Is This The One To Beat? | 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime
Вставка
- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- 302 horsepower, 39 miles per gallon, enough EV range to make you feel green and Toyota reliability all in one package. What's not to love with the new RAV4 Prime? Getting your hands on one at the moment. This is probably the best new car in the USA that you can't buy today because supplies will be limited likely through the end of 2021...
Buy Merch! aoamerch.com
Join Today: bit.ly/2WdCEwW
Our Other Channel: The Mountain Garden: goo.gl/icFWcd
Follow AoA on Facebook: theautobu...
94 eMPG. 5.7 seconds 0-60. AWD. 600 mile range. 8.3inch ground clearance. And it cooks bacon! No compromises. This is a game changer. Great review!
I own this exact car but in gray.... The reserve gas tank is 150 miles after E and Zero range. When you fill it up it says 440 gas mile and 42 EV. The other 150 miles on gas is in the reserve after the range says zero and the needle is buried on E so the 600 mile range is definitely there.
@@bitkahuna you have bad taste
Braking, 70-0 mph: 195 ft as tested by C&D www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33028735/2021-toyota-rav4-prime-xse-by-the-numbers/
@@bitkahuna It's practical, reliable and efficient.
@@limpunsing224 probably due to its tires, hybrid low rolling resistance low noise tires just dont have the best grip. when i get one ill be beating the shit out of the stock tires so i have an excuse to replace them sooner lol.
As an owner of a Prius Prime, PHEV's make so much more sense than full EV's. I drive over 90% in EV as I use it mainly as a commuter. The other 10% is for longer trips where charging isn't an option. Seriously considering a RAV4 Prime when the lease on my Prius is up.
Added complexity with PHEV but for anyone who lives/drives fair bit outside a city an all electric isn't reasonable at this time, nor will be for many years. If anything hydrogen may be more reasonable alternative to electric in some areas.
@@James-il3tq hydrogen is worse as there are no stations Anywhere
@@sahajpatel1553 Yes, but H2 is the future. I'll probably never get to drive one but my kids will
@@kevinricks2165 I believe battery electric
@@kevinricks2165 i would want to put my kids in one... an accident could cause a big explosion
Picked up my RAV4 Prime last week and already have 1,500 miles on it. LOVE IT! Coming from a Tesla Model 3 and Y, driving this long distance is a lot less stressful. There is plenty of HP and the room and ride is great! My only gripes so far…lane keep assist does tend to hug the right line, which I don’t prefer. Also, the app absolutely blows, hands down. No way to track your charging at all. Doesn’t even tell you if it’s fully charged which is very disappointing. I got the SE and I love the cloth seats. Driving 500 miles starting with a full charge, I wound up with a total MPG of 44, which was awesome. I drove it in EV mode on local roads, then auto while on the highway and the drive mode set to Eco the whole time. I found there was plenty of power at all times. The biggest difference I found with the driving modes was in traffic use ACC. Eco is much slower to accelerate and keep up compared to Normal and Sport Mode.
When purchasing this vehicle did you consider the 6.6kw onboard charger? I'm still researching if it's worth it for such a small range of 40 miles. Thank you for any input
The way Alex explain things is superb 👍🏻! I wish you’re my calculus teacher!
RAV4 Prime only exists on UA-cam.
And in my Garage
I've seen one IRL, sold for $60k
@@hadesomegamoto7639 my RAV4 Prime XSE Premium cost 58k out the door with taxes, fees and 120k extended warranty all included in that price. I got hit with $3500 over MSRP but it was because I got one of the first XSE Premiums in the country back in August. This is the most rare supplied out of all the Primes.
@@internetabyss Nice yeah they're marking them up quite a bit, I'm going to wait till next year to purchase, also interested in the new Outlander PHEV it's close to the RAV4 Prime.
@@hadesomegamoto7639 I looked into that car too, but it wasnt even close . My choice was between the Model y and the Prime. The offroad capability, tech, and hybrid range made my decision up.
I literally just purchased this car today, the XSE version, fully loaded... Super freaking amazing!~ and I don't miss my Tesla one bit!
Any thoughts after a year plus of ownership?? Thanks
It's a great car, don't get me wrong. The only issue its it 4 cylinder engine that actually needs to be a minimum of 6 cylinders. Once your battery is fully charged you'll get approx. 300+ HP but once that battery depletes itself and it depletes FAST then the RAV4 becomes a turtle! It has a 2.5 liter 4 Cylinder and it's ok at best, but it's not a small SUV. Test drive it and check it out, you may like it. I am going to sell mine pretty soon but it was ok while it lasted~!
@@billlyl3725
Years late in '24, we purchased an XSE Premium RAV4 Prime to go with our Venza. Love the hybrids for the gas mileage and the Prime for the performance and gas mileage.
Alex is so good at reviews, don’t care if Dodge is on his mind.
