Excellent review. I have owned one of these since September 2021 (4 months) and have done 3,500 miles. With regards to battery range Toyota claim 46 miles on a full charge in the UK literature, I have been regularly getting around 53 miles on a charge which has dropped to about 48 miles in really cold weather. Prior to this car I had a Prius PHEV and found my summer range was close to the claimed 35 to 37 but this dropped to about 30 in the winter so I have been very pleased with the Rav significantly exceeding the claimed range even during (relatively mild) winter conditions. With regards to petrol only range, (ie completely flat battery) I would guess it’s around 55mpg however most of my trips are under 50 miles so I have only used about 10 litres of petrol in the course of driving 3,500 miles over the last 4 months. Overall it’s a fantastically practical car, fully electric most of the time but with no range worries for a longer journey
@@shinekthomas1979 Hi, yes you will need to have it serviced by a Toyota dealer as per the service schedule which from memory is once a year or every 10,000 miles. On the other hand the service costs I have had for my last three Toyotas (Auris, Aygo and Prius PHEV) have been reasonable and there has been absolutely no quibble over any warranty items. The Aygo had both rear lights replaced as there was condensation in them and there was an issue with a parking sensor on my Prius. My son also had a second hand Prius and there was a noise from the gearbox which needed a strip out and bearing replaced- no charge for this which was a job that presumably would have cost at least £500 had it not been covered by warranty. The Toyota warranty is so good it is well worth paying for services as per the service schedule
How on earth are you getting 53 miles on battery? Last review i watched said real world 30-35 miles in EV mode. Hell of a difference. Is there a pre heat option?
@@talkandplay I have used pre heat of the cabin a few times during the winter and unlike my Prius PHEV that seems to work off the charge cable and I don’t reduce initial range - I think the Prius heated the cabin from the battery but could not recover all the power used from the charge cable while heating. But other than that I guess I just resist the temptation to drive in sport mode and try to keep to the speed limits of 60mph on country roads and 70 on dual track / motorways. I don’t use cruise control other than for long journeys as it tends to start the ICE and similarly I use the rotating switch to move to sport mode when there is an opportunity to get some regen braking going down a steep hill rather than use the S mode on the gear shift to increase regen - again I find it tends to switch in the ICE. I have now done about 8000 miles and can count on at least 50 miles of battery range, usually more. To be honest this surprises me given it’s fairly hilly here and I have to go up a long steep hill every time I go out. I do get a fair bit of mileage back going down the other side of the hill but it’s never (and can’t be) 100% of what I used getting up the hill.
The charging cable fits inside the spare wheel. With the "granny charger" it takes 7.5 hours to full charge. With the other cable, 2.5 hours. If you turn off the fan and just use the heated seats, you'll get more range from the battery (about 6km over the full battery). When the battery runs down to the blue indicator the car will run as a "normal" hybrid.
Owned a Rav4 Prime for 10 months now (USA) and for me this was definitely the right choice. I will go to all electric when the usable range hits 400 miles, the recharge time from 10% to 90% is achieved in under 5 minutes, and the cost is kept down to around the same price as the equivalent hybrid. We're a long way from that today, but maybe in 5 years... In the USA the cost of electricity from supercharger stations is prohibitive - unless your car manufacturer provides you with free electricity, you'll be paying up to 53c per kwHr (which corresponds to costing twice as much per mile compared to gasoline). My car did come with blind spot monitoring (which I love). The most useless feature is probably lane departure however adaptive auto-cruise is very helpful. Insurance rates on a brand new Rav4 Prime, given all the safety features, also came in at a very good price compared to my old SUV built in 1999.
What trim and package comes with blind spot monitoring? I’m still stretching along in my 18 year old manual accord with several deposits down anxiously awaiting calls to maybe get a R4P if it’s not marked up 5-10k. Wish these weren’t trickle produced as a compliance car . Toyota: “hey look we’ve got diversified offerings and are doing the bare minimum”
Great review Mark. One other thing, I’d say you would be waiting more than a year for one of these the demand is that strong. Also because of this it’s one of the very few cars that would probably be worth more after one year of ownership! Toyota/Lexus will be unveiling a huge array of BEVs over the next few years and I am seriously looking forward to seeing what they come up with. The biggest carmaker in the world doesn’t make too many mistakes for their target audience which is why Toyota is a bit slower than other brands releasing new technologies, and even more so, reliable technologies over any other brand.
hi Eamonn - I agree. Having been on a trip last year with Lexus, attention to detail is literally everything and the culture in their process of putting cars together etc seems like no other.
Bz4x is a little lack luster with it’s range …300 miles is quickly becoming the industry standard. It would be phenomenal if it was a $30-40k USD BEV for the working and middle class but if RAV4 Prime is any indicator it will likely sell for and dealers will markup to $40-55k USD range most likely.
Although you started your review with quite a negative vibe, that seemed to change once you actually drove the vehicle. The RAV4 has Toyota’s “Hybrid Synergy Drive” which is an eCVT, the “e” being the important bit. The electric motor on the rear wheels is “on demand” for AWD, hence not included in the HP figures by just adding them all together along with the two in the planetary gearbox. The RAV4 Prime (as the PHEV is known in some markets) has been around for a few years now but has been virtually unobtainable due to demand. Toyota seem to be charging a premium due to this, but as you rightly point out, it is being launched in RHD markets where there are full EV competitors at a similar price. If you want actual luxury on the same platform as the RAV, then there is the Lexus NX450h+. I would rather have a spare wheel than somewhere to stow my charging cable(s) but then I go places where roadside assistance may be hours away.
Always wait to see your videos sir. Full of information in simple words that could anyone understand. Thank you so much for your effort 👌 God Bless you 🙏
Thanks for this. Id be really grateful of POV content of driving it and explanation of the modes and screens. I have one of these, it's great, but Im not sure about getting the best out of it yet. Believe it or not there seems to be little or no content anywhere explaining just what's happening on the dash board and what it means. Best wishes though
I really like phevs. I drive mostly shorter trips to the school and train station so it's evey weekend I use petrol. I can get easily 1600km before needing to put fuel in again.
