Not everyone is ready to ditch the gasoline to go electric just yet, but more people are jumping on board with hybrids. This has a lot to do with the fact that electric cars are becoming more affordable, and there are a lot more choices on the market. Toyota may have taken its time entering the fray, but now that it has, it’s once again dominating the market with the Toyota RAV4 Prime.  

How are the Toyota RAV4 Prime and the RAV4 Hybrid different?

The Toyota RAV4 Prime and the RAV4 hybrid have a lot in common, according to MotorTrend. Both use a 2.5-liter I-4 and electric motor that drives the front wheels through a CVT. A rear axle-mounted motor controls the rear wheels while driving.

Keeping this in mind, it would appear that both vehicles would be the same, but there are some crucial differences. The battery on the RAV4 Prime is significantly larger, which means it can go longer than the RAV4 Hybrid. The motors generate more power on the Prime as well, which also helps give the RAV4 Prime some truly spectacular specs.

The RAV4 Prime has some impressive numbers

The Toyota RAV4 Prime is rated at 94 MPGe. The only vehicle on MotorTrend’s list of best gas mileage SUVs was the 2021 Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid, which gets an astonishing 102 MPGe.

MotorTrend was highly impressed with how far the RAV4 Prime can go on electric power alone, and stated, “One key differentiator between the RAV4 Prime and its siblings is its ability to cover distances on EV power alone. Some customers will be able to commute to work every day without using a drop of gasoline. The RAV4 Prime is expected to travel 42 miles on a single charge, giving it the highest EV range of any plug-in hybrid SUV on the market.”

The RAV4 Prime continues to impress with AWD. This gives drivers the ability to drive in poor weather conditions and also helps the RAV4 Prime beat out other competitors that only offer 4WD.

Depending on what type of cord you have, charging times can range anywhere from 12 hours from the comfort of your home to 2.5 hours. The estimated range, when combined with gasoline, is 600 miles.

The RAV4 Prime faced some fierce competition

While the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime wasn’t able to beat out the 2021 Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid, there were plenty of other hybrids that it did. In fact, it bested some of the best on the market.

Even though Toyota and BMW aren’t often on the same list, due to the fact that BMW is a luxury automaker, the RAV4 Prime topped the 2021 BMW X3 xDrive30e. The BMW only gets 60 MPGe. That’s not terrible, but many competitors left it far behind.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring came in fourth place with 78 MPGe. It gets 28 miles on electric power alone.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid came the closest to beating out the RAV4 Prime with 90 MPGe. Like all Subaru models, it comes with AWD. 

Strangely enough, the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is only available for sale new in California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Interested buyers will have to settle for used models in other states.