Haha :-)
This is the video that introduced me to and convinced me to buy a Rav 4 Prime SE, which I’ve had since Spring 2021. That said, the gas engine WILL turn on in a multitude of situations, even when the vehicle is “locked” in EV mode. Probably the instance that makes the least sense to me is when driving with the adaptive radar cruise control activated; when the vehicle senses the need to apply a medium or greater brake application to slow down, the engine will kick on and burn fuel, despite the car being completely able to regenerate into a partially depleted battery pack vs having to dump excess power into rotating the engine.
Another minor gripe I have with the way regen is handled in this vehicle is that the traction computer is MUCH more willing to derate the amount of regen brake when making higher G turns while braking than the 2012 Prius I was previously driving. The transition is pretty abrupt, and you can notice the immediate decrease in deceleration as the regen cuts out and is replaced by the friction brakes. Not sure what the logic behind this behavior is.
That being said, I’ve been pretty satisfied with the range I’ve been getting out of the vehicle based on my driving style. In city driving, ambient climate, I can get between 48-50 miles of electric range, and in moderate highway driving, 40 miles of electric range. I tend to drive a little more aggressively when the gas engine is on anyway, so my gas mileage per tank is not quite as high as the EPA estimate, but I drive relatively infrequently on gas that it’s not a big issue for me. If I really wanted to hypermile the car in hybrid mode, I’d have no problem doing that.
When purchasing this vehicle did you consider the 6.6kw onboard charger? I'm still researching if it's worth it for such a small range of 40 miles. Thank you for any input
You Are The BEST Auto Reviewer .
Savageese will have a say so. :)
Nah, they’re both great just different formats.
I was actually able to see one at a dealership in San Jose and it had been sold that day. It sold for $60,000! It had $10k in options and $10k dealer markup. I'll wait a while...
60k ? That's crazy. You can get MODEL Y for that kinda money.
@@peterp4753 Yeah it is
Ooops hart to swallow , expensive , if its coming to price gauging I don't buy the Prime even so I love every thing about it
@@peterp4753 audi q4 etron is a nice one too
Yikes! I am getting a RAV4, but not the Prime. Luckily, there’s no mark up where I am going to buy it in S. California. I had to order my RAV4 and it’s taken 3 months to arrive to the dealership.
It’s a shame that this is so limited. It’d be the best selling car by far. It’s fast, probably reliable, practical, and decently priced.
Thanks Alex for the great RAV4 P reviews. waited 7 months and picked myself up a XSE Premium. getting 48 miles on electric, 46 w/ AC, higher than the 42 amazingly! No complaints whatsoever so far. It's not a sports car but definitely feels premium. Passengers love the power, heating/cooling seats in front, heating in rear and the 360 camera helpful when parking! Did three things to the car so far, 1)blackened overlays and swapped out the rear exhaust w/ smoked TRD exhausts, 2) swapped interior door switches to lighted ones, and 3) LED lights all around including the mirror puddles! As for charging, got sick of slow charging and went for a ChargePoint home flex to utilize the full 6.6! Thank you again Alex!
I own a 2021 Rav4 Prime XSE Premium with 6000 miles on it.... Love It!!!
How mych did you pay
@@alexf9183 MSRP plus $2,500
I hate you.
I just bought one too and they gave me a $1500 discount 😜
@@DUNGSTA where and how? The dealers in my area are worse than drug dealers.
By far the BEST SUV I ever owned...and no range anxiety! Uses 5.5l/100km here in Canada
It’s too bad so many were bought on speculation and are sitting for sale used and “used” for a massive premium over MSRP. Toyota dealerships indicate anywhere from 2-5 years wait time on orders…
I’ve got 7500 miles on my RAV4 Prime. The MPG displayed does exactly what you describe in the Volt. My prime often shows the max “99.9mpg” when the HV engine kicks on.
When purchasing this vehicle did you consider the 6.6kw onboard charger? I'm still researching if it's worth it for such a small range of 40 miles. Thank you for any input
Crazy that this is the 2nd fastest Toyota for sale, but then again, Toyota doesn't try to make fast cars. Definitely seems like a great vehicle all around!
The Rav4 Prime is simply the best compact suv
I've seen two of these in LA in the past couple months. Rare for sure as I see normal RAV-4s 10 times a day. Rav-4 already looks great, these look spectacular especially with those wheels.
What color were they?
The dealer in my area had one but they were "adding" an extra 10k to the price. I told him to find some other sucker. I will go get a Model Y.
Just as an FYI, we've had ours now for about 2 - 3 months, and it's amazing. We're averaging 47 mpg average on a fuel tank, and 45 mpg on the HWY going around 65 to 70 mph. Not just us, but our friends did a drive from Reno to Vegas and did an actual MPG calculation. They got 45 mpg on the HWY too. Just amazing.