Very good review. Have one of these Rav4 plug in hybrid since January and overall very happy. EV range is the best on the market but varies a lot based on time of year with a lot more range in warmer weather and you really have to keep plugging in to get value. It's a very smooth quiet machine but doesn't come cheaply and for the price the spec could be higher and disappointed that it hasn't got blind spot monitoring.
Great review.Rav 4's are absolutely luxurious SUVs to drive. I am sure the new plug-in rav 4 has retained all the comforts of the earlier models, eg 151 which I had. Very impressed with the battery range for sure & the rav 4 plug in is definitely on the top.of list for 2024 based on that review.
Nobby, you put the charging lead within/ around the spare tyre insert. The parcel shelf is functional and robust. Granny charger takes around 7 hours to full charge. Very good car and thanks for the review.
Another great review. As you say another great option if you not committed to the full EV option. Personally I think it is an ugly car but then I never did like the RAV4. Gosh I thought it must be the quietest car around plus that range is fantastic. It certainly is as expensive as EVs. So a lot going for it and built like a tank and that’s my problem looks like one. Thanks again for another down to earth great review
Body style is obviously subjective. Lucky for you most of the industry is going toward the “aerodynamic amorphous jelly bean look” aka ID.4, Mach-e, model Y. I’ve been a honda owner for life but I can’t stomach the body styling of the cr-v which looks like a mini minivan , and it has a belt/chain cvt and no PHEV offering. A collaboration of Toyota exterior and Honda interior would be amazing.
Thinking of looking at one of these need a car with a good size boot to hold a wheel chair plus with the vat and vrt discount I get the price looks a whole lot better. No interest in going full electric so something like this will suit my needs. Great review as always Mark well done.
If you don’t mind that would be great don’t want to put you to any trouble though. My only real concern is the cvt gear box heard lots of bad things about them in terms of being very noisy when accelerating. I am going to book a test drive tomorrow.
@@kevinwalsh3293 they can be a bit noisy under heavy acceleration but if you drive them as intended then not so much. Floor to roof at mouth of boot is 30cm.
An excellent vehicle. Had ours since February and clocked up approx. 1400km. All bar 130km on EV only. Milder weather is seeing EV range increase to 85km .On long journeys, high 50's mpg from Hybrid powertrain when battery depleted is fine by me. It also never fully discharges the battery, so you have the full 306hp for overtaking. Unlike many competitors, it has a heat pump as standard, which increases efficiency further and stops the engine coming on to heat the car. Large capacity, naturally aspirated engine is always going to be less stressed than a small capacity turbo charged motor. Is it worth €8k more than the same Hybrid model? You make your choices based on your requirements and preferences. A 306hp, comfortable family SUV with over a 1000km of combined range with Toyota reliability. We haven't regretted ours.
@@NobbyOnCars You definitely wouldn't be getting up at 5am on a Sunday to bring it for a spin. It does however delivers what it promises, which isn't as common as people think.
@@wheeliebintdi1392 Did a Type 2 cable come with the car? About to order and it doesn't seem to le listed as part of the standard delivery. Have you got the home charger? Or are you using the 3 pin plug charging? Thanks in advance!
@@MrJwmurph Hi John. Came with a type 2 and Granny cable. Both very long. Haven't bothered with home charger. Using 3pin on a free electricity on Saturday rate. My wife also has access to a free charger in work. Only use a couple of charges a week. Do longer runs of beyond 300km once or twice a month and economy is up there with a diesel equivalent. Won't get home charger until we have an ev. Unlikely to get one of those until solid-state batteries become available. It's the best compromise out there at the moment until the Mazda CX60 becomes available. But, boring as it sounds, your money is always safe in a Toyota.
@@wheeliebintdi1392 Thank you for this. I've already got the 2020 Hybrid so I know the car well other than the PHEV aspect. I have a night meter in our house so I can charge at lower cost with that so I might do as you do. I work from home but the odd occasion I go to the office there are free chargers there so the Type 2 would be of benefit there. Thank you again for the response, I'm just about to order one for July delivery after getting a really high trade in value on my Hybrid RAV.
Good review as usual but if they want us to switch to these sorts of cars they still need to get the price realistic. Made for the financially comfortable to drive about feeling smug while laughing at the rest of us struggling to fuel our own cars. Good luck to 'em.
'21 reg standard hybrid has a few bug bears for me. Driver door buttons not lit up at night. Only Driver window button has light on it. Nothing for locks or mirror buttons. USB port in dash cubby has no light so at night time, impossible to find. Standard internal/boot light bulbs too, led should be in newer cars. Great car but with the price that's charged etc. It seems some manufacturers are cutting back on certain features. Great review Mark.
EV manufacturers are quite clear that, with battery charging, the charge shouldn't exceed 80-85% of total capacity to maintain battery longevity. Yet PHEV ranges are only expressed in terms of 100% charge. Mark, I'm wondering if Toyota also cautions about not routinely charging to 100% with this model, at what lower range? Good review - thank you!
Hi Jack they do leave some cushion room as I'm sure you know but it's a good point. To maximise the range, you're going to charge to 100% all the time aren't ya!
When the display says “0% charge” it’s actually 20% reserved for hybrid mode. It will not let you fully drain traction battery ever so you can only really use about 15 of the 18.1 kWh available in pure EV mode. Toyota is super conservative with their numbers And also actively heats and cools batteries to keep them happy and ensure longevity.
I drive a prius Phev which is 10 years old and has 210+ k a day miles on it, its driven every day and recharged sometimes 2 or 3 times a day and both batteries are still functioning well . the Plug in battery has lost about 10% range and thats it.
