Prime Contender
‘I feel safer. They’re so much more practical. I can see the road better.” No matter the reason, the crossover is king. Sedans and hatchbacks are slowly being killed off for this catch-all class that seems to do everything but excite. And for the majority of shoppers, that’s just fine. But therein lies another issue. In a genre where everything is outstanding for buyers, how do you make yours stand out? For Toyota’s RAV4 – it has generations of reputation to lean on, but as with BMW’s angel eyes to pig nose transformation, the mighty can fall. But even with some drawbacks, the RAV4 Prime is still a crossover king, especially in hybrid form.
There’s no beating around the bush – this isn’t exactly a thrilling car to drive. It doesn’t need to be, but with a paint colour like Supersonic Red and a face like Knuckles the Echidna, it barks far louder than it bites. But stripping back all of that, does it matter? Not so much. This is a car that rests on the laurels of the Prius – which should say enough about its driving intent – even if it can get from 0-60 in under 6 seconds, which genuinely is nothing to scoff at. The RAV4 Prime Hybrid gets going with a 2.5L 4-banger, mated to two electric motors managed by a CVT gearbox. The hybrid designation is thanks to a battery pack good for just under 69 (nice) kilometres when fully charged and driven under the most ideal controlled circumstance – which in real life – it never will be.
Over a week of mixed driving including city, road trips along highways and country roads, and navigating precarious condo parking lots (which this does well at, by the way), our tester reported an average readout of a very respectable 6.5 L/100km. Official figures do exceed this, but again, real life rarely fits the mold these figures are derived from.
Like many in its segment, Toyota’s RAV4 Prime has the angry, tough looking face that defines many a modern vehicle. Aggressive, angular design, bold plastic fender cladding and a minimal use of silver/chrome trim does little to remind you this is a purportedly environmentally friendly hybrid vehicle. Unlike its aggressive exterior though, the inside is a little less visual. Swathes of black and dark greys blend together with only some small accents of red and aluminum present to break things up. As well, it seems to have a cheaper, unrefined feel, compared to similar offerings from Mazda and even Hyundai. But you do have some premium options to choose from. Our tester had heated and ventilated front seats, an uprated audio system and those red accents. The interior, while visually conservative, is liberal with room. It’s an airy, well laid out cabin, even for taller occupants or back seat denizens, rife with storage pockets and cubbies – even if the total cargo space is down a little bit vs. non-hybrid trims. Gotta fit that battery in there somehow. It'd be pretty cool if the door switches were illuminated too...
But as I have always believed, there is a time and place for physical buttons and dials, and the RAV4 Prime delivers on this desire. There are enough solid buttons dictating all manner of basic controls from HVAC to Hybrid Drive mode that are easily accessible through a single button push, rather than forcing drivers to dig through virtual menus. Toyota’s chunky rubber buttons feel good to the touch and after a few short uses, were easily retained in muscle memory. That aforementioned infotainment system though – it's not quite a UX nightmare…maybe more of a UX scary story. Pretty is not a word I’d use to describe it. Thankfully it does function better than its form appears. But it already looks 15 years old. Like its low-resolution backup camera. Seriously. My 2008 daily driver has a better backup camera.
Dipping your toe into the RAV4 market will net you $28,850. A hybrid trim is available there too – but not of the pluggable variety. That’s where the RAV4 Prime comes in – along with a steep increase in base price, but also far more options as standard. Our tester rung in at a jaw-clenching $57,245 – but depending on where you live, you may qualify for an applicable government rebate, on top of the $5,000 federal incentive. But regardless of that cost, and potential lack of rebate, it’s damn near impossible to get your hands on one of these. Between supply chain issues, chip shortages, fuel price surges and other pandemic related fun, buyers are snatching up fuel-efficient vehicles like the proverbial hotcake they are – and we can’t blame them. It has shortcomings. Every vehicle does. But even the things it doesn’t do excellently, it still does acceptably. Toyota’s reputation doesn’t suffer from the RAV4 Hybrid, it only grows mightier.
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