Toyota RAV4 PHEV
Long-running nameplate gets plug-in hybrid technology for the first time. We run the rule over Toyota’s newcomer
MODEL TESTED: Toyota RAV4 PHEV Dynamic Premium AWD-i
PRICE: £50,895 ENGINE: 2.5-litre 4cyl plus e-motors, 302bhp
THE RAV4 is one of the most recent additions to the plug-in hybrid segment, and bolsters an already fuel-efficient Toyota line-up. Prices for the new variant kick off from £46,495, while this Dynamic Premium model, complete with a panoramic glass roof and JBL sound system, brings the total list price to £50,895.
Design & engineering
THE RAV4 can take credit for being one of the first “lifestyle” SUVs when it was launched in the mid-nineties. Since then, it has always presented itself with a very distinctive style that is matched with Toyota’s legendary reliability. While the previous iteration was also offered with hybrid power, this is the first version of the RAV4 to be offered with plug-in hybrid technology.
The electrical system is slightly more complex than the Sorento’s. The combustion element is a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which on its own makes 182bhp and 227Nm of torque. This is backed up by two electric motors; a rear-mounted motor adds 54bhp and 121Nm, while a second motor up front provides an even more significant boost. Its 180bhp and 270Nm in effect outgun the petrol unit.
Not all of these elements produce their peak power at identical points, however, so the overall result is 302bhp. That’s still 41bhp more than the Kia offers, though, and significantly more torque.
Perhaps most noteworthy is that the RAV4 also weighs 189kg less, partly a result of the Japanese manufacturer making use of its TNGA architecture. These underpinnings, which in more compact applications form the basis of the Corolla, Prius and even the latest Yaris, were designed with hybrid systems in mind from the very outset.
Inside, the RAV4’s cabin might lack the drama of the SUV ’s exterior, but build quality is excellent. Aside from the infotainment controls – which we’ll get on to later (see p40) – most of the Toyota’s switchgear feels sturdy, and visibility is aided by a high driving position.
Driving
THE result of those engine statistics is that Toyota is significantly quicker than the Kia on paper – and feels it in the real world. The RAV4 dispatches the benchmark 0-62mph sprint in a hot hatchback-like six seconds, which is 2.4 seconds less than the Sorento’s time.
While some plug-in hybrid cars feel sluggish when in electric mode, this system feels as sprightly as many regular EVs. It will easily keep up with the flow of traffic right up to motorway speeds and tops out at 84mph running on electricity alone.
It’s quiet and smooth, too. When the engine does kick into life, it only sounds a little unpleasant under hard acceleration, but there’s so much torque available that those occasions are rare.
Indeed, it’s the way the Japanese machine rides and handles that impresses the most. It’s sure-footed and predictable through the turns, grip is great, and the light and precise steering means that the car feels more agile than you might expect. In fact, it doesn’t feel significantly heavier than the standard RAV4 model. It’s refined, too; ride comfort