Yeah right...
@@DUNGSTA
I mean, many people are getting 40+mpg.
That's pretty reasonable for a Toyota hybrid lol
@@nighttimestalker bunch of grandma and grandpas
@@DUNGSTA
No lol.
These things are extremely efficient.
I have a coworker with the standard hybrid and he runs 70-80+ most of the time on the interstate and gets 41....
@@DUNGSTA
Also hybrids get better mileage in city than highway due to brake Regen.
So people who commute alot in city traffic, will see even better mileage
I really hope this catches on. A super high performance SUV, great gas mileage, and it's actually somewhat affordable.
I just upgraded my 2018 Prius Prime to a RAV4 Prime. Love, love, love. I knew after a few hundred miles in the Prius that the RAV is what I wanted , even though it wasn't available yet. In an area with a couple hundred inches of snow, the RAV only makes sense. The Prius was 100% geared toward fuel efficiency, and it delivered. What's next for the Toyota Prime lineup? I say follow the lead of the RAV by sacrificing a little efficiency and make a Prime equivalent of a Mazda Miata. A nice little convertible with some extra oomph and performance when you want it, and a great little EV hybrid the rest of the time.
When purchasing this vehicle did you consider the 6.6kw onboard charger? I'm still researching if it's worth it for such a small range of 40 miles. Thank you for any input
I really wish I hadn't just bought a new Subaru. I definitely see one of these in my future, it's a fantastic total package daily driver.
Definitely my next car... Fully loaded version!!! I'm happy you made comments on how the RAV4 PRIME compares to the engines of the plug in versions of BMW, Mercedes, Lincoln, Mazda, Volvo, Chevy Volt, Mitsubishi, Kia, Hyundai and Pacifica.
At least based upon experience with our Prius Prime, I don’t often use Charge Mode. It’s almost always more efficient to just run it as a hybrid, than to burn gas to charge the battery and then later drive it out in EV mode.
However, there are two scenarios when I do use charge mode:
1. When it first fires up the engine, it runs a warm-up cycle, and in the warm-up cycle it sometimes just wastes that gas solely to warm up the engine, whereas it should at least use it to charge up the battery. So, I do use it for that purpose, but only for ~3 minutes, then switch to normal hybrid mode.
2. Occasionally after road trip, necessarily in hybrid mode, I end up with too much gas in the tank! If so, I’ll often turn on just burn it down to 2-3 gallons or so. Since in day-to-day driving around town, I only use about a gallon per month, I never fill up with more than 2-3 gallons, lest it sit around forever fermenting in the gas tank!
Excellent review. Clearly, the RAV4 Prime is the best of both worlds.
Bought a 2021 Rav4 prime se, with a few options, drives great, getting used to longer Level 1 charge.
Initially got over 50 miles in EV mode.
So far only 250 miles in first week.
I previously drove Prius V five for 140K.
What do you think now you’ve owned it for a while?
@@hughes3947 James great vehicle, EV mode I’m at plus 50 miles
In the last three weeks I have used less than a quarter of a tank of gas(3/4 gals), probably drove 400 miles, local and two longer trips to Long Island and upstate NY.
My trick, use electric in town, use gas when on highway if I do not have enough electric for whole trip.
Even when you run out of EV- electric mode the hybrid kicks in, there is still some electric in reserve.
I only charge electric when I run out.
My gas usage is very low, guess average gas mileage, 90/100 mpg.
Also very little noticeably different in home electric from charging.
Vehicle runs well, car has lots of power 300 hp combined electric & gas.
Should be fine in the snow with AWD. Drove on muddy track recently, no issues of slips or slides..
Currently have driven 10k miles since May, roughly six months.
@@briancarr993 interesting. Sounds like the absolute best of both worlds. So what happens if you just leave it in auto? Does the car decide when to use electric vs gas? Does it manage that well? Or do you prefer to choose electric mode yourself?
Thinking of getting this over a fully electric vehicle, it sounds like a great option.
@@hughes3947 James car when started defaults to electric.
You can choose to “hold” gas or turn it off.
My decision to go EV/Hybrid/Gas was issue freedom to travel. Sometimes it’s difficult to find charging stations like ChargePoint or you need to leave the vehicle at the charging station to charge. A number of hotels have stations which may or may not work. Also my car came with charging cord uses 110 volts, I used it at home takes 10/12 hours to fully charge, I do it overnight and it’s ready in am, and you can take it with you to plug in at hotel or other places where you can access an outlet..
Note for home you can install 220 volt outlet, cuts charging time in half, need to buy 220 charging cord. Cost estimate $500 for outlet and wire, maybe more if you pay electrician and need to run dedicated 220 line.
@@briancarr993 thanks brian, appreciate your feedback
Even at $38k it's a decent buy with 40 mile EV range. For me that would easily cover 80% of my driving and the rest of it would be at 40mpg or better. Looks pretty good in that red as well.
