Toyota Rav4 Plug-in: the Japanese plug-in hybrid SUV in 7 keys

It already convinced us with its promising first impressions during the brief hands-on session at the international presentation. But the Toyota Rav4 PHEV is one of those cars that wins you over as the kilometres add up and as you use it day to day.
That is what happened during the week in which we were able to live with the Toyota plug-in hybrid SUV, using it in all kinds of scenarios: as a family car for a weekend trip, as a vehicle for commuting, for leisure activities…

We are, without a doubt, looking at a very complete SUV. It stands out from its main rivals for the number of “real-world” kilometres it can cover in electric mode, for very low consumption with almost sports-car performance, and for a ride comfort and ease of use that deserve a solid high mark. But let’s analyse it in more depth, and we will do so in 7 keys.

1.- Prices and discounts for the Toyota Rav4 PHEV

The Rav4 Plug-in is offered in a single mechanical version with a propulsion system that combines a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear, so it features four-wheel drive. The total system power is 306 CV, and the battery offers a gross capacity of 18.1 kWh, which allows a homologated electric-mode range of up to 75 km. It therefore qualifies for the DGT ZERO emissions label.

The official prices, after applying the €3,000 discount on the list price offered by the brand, are as follows:

• Rav4 PHEV Advance: €46,950
• Rav4 PHEV Style Plus: €56,000

The entry version can qualify for the Plan Moves III purchase incentives, with a maximum of up to €5,000 when trading in an old car for scrapping.

2.- Choosing equipment: Advance or Style Plus?

The price gap between the two trim levels of the same car is not usually as large as in the case of the Rav4 PHEV, where moving from Advance to Style Plus means an outlay of €9,050. Unlike the self-charging Rav4 Hybrid range, where there are up to five trim variants and a more closely spaced price progression, the plug-in version only has two options.

Unless you have a very generous budget, my recommendation would be to choose the entry variant, which already comes with a very complete equipment list. It is not that the Rav4 PHEV Style Plus fails to justify its higher price with the extra equipment over the Advance, but many of the things it adds would be dispensable.

Among the additional equipment of the Style Plus, what I value most is the Touch 2 multimedia system with a 9″ screen instead of 8″, the hands-free tailgate, the wireless smartphone charger, the parking sensors with automatic braking function and the blind-spot detector.

Other more or less dispensable elements on this version are the navigation system (given how well external apps or Google Maps on the mobile phone work through integration with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay), the HUD instrumentation projected onto the windscreen, the sunroof or the JBL sound system.

3. The rivals of the Toyota Rav4 PHEV

There are currently many alternatives to the Toyota Rav4 plug-in hybrid, if we are looking for an SUV of this size with plug-in hybrid technology. The range widens or narrows depending on power or price. Our selection would be as follows:

• Ford Kuga PHEV: the pick among those that sit around 225 CV, less than the Rav4, but still with a more than sufficient level of performance. In the case of the Kuga, one of the advantages is price: it is available from around €38,000 in Titanium trim, and from about €41,000 with the ST-Line X trim. It claims 56 km of electric-mode range and, like the Rav4, stands out for very low consumption in any circumstance. It is always 4×2.
• Hyundai Tucson PHEV: also cheaper than the Rav4, the Tucson PHEV is available from €40,890, with a total system power of 265 CV and an electric-mode range of 62 km. It stands out for an excellent balance of price, performance and equipment, as well as for great ride comfort.
• Peugeot 3008 Hybrid: the best-selling model in the category. Available in two versions, with 225 CV from €38,800, and with 300 CV from €44,900, the latter with all-wheel drive. The electric-mode range is 56 or 59 km, depending on the version. Compared with its rivals, it is the least suitable for family use, as it has a smaller boot and less space in the rear seats. In exchange, it is a very agile and manageable car, with driving that is very similar to that of a passenger car.

Other possible alternatives would be the Citroën C5 Aircross PHEV, the DS 7 Crossback E-Tense, the Jeep Compass 4xe or the Opel Grandland PHEV.

4.- Battery and charging of the Rav4 Plug-In

The battery of the Toyota Rav4 PHEV is located in the lower part of the car and is largely responsible—together with the corresponding protective structure—for the Plug-in weighing around 260 kg more than the non-plug-in version. It has a gross capacity of 18.1 kWh.

It has liquid cooling and accepts charging at a maximum power of 6.6 kilowatts, only with alternating current, as is usual in plug-in hybrid cars. Without any installation work, the Rav4 PHEV can be charged at home using a domestic socket with 230 volts and 10 amps.