The day I put deposit on EV6. Toyota saleswoman rang me to ask was I going ahead with Rav Phev. No I went fully EV. With EV grant and a very very good cash price it was EV6. Also Grant gone for Phev helped swing it. Shame great car Toyota but again bulbs all over the car. Good review Nobbs.
HI Just having another look at your video, Is there a premium sports model on this Excel range, I have been looking at the Top Dynamic range all the time but you have sold this on me, Best Regards welshman2081
I haven't owned any cars but I feel like my first purchase will end up being one of these. EVs are too expensive and so is gas, so the obvious choice is hybrid for me.
Great review as ever Nobby, it's expensive enough but we'll specced. You could I reckon put the cables on top of the spare wheel which is nice to see it has. Only thing apart from the price I don't like is the CVT gearbox.
Research how the eCVT works - no pulley's. It is probably one of the most simple transmissions you can make. Should be very reliable. Top of the line model comes with paddle shifters that allows you to reduce the fuel economy and make it feel like a typical paddle shifted transmission. Long video but good if you understand how a planetary gear works: ruclips.net/video/O61WihMRdjM/видео.html
I'm fed up with the stress and hassle of EV long distance trips so a plug in hybrid would be good. However for £50k price point, this just doesnt feel premium enough for the money and things like no underfloor space for the charger feels lazy. Nice car though.
Hi, I've got the standard Hybird in Sol spec of this car and it's a good family car, thinking of one of these PHEV. Are they all AWD? My driving is mostly short trips (WFH permanently) so I'd probably manage 90% of my driving in all electric mode but like the option of being able to go the length of the country without stopping if I chose. We've had 3 generations of Rav4 and I must say the latest is the most comfortable / grown up version by a long way but the previous version was sportier in terms of handling and had better luggage / storage options in the boot. The CVT and the engine make a terrible racket when pushing on with the current car.
How does the heating works when driving electric.? And also can the car heat itself in the morning before you start driving as it is with lots of other full electric cars.
Can someone please help me with a question? See if this analogy is correct: “inside” a RAV4 PHEV there is a RAV4 HEV: why is it that when the first charge of the PHEV version runs out (the charge that was made in our home socket) the vehicle will automatically start acting as if it were a RAV4 HEV, that is, the car itself will manage the recharging/usage/recharging of the battery while it is moving. Is this correct?
From what you remember from 2019 full hybrid version test, which one is better in your opinion? There is a difference in price as well we have to remember this. Which one is the better overall?
Well €8,000 is always going to be €8,000 for starters. The handling isn't as sharp either (although the standard car isn't really setup for that to be a priority either).
Great review! One thing that always got me with the self charging hybrids; What is the point in using the petrol to charge the battery? In the long run wouldn’t that cost you more money?
Not at all, it means the engine can be run at a more efficient load point to charge the battery, then that battery power used later for low speed, stop start, or assisting the engine during normal driving. Engines are more efficient when running at certain revs and power output and the hybrid system automatically maximises the time spent at its most efficient.
I have had the ‘self charging’ version RAV4 for the last three months and have averaged 48mpg over 3000+ miles and have spent 30% of that distance on EV power… for a good sized ‘family’ SUV I think that is extremely efficient and really can’t fault the car 👍
Hi I enjoyed your review, but have some reservations about, not getting the full spec, like most Rav 4, are there optional extras, say sun room, blind spot metering, what about your model, what grade it is, I did not see when you had walkabout, it would be interesting for other viewings to have additional info. Thank you again welshman 2081
with my PHEV i have 2123 km now and 125l fuel filled = 5,89l/100km, which is the same as regular hybrid. So no much sense to pay the extra for PHEV, if in the weekend you travel long distances, regularly.
I see a serious flaw with this design. If you are going to discharge the battery constantly you are going to bust it in a very short time. In order for it to retain its capacity it should not go below 60 %. But with such small range that is next to impossible.
Is it not around 80% to 20% to 80% the ideal battery discharge-charge cycles for the best long-term health and longevity ? Combine that with overnight charging at the slowest rate, the best treatment for the batteries to last the most..
So many reviews on this PHEV Rav-4 but no one ever mentioned why UK version missing some tech options such as 360 PVM and digital rearview and some few more on the Plug-in UK version. All these tech options available in EU countries, and US, Canada etc.. but missing in the UK version. There must be a reason.
@@NobbyOnCars "reducing the spec to have more cars available" make sense but not sure about shortage of chip, if cause is shortage of Chip then why other EU countries getting full spec version but UK version is missing.
These have immensely complex upgrades to the current RAV4 hybrid. Thermal management and dual mode fuel injection are new. The smaller controller has a more challenging job. The improved UI is still distracting & complex.. At an effective $65k with dealer burden s, it is within spitting distance of a Rivian and twice a Maverick or RAV4 base. Wonder whether it will be a good long term value. Seems like the base ICE RAV4 is a more practical long-term choice.
I was not considering the PHEV because i don't have driveway. PHEV has slightly bigger battery than self charging. in video you mention plugin and also self charging. did you mean that PHEV version is also self charging?
It doesn’t charge the battery from the petrol engine like some PHEVs do but even when the PHEV battery is empty, it will still act like a transitional Toyota hybrid so it’s still not too bad on petrol.
@@NobbyOnCars hybrid batteries can be charged from the running petrol engine with the ‘Charge’ mode but it’s not very efficient. I saw this mode eats up mileage quite quickly say 2.5 ( l/100 km) more than usual hybrid mode mileage which is between 4.5 and 6.5 l/100km.
I wish I knew what Toyota executive thought it was a good idea to have the Rav4 Prime SE charge for 5 hours and Rav4 Prime XSE charge in 2 1/2 for the same 42 miles... 42 miles goes by pretty quickly so to be able to get the quicker 2 1/2 hours would be so much better
Yes only the XSE trim with premium package gets the 6.6kw onboard charger. All the rest get 3.3 charger so on a level 2 charger is 2.5 vs 4.5 hours IIRC. On a level 1 charger (standard household outlet) it’s 10-12 hours IIRC regardless of onboard charger type
Plug-in hybrids in my view aren't a realistic option at the present, particularly with the grants now gone, the equivalent RAV4 non plug-in hybrid is €8K cheaper and even doing 15,000 km per year over 3 years would only cost about €5K in petrol based on Toyota's claimed range and assuming you use no petrol in the plug-in version. If you base it on not using much petrol, it makes more sense to buy and EV, why lug around a heavy engine. The new Toyota BZ4X looks like a better proposition, my view anyway.
