The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV variant is all-new for this model year, but the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime is better in most ways. From top-to-bottom, the RAV4 Prime outdoes its competitor in almost every category. Toyota is more familiar with building a plug-in hybrid variant, and Mitsubishi is no stranger to falling short. Here’s why the 2021 RAV4 Prime crushes the Outlander PHEV.

Is the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime better for electric driving and charging?

The biggest reason to purchase any plug-in hybrid vehicle is to get the added electric driving range. On top of having a bailout if out of fuel, drivers are also able to reduce fuel usage. The RAV4 Prime can be fully charged in 12 hours from a household outlet, and 4.5 hours using a public charging station. The available 6.6 kW onboard charger with the Prime XSE reduces charging time to just 2.5 hours. The RAV4 Prime can drive up to 42 miles on electricity alone.

The Outlander PHEV takes 14.5 hours to charge with a standard household outlet. That is reduced all the way down to just 4 hours when using a public charging station. The Outlander’s 13.8 kWh lithium-ion battery has a voltage of 300, but the official electric driving range has not been made public.

How do critics rate these vehicles?

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime has very good scores in almost every category from U.S. News & World Report. The highlight is the safety rating of 9.8/10, which can barely get any better. A 7.7 performance and 7.9 overall ratings make it good enough for the eighth spot on U.S. News’ list of best hybrid and electric SUVs. Its quality and reliability rating from J.D. Power is 81/100, which is above average.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV beats the RAV4 Prime’s remarkable safety rating with a perfect 10/10. Its interior received high praise with an 8/10 and the critics’ rating of 7.8/10 leaves it just slightly under the RAV4 Prime overall. The Outlander PHEV’s quality and reliability ratings are not yet available.

Is the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV cheaper?

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE base model starts at $38,350 before adding anything else. There’s loads of technology included in the vehicle, and more can be added. The only other available trim level is the XSE, which adds a lot. It also makes the price jump up to $41,675.

The 2022 Outlander PHEV has three available trim levels, but the base SEL starts at $36,995. The other two options are the LE for $38,695 and the GT for $42,695. The pro to purchasing an Outlander would be the base model, which is cheaper, but only slightly cheaper than the base model RAV4 Prime. The two other Outlander models are both just barely more expensive than both RAV4 Prime models.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime has more available features

Both of these plug-in hybrid SUVs come with tons of options and equipment. Whether standard or optional, each can be loaded up with luxurious amenities. Standard gas-powered vehicles have nothing on these two plug-ins, but especially fuel economy.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime doesn’t blow away the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in many ways, but it beats it in just about all of them. Especially in terms of available features. For a very similar price, you’ll end up with a lot more technology in your RAV4 Prime than is available in the Outlander PHEV. The Outlander’s electric driving range remains unknown, but it’s hard to believe it’ll be so much better than the RAV4 Prime’s that it’ll make up for everything else it’s missing.