Plug-in hybrid crossovers are about to go
mainstream in a big way as Toyota has announced the 2021 RAV4 Prime will go on
sale this summer with a base price of US$ 38,100 – excluding federal and state
incentives as well as a delivery, processing and handling fee of US$ 1,120.
Costing slightly more than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the RAV4 Prime SE has
a unique grille, an aerodynamic front spoiler and piano black accents. The
model also features 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear charging port and a power
tailgate.
Inside, there’s heated front seats and an
eight-way power driver’s seat. The model also comes equipped with a
leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 7-inch multi-information display and an
8-inch infotainment system with Amazon Alexa, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
For an additional US$ 1,665, customers can get the Weather & Moonroof Package.
It includes a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, rain-sensing wipers and
a moonroof.
Shoppers looking for more luxury can opt
for the RAV4 Prime XSE. It’s distinguished by vertical LED daytime running and
two-tone 19-inch alloy wheels. The model can also be equipped with a two-tone
exterior featuring a black roof and a contrasting body. Moving into the cabin,
there’s SofTex seats and a larger 9-inch infotainment system. The range-topping
plug-in hybrid also boasts a moonroof, a wireless smartphone charger and an
auto-dimming rearview mirror with a HomeLink universal transceiver.
Three different package are available and
the US$ 815 Weather pack adds a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats and
rain-sensing wipers. The US$ 2,435 Weather and Audio Package includes all the
aforementioned equipment as well as a JBL premium audio system, three years of
dynamic navigation and one year of destination assist.
Lastly, there’s the “Weather with Audio
and Premium Package” which costs US$ 5,760. Putting aside the terrible name, the
package includes the previous two packs as well as heated / ventilated front
seats, a four-way power passenger seat and a panoramic glass moonroof. The
package also includes a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, a motion
activated power tailgate, a bird’s eye view camera and a 120V AC outlet in
cargo area. The package also includes an enhanced 6.6 kW charger which replaces
the standard 3 kW on-board charger. Unfortunately, the company still hasn’t
mentioned recharging times for either.
Both models come equipped with the Toyota
Safety Sense suite of driver assistance systems. It includes adaptive cruise
control, automatic high beam headlights and a pre-collision system with
pedestrian detection. There’s also lane departure alert with steering assist,
lane tracing assist (lane centering) and road sign assist.
Motivation is provided by a plug-in hybrid
powertrain that consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a lithium-ion
battery and a rear-mounted electric motor. This setup enables the all-wheel
drive crossover to have a combined output of 302 hp. Besides
being the most powerful RAV4 ever, Toyota revealed the model should be quicker
than they originally estimated. In today’s announcement, they quietly lowered
the estimated 0-96 km/h time from 5.8 to 5.7 seconds.
The model is also more eco-friendly than
projected as Toyota has increased the estimated electric-only range from 62.8 km to 67.6 km. If that figure pans out, the RAV4 Prime
would have the longest EV range of any plug-in hybrid crossover on the market.
