Three things to know about the Prime version: it's the most powerful (306 hp), the fastest (up to 96.5 km/h in 5.8 seconds) and the most fuel-efficient (2.6 l/100km) RAV4 crossover ever. It can travel 63 km on electric power alone and then recharge from a household socket. Its sales in the U.S. will begin in the summer of 2020, and in other countries, "most-important" crossover is not expected, because the RAV4 Hybrid is not brought to us because of high cost and low demand.
The Japanese say that neither the cabin nor the luggage compartment is affected by the underfloor battery. Incidentally, the Prius Prime Hybrid shares with the Rafic not only the prefix to its name, but also its HVAC system.
The interior of the Prime is nothing new - just a level of equipment close to maximum: trim in synthetic SofTex leather with red stitching, heated and ventilated seats, media centre with a nine-inch display, panoramic sunroof and so on.
The Atkinson cycle powertrain is powered by a 2.5 atmospheric four with the usual 178 bhp. However, the power of electric motors at the front and rear has increased, which provided a jump from 222 to 306 bhp. Capacities of lithium-ion battery have been increased, the suspension has been adjusted in sports way, and advanced full-wheel drive Electric AWD has not gone anywhere. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 complex is "in base". You can get a feel for the price: the most expensive RAV4 Hybrid now costs $36,630
The rechargeable version has excellent performance and impresses with its low consumption and wide autonomy
For more than a year, the new generation Toyota RAV4 has only been sold in a hybrid version, which is highly regarded for its equipment, performance and adequate consumption. We also know that Toyota defined the hybrid car market in 1997 and since then has sold an impressive 15 million vehicles of this type, becoming the world leader in the production of vehicles with this powertrain.
However, we still don't have a plug-in hybrid version of the SUV called the RAV4 Prime, which brings even more performance, new equipment and the convenience of home charging, not to mention the ability to drive in all-electric mode without using petrol. And to show you a little of what this plug-in hybrid RAV4 is capable of, we've done a full assessment of this SUV.
RAV4 is the best-selling SUV in the USA, where it is available in 11 petrol, mild hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. With the recent launch of two versions of the RAV4 Prime PHEV, there are a total of 13 variants of this SUV to choose from to suit a variety of tastes.
The RAV4 Prime is a true plug-in hybrid that has a large electric-only range of 67km, and in our tests we found that they slightly underestimated this range as we exceeded it by 50%.
It's a five-door all-wheel-drive SUV measuring 4,597mm long with a wheelbase of 2,689mm and a width of 1,854mm.
It's powered by a combination of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine combined with an electric motor driving the front wheels and a second electric motor driving the rear wheels via an electronic four-wheel-drive system, for a total of 306bhp on order. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via an electronically controlled CVT transmission, which always seemed to know which gear ratio was best, and it was also quiet and smooth.
With all this power, the 2-tonne RAV4 Prime can accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h in just 5.7 seconds, making it the second fastest car in the Toyota range. With the petrol and electric engines running, acceleration is smooth and fast.
 The electric motors are powered by an 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery, which can be charged by an in-built 6.6kW or 3.3kW charger. The SUV is classified as an ultra-low emission vehicle (SULEV) and can only be powered by petrol, electric or hybrid vehicles.
The RAV4 Prime is available in two versions, Prime SE and XSE. The powertrains, battery size and other mechanical components are the same on both models, except that the XSE has more features and a more refined interior. The Prime SE starts at $38,100 and the XSE starts at $41,425.
The Prime XSE we tested had all the options available, including a premium audio system, weather forecast package and a package that added just about every convenience and feature you can imagine, with a suggested retail price of $49,577. Keep in mind that thanks to its range-topping electric mode, the RAV4 Prime qualifies for federal and state tax credits and rebates.
How does it drive?
During our time with the RAV4 Prime in the famous supersonic red and black, we gave it the typical task any owner of such an SUV would do.
The RAV4 Prime is about the same size as other SUVs such as the Nissan Rouge, but personally it has more presence and stands out. The RAV stands a little taller than most other SUVs in this category by about 10 inches, but getting in and out of the car is easy enough.
The driver's instrument panel and infotainment screen were easy to view and the system settings were very simple and intuitive to adjust. The seats are comfortable and adjustable in almost all directions, but curiously absent from the front passenger seat was a height adjustment. With the XSE Premium package, the seats are equipped with heating and climate control. The 11-speaker JBL sound system did an excellent job with both surround and surround sound - Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.
The Prime's suspension impressed with a comfortable and balanced ride, much like what you'd expect from a Lexus or Mercedes. The steering also had that sense of quality that made for a very pleasant driving experience. Our only complaint was that the tyres transmitted a lot of road noise. Another source of noise was the racks, which hissed at high speeds. Other than that, the cabin was closed like a bank vault, with no noise or creaking.
When we arrived at our destination, we plugged in the L1 110V charging cable and four hours later the RAV4 was fully charged and ready to go.
Is the plug-in hybrid the best electrified for long journeys?
It's a touchy subject, with battery electric vehicle (BEV) fans blowing their noses at anything that burns even a single drop of oil. But there are those who believe that using the right tool for every situation is the best approach.
Proponents of plug-in hybrids say that 100% electric cars are now a great choice for city and long-distance commuting. Electrics shine when it comes to low-speed traffic and are extremely efficient in heavy traffic. They're the perfect replacement for every driver, and several studies show that 85-95% of all cars are mostly driven in this condition.
We drove it: the Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid is one of the best cars in this class for 2021.
But many other studies and owner experiences have shown that long-distance travel is the Achilles heel of electric batteries. The current electric mileage champions are Tesla cars, which boast a range of over 480km on most of their models and have one of the best charging infrastructures to date, but owners are surprised and disappointed when they find that the range at actual cruising speeds of 110 to 130km/h is in the 250-300km range, well below the advertised overall length.
Add to this the need to recharge more often, which adds up to a significant loss of travel time that in an internal combustion car could be accomplished with a single tank of petrol. Combine the rush and lost waiting time when charging with the relative scarcity of a reliable high-speed charging network in areas other than the interstate and urban areas, adding to the significant loss of time and enjoyment of driving clean electricity on a long trip.
A plug-in hybrid (PHEV), on the other hand, combines the best of both worlds of internal combustion and battery electric vehicles and enables the vehicle to operate with the most efficient tools in every situation. It's an electric start from the city section, a petrol/electric vehicle for most of the motorway section, and back to electric once the vehicle reaches its destination. And since it doesn't have a huge battery to recharge, the 110V L1 charging is really useful and quick.
The PHEV isn't afraid of getting lost on the road either, as the range of such a vehicle is far greater than that of any electric or petrol car, even on the most isolated roads. The RAV4 prime can easily go 1,000 to 1,200km without refuelling or recharging, despite the pain you might cause your bladder.
So yes, a plug-in hybrid may be a more rational choice today instead of an electric if long-distance driving is a significant part of your car usage.
Conclusion
The RAV4 Prime PHEV is a very important vehicle for Toyota and an important part of its strategy to offer more than 40 new or upgraded electric vehicles by 2025. Toyota remains the world leader in hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles and will use this market dominance to expand its reach with more and more zero-emission vehicles over the next 5 years.
Based on its leadership in hybrid powertrains and many years of quality, the RAV4 Prime is a best-in-class low-emission SUV and a valid alternative to an electric car, especially if long-distance driving is a major factor when buying an electric car.
In Brazil, the RAV4 is only available with the regular hybrid variant, which delivers 222bhp of combined power and in two trim variants (S and SX), with prices starting at $219,990. There is still no prediction of this plug-in hybrid variant appearing on our market.
