Toyota RAV4 2.5 Plug-In Hybrid (2023) Quick Review
Don't get too excited, the plug-in RAV4 we drove is only an evaluation unit, meaning that Toyota is still toying with the idea of adding one to their local lineup for hybrid-hungry South Africans. We spent a week with this vehicle find out what it would be like to own one.
While I'm not 100% sold on full EVs just yet, I'm all for the idea of hybrids (find out about their resale value here). Every time I have to fork out over a thousand bucks to fill up an internal-combustion (ICE) car, I feel a deep sense of regret. Just imagine how much electricity one can buy with that, right?
Why are we driving a RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid if it's not available in SA (yet)?
While we already have self-charging hybrids in the local RAV4 lineup, a plug-in would have more benefits. It allows for more EV-only driving (thanks to the larger battery that can capture more energy via regenerative braking), and better assistance for the petrol-engine to keep fuel costs low.
The model that we are reviewing is available in overseas markets but hasn't been given the go-ahead for South Africa just yet.
By including this evaluation unit in the press fleet, Toyota hopes to generate enough buzz around the PHEV RAV4 that South Africans will clamour for its release.
Related: What is a mild-hybrid car and is it worth buying?
What does the RAV4 PHEV look like?
Just like the other hybrid RAV4s: angular, chiselled, and purposeful. In GX-R trim, the RAV4 gets seriously sexy 19-inch 'snowflake' alloy wheels, a floating-effect roof, and some PHEV-specific chrome detailing, along with a variety of interior luxury accoutrements. I'll make no bones about it—I think the RAV4 is a real looker and there's no mistaking it for anything else.
Related: Which Toyota Corolla cross is better - petrol or hybrid?
Interior and tech
While the evaluation model isn't quite as swanky as the VX-trim models on paper, you could have fooled us. Everything looks pretty five-star and we even had heated seats up front along with a heated steering wheel. A top-notch JBL sound system made our journeys even more enjoyable and we also had a fully-digital rear-view mirror, five USB ports and dual-zone climate control, among many other mod-cons.
Related: Benefits of owning a hybrid in SA
As with the other RAV4s in the lineup, the cabin is wonderfully practical and ergonomic, with hidey holes and cubbies all over. The RAV4 is the epitome of quiet luxury (especially when the engine isn't running).
Taking centre stage is a large touchscreen with an option to view what the drivetrain is doing at all times, and that's where I kept it, to better understand how the driving modes work and what happens when I press or ease off the throttle, or hit the brakes.
How does the RAV4 PHEV system work?
Before we get to the driving modes, let me first explain the under-the-skin scenario. The easiest way to understand this is to imagine the RAV4 PHEV system as a sports team that consists of four members.
The first team member is the 2.5-litre petrol engine, who is the team captain. He provides 135kW of muscle (power) and 227Nm of torque. He drives the front axle via a CVT transmission.
Then we have the two electric motors—two invaluable members of the team. One sits up front on the front axle while the other one hangs at the back on the rear axle, supplying 134/40kW of power (and 270 Nm/121Nm) to the front and rear wheels, respectively.
The powerhouse of the team is the Lithium-ion battery hidden below the passenger seats. It acts like an energy bank, storing electricity and also providing 18.1 kW to power the electric motors as they do their very important job. This allows for EV driving only on shorter, slower trips, saving you fuel.
When these team members work together, they always do what's best for you, as the need arises. If you need to overtake a slow-moving vehicle, the electric motors will instantly supply you with a burst of power. When you're en route to your favourite holiday destination, the petrol-engine will be better suited to the job. Pottering around town? The battery has reserves for you to run on pure electricity. The end result of this tag-team approach is power and efficiency, all rolled into one.
Just like the E-Four system on Toyota's non-plug-in RAV4 hybrids, this model is also all-wheel-driven, and the system switches between AWD and 2WD modes depending on usage and road conditions. (There is also a dedicated Trail Mode that sends more torque to the rear wheels.)
Living with and driving the RAV4
Let me start off by saying that the battery was depleted when I took delivery of the car. The fleet manager's garage is a two-hour trip from my house and it would have been impossible to reserve or fully recharge the battery unless his driver selected Charging Mode, (this allows you to charge the battery aggressively while driving via regenerative braking), but he didn't.
Interestingly, with the selector dial set to HV or hybrid mode, average consumption on the trip computer showed a little over 6.2 litres per 100 km. And that's from a heavy car with a sizeable powerplant, and a driver with a heavy right foot.
In hybrid or HV mode, the system will work towards maximum efficiency, prioritising the petrol engine but deciding when it's best to switch to which power source, and you still put power in the bank (ie. recharge the battery to a certain extent) every time you coast, brake or go down a hill.
Charging at home is not an option for me (my voltage is low and despite Eskom's best efforts, my power keeps tripping when I run my dishwasher along with my air-fryer) but a colleague, who has a 7.4 kW single-phase wall-box (EV home charger), recharged the battery fully in under 3 hours. Plugging into a regular wall socket (without issues) will take around 7 to 9 hours.
If you use a public charging station, like the new one we used in Gearing's Point, Hermanus, you can charge in around 2.5 hours using a 32A, 6.6kW charger while you have virgin mojitos and prawns at Mozambik or a burger at Char'd, all within walking distance.
Once the battery is charged, you can switch to Auto EV/HV mode, and then you'll quite easily use no petrol at all for up to around 75 km, with the petrol engine only jumping to attention, doing its thing when you need it to, and reverting back to EV mode once it's done.
Our road trip fuel economy run from Hermanus to Stanford and back, in HV mode, registered only 5.8 litres per 100 km. Overseas, owners of this car (The RAV4 Prime) tend to drive in Charging Mode to gain a few more kilos from the battery, extending the range even further as the time comes to fill up with petrol.
Driving the RAV4 proved to be a fun, interesting experience and I wasn't expecting it to be so efficient! Plus, nobody suspects how fast it is.
The bottom line
Even if you hardly ever plug in your Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid, you can be assured of excellent fuel economy as well as impressive power figures; the total system output offers 225 kW and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of only 6 seconds.
If you don't live miles away from work and your kids' school(s), you could almost run the RAV4 on EV power alone, and according to my colleague with his wallbox at home, charging your battery from 0 to full will cost you roughly R40.
Will it work in SA?
Yes, it will work beautifully, but it's not going to be cheap, and South Africans might ask themselves how many years of ownership and fuel savings it will take to offset the initial cost. To put things in perspective, the most affordable HEV (self-charging hybrid-electric vehicle) in the RAV4 lineup is the RAV4 2.5 Hybrid GX-R E-Four at R748 700, while the range-topper in VX trim will set you back R841 600. (I had the RAV4 2.5 Hybrid GX over December in 2021, read all about it here.) Taking a guess, I'd imagine the RAV4 PHEV probably won't cost under R950k.
I was completely enamoured with the RAV4 PHEV but I don't have the budget for it, so I would probably buy a used, diesel SUV with excellent fuel economy instead. If I did have the budget, however, I would jump at the chance of this plug-in RAV4.
If you are one of the lucky few with a big-car budget for something even bigger and more luxurious, the Lexus RX 450h+, a plug-in hybrid at R1 645 600, is now in SA, and you can read more about it here.
Now would also be a good time to tell you that the Lexus NX PHEV will also be coming to SA soon, with the same powertrain specs as the RAV4 we tested.
ENDS
