2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

　　

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

byDan zzdcarDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Dan is a mechanical engineer by trade and spent 16 years developing new cars for two automakers before coming to zzdcar as its director of vehicle testing.

　　Toyota has been applying a "Prime" moniker to its Toyota Prius for a few years now. That plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Prius has a slightly higher price and a somewhat bigger battery that enables 25 miles of electric driving before the engine comes to life. It's sensible — if you can plug it in and recharge it nightly — but that's about all. The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime shares that nondescript suffix, and perhaps unfortunately so. This is a much more interesting and more compelling plug-in hybrid than the Prius Prime.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded and $0.17 per kWh for electricity in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$85/mo  for RAV4 Prime SE

　　RAV4 Prime SE

　　SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) (Most Popular) - $38,250 MSRPXSE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) - $41,575 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　The reason why boils down to two points. The RAV4 Prime's battery is significantly bigger, and that gives this small SUV an estimated all-electric range of 42 miles. That's a truly useful number that will cover most daily commutes — especially when you know you can safely run it to zero and let the gasoline engine seamlessly keep the party moving. On top of that, the RAV4 Prime has bigger electric motors that make it significantly quicker than any other RAV4. Or just about any other small SUV for that matter.

　　Even with 302 horsepower, the RAV4 Prime isn't particularly fun to drive. But it is a compelling plug-in hybrid that delivers exceptional economy and practicality.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.8

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.0/10

　　How does the RAV4 Prime drive? The RAV4 Prime gets up to speed much better than its standard or hybrid siblings. In zzdcar testing it reached 60 mph in an impressively quick 5.6 seconds. The regular RAV4, for example, needs a comparatively unhurried 9.1 seconds. The RAV4 Prime is also smooth and easy to drive under typical commuting conditions.

　　Unfortunately, Toyota has failed to back up the muscular powertrain with any sort of dynamic athleticism. Handling is pretty abysmal, with prevalent body roll and vague steering that makes it hard to judge the right amount of input. The electronic driver assistants also freak out at the smallest provocation. Another demerit comes from the brakes. The RAV4 Prime's pedal feel is overly soft. Panic-stopping performance in our testing was below average for a small SUV.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the RAV4 Prime? The driver's seat has enough adjustments to allow you to easily find a comfortable seating position. But the front passenger seat has fewer adjustments, which might lead to a few complaints on long trips. The available simulated leather upholstery (Toyota's SofTex) breathes well and is definitely helped on hot days by the available seat ventilation. The rear seats are also praiseworthy for the better-than-average thigh support.

　　The RAV4 Prime's ride quality is biased more toward comfort than performance, delivering a smooth ride over road imperfections. Road and wind noise is abated to pleasant levels, though the gasoline engine sounds unrefined when you're aggressively accelerating. Otherwise, it's pleasantly muted.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? The RAV4 Prime gets strong scores here. The controls are well labeled and logically grouped for easy operation. The drive modes don't explain what they fully do (you'll definitely need to read the manual), but every other system is very intuitive. Entry and exit are helped by an ideal ride height and big door openings; shorter passengers can get in easily and taller people won't have to stoop to get in.

　　There is enough headroom and legroom for 6-footers in any seat. Forward visibility is praiseworthy thanks to narrow front windshield pillars, but the side view is obscured by the thick pillar between the front and rear doors. One other gripe is that the touchscreen is too far away from the driver.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? The available 9-inch screen makes most infotainment interactions quick, easy and distraction-free. It's quick to react, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as standard. The size and placement of physical shortcut buttons could be improved for less distraction. The JBL audio upgrade will get you stronger bass and clarity, but it's not all that impressive.

　　Toyota's advanced safety features generally function as they should. We're especially fond of the traffic-adaptive cruise control that proves its worth whether you're on a free-flowing highway or stuck in traffic. But the lane-keeping assist feature tends to add too much steering effort for anything but straight highway cruising.

　　

Storage

8.0/10

　　How’s the storage? The RAV4 Prime takes a small hit when it comes to cargo capacity, accommodating 33.5 cubic feet as opposed to the standard RAV4's 37.6 cubic feet. Still, there's plenty of space for all your luggage, and you can fold the rear seats down with minimal effort. Interior storage is helped by some extra shelves cut into the dash, a wireless charging pad, and a good-size center armrest bin.