Well, the RAV4 PHEV is the most powerful Toyota on sale around the world (excluding the Supra as it's a BMW engine). If somebody who is in the market for a RAV4 but wants more than 218/222hp (RAV4 Hybrid FWD/AWD) and has a short commute to work, the PHEV is a great option. (my opinion) Over 90% of brand new BMW's sold in Ireland are Plug-in-Hybrids or electric cars.
@@jodyboyle1021 It doesn't say "a lot about BMW drivers".. Not everybody can make the jump to electric, what if they live in the countryside, with no power station to be seen anywhere. Would you rather somebody buy the plug in hybrid X5 (X5 45e) or the 4.4 V8 X5 (X5 M50i)? Also some people rather higher power figures but don't want to buy a car like an X3 30e (phev) or GLC 300e (phev) as it's not in their budget or other reasons. I'm not trying to say you need 306hp in a RAV4. 😅 I just mean the option is there, also the reason behind it having more hp is that due the bigger battery, the electric motor can give a full power boost with the engine, unlike the standard RAV4's battery (which is too small)
@@aidan1585 I'm not getting into a tit for tat discussion, my main point is that hybrids are a waste of money at present as a private buy or as a company car, if you use them as they should be used, mainly on battery, why not get an electric car. If you need to continuously do longer journeys or are living in a remote area, get a petrol or diesel car.
@@jodyboyle1021 Not everything is about money -- a PHEV is a greener option, and some people want that greener option, and are happy to pay a bit more. Not all decisions are made purely with the wallet. Yes, it is really annoying that the €2500 grant was removed, I agree, and that grant would certainly make PHEVs are more affordable option for many. But many will still want this car so that they don't have to burn petrol when it's not needed. PHEVs are a great stepping stone from ICE to EV -- it's give you all of the benifits of an EV for shorter journeys (which is likely over 95% of most people's normal driving), and all of the comforts of the range and ease of refuelling for longer trips. PHEV cars make a lot of sense at the moment.
id be concerned about the fact its a 2.5 ltr petrol engine as fuel prices increase due to carbon commitment tax , it is not going to be cheap to drive regardless of charging it, as again you are carrying around a large body and a 2.5 ltr engine in the front. and a large battery in the back then add people bags dogs etc.... not sold on it
@@NobbyOnCars I get around 3.3l/100km driving it in HV mode. That's less than my previous 1l IQ! And because it's a PHEV, car tax is €140/yr. (Plus you get reduced tolls.)
Excellent review. I have owned one of these since September 2021 (4 months) and have done 3,500 miles. With regards to battery range Toyota claim 46 miles on a full charge in the UK literature, I have been regularly getting around 53 miles on a charge which has dropped to about 48 miles in really cold weather. Prior to this car I had a Prius PHEV and found my summer range was close to the claimed 35 to 37 but this dropped to about 30 in the winter so I have been very pleased with the Rav significantly exceeding the claimed range even during (relatively mild) winter conditions. With regards to petrol only range, (ie completely flat battery) I would guess it’s around 55mpg however most of my trips are under 50 miles so I have only used about 10 litres of petrol in the course of driving 3,500 miles over the last 4 months. Overall it’s a fantastically practical car, fully electric most of the time but with no range worries for a longer journey
Let me ask, Do we need to service the car every year? Does Toyota insist on this to cover the warranty?
@@shinekthomas1979 Hi, yes you will need to have it serviced by a Toyota dealer as per the service schedule which from memory is once a year or every 10,000 miles. On the other hand the service costs I have had for my last three Toyotas (Auris, Aygo and Prius PHEV) have been reasonable and there has been absolutely no quibble over any warranty items. The Aygo had both rear lights replaced as there was condensation in them and there was an issue with a parking sensor on my Prius. My son also had a second hand Prius and there was a noise from the gearbox which needed a strip out and bearing replaced- no charge for this which was a job that presumably would have cost at least £500 had it not been covered by warranty. The Toyota warranty is so good it is well worth paying for services as per the service schedule
@@davidjosey3273 Thank You David, Appreciate Your details reply
How on earth are you getting 53 miles on battery? Last review i watched said real world 30-35 miles in EV mode. Hell of a difference. Is there a pre heat option?
@@talkandplay I have used pre heat of the cabin a few times during the winter and unlike my Prius PHEV that seems to work off the charge cable and I don’t reduce initial range - I think the Prius heated the cabin from the battery but could not recover all the power used from the charge cable while heating. But other than that I guess I just resist the temptation to drive in sport mode and try to keep to the speed limits of 60mph on country roads and 70 on dual track / motorways. I don’t use cruise control other than for long journeys as it tends to start the ICE and similarly I use the rotating switch to move to sport mode when there is an opportunity to get some regen braking going down a steep hill rather than use the S mode on the gear shift to increase regen - again I find it tends to switch in the ICE. I have now done about 8000 miles and can count on at least 50 miles of battery range, usually more. To be honest this surprises me given it’s fairly hilly here and I have to go up a long steep hill every time I go out. I do get a fair bit of mileage back going down the other side of the hill but it’s never (and can’t be) 100% of what I used getting up the hill.
The charging cable fits inside the spare wheel. With the "granny charger" it takes 7.5 hours to full charge. With the other cable, 2.5 hours. If you turn off the fan and just use the heated seats, you'll get more range from the battery (about 6km over the full battery). When the battery runs down to the blue indicator the car will run as a "normal" hybrid.