Love your review. Professional , concise and ultra informative. What a difference a year makes. Not only are there no rav4 primes available but if you could find one it would be $10,000 ++ over sticker and currently the $7500 tax credit doesn’t apply because the battery is not manufactured the USA. Actually there are not many cars available currently so one may have to settle for what ever is around if you are pressed to find a car. Would like to see some more of your videos if they are out there as they are some of the best.
Thanks Alex
I enjoy your reviews
I knew the EV 0-60 was faster than stated.
We love our Rav 4 Prime SE $41,000 -$7,500 Federal Credit = $33,500 (No brainer)
We own both the 2019 Rav 4 Hybrid XLE and 2021 Rav 4 Prime and hands down the Prime is my favorite.
I noticed the transition from gasoline to EV seems to be smoother in the Prime vs our Rav 4 hybrid.
First off... awesome review! You know your stuff and you disseminate a truckload of information in few minutes. Excellent. You compared this Toyota RAV4 plug-in to the "competition" so many times... I guess that is appropriate. But to be honest Toyota is in a class of their own on forward technology like this. They are in class of their own on almost all vehicles to be honest. If any consumer is comparing stats and bumping that against price... and they decide The Toyota is no the value, well all I have to say is okay you do not get it.
Mr. Alex, you have by far the best auto reviews on youtube! Absolutely amazing.
A larger battery pack means more cells in parallel, which means more amperage is available to go out, but also go in. Which means you get more out of brake regeneration, making it more efficient.
I use Chargepoint I'm getting 5.9 kw at 13 miles per hour charge. It takes more than 2.5 hours from a low to full charge. Still glad I traded my Model Y for the Prime. The Prime beats the Y in every catogry except for faster speed.
But let's be honest.
5 and half seconds is already more than enough tbh
It's also a far more practical vehicle. I personally think plug in hybrids will be the next big step
@@nighttimestalker As an owner of both full EVand PHEV a plug is more convenient especially if you cannot charge where you live. I could not charge where I live so I had to go to the Tesla super chagers. I wasted my time siting there waiting to charge it got old really quick.
@@badimpulses17
Yeah.
We're still a ways off from good charging infrastructures.
So plug ins just make more sense. They're more powerful than their standard versions (most of the time), great fuel economy, low emissions, and still offer ok ev range for most daily situations.
Like for example. I have a 16ish mile drive to work. So I could use the primes EV range for that no issue. There and home.
But on my days I have lecture, I drive like 60 miles. So it wouldn't last. But I just switch to hybrid mode and bam.
And we have basic electric car chargers at my work. (Not Tesla or fast chargers. Just standard EV chargers.) So I'd still be able to add some power to the batteries for fairly cheap. And get home with little to no gas usage.
And on long trips, you don't have to pin point charging stations and hope they can line up with your path. (They won't in my area. These still are not that common here).
Just run it like a standard hybrid.
The rav 4 prime offers 480+ miles per tank, 35-45 miles of EV only range, 0-60 is less then 6 seconds, and the practicality of a small SUV.
It just makes more sense right now
If a person was lazy they can just on pure gas right ?
falling in love with this car the more I read about it.
I just love how your intro evolved. It's like advanced 80's sci-fi... like going to the future in an alternate universe. Mind blowing!
It gives me the idea that it resembles an 80s TV show intro tune. I don't think that's a bad thing. That's just what I think of when I hear it.
As a (2nd gen) Volt owner, can I clarify something on the MPG issue? Yes, it is absolutely true that the default energy screen gives you a straight MPG read out that treats the electricity as free. However, there is also a MPGe read out. If you tap on the left side where the large MPG number is, it will switch to MPGe. On the right side, you get both: MPGe for electric mode, and MPG for hybrid. The left side shows MPGe in large print that calculates an average of your electric MPGe and the hybrid MPG for a combined MPGe. This number resets everytime you fully charge the volt (note that the right side will also reset when you fully charge the vehicle). There is also a lifetime MPGe that is in small print below the larger number.
These numbers switch everytime you tap there. For example: my lifetime average (treated as if electricity is free) is around 160 MPG. However, if you tap to switch to MPGe, then my lifetime average switches and shows 80.2 MPGe. I actually leave it here all the time and don’t use the MPG only screen.
As I said above, I’m a 2nd gen Volt owner so I don’t know if this is different than the 1st gen Volt, but there is an option to show MPGe that does NOT treat electricity as free.
The RAV4 Prime seems to have some type of program to determine how much range you have based on your driving style. When I drive on the freeway or drive stepping on the brakes and gas all the time, I get 41 mile range on a full charge. When I drive 25 mph and gently stop and accelerate (not super slow to be annoying), I get 45 mile range.
