Toyota RAV4
Prices: £46,495-£50,895 Engine: 2.5-litre petrol, twin-motor, 18.1kWh battery Trims: Design, Dynamic, Dynamic Premium Economy: 282.4mpg CO2: 22g/km 0-62mph: 6.0 seconds
AS you may have seen in the previous pages of this issue, Toyota’s plug-in version of the ever-popular RAV4 is an impressive piece of kit. While its economy – officially it’ll top 282.4mpg and emit only 22g/km of CO2 – is perhaps no surprise, what is less expected is the performance on offer.
In total, two electric motors work with the petrol engine to produce 306bhp, resulting in a rather hot-hatch-like six-second 0-62mph time. But there’s so much more to admire than the performance. The RAV4 is also comfortable yet composed, spacious and well built, and packed with standard kit.
All models have a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment set-up, while the top Dynamic Premium trim gets heated and ventilated front seats. Being a
Toyota, it’s quite unlikely to ever go wrong, while thanks to its low emissions and long electric-only range, the RAV4 Plug-in falls into the seven per cent company-car tax bracket. As a result, a higher-rate earner will be subjected to Benefit-in-Kind costs of £1,300 in the first year. Compared with rival petrol and diesel SUVs boasting similar performance, that means RAV4 drivers could save thousands of pounds every year.
“Compared with rival petrol and diesel SUVs boasting similar performance, Toyota RAV4 Plug-in drivers could save thousands of pounds every year”