, which is sufficient for cozy drives. But the athleticism dulls down. The added weight from the battery packs does add a bit of stability in the corners but driving is still dull. There is no steering feedback and the brakes are too soft for athleticism. Even the E-CVT is too lousy for you to even enjoy its GR Supra rivaling acceleration run.
Despite Its Intimidating Numbers, The RAV4 Prime Has The Interior Of A Fine Bread-And-Butter Car
Being fast is one thing, but being fast and still appealing to the common man is a whole different ball game. Toyota has managed to achieve that with the RAV4 Prime. The performance numbers are insane for a cozy, spacious family car and this well-rounded attribute comes mainly because of its wholesome interior setup. Toyotas have always been known for their practical and tech-laden approach when it comes to interiors.
The RAV4 Prime gets one such interior too. Standard bits include an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system floating on a clean dashboard layout. You get SoftTex upholstery (the good type of fake leather), and all four seats are quite comfortable and well-bolstered. The battery layout does steal off a few cubic inches of the cargo space with 33.5 cu in as opposed to a standard RAV4's 37.9 cu in.
But it still scores high on practicality and comfort, and importantly also gets a wholesome bunch of safety features with Toyota's Safety Sense. It includes features like Adaptive Cruice control, Lane-Keep Assist, and Road Sign Recognition to name a few. The Toyota RAV4 Prime is a fine embodiment of practicality, comfort, efficiency, and performance, topped with a pinch of fun.
Sources: Toyota.com, Cnet.com, Motor1.com, Motortrend.com, Caranddriver.com