　　Parents with young kids will appreciate the RAV4. It's easy to locate and connect safety seats to the lower car seat anchors. Likewise, tethering to the three upper anchors is straightforward. Forward-facing seats and boosters fit readily, but installing a rear-facing infant seat on the passenger side will likely require scooting the front seat up. The too-high front passenger seat is the issue.

　　

Fuel Economy

9.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? On our standardized evaluation route, the RAV4 Prime easily logged 48 miles of electric-only propulsion (6 miles better than the EPA estimate). That's enough to cover most people's average commute and daily driving. Once the gas engine kicked in, we averaged about 34 mpg, which is similar to the RAV4 Hybrid. You can also likely drive nearly 600 miles with a full tank of gas and fully charged battery.

　　

Value

8.5/10

　　Is the RAV4 Prime a good value? The RAV4 Prime is quite a bit more expensive than the regular RAV4. It will take a while to recoup the cost of a Prime compared to buying a regular RAV4 Hybrid based on gas savings alone.

　　The Prime's build quality is good enough to justify the price, and some nice touches are exclusive to this plug-in hybrid model. The warranty for hybrid components is extended past Toyota's usual coverage. Two years of free scheduled maintenance is also included.

　　

Wildcard

8.0/10

　　As disappointing as the RAV4 Prime may be when it comes to performance and driving entertainment, it's an admirable plug-in hybrid SUV. Its easily achieved 42-mile EV range almost doubles that of its closest rivals (Kia Niro and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV). It certainly doesn't hurt that it gets up to highway speeds quickly, and the sharp styling might attract shoppers away from the less traditional competition.

　　

Which RAV4 Prime does zzdcar recommend?

Consider sticking with the SE to maximize the RAV4's affordability. The XSE has more standard features — and offers optional features you can't get on the SE — but none of them are must-haves. You get the same fuel economy and performance with either trim level.

　　

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime models

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime is a plug-in hybrid variant of the standard five-passenger RAV4 that is classified as a small SUV. It is offered in SE and XSE trims that are equivalent to the higher trims available on the standard RAV4.

　　SE

　　The base SE trim is well appointed with feature highlights that include:

　　A four-cylinder engine plus three hybrid electric motor-generators 18.1-kWh lithium-ion battery back Combined output of 302 horsepower All-wheel drive Power liftgate Heated front seats 8-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay and Android AutoThe SE also includes:

　　Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the RAV4 Prime and the car in front) Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane keeping assist (steers the RAV4 Prime back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)XSE

　　The XSE adds several niceties, such as:

　　Two-tone roof (black) Sunroof (optional on SE) Paddle shifters Auto-dimming rearview mirror 9-inch touchscreen Wireless charging pad Simulated leather upholstery Interior ambient lightingThe Weather package starts off the RAV4 Prime's bundled options with:

　　Heated steering wheel Heated rear outboard seats Automatic wipers with de-icersThe Audio package is only offered with the XSE trim and includes:

　　Weather package JBL audio system upgrade Built-in navigation system and online destination helpFinally, the Premium package (also XSE only) rounds out the add-ons with:

　　Panoramic sunroof Hands-free liftgate Adaptive headlights Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking Quicker hybrid battery recharging capability Ventilated front seats Driver-seat memory settings Head-up display Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area) Household-style power outlet in the cargo area Surround-view parking camera system

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2021 RAV4 Prime Highlights

Trim: SEXSESE

　　

Base MSRP	$38,250
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,400
Engine Type	Plug-in hybrid
EPA Electric Range	42 miles
Combined MPGe (Electric + Gas)	94 MPGeMPGe is the official metric that the EPA uses to measure the efficiency of alternative-fuel (including electric) vehicles. Just like regular MPG shows how far a car will travel on one gallon of gas, MPGe shows how far a vehicle will drive on 33.7kWh of electricity - the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. Combined MPGe is the combined total of 45% city MPGe + 55% highway MPGe.
Cost to Drive	$85/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	4.5 hours
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	33.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles