The standard RAV4 is powered by a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine sending power to either the front or to all-four wheels. Hybrid and PHEV models all come in all-wheel drive, thanks to the rear wheels being powered by an electric motor. The standard gasoline uses eight-speed automatic transmission while the hybrid and PHEV versions use a continuously variable transmission.
Expect the hybrid model to return around 41-mph in the city while the Prime version can travel up to 38 miles on the electricity alone and can reach up to 90-mpge. The Prime adds to the hybrid variation by adding more powerful electric motors that can boost the total system output to 302-horsepower compared to the standard 2.5L gasoline engine that produces 203-horsepower. The new plug-in-hybrid model can reach 0-60 mph just under six seconds while the standard gas engine comes in just over 6 seconds, the hybrid model comes in the modest 7-second range.
RAV4 standard engine comes in multiple trim levels; LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure, TRD Off Road and Limited. The RAV4 Hybrid comes with similar trims; LE, XLE, XLE Premium, SE, XSE, Woodland Edition and Limited.
The base LE trim comes standard with 17-inch wheels, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, adaptive cruise control, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, power windows and door locks, a USB input port, Toyota's Entune 3.0 System with an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth music streaming. The LE comes with many standard safety features including forward collision mitigation, pedestrian detection prevention, and Road Sign Assist.
The XLE adds front dual-zone climate control, a smart key system, a blind spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert, alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated mirrors and five USB ports.
The Premium version of the XLE gets 19-inch wheels, power sunroof, a power liftgate, seats trimmed in Toyota's SofTex faux leather and a leather trimmed steering wheel.
The Adventure trim looks a little more butch with its own unique set of 19-inch wheels, along with a split bar front upper grill not shared by any other trim level. It also gets unique badging and roof rails. Inside the Adventure gets a digital speedometer, orange stitching throughout the interior and a bigger 8-inch touchscreen.
TRD Off-Road models get 18-inch wheels with all terrain tires, all-weather TRD floormats, a TRD Off-Road suspension kit, a standard torque vectoring AWD drivetrain and increased towing capacity up to 3500 pounds.
The top of the line Limited model comes with additional exterior chrome, puddle lights, heated front seats, active grill shutters, a digital rearview mirror and blue ambient front and rear parking sensors and Rear Cross-Traffic Braking.
Aggressive Styling, All-wheel Drive, Practical In The City
Good Ground Clearance
Fuel Efficient Drivetrains, Powerful PHEV System Option
For 2023, the RAV4 carries over with minimal changes, while the RAV4 Hybrid gains a new Woodland trim.
The RAV4 aims to be the "Goldilocks" of crossovers; its big enough that it doesn't simply feel like a lifted compact car, but also small enough that its size never really gets in the way during everyday driving. It is short enough that it makes perfect sense in the city, but it isn't in any way simply pretending to be an SUV, when the need for off roading arises. Toyota has also made a serious push for fuel economy with this generation, by introducing a new plug-in hybrid model that joins the hybrid in RAV4 lineup. The RAV4 competes directly in the increasingly popular compact SUV segment, with rival vehicles such as the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5 and Chevrolet Equinox.
