Pros

• Electric cars with a more extended range.
• Swift acceleration.
• A trip that is both peaceful and relaxing.
• Enough room for people and their stuff.

Cons

• Failure of management.
• Longer stopping lengths than usual.
• Steering sense that has nothing to do with.
• The guest seat in front is a pain.

What gives the RAV4 Prime its power? Regarding speed, the RAV4 Prime is faster than its regular and hybrid brothers. Invoice Pricing tested it and found it went from 0 to 60 mph in an impressive 5.9 seconds. For instance, it takes 8.9 seconds for the basic RAV4 to speed up. It’s straightforward and comfortable to drive the RAV4 Prime on regular travel routes.

Toyota hasn’t been able to combine a potent engine with any dynamic athleticism, which is a shame. It’s not very easy to control because it has a lot of body roll, and the turning could be more accurate, which makes it hard to tell how much input is needed. Any little thing sets off the automated driving aid, and it goes crazy. The brakes are another problem with the car. It’s very soft to step on the RAV4 Prime. During our tests, the little SUV could have been better at stopping in a hurry.

How comfortable is the inside of the RAV4 Prime? There are enough adjustments on the driver’s seat to let you find a good seating setup. The front passenger seat, on the other hand, has stayed the same, which could be a problem on long trips. The available seat ventilation is helpful on hot days, and the synthetic leather seating (Toyota’s SofTex) lets air flow well. The back seats have better support for your thighs, which stands out.

Regarding ride quality, the RAV4 Prime leans more toward comfort than speed. This makes the ride smooth on rough roads. However, the gasoline engine sounds rough when speeding up, even though the road and wind noise levels are acceptable. Besides that, it’s pleasantly simple.

How is the inside? In this area, the RAV4 Prime does very well. The controls are set up and named correctly to be easy to use. The other features are easy to use, but the drive modes don’t fully explain what they do; you’ll need to read the instructions. Large doorways and the proper ride height make getting in and out accessible. Taller people won’t have to bend down to get in, and short people won’t have any trouble.

Each seat has enough space and legroom for someone six feet tall. The short front windshield pillars make it easy to see ahead, but the big wall between the front and back doors makes it hard to see to the side. Plus, the driver can’t see the tablet very well, another worry.

How is the technology? Most entertainment functions are quick, easy, and distraction-free thanks to the optional 9-inch screen. It reacts quickly and comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto already set up. To cut down on distractions, the sizes and locations of physical key buttons could be changed. There are some problems with the JBL audio update, but it does make the sound more transparent and more profound.

Most of the time, Toyota’s high-tech driver-aid tools work fine. The traffic-adaptive speed control is our favorite feature because it works well in traffic jams and on the highway. If you want to do anything other than cruise along the highway, the lane-keeping assist function makes steering too hard.

How is the storage situation right now? The regular RAV4 can hold 37.6 cubic feet of cargo, while the RAV4 Prime can only hold 33.5 cubic feet. Still, there’s a lot of space for your bags, and it’s easy to fold down the back seats. There is more space inside for storage thanks to extra shelves on the dashboard, a wireless charge station, and a big bin in the middle of the armrest.

Parents of young children will like the RAV4. It is easy to find safety seats and attach them to the lower points on the car seats. Similarly, it’s easy to join the three upper anchors. If you want to use a rear-facing baby seat on the passenger side, you must move the front seat up. Boosters and forward-facing chairs will fit easily. The problem is the front passenger seat is way too high.

How well does the fuel work? The RAV4 Prime quickly went 48 miles on electricity alone on our standard test route, six miles more than the EPA predicted. That will cover 90% of people’s daily driving and commuting. We got about 34 mpg on average with the gas engine, which is almost the same as the RAV4 Hybrid. Also, you should be able to drive about 600 miles if the battery is fully charged and the gas tank is full.

How much does the RAV4 Prime cost? It costs a lot more to buy the RAV4 Prime than the regular RAV4. The gas savings from a standard RAV4 Hybrid will not show up for a while if you choose that over Prime.

The Prime is the only plug-in hybrid car with many great features, and the quality of its construction is good enough to support the price. Toyota’s standard warranty coverage is added to the warranty for hybrid parts. There is also free planned repair for two years.

Even though the RAV4 Prime isn’t the fastest or most fun to drive, it’s still a great plug-in hybrid SUV. It has an easy-to-reach all-electric range of 42 miles, which is almost four times that of its closest rivals, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Kia Niro. It helps that it gets to highway speeds quickly, and the sporty look might make people choose it over less standard options.

Even though the base SE trim comes with a lot of features, it’s worth it to upgrade to the XSE trim. Some improvements are better sound, wireless charging for devices, a giant infotainment tablet, and a digital instrument panel. It works with the Premium package, too, which gives you even more helpful tools.

Models of the Toyota RAV4 Prime

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime is a plug-in hybrid form of the regular RAV4, which can fit five people. It has top trim levels, SE and XSE, similar to the maximum trim levels on the RAV4.