The Toyota RAV4 has been the best-selling SUV for quite some time now because it is perfect for families. The RAV4, being a compact SUV, is affordable, capable, practical, and offers excellent value for money. Amid rising gas prices and electric car dominance, Toyota released the RAV4 Prime PHEV a few years ago, and it was a massive success. The RAV4 Prime dominates the segment with its highly efficient and powerful hybrid system, best-in-class all-electric range, safety, and reliability, and, of course, that long features list.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime is a five-seater compact plug-in hybrid SUV that sits at the top of the RAV4 lineup. The 2023 RAV4 Prime starts at $42,340 and is available in SE and XSE trims. It mainly competes with the PHEV trims of the Kia Sportage, Subaru Crosstrek, Hyundai Tucson, and Ford Escape. But if you were eyeing a new electric car, a RAV4 Prime could influence you away from spending the extra on a BEV. Here's why.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime Hybrid Is An Excellent EV Alternative
When it comes to fuel economy, the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime is the best in the segment. The RAV4 Prime’s advanced plug-in hybrid system not only offers the best all-electric range in the segment but also provides an all-wheel-drive system, making it one of the most efficient all-wheel-drive SUVs in the market.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime’s highly efficient plug-in hybrid system uses both the engine and the E-motors to offer the best fuel economy. The hybrid system uses efficient components like a 2.5-liter Dynamic Force Atkinson Cycle four-cylinder engine, an 18.1 kWh battery, two E-motors, a CVT gearbox, and an electronic all-wheel-drive system to achieve the best fuel returns.
The powertrain provides different drive models like Sport, Eco, Normal, and Trail mode. Moreover, the powertrain offers different fuel-saving modes like Auto EV/HV, HV, Charge, and EV mode. One of the biggest advantages of the RAV4 Prime is its large 18.1 kWh Lithium-ion battery that offers 42 miles of emission-free driving range, making it a strong alternative to an EV.
Not only this, the RAV4 Prime’s hybrid powertrain has an efficiency rating of 94 MPGe and returns 40, 36, and 38 MPG in the city, highways, and combined respectively. It comes packed with a 14.5-gallon fuel tank that provides 600 miles of range. Both the trims have a standard 3.3 kW charger that takes 4.5 hours to charge the battery, with the optional 6.6 kW fast charger replenishing the battery in 2.5 hours.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime Performs Great In All Occasions
Whether it's for daily life or long commutes, the latest RAV4 Prime never fails to impress. Powering the RAV4 Prime is a 2.5-liter Dynamic Force Atkinson Cycle inline-four engine that produces 177 horsepower and 165 lb-ft of torque alone. The front and the rear axle carry a 179 and 199 horsepower E-motor that combines with the engine to provide a total of 302 horsepower and 165 lb-ft of torque.
The 2023 RAV4 Prime's performance is another strong point, which provides buyers with another reason besides its best-in-class 42-mile electric range and fuel economy. The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime takes just 5.5 seconds for 0-60 mph and 14.1 seconds for a quarter-mile.
This makes it faster than Toyota’s very own BZ4X electric SUV and similarly priced heavyweights like the Nissan Ariya, Volkswagen ID4 and the Hyundai Kona.
The Toyota RAV4 Prime also has the hardware to take maximum advantage of the power. The electronic all-wheel-drive management system and active cornering assist helps drivers in various situations. The RAV4 Prime can also handle minor off-roads with its 8.2 inches of ground clearance, followed by 19.5 and 21.5 degrees of approach and break-over angles. This hybrid SUV comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels and all-season mud and snow tires for extra grip on all surfaces. The wheels are equipped with 12.9 and 12.4-inch ventilated disc brakes along with a regenerative braking function to charge the battery on the go.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime Is An Ideal Hybrid SUV For Families
The Toyota RAV4 has always been one of the most popular compact SUVs in the segment owing to its spaciousness and practicality. The RAV4 Prime, like its ICE sibling, isn’t any different. The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime features a 136.4 cubic feet interior, which merits roomy passenger and cargo space.
The RAV4 Prime seats five passengers, with 37.7- and 41 inches of headroom and legroom provided by the front seats. The rear seats have 39.5-inches headroom and 37.8-inch legroom, meaning both teenagers and medium-sized adults will fit perfectly. Seating materials range from premium fabric to SofTex seats. Both trims have a power-adjustable driver seat with lumbar support and heated front seats.
In terms of utility, the RAV4 Prime offers 33.5 cubic feet of standard cargo space, followed by 69.8 cubic feet of additional space after the rear seats are folded.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime Is Loaded With Features
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime provides the best set of features in the segment and also more features than similarly priced EVs. The Prime SE has 18-inch alloy wheels, Bi-LED headlamps, active grille shutters with aerodynamic under-body panels, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, fabric seats, power driver seats, and heated front seats.
Also, a 10.5-inch touchscreen with a six-speaker setup, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Connected Services, Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert come standard. For customization, the Prime SE Weather and Moonroof Package are provided as well.
The Prime XSE being the costliest trim of the RAV4 lineup distinguishes itself with some additional features. It comes standard with 19-inch wheels, vertical LED accented lights and red shock absorbers.
The interior has a wireless charger, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, SofTex seats, paddle shifters, a red-accented interior, blue ambient lighting, a JBL premium audio system, and a Drive Connect package.
The Prime XSE Weather Package and Prime XSE Premium Package brings additional features like a 10-inch HUD, panoramic moonroof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats as well as front and rear park assist.
Source: Toyota, fueleconomy.gov, Good Car Bad Car.