Owned a Rav4 Prime for 10 months now (USA) and for me this was definitely the right choice. I will go to all electric when the usable range hits 400 miles, the recharge time from 10% to 90% is achieved in under 5 minutes, and the cost is kept down to around the same price as the equivalent hybrid. We're a long way from that today, but maybe in 5 years... In the USA the cost of electricity from supercharger stations is prohibitive - unless your car manufacturer provides you with free electricity, you'll be paying up to 53c per kwHr (which corresponds to costing twice as much per mile compared to gasoline). My car did come with blind spot monitoring (which I love). The most useless feature is probably lane departure however adaptive auto-cruise is very helpful. Insurance rates on a brand new Rav4 Prime, given all the safety features, also came in at a very good price compared to my old SUV built in 1999.
What trim and package comes with blind spot monitoring? I’m still stretching along in my 18 year old manual accord with several deposits down anxiously awaiting calls to maybe get a R4P if it’s not marked up 5-10k. Wish these weren’t trickle produced as a compliance car . Toyota: “hey look we’ve got diversified offerings and are doing the bare minimum”
The best review for rav4 plug in hybrid so far, i understood every hybrid features in the car. Keep it up man 👌🏻👌🏻
Great review Mark. One other thing, I’d say you would be waiting more than a year for one of these the demand is that strong. Also because of this it’s one of the very few cars that would probably be worth more after one year of ownership! Toyota/Lexus will be unveiling a huge array of BEVs over the next few years and I am seriously looking forward to seeing what they come up with. The biggest carmaker in the world doesn’t make too many mistakes for their target audience which is why Toyota is a bit slower than other brands releasing new technologies, and even more so, reliable technologies over any other brand.
hi Eamonn - I agree. Having been on a trip last year with Lexus, attention to detail is literally everything and the culture in their process of putting cars together etc seems like no other.
Bz4x is a little lack luster with it’s range …300 miles is quickly becoming the industry standard. It would be phenomenal if it was a $30-40k USD BEV for the working and middle class but if RAV4 Prime is any indicator it will likely sell for and dealers will markup to $40-55k USD range most likely.
Wait time is three years for mine. Ordered two months ago.
Another great review…..one of my favourite reviewers out there. How you’re not up to 6 figures plus subscribers is beyond me. Keep up the great work
Although you started your review with quite a negative vibe, that seemed to change once you actually drove the vehicle. The RAV4 has Toyota’s “Hybrid Synergy Drive” which is an eCVT, the “e” being the important bit. The electric motor on the rear wheels is “on demand” for AWD, hence not included in the HP figures by just adding them all together along with the two in the planetary gearbox.
The RAV4 Prime (as the PHEV is known in some markets) has been around for a few years now but has been virtually unobtainable due to demand. Toyota seem to be charging a premium due to this, but as you rightly point out, it is being launched in RHD markets where there are full EV competitors at a similar price. If you want actual luxury on the same platform as the RAV, then there is the Lexus NX450h+.
I would rather have a spare wheel than somewhere to stow my charging cable(s) but then I go places where roadside assistance may be hours away.
A wait of 12 to 24 months plus a big up charge makes us look fondly on our 2009 Odyssey.
I flooping LOVE my 2023 RAV4 plug in. AND mine is even better because i have the new 12" screen and cooler headlights. Best car ever made!
Great review. its nice that all Rav4's get a spare wheel & big boot.
Maybe that is just the irish version as just watched a UK review and no spare wheel in boot.
Always wait to see your videos sir. Full of information in simple words that could anyone understand. Thank you so much for your effort 👌 God Bless you 🙏
Thank you Aju
Thanks for this. Id be really grateful of POV content of driving it and explanation of the modes and screens. I have one of these, it's great, but Im not sure about getting the best out of it yet. Believe it or not there seems to be little or no content anywhere explaining just what's happening on the dash board and what it means. Best wishes though
I really like phevs. I drive mostly shorter trips to the school and train station so it's evey weekend I use petrol. I can get easily 1600km before needing to put fuel in again.
Great honest review for people who are still worried about range and public charge network
Very good review. Have one of these Rav4 plug in hybrid since January and overall very happy. EV range is the best on the market but varies a lot based on time of year with a lot more range in warmer weather and you really have to keep plugging in to get value. It's a very smooth quiet machine but doesn't come cheaply and for the price the spec could be higher and disappointed that it hasn't got blind spot monitoring.
Great review.Rav 4's are absolutely luxurious SUVs to drive. I am sure the new plug-in rav 4 has retained all the comforts of the earlier models, eg 151 which I had. Very impressed with the battery range for sure & the rav 4 plug in is definitely on the top.of list for 2024 based on that review.
THE BEST PLUGIN 😎👍
Really helpful review mate. I’m the owner of Nissan leaf and I’m not happy at all. This Toyota RAV4 would be ideal for me .
Nobby, you put the charging lead within/ around the spare tyre insert. The parcel shelf is functional and robust. Granny charger takes around 7 hours to full charge. Very good car and thanks for the review.
Another great review. As you say another great option if you not committed to the full EV option. Personally I think it is an ugly car but then I never did like the RAV4. Gosh I thought it must be the quietest car around plus that range is fantastic. It certainly is as expensive as EVs. So a lot going for it and built like a tank and that’s my problem looks like one. Thanks again for another down to earth great review
Body style is obviously subjective. Lucky for you most of the industry is going toward the “aerodynamic amorphous jelly bean look” aka ID.4, Mach-e, model Y. I’ve been a honda owner for life but I can’t stomach the body styling of the cr-v which looks like a mini minivan , and it has a belt/chain cvt and no PHEV offering. A collaboration of Toyota exterior and Honda interior would be amazing.
Thinking of looking at one of these need a car with a good size boot to hold a wheel chair plus with the vat and vrt discount I get the price looks a whole lot better. No interest in going full electric so something like this will suit my needs. Great review as always Mark well done.