A full charge of the battery in this situation takes between 7 and 8 hours, so you can conveniently charge overnight. Bear in mind that it is normally not necessary to charge to 100% either. During my use of the car I charged at home without problems, both partial and full charges. With a 32-amp installation and a Wallbox, although the power is 7.4 kW, the maximum it accepts is 6.6 kW, which is enough to reduce the charging time to 2.5 hours.

5. The driving modes of the Toyota Rav4 PHEV

The Rav4 PHEV has several driving modes, although we will normally only use two: electric mode and hybrid mode. The first is always activated on start-up and remains in use while the battery has charge or until we select hybrid mode on the selector next to the gear lever.

In electric mode the Rav4 PHEV moves with great ease, whether on urban routes, on ring roads or even on motorway stretches. The paddles on the steering wheel make driving very comfortable, with a choice of three levels of regeneration, which reduces the need to use the brake pedal to adjust speed to the pace of traffic. It can be driven without the combustion engine starting up up to a speed of 135 km/h.

When the battery level drops below a set minimum, or if the corresponding button is pressed, the hybrid mode comes into action, in which the electric motors and the combustion engine work together, although the use of electric energy is prioritised while the battery retains charge.

Two further modes, impractical for everyday use, allow the battery charge to be maintained so the car “draws” on petrol and the charge is kept for later use, or a mode that recovers charge while driving using the combustion engine itself.

Apart from the propulsion system modes, the Rav4 PHEV lets you choose between four driving programmes: Eco, Normal, Sport and Trail. Regardless of the propulsion mode selected, these programmes alter the operation of the climate control, steering assistance, throttle response and the management of all-wheel drive. The difference is clearly noticeable, especially between Eco and Sport modes.

6. Driving the Rav4 PHEV: low consumption and plenty of comfort

Depending on the propulsion mode and driving programme selected, the Rav4 can be an SUV that could easily pass for a fully electric car… or a proper sports car with incredible acceleration.

I have carried out various routes to check the real-world electric-mode range, with very good results: without worrying about efficiency, with the climate control on and in Normal mode, I always exceeded 65 km, with a mix of around 25% urban driving and the rest motorway or ring roads. In Eco mode, and aiming for maximum electric range, I even surpassed the homologated range, but with a very careful foot on the throttle.

With the battery full, activating hybrid mode right from the start it is possible to cover around 200 km with a very low average consumption of around 3 l/100 km, until the battery is completely depleted and the electric-mode range drops to zero. Surprisingly, from that point on, or if you leave home with the battery already flat, it is possible to drive with consumption around 7.5 l/100 km. An excellent figure for a car of this size and weight… and with this level of performance, and very close even to that of the self-charging Rav4 Hybrid.

Despite the considerable difference in weight, which the Rav4 PHEV more than makes up for with its greater power and thrust when it comes to performance, the steering feel of the plug-in hybrid version is not very different from that of the Rav4 Hybrid in normal driving in terms of dynamic behaviour.

In its favour, it is worth mentioning its better sound insulation, which contributes to superior ride comfort; also because the petrol engine has much more support from the electric motors and always works in a more relaxed way. On the downside, the body’s jolts are more noticeable when crossing speed bumps or road humps. And the weight does become apparent when the road stops being straight and you want to maintain a good pace, although Toyota has opted for a calibration of the electronic driving aids that immediately cuts off any sign of enthusiasm from the driver.

7. A reasonable doubt: Rav4 hybrid or plug-in hybrid?

Since Toyota offers two hybrid versions in the Rav4 range, a self-charging one and a plug-in one, the comparison is unavoidable. And the truth is that, except for those who particularly value the electric driving experience day to day or the advantages of the PHEV’s ZERO label over the ECO label of the Rav4 Hybrid, on paper the Plug-In version has a tough time of it.

The €11,000 price difference on the list price between the Advance versions could wipe out in one go any additional calculation to assess a possible payback of the plug-in hybrid. But that calculation would not be entirely fair.

To be fair, it must be said that the Rav4 PHEV is always 4×4, and the entry-level Rav4 Hybrid is 4×2 drive. Mind you, with its 218 CV and single-axle drive you do not need much more. But if we choose the 4×4 Hybrid, with 222 CV, the price rises by €2,000, which reduces the gap with the plug-in hybrid to €9,000.

It is still a very high figure, but here comes the key: if you qualify for Plan MOVES III, in the most favourable case this difference drops to €4,000. And then it can indeed be worth it, because you get a car that you can use daily like an electric one without consuming petrol, with 84 more CV and better performance. You give up 60 litres of boot capacity, although the Rav4 PHEV, with 520 litres, is not badly served in this respect.

Image gallery of the Toyota Rav4 PHEV

Technical specifications of this car

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