It simply takes a rolling average of your miles per kilowatt hour and uses that to calculate electric range, much like every vehicle takes a rolling average of MPG and uses that to calculate tank range.
Regarding the MPG display discussion around 7:00, the *Prius* Prime most prominently displays that wacky “electricity is free” number, but yes, it also shows you the much more reasonable MPG while in hybrid mode and separate MPKWh in EV mode. You have to did a little deeper to find those two numbers, though.
Thank you for putting cabin noise ratings into each of your videos! Really helpful.
If Toyota ever gets with the program and introduces a hybrid Tundra, they're going to clean up.
OR electric tundra i would be the first to buy one (Im from Norway)
Toyota already announced all models to offer hybrid powertrains by 2025 starting with new Redesigned Tundra. Should have a release by end of 2021, production in 2022. So far confirmed they're offering twin turbo V6 and yes a hybrid powertrain option also.
Next year, spy photos are have been released. I hear the hybrid might have alot of power and good gas mileage.
Toyota has been letting Tundra languish (like the T4R) for nearly 15 years now. When disnosaurs roamed the earth.
@@kevinricks2165 toyota wont bring out a product until they know it is bulletproof
Alex, thank you for telling MEANINGFUL truths. Toyota is the automaker I have the greatest admiration for. That being said, I believe they are limiting production their own desires, namely to maintain value. The Rav4 is sold in the UK as a rebadged Suzuki, seemingly only. because of Toyota's shameful previous ad campaign against plug in vehicles.
Hey Alex, great review as usual. Toyota should send you a $100,000 check for promoting its vehicles. You are the best.
If I can get my hands on this for $30k after Federal Tax Credit I'm all in. I just drove an LE as a loaner as my Land Cruiser was in for service, and yes, its nowhere near what the LC is but the efficiency was insane, it was comfortable to drive, plenty of room for 4 and our gear for a weekend. Hard to complain
I might have just found the only car reviewer in the world who understands the way plug-in hybrids work.
I'm not sure why it's so hard to grasp?
@@AAutoBuyersGuide - Me neither. But trust me not many do. And even fewer car dealers who actually sell these cars.
I had a reservation, and could have had it by the end of the month. But it was $55,000 with the options I wanted. It's still just a RAV4, and I can't see spending that much money on a car like that. I hope whoever our reservation went to, enjoys it! For now, we'll just keep enjoying the inefficient Volt that we paid $17,000 for.
Great review. I just bought a Rav4 Prime and love it.
If i ever own an EV i would plug it in at work and make my employer worry about the bill lol
I lease a building and I had a 240v outlet rigged to the landlords power (not mine) so yes employers who pay huge NNN leases also take perks too. So come up and charged it’s on the landlord.
I mean, the average commute would cost less than 50 cents to charge by my electricity cost, so its just not that much for anyone to pay. Frankly, I am amazed at how few employers make easy charging available since it's so cheap and easy to do, but employers (in America anyway) just aren't doing it.
I'm sure your boss would be thrilled to know they can make you so happy just by spending spare pocket change, if they let you think you're "getting away with it", lol.
@@michaelhearn7302 bro we are penny pinchers
I was thinking the same . He want me to come to work so pay the bill
Aha lol good to know am an employer. :)
RAV4 Prime is what I want!!!!
Same here...and I've looked for one for months to no avail!
@@shaneliffin6116 Toyota is mean. They advertise and advertising. Teasing us. And then - nothing.
Join the Reddit or Facebook group if you aren’t already on them. Occasionally there are some available there.
I just test drove a Rav4 Prime XSE today. The MSRP is $48,288. They said the markup they expect is at least $5k. It becomes a bidding war and the last car sold was marked up to $7500, the rebate price. That means, no savings. If I offer $5K extra, I would get the car out the door around $56,700 or so. Subtract from the rebate, that's still close to $50K! I am not sure saving on gas will make up for that extra cost.
It won’t…can get a 2023 Honda Pasport Sport new for $48,000 CAD or a 2021 RAV4 Prime with 20,000kms for $62,000…any gas savings are eaten up and take many years to break even.
So funfact: I also found a way to treat my ‘09 Prius as a minor generator to power appliances in my home (recent hurricane power outages, as this is somewhat common where I live). I don’t see any different, for the new RAV4.
Excellent report. Best automotive report I have seen. Clear precise & answers all the questions.
This isn't the best CUV in America, this is the best VEHICLE on the market! LOVE my Rav4 Prime XSE
I love your reviews. VERY informative and you don't try to make dumb jokes or use the same shtick like some other reviewers.
It cooks bacon...SOLD!
Best review on the Rav4 Prime. Thank you, this was a huge help.
Fantastic review! How exciting! Thank you, Alex!
Averaging 80+ MPG most tanks so far!