Still have it if you need me to measure the height of the floor to roof in the boot!
If you don’t mind that would be great don’t want to put you to any trouble though. My only real concern is the cvt gear box heard lots of bad things about them in terms of being very noisy when accelerating. I am going to book a test drive tomorrow.
@@kevinwalsh3293 they can be a bit noisy under heavy acceleration but if you drive them as intended then not so much. Floor to roof at mouth of boot is 30cm.
Thanks a million for that Mark, very much appreciated. Keep up the good work.
An excellent vehicle. Had ours since February and clocked up approx. 1400km. All bar 130km on EV only. Milder weather is seeing EV range increase to 85km .On long journeys, high 50's mpg from Hybrid powertrain when battery depleted is fine by me. It also never fully discharges the battery, so you have the full 306hp for overtaking. Unlike many competitors, it has a heat pump as standard, which increases efficiency further and stops the engine coming on to heat the car. Large capacity, naturally aspirated engine is always going to be less stressed than a small capacity turbo charged motor. Is it worth €8k more than the same Hybrid model? You make your choices based on your requirements and preferences. A 306hp, comfortable family SUV with over a 1000km of combined range with Toyota reliability. We haven't regretted ours.
High praise indeed! Thanks for commenting with your experience
@@NobbyOnCars You definitely wouldn't be getting up at 5am on a Sunday to bring it for a spin. It does however delivers what it promises, which isn't as common as people think.
@@wheeliebintdi1392 Did a Type 2 cable come with the car? About to order and it doesn't seem to le listed as part of the standard delivery. Have you got the home charger? Or are you using the 3 pin plug charging? Thanks in advance!
@@MrJwmurph Hi John. Came with a type 2 and Granny cable. Both very long. Haven't bothered with home charger. Using 3pin on a free electricity on Saturday rate. My wife also has access to a free charger in work. Only use a couple of charges a week. Do longer runs of beyond 300km once or twice a month and economy is up there with a diesel equivalent. Won't get home charger until we have an ev. Unlikely to get one of those until solid-state batteries become available. It's the best compromise out there at the moment until the Mazda CX60 becomes available. But, boring as it sounds, your money is always safe in a Toyota.
@@wheeliebintdi1392 Thank you for this. I've already got the 2020 Hybrid so I know the car well other than the PHEV aspect. I have a night meter in our house so I can charge at lower cost with that so I might do as you do. I work from home but the odd occasion I go to the office there are free chargers there so the Type 2 would be of benefit there. Thank you again for the response, I'm just about to order one for July delivery after getting a really high trade in value on my Hybrid RAV.
Our daily running around is less than 45 miles so we may goes without seeing a gas station. Beyond that it's an excellent vehile.
Good review as usual but if they want us to switch to these sorts of cars they still need to get the price realistic.
Made for the financially comfortable to drive about feeling smug while laughing at the rest of us struggling to fuel our own cars.
Good luck to 'em.
Just drove one in Iceland for 1 week in very tricky conditions very impressive never got stuck during 2 snow storms
snow tyres on it?
@@NobbyOnCars yes with steel studs
'21 reg standard hybrid has a few bug bears for me. Driver door buttons not lit up at night. Only Driver window button has light on it. Nothing for locks or mirror buttons. USB port in dash cubby has no light so at night time, impossible to find. Standard internal/boot light bulbs too, led should be in newer cars. Great car but with the price that's charged etc. It seems some manufacturers are cutting back on certain features. Great review Mark.
I like this review showed me everything I needed to know before buying this car
EV manufacturers are quite clear that, with battery charging, the charge shouldn't exceed 80-85% of total capacity to maintain battery longevity. Yet PHEV ranges are only expressed in terms of 100% charge. Mark, I'm wondering if Toyota also cautions about not routinely charging to 100% with this model, at what lower range? Good review - thank you!
Hi Jack they do leave some cushion room as I'm sure you know but it's a good point. To maximise the range, you're going to charge to 100% all the time aren't ya!
When the display says “0% charge” it’s actually 20% reserved for hybrid mode. It will not let you fully drain traction battery ever so you can only really use about 15 of the 18.1 kWh available in pure EV mode. Toyota is super conservative with their numbers And also actively heats and cools batteries to keep them happy and ensure longevity.
I drive a prius Phev which is 10 years old and has 210+ k a day miles on it, its driven every day and recharged sometimes 2 or 3 times a day and both batteries are still functioning well . the Plug in battery has lost about 10% range and thats it.
The day I put deposit on EV6. Toyota saleswoman rang me to ask was I going ahead with Rav Phev. No I went fully EV. With EV grant and a very very good cash price it was EV6. Also Grant gone for Phev helped swing it. Shame great car Toyota but again bulbs all over the car. Good review Nobbs.
Requesting a review of the GR sport variant of RAV4 Plugin launched in Ireland & Europe this year. TIA
HI Just having another look at your video, Is there a premium sports model on this Excel range, I have been looking at the Top Dynamic range all the time but you have sold this on me, Best Regards welshman2081
I haven't owned any cars but I feel like my first purchase will end up being one of these. EVs are too expensive and so is gas, so the obvious choice is hybrid for me.
Great review as ever Nobby, it's expensive enough but we'll specced. You could I reckon put the cables on top of the spare wheel which is nice to see it has. Only thing apart from the price I don't like is the CVT gearbox.
Research how the eCVT works - no pulley's. It is probably one of the most simple transmissions you can make. Should be very reliable. Top of the line model comes with paddle shifters that allows you to reduce the fuel economy and make it feel like a typical paddle shifted transmission.
Long video but good if you understand how a planetary gear works: ruclips.net/video/O61WihMRdjM/видео.html
Have a look at petrol ped for a really good ecvt review, its actually a very clever piece of engineering.
full tank of this car and Full charge this car. When you drive this car don't use Engine use ev mode
Or power mode ( for long drive) gas saved 😅
Nobby how much does it cost to charge the electric battery in euros and how long does it take at home plugged in...🤔🤔🤔
I'm fed up with the stress and hassle of EV long distance trips so a plug in hybrid would be good. However for £50k price point, this just doesnt feel premium enough for the money and things like no underfloor space for the charger feels lazy. Nice car though.
