Toyota recently released the RAV4 Prime and its performance results and specs are truly staggering considering it’s a plug-in crossover. Regardless of that fact, though, what is more impressive is that it can truly hold its own again European rivals that are almost twice the price all while encompassing Toyota’s renowned reputation for reliability. One such rival is the new BMW X3 xDrive30e, which touts all-electric range, a good amount of power, and a decent storage capacity. However, the Toyota RAV4 Prime trumps it in five important areas.      

The RAV4 Prime has better all-electric driving range

The BMW X3 xDrive30e has an all-electric driving range of around 20 miles when fully charged. While this might work for those with really short commutes, it’s not super impressive by plug-in hybrid standards. On the other hand, the Toyota RAV4 Prime can travel up to 42 miles before the electric charge runs out, which is far better for a more average daily commute or maybe even some extensive errand running.

The RAV4 Prime has more horsepower and better performance

The 2021 RAV4 Prime is powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that puts out 177 horsepower and is paired with dual electric motors; one in the front and one in the rear. Combined, the powertrain setup produces 302 horsepower, which is better than the 292 horsepower coming out of the X3’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder setup. On top of that, the RAV4 Prime can scoot to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, while the BMW X3 xDrive30 will take 6.1 seconds to get there.

It has more cargo volume

Plug-in hybrids aren’t exactly known for having copious amounts of cargo room and the X3 xDrive30 is no exception. BMW’s new plug-in hybrid has up to 16 cubic feet of cargo volume with the rear seats up and up to 53 cubic feet with them folded down. That doesn’t sound like much, and it’s definitely not in comparison to the RAV4 Prime. Toyota’s new plug-in SUV has 33.5 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up and 63.2 with seats folded down, which is a lot more space than the BMW.

More-efficient charge time

As you can imagine, the Toyota RAV4 Prime does have a bigger battery than the X3, so it does take a little longer to charge. The RAV4 takes around 12 hours to charge with a regular 120-volt household outlet, and 4.5 hours with a 240-volt charger, whereas the X3 takes around half the time. However, if you factor in the better efficiency overall efficiency of the RAV4, when it comes to its all-electric range and power, the added charge time is well worth the wait.

It’s priced lower

OK, so it’s a bit of a cheap shot since we know that the BMW will obviously be priced higher. But the X3 xDrive30e does have a starting price of around $48,550, while the RAV4 Prime starts at around $39,200, but can get up to $42,000 with the higher trim level. We don’t know about you, but a $9,000 lower price for better performance, fuel economy, and cargo space sure sounds like the Toyota RAV4 is a winner to us.