Something everyone should know. Just got back from my local dealer. They have a 10k market price mark up. They said all of them are marking it up because it is a “hot” car. It put the price over 51k. Also gets smaller state and local incentives but does get the $7500 fed tax credit. Makes it the same price as Tesla.
You misspelled Rav4 with RAM4
LOL
Seems odd to say, but this might be the best vehicle for the use case of most people that anyone has ever made.
Awesome review as usual, but a couple errors on the Volt efficiency readouts. My gen2 volt offers MPG and MPGe (combined). MPG is like what you described (electricity is considered "free"), but it maxes out at 250 mpg. MPGe converts kWh into gal at 1 gal = 33 kWh and combines the electric and gas efficiency numbers into one value. It's still a terrible system, but doesn't count the electricity as "free".
I'm on a dealer's waitlist for a RAV4 Prime in 2021, but I may end up with a VW ID.4 instead. The ID.4 cost is not much different than the RAV4 Prime after federal and state incentives (depending on trim level), and I'm not as worried about range anxiety as I used to be.
I'm feeling rather smug right now since I decided to get this instead of the Model Y. My best bud got the Model Y and he's just received a recall letter from Tesla. xD
I just can never go back from Full Self/autopilot/Netflix while drivingg computer in my car/ Tesla Speed and Efficiency but I have onnnly owned toyotas my whole life and this would for sure be my choice.
You’ll likely get a recall letter in your future All cars get recalled nowadays. Toyota is not an exception to the recall bug.
@@EpicLemonMusic I’ve owned Lexuses for most of my adult life, but after getting my Tesla, I won’t be going back to Lexus/Toyota or any ICE cars.
@@korswe Oh god, not another EVangelist. I swear i bump into one of yall every other minute living here in the Bay Area.
@@CumBrianFriesI’m agnostic as to what cars I buy. If something better than Tesla comes along, I’ll buy that. There is a reason why you see more Teslas on the road especially in the Bay Area. LOL. Like I said before I’ve owned Toyota products before and after you were born. Just sharing with you what I’m thinking with Tesla. It’s not a perfect car. No one will say that. What it is a tech car that just happens to be the safest car on the road today. Toyota? Not so much. Toyota does the bare minimum to stay safe. Just check out crash test results for 2016-2018 Toyota Sienna.
Alex as per your own tests, the rav 4 hybrid was 72 db vs rav 4 prime at 71.5db hardly an appreciable difference.
Decibel readings are logarithmic, not linear. As such, the difference is very large.
@@jijhikjlkljkljkll i understand that but not at 0.5 db
Also, is there a good reason that the measurement is taken at 50MPH? Seems like higher highway speeds (~70MPH ) are where the road and wind noise would be more pronounced ... and therefore a better speed at which to compare noise. Thoughts?
Looks nice, though not sure how it'll hold out over time, or how resistant it'll be to scratches, but I don't get the piano black on the lower half. Still, I would love to have one. Excellent review and thanks for posting.
I mean it’s a Toyota it’s gonna last. As for scratches I’m sure if you’re careful with it it shouldn’t be the end of the world
I wish I could afford this but I’m really happy with my RAV4 hybrid limited
Same. I got 2019 RAV4 XSE and would love the Prime but can't justify the added cost, especially in Canada where we only get $5000 CAD rebate.
traded my rav4 hybrid limited for the XSE Prime nov 19. I just drove from NYC to NC and the reg hybrid gets better mpg by aleast 6 mpg. But the prime sure is fast even in eco mode, thinking about going to 18 inch wheels and tires to cut some weight. But the part i like the most is ev mode. To be able to go 60 mph in ev mode and hear no engine noise is sweet. No regrets with purchase except i had to wait 4 months and paid 500 dollars over MSRP Paid 49.7k fully loaded Blacked out letter XSE version
@@williem8510 that’s awesome in California is really tough to get either of them without paying over the msrp
@@Superfastjellyfish669 Traded a 2020 rav4 hybrd ltd bought in jan. for the prime xse . Shout to Fordham Toyota for keeping this at MSRP
@@williem8510 must be nice to buy a new car every year...
6:12 this changed with the 2nd generation and it started using MPGe on its efficency display as the default give them a break they were the 1st to make a mass market PHEV and yet 10 years later there is no set way that everyone agrees on they just used what they knew.
the transmission is a continuously variable transmission. It uses the number one drive electric motor generator to vary the gear ratio by spinning the electric motor. the higher the speed the slower it goes. When the motor slows down to the point where it stops it rotates in the other direction to create an overdrive situation. Very smart people.
Alex, such a good review. Keep up the good work!
The demand is so high, it is very hard to get!!!
dealer: "unless you are willing to pay the markup :)"
@@garykong7597 Ford and Chevy do this all the time, and people think it is deal when they drop the price. Supply and demands. Unusually the Japanese are fair, but the demand of this car bring the price up. If people are willing to pay for it, then it will sell for that reason.