Hi, I've got the standard Hybird in Sol spec of this car and it's a good family car, thinking of one of these PHEV. Are they all AWD? My driving is mostly short trips (WFH permanently) so I'd probably manage 90% of my driving in all electric mode but like the option of being able to go the length of the country without stopping if I chose. We've had 3 generations of Rav4 and I must say the latest is the most comfortable / grown up version by a long way but the previous version was sportier in terms of handling and had better luggage / storage options in the boot.
The CVT and the engine make a terrible racket when pushing on with the current car.
Top review. Out of interest, editing aside, how long does it take to shoot a video like this?
It can be an hour, it can be two. Tried the POV angle to try speed up the workflow but it’s hard to beat the lens quality of the proper camera
What are you thalking about, IT HAS NOT CVT, it’s planetary gearbox,as all Toyota and Lexus hybrids.
*No temperature gauge in case the engine overheats??? No screen discussion??* Thanks for the review
There is a temp gauge. But what are you going o do? It will tell you to pull over if it does at any rate. These cars don't just "overheat".
I know it depends on family size but,I can't help but think a used BMW i3 is a good starting point for a hybrid petrol.
Great review by the way
Is Rav4 Platinum same as the Rav4 XLE Premium?
Not sure it might depend on market / regions
How does the heating works when driving electric.? And also can the car heat itself in the morning before you start driving as it is with lots of other full electric cars.
Amazing 50k!!!!
Can someone please help me with a question? See if this analogy is correct: “inside” a RAV4 PHEV there is a RAV4 HEV: why is it that when the first charge of the PHEV version runs out (the charge that was made in our home socket) the vehicle will automatically start acting as if it were a RAV4 HEV, that is, the car itself will manage the recharging/usage/recharging of the battery while it is moving. Is this correct?
Yes
From what you remember from 2019 full hybrid version test, which one is better in your opinion? There is a difference in price as well we have to remember this. Which one is the better overall?
Well €8,000 is always going to be €8,000 for starters. The handling isn't as sharp either (although the standard car isn't really setup for that to be a priority either).
@@NobbyOnCars Thanks for the answer! You say that the steering in the plug in feels even more disconnected than the hybrid version?
Great review as always Nobby 👍. About how long does it take the engine to charge the battery?
I didn’t charge it using that method as it’s a waste of petrol but 5% or so was reached in minutes
Great review!
One thing that always got me with the self charging hybrids;
What is the point in using the petrol to charge the battery? In the long run wouldn’t that cost you more money?
Absolutely
Not at all, it means the engine can be run at a more efficient load point to charge the battery, then that battery power used later for low speed, stop start, or assisting the engine during normal driving. Engines are more efficient when running at certain revs and power output and the hybrid system automatically maximises the time spent at its most efficient.
I have had the ‘self charging’ version RAV4 for the last three months and have averaged 48mpg over 3000+ miles and have spent 30% of that distance on EV power… for a good sized ‘family’ SUV I think that is extremely efficient and really can’t fault the car 👍
Batteries are under the floor of the car, NOT the boot.
My point is that a lot of PHEVs suffer a reduced boot, it's still a great size.
Solid review
Very helpful in making a decision. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Great review thanks 👍
Thanks for watching!
Hi I enjoyed your review, but have some reservations about, not getting the full spec, like most Rav 4, are there optional extras, say sun room, blind spot metering, what about your model, what grade it is, I did not see when you had walkabout, it would be interesting for other viewings to have additional info. Thank you again welshman 2081
This car is a Sport spec.
They have pretty much everything as standard at that price which is €51,000 in Ireland.
with my PHEV i have 2123 km now and 125l fuel filled = 5,89l/100km, which is the same as regular hybrid. So no much sense to pay the extra for PHEV, if in the weekend you travel long distances, regularly.
Wife is doing a 30km commute on a 80/km road Castlebar to Westport will we manage on electric
On the Rav or a full EV? A second hand leaf from 2014 would get your wife a round trip with home charging daily, let alone a more modern EV!
RAV4 V Kia Sorento PHEV any comments which is best ??
Kia feels more of an extravagance inside but you’ll get more range out of the Toyota
I see a serious flaw with this design. If you are going to discharge the battery constantly you are going to bust it in a very short time. In order for it to retain its capacity it should not go below 60 %. But with such small range that is next to impossible.
Is it not around 80% to 20% to 80% the ideal battery discharge-charge cycles for the best long-term health and longevity ?
Combine that with overnight charging at the slowest rate, the best treatment for the batteries to last the most..
So many reviews on this PHEV Rav-4 but no one ever mentioned why UK version missing some tech options such as 360 PVM and digital rearview and some few more on the Plug-in UK version. All these tech options available in EU countries, and US, Canada etc.. but missing in the UK version. There must be a reason.
Chip shortage perhaps? I’ve heard of some models coming with reduced spec in order to still get the car.
@@NobbyOnCars "reducing the spec to have more cars available" make sense but not sure about shortage of chip, if cause is shortage of Chip then why other EU countries getting full spec version but UK version is missing.
What is the mpg on a combination of plug in hybrid and petrol?
5-5.5
These have immensely complex upgrades to the current RAV4 hybrid. Thermal management and dual mode fuel injection are new. The smaller controller has a more challenging job. The improved UI is still distracting & complex..
At an effective $65k with dealer burden s, it is within spitting distance of a Rivian and twice a Maverick or RAV4 base.
Wonder whether it will be a good long term value. Seems like the base ICE RAV4 is a more practical long-term choice.
This or the Sportage?
One is a Toyota one is a Kia. How much can you afford to lose on depreciation?
Toyota all day.
what is the motorway and city consumption when battery runs out?
