Toyota RAV4 Hybrid E-Four (2022) launch - first drive of the AWD hybrid

Access to electrified mobility is still a challenging and rather expensive exercise in South Africa. Our local government hasn't yet gotten on board with subsidising electrification of our roads as has happened in other markets. It's understandable that some form of subsidy is required as NEV technology is still relatively new and the initial development costs have made it prohibitively expensive for the average man on the street. Despite this, Toyota assures us that the South African government is working on a form of concession that will help make these green vehicles easier on your and my pocket. 

Related: Which Toyota RAV4 is better: petrol or hybrid?

While full-EV offerings in South Africa are still limited, several manufacturers are bridging the gap by offering hybrid alternatives that offer amazing reductions in fuel consumption and negate the range anxiety that we all sit with as the charging infrastructure in SA improves.

Toyota recently introduced the Corolla Cross Hybrid and last year also presented the RAV4 Hybrid. This RAV4 model was a stepping stone to their latest offering, the RAV4 Hybrid E-Four. Newly launched, we were fortunate to spend some time behind the wheel of this new model that offers improved efficiency and a higher specification level for those that feel that the Corolla Cross isn't quite up to their needs.

 

What has changed?

Firstly, the model lineup has changed slightly with the removal of the GX grade from the RAV4 lineup and the introduction of two new hybrid offerings, namely the GX-R Hybrid and VX Hybrid, both in E-Four flavour. These two new grades with E-Four electrified drivetrains still offer a comprehensive array of comfort and convenience features and are visually similar to the RAV4 models that we know and love.

The GX-R model offers the most value for money and still includes LED lighting, selectable drive modes and a rugged, go-anywhere, do-anything look and feel to suit those with an active lifestyle. Climate control, automatic lights and wipers, roof rails, touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay still feature and are complemented by new LED interior lighting and smoked 18-inch alloy wheels.

 

VX grade models further bolster the comfort levels with Toyota Safety Sense, offering land keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. These versions also get a memory function for the driver's seat. Both models are leather-trimmed and feature eclectic seat adjustment for the driver seat (VX has both driver and passenger electric adjustment).

The VX model also gets a panoramic view monitor and is bolstered with the addition of a digital rearview mirror for those times when your view rearwards is obstructed by luggage or taller passengers. This selectable feature helps ensure that no matter the load conditions, your rearward visibility is unhindered. 

 

What is E-Four?

The main party piece, and the real reason why we were driving these new models, was to experience the new, fourth-generation E-Four hybrid drivetrains. Where the exiting GX hybrid model offered only front-wheel drive, the new E-Four system sees the addition of a rear-mounted electric motor to give the GX-R Hybrid and VX Hybrid models all-wheel drive and improved performance.

The E-Four system in the RAV4 combines the tried and tested 2.5-litre A25A-FXS 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol engine with two electric motors, one on the front axle and now one of the rear axle, replete with a two-stage reduction gearbox. Using the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and CVT gearbox, the RAV4 is its own power generator, using the ICE to provide power to the wheels and serve as a generator for charging the hybrid drivetrain batteries. This means that there's no change to your lifestyle and never any need to charge the RAV4 to enjoy the benefits of electric assistance.

 

The addition of the rear axle motor allows for the drive to be sent to the rear wheels under certain conditions. The E-Four models are capable of automatically transferring power from the front to the rear seamlessly with 100% of the power able to be sent to the front wheel and in other situations, up to 80% of the power to the rears. Toyota has programmed it so that drive is sent to the rear during cornering to help give the new E-Four variants a RWD-like feel through the bends.

You will get 131 kW of power from the 2.5-litre ICE with 221 Nm on hand but when one factors in the electric assistance, that number increases to 163 kW of total power output. This additional power, combined with the addition of the rear motor, means that the E-Four variants are now rater to tow 750 kg unbraked and 1000 kg braked.

 

Fuel consumption

A series-parallel hybrid configuration seldom pays large dividends on the open road where the ICE is tasked with providing most of the pulling power. This means that the greatest benefit comes from the stop-start traffic that one encounters on the daily grind. Regenerative braking allows for the batteries to charge and the lower speeds play right into the electric powertrain's hands.

Our test model was very new and very tight still with less than 400 km on the odometer. Despite this, I was able to register a figure of a low 4.6 l/100km while tootling around town with that number only climbing after some rather spirited driving to put the various drive modes and new drivetrain layout through its paces. Toyota claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 4.8 l/100km and our figures of mid-5s means that those numbers are certainly attainable.

 

Pricing

While the RAV4 isn't the most affordable hybrid offering in the Toyota stable, it's still a viable alternative to the aforementioned Corolla Cross hybrid. For the serious individual who places emphasis on functionality and isn't willing to compromise, the GX-R and VX Hybrids will certainly strike a chord.

Model	Price
RAV4 2.0 GX-R CVT AWD	R606 600
RAV4 2.5 GX-R CVT Hybrid E-Four	R644 100
RAV4 2.0 VX CVT 2WD	R617 000
RAV4 2.5 VX AT AWD	R702 300
RAV4 2.5 VX CVT Hybrid E-Four	R723 200

 

All Toyota RAV4 models are sold with a six-services or 90 000 km service plan and Toyota's standard 3-year/100 000 km warranty. Hybrid customers are also given an 8-year / 195 000 km Hybrid battery warranty.