Welll idiots paying 50k for a Rav 4 is plain stupid lol
@@donniefhosein This is the 2nd fastest car in toyota's line up, only to 2nd the Supra inline 6. It has 302 HP, and it has a range of 90MPGE. Rav4 prime is faster than 4 cylinder supra. If you never owned a toyota hybrid, you dont know the saving you can save. My Hybrid car saves me 2 to 3 Grand a year on fuel cost, the warranty is 10 years. Do the math in 10 years. The saving outweigh he cost. And they last a long time. There are 1996 owners still driving their Rav4's
@@bjsimon802 i do own 20 Rav4 limited hybrid but I wouldn't pay even 40k for it. That's stupid. Paid 34k brand new
Excellent Review of a unique vehicle, Alex! 👍🏾
The result of the infamous Toyota-Dodge promiscuity affair
This is literally perfect except one thing...the rear glass does not come up like the Ford Bronco...still worth it if I had the money!
I wish more SUVs would bring back to opening glass tbh.
It's just so practical
I put my name on the Toyota dealer's waiting list several months ago in the state of Washington. He would not accept a deposit and had no ETA in this area. Even though RAV 4 Primes are available in CA, they are not available to those living outside the state. Someday, a RAV4 Prime will be mine, but not today.
Great review as always.
But since the old Chevy Spark EV had a battery pack with a good enough TMS to offer a low priced CCS DC fast charging option. That had about the same capacity as in RAV4 Prime, so ofc Toyota could have offered the same option. For ppl that use it though out day and want stay in EV mode.
Great review as always Alex. Too bad it's for a vehicle that is essentially "Non Existent", not to mention the infamous "DEALER Gouging" that goes on when something desirable is in short supply. That is ONE THING that potential Tesla buyers DO NOT have to consider as there is no Stealership involved in the transaction.
Personally, I needed a new vehicle now so I leased a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, you know, the actual "Self Charging Hybrid" with the Solar Roof. Perhaps when that lease expires, there WILL BE availability of vehicles I might want at reasonable prices.
No, Tesla just raises the price of the car about $15,000 from where it was to follow the trend and then drops it suddenly $10,000 after the bubble is over…
This shoe would fit me well. I commute 38 miles one way to work. The drive is warm climate flat highway commute. I work 12-14 hour days, and I can charge it at work.
Awd (ish) almost 300hp.. sold. Maybe next year or so.
Man this RAM Toyota is sure small :D
That's what she said
Can't wait for the Dodge Rav4 Durango review.
The No. 1 rental SUV?!
Everybody’s situation will be a little different, but in Austin TX, running our Prius Prime on electric charged from home, is about 40% cheaper per mile than on 55MPG gas. That, based upon pre-COVID-19 gas prices here (around $2.20/gallon).
Chevy Volt is “far less efficient” than a RAV4 Prime??? How did you come to that conclusion? My 2017 Volt gets 42 MPG on gasoline, and 106 MPGe on electricity (31kW-hrs per 100 miles). The RAV4 Prime is certainly impressive for a compact SUV - but it comes in at 38 MPG and 94 MPGe. How is the Volt “far less efficient” than the RAV4 given these numbers?
The Volt isn’t and CUV. I think the implied assumption is that if the Volt were scaled up to be an small SUV, the hybrid drive design would be less efficient. Yes, a smaller car is almost granted to be more efficient in straight numbers, but if you compare it to Toyota’s planetary gear system in a comparable vehicle like the Prius Prime, then you can see how it is simply less efficient.
@@B0eing787 Yes - that is certainly an assumption. Alex did not say this - despite having ample time to elaborate and clarify as you have done. The words that came out of his mouth are exactly what I quoted, and that is what I called out as misinformation.
The design of the first generation Chevy Volt as a series-hybrid system, where there is no direct mechanical connection between the engine and the driveshaft, makes it inherently less efficient than a parallel-hybrid system, where the engine could propel the vehicle on its own if necessary. To truly understand the intricacies of operational differences between both systems would require a in-depth discussion that would not have made sense to include in this video review.
Far more versatile, much better looking than the Tesla 3, and no range anxiety. The RAV4 Prime sure beats the Tesla Model 3 and Y.
Seen tens of reviews before this one, all my questions answered ... at last. Pretty nice filming too. Very good review. Thanks, so helpful.
Since getting one was out of the question for me due to the ridiculous mark ups in California, I keep telling myself the advantages of the hybrid over this one: No battery under the vehicle makes the hybrid arguably more off road worthy. Once the EV range runs out, the battery becomes dead weight getting lower mpg. The prime is a more complex vehicle and this could make it less reliable over time vs the hybrid. Higher price for the prime, regardless of incentives. Lastly, no hassles with charging.
The cheapest RAV4 LE Hybrid would be the best option.