5-6l/100
I think for that money I’d more likely being going for Ionic 5/EV 6 or equivalent
I was not considering the PHEV because i don't have driveway. PHEV has slightly bigger battery than self charging. in video you mention plugin and also self charging. did you mean that PHEV version is also self charging?
It doesn’t charge the battery from the petrol engine like some PHEVs do but even when the PHEV battery is empty, it will still act like a transitional Toyota hybrid so it’s still not too bad on petrol.
@@NobbyOnCars so in my circumstances I should go for self-charging variant.
@@TaaRiiFrp probably yeah. It’ll still do 5L/100kms anyway
@@NobbyOnCars hybrid batteries can be charged from the running petrol engine with the ‘Charge’ mode but it’s not very efficient. I saw this mode eats up mileage quite quickly say 2.5 ( l/100 km) more than usual hybrid mode mileage which is between 4.5 and 6.5 l/100km.
Window blinds costs like 10 euro, it's not really a big deal.
It's what lots of the competition have though and factory fitted is always cooler.
Can You compare Ford Kuga vs Rav4 PHEVs?
ruclips.net/video/iIuaqilLpU4/видео.html
@@NobbyOnCars Thank You.. I saw this review. But, I just asked for Your opinion if we compared both?
@@shinekthomas1979 Rav4 all day.
I wish I knew what Toyota executive thought it was a good idea to have the Rav4 Prime SE charge for 5 hours and Rav4 Prime XSE charge in 2 1/2 for the same 42 miles... 42 miles goes by pretty quickly so to be able to get the quicker 2 1/2 hours would be so much better
Yes only the XSE trim with premium package gets the 6.6kw onboard charger. All the rest get 3.3 charger so on a level 2 charger is 2.5 vs 4.5 hours IIRC. On a level 1 charger (standard household outlet) it’s 10-12 hours IIRC regardless of onboard charger type
@@PostprandialTorpor I see in Canada both the SE and XSE both have the 6.6 kw chargers
@@MrMarkwill62 yes, they get 6.6 standard in Canada 🇨🇦.
So toyota only supply the granny cable? Seems a bit mean.
May have not been packed in the car but some brands do count a Type 2 as an optional extra...
I don't know of a single brand that thows in an actual charger for free.
Plug-in hybrids in my view aren't a realistic option at the present, particularly with the grants now gone, the equivalent RAV4 non plug-in hybrid is €8K cheaper and even doing 15,000 km per year over 3 years would only cost about €5K in petrol based on Toyota's claimed range and assuming you use no petrol in the plug-in version. If you base it on not using much petrol, it makes more sense to buy and EV, why lug around a heavy engine. The new Toyota BZ4X looks like a better proposition, my view anyway.
Well, the RAV4 PHEV is the most powerful Toyota on sale around the world (excluding the Supra as it's a BMW engine). If somebody who is in the market for a RAV4 but wants more than 218/222hp (RAV4 Hybrid FWD/AWD) and has a short commute to work, the PHEV is a great option. (my opinion)
Over 90% of brand new BMW's sold in Ireland are Plug-in-Hybrids or electric cars.
@@aidan1585 Do you really need more power in a RAV4? It also says a lot about BMW drivers, more money than sense.
@@jodyboyle1021 It doesn't say "a lot about BMW drivers".. Not everybody can make the jump to electric, what if they live in the countryside, with no power station to be seen anywhere. Would you rather somebody buy the plug in hybrid X5 (X5 45e) or the 4.4 V8 X5 (X5 M50i)?
Also some people rather higher power figures but don't want to buy a car like an X3 30e (phev) or GLC 300e (phev) as it's not in their budget or other reasons.
I'm not trying to say you need 306hp in a RAV4. 😅
I just mean the option is there, also the reason behind it having more hp is that due the bigger battery, the electric motor can give a full power boost with the engine, unlike the standard RAV4's battery (which is too small)
@@aidan1585 I'm not getting into a tit for tat discussion, my main point is that hybrids are a waste of money at present as a private buy or as a company car, if you use them as they should be used, mainly on battery, why not get an electric car. If you need to continuously do longer journeys or are living in a remote area, get a petrol or diesel car.
@@jodyboyle1021 Not everything is about money -- a PHEV is a greener option, and some people want that greener option, and are happy to pay a bit more. Not all decisions are made purely with the wallet. Yes, it is really annoying that the €2500 grant was removed, I agree, and that grant would certainly make PHEVs are more affordable option for many. But many will still want this car so that they don't have to burn petrol when it's not needed. PHEVs are a great stepping stone from ICE to EV -- it's give you all of the benifits of an EV for shorter journeys (which is likely over 95% of most people's normal driving), and all of the comforts of the range and ease of refuelling for longer trips. PHEV cars make a lot of sense at the moment.
id be concerned about the fact its a 2.5 ltr petrol engine as fuel prices increase due to carbon commitment tax , it is not going to be cheap to drive regardless of charging it, as again you are carrying around a large body and a 2.5 ltr engine in the front. and a large battery in the back then add people bags dogs etc.... not sold on it
The 2.5 will do about 5.5L/100kms but probably a little higher in this due to weight of batteries
@@NobbyOnCars I get around 3.3l/100km driving it in HV mode. That's less than my previous 1l IQ! And because it's a PHEV, car tax is €140/yr. (Plus you get reduced tolls.)
I get 55mpg out of my diesel Rav4. So nothing special
Rear wiper and black plastic is hideous. Interior looks very cheap compared with its price tag 👎
Which competitors are those?
E-cvt
switched off when you said 50000 euros .
good for you!
I can’t help but think about that poor battery trying to move the unnecessary heavy engine 🤣
Buy diesel not this electric crap
This is the future + it has 306hp and a 0-100km of 6s…
Disiaesel? That's a disease. Not really. Fun fact. An Audi Q5 disieasel gets a worse consumption than this with a flat battery.
Good review thanks 👍