This can charge just like a regular hybrid. It just has a larger battery.
So chances of actually running out of battery are just as likely as a standard hybrid.
And the EV range is gimped. It could get more. But they reserve some of the battery for hybrid mode just for that purpose.
Off roading is understandable tbh. If the batteries are shielded good, it'll be fine. But you'd still want to clean the bottom of the vehicle every once in a while if you frequent muddy roads or dirt roads.
Actually would have been better for them to be under the seat imo.
(I don't think putting them under the cargo bay is good as I believe ALL cars should be be legally required to have a spare tire. And you'd likely lose the spare then)
Plug ins are fairly reliable. And this is Toyota. The master of the tech. So I don't expect many issues except for people who don't take care of their cars, then blame the company when it breaks.
But tbh, the hybrid will still work for most people. Either way, it's a great vehicle. But yeah. With this current market bullshit, this just is way out of range for most people. (And I'm posting this almost 10 months later lol)
What a game changer this vehicle is! Wow is all I can say!
What a great video, although it is obviously US-centric. Here in Australia our government doesn't offer the tax credit, in fact the various states are moving to introduce a 2c per km tax on PHEVs and 2.5c per km on EVs, where as the standard Hybrid is excluded. From what you said, it would be far more expensive to buy and also more expensive to run. The only advantage is the extra HP (or as we call it KW}. We are literally about to purchase a RAV4 Hybrid AWD Cruiser. I am just waiting to compare it to the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which will probably lose, but I still have to test it for myself.
I would buy this on looks alone.
Availability ?? Yes, wait it out …. a year or two. Let Toyota work out the “ fine tuning “. Let’s listen to those who rushed and ordered or bought one of these. Don’t misunderstand me, this vehicle has great potential as a Hybrid; after all it’s a Toyota. Manufacturers are in a hurry to produce these vehicles and not enough incentives to buy them. That does not mean that someone else should have to bribe one, or supplement one to buy a carbon efficient vehicle, especially if one can afford this and similar vehicles.
The review didn't get into it but the transaxle and rear axle powertrains are fascinating technology wise. Check out the Weber State youtubes and see why Toyota technology is so far out there and why Toyota is not going to go 100% electric.
BTW, this thing will get up and go.
“The engine hasn’t been on whilest I’ve had my bacon cooking...” *lovingly pats down bacon* “I’ll eat you later.”
I noticed the quick edit...and one slice is missing LOL!
There are a lot of roof rack water leaking cases in Taiwan for the 2020 & 2021 model. Owners and news found out that there are 10 holes (5 on each side) beneath the roof rack stripe for the screws. A tiny plastic ring on the screw can't stop the water leak. The water leak can damage some electronic plus the side air bags. Then I checked online for north America owners with the same problem.......What do u expect with 10 holes on your car roof?
Did we talk about how dealers are getting $5~$10K OVER MSRP? So basically you are giving your tax credit to the dealer.
Yep.
And getting taxed on the premium. 🤨👎
My dealership will not charge over MSRP, but they do require a refundable $500 deposit. So there are dealerships who won't rip people off even with this high demand. Those are the dealerships I would take my car in for service too.
My dealer gave me $1500 discount
@@DUNGSTA I find that hard to believe. Did you get the Rav4 Prime or the Rav4 Hybrid? They are not the same. The Prime version is the one that is hard to get. All the other versions, including the hybrid, are available and some places are offering discounts or financing promos.
@@theexmann it was over 50k after taxes and at that price was still hard to believe 😭
Just bought it. Love it❤❤❤ ty for the video.
My local deal has three of those listed on the website: all with $5000 premium over MSRP. Just insane.
Where?
@@christinearmington Jerry's Toyota (zip 21236).
AA++ For the professional video.
I have a Corolla Cross HV and I absolutely love it, now after watching this video, the prime is my new love, and my next target in a few years I hope. Thanks
Wow! I think the RAV4 Prime is the best choice for plug in hybrids right now. The electric range and horsepower are so impressive. I’m curious how it will compare to the 2022 Hyundai Tucson PHEV. The Tucson’s electric range won’t be as high, but if it’s priced accordingly and the interior is as nice as it seems, it will still be a compelling offer. Hyundai also provides a limited lifetime warranty on the battery to the original owner. I believe the Tucson has mechanical AWD instead of electric, too. Don’t get me wrong - the RAV4 Prime will probably be the better SUV overall. I just hope the Tucson is awesome, too. Competition encourages innovation.
Chinese vs. Japanese? I will take Japanese made every time. They make much higher quality products than the Chinese.
@@markthompson5803 Chinese? Hyundai is Korean
@@karaygeoushearts I think if you look into it, you will find that China owns a huge stake in Hyundai, Kia and Genesis. Either way, the Japanese make the best cars in the world.
A "Microwave On Board" sticker is a must.