Featured 2016 RAV4 Hybrid Prices/Spec (incl. Towing)

From a quick glance online it seems a base model RAV4 costs $23,680, and the hybrid will come in at $28,370. $4700 seems like a bit of a jump to get into the hybrid world (I understand the hybrid won't be offered in the base trim so it's not a direct price comparison). Also, I find it funny the RAV4 EV was still the fastest RAV4. My last point before bed is that the Mazda CX-5 gets better highway mpg than the RAV4 hybrid.

 

In short - it's like a smaller / less expensive version of the hyhi? I accepted the notion the Prius v couldn't support the extra weight/suspension of a plugin system. Now that the rav is hybrid-ized, Toyota will have no more excuses to not provide a plugin competitor to pit against the mitsu-Outlander .... buaahahahahah !!! I will hound Toyota from here to delivery

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wrong, my stock 2006 RAV4 V6 AWD does 0-60 in 6.2s.

BTW, am I the only person who thinks hybrid SUV is an oxymoron.

 

the genII EVrav4 is a detuned tesla traction motor/controller. You'd be only ½way to 60, should some owner choose to flash the software .... so be glad ... be very glad they don't

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I built a 2015 non-hybrid RAV4 Limited to compare to the wife's Outback Limited and the RAV came in slightly less except it doesn't included ACC or adaptive braking (the two must haves on the shopping list), is smaller yet gets lower FE. Lots of competition in this high volume market segment.

I know on the Ford forums many have lamented the loss of the AWD Escape Hybrid so there should be many potential customers out there.

 

i don't care. we're talking stock here. you can modify ICE too, you know.

 

I think ford should really figure out how to do e-awd on the fusion and c-max. Still I don't think they are losing many sales on the escape + c-max, versus having the escape hybrid. The escape hybrid never was a big seller, as it was too expensive.

Compare Side-by-Side


The rav4 hybrid is 34/31/33. This is 2 worse on highway than the cr-v, but 2 better than the escape or standard rav4 4wd. Not really much difference.

The kick will be if the 4wd system is good enough so that people will pay the premium for substantially better city mpg, its 8 higher than the honda, and 12 higher than the ford or Toyota. The premium does not seem high, if the 4wd peformance is alright.

 

Ugh. Excluding the actual rating numbers for CR-V and not mentioning its a comparison between FWD and AWD is an obvious effort to draw people into the discussion, an annoying trait we see on a regular basis. It also diverts attention from the intended target audience. The primary goal is to entice Toyota customers to choose the hybrid option rather than traditional. Attracting Honda customers is an added bonus.

2016 Honda CR-V 2WD

- 29 combined
- 26 city
- 33 highway

2016 Honda CR-V 4WD

- 27 combined
- 25 city
- 31 highway

2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD

- 33 combined
- 34 city
- 31 highway

2016 Toyota RAV4 AWD

- 25 combined
- 22 city
- 29 highway

 

Read my link. Its all 2015, and all 4wd. It appears the cr-v in 2016 lost 1 mpg combined.

No this is not some kind of conspiracty theory you always seem to cook up, nor does it greatly change what I wrote. The hwy of these 4wd epa ratings don't improve much with the hybrid. The city is much improved with the hybrid. Whether it sells depends much on if the e-awd system is "good enough". by the way you could have read my link instead of having a tizzy fit. Then linked 2016, and proclaimed to us that the cr-v did worse on the test. I have no idea why, nor do I think most people wil be conserned that it now says 28 combined for the 2016instead of 29 for the 2015.

Do you have something of substance to add.

 

As I've stated before, you're well informed and people will take the time to read what you post. That's why leaving out detail that way stirs the pot. Why not be clear and include the info on the post itself? Think about how difficult it is to follow a thread when reading via smartphone. Following forums that way is becoming popular, which makes the link rather cumbersome. Take the time. It's worth it.

Regardless, you missed the point. Remember Toyota's goal to offer a hybrid option for every vehicle and to work toward phasing out traditional vehicles? Know the audience.

Will the hybrid version of RAV4 entice RAV4 buyers?

 

The RAV4 Hybrid will appeal to families and those that need 4x4 family vehicles like a Subaru. The Prius in all it's good, does not replace the small SUV and Mini Van market.

 

Yet I replaced a 4wd CRv with a v so at least to some there is a possibility they appeal to the same buyer.

 

I would say you don't need a 4x4 anymore then.

 

Motorweek got 35 mpg mixed driving on the Lexus version with awd-i. Fully loaded version with all the extra weight.

I am thinking about this as my Gen 2 prius replacement.... or Outlander Phev since there will be a lot of government handout, making it potentially cheaper.

 

I'd much rather have the CX5. The AWD CX5 is rated at 24/30 for the AWD package.

 

I can wait to see.

 

Except as you have now had ample time to read and click the link, you should realize I was not trying to do some evil stering of the pot, as you accused, but simply gave 2015 numbers instead of 2016. Why would I do something so misleading and evil A lot of the 2016 numbers are just trickling in, so yes, I simply searched for the easy to find data. Just click the link before accusing me of something I'm not doing. If that is too dificult for you, just say what you think is wrong with the numbers, that is not that hard is it? I will next time put the link and add 2015 4wd numbers are. Really I had no idea the cr-v lost 2mpg hwy and 1 mpg city in 2016, but that does not change the post. No conspiracy possible, if you actually read it.

I was responding to a post about 4wd. As car and driver said about hybridizing the rav4
2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Official Photos and Info – News – Car and Driver

I don't think anyone doubted that toyota would make the vehicle a hybrid, especially when they said 15 new or redesigned hybrids by the end of this year back in 2013. I don't think that is an interesting question. The other one that I would expect is the Sienna, or a similar hybrid minivan.

I think the interesting questions are whether they did a good job on the e-awd, and whether it will help move people to take hybrid over the regular rav4. The hybrid premium really can easily be paid for with gas savings over the rav4 4wd. The question is the awd system good enough. The premium is rather larger between the fwd LE, and with low gas prices those drivers probably won't move up. If anything if they want better fuel economy they might give up high seating and get a prius v or camry hybrid. Its possible the fwd xle customers move up to hybrid and e-AWD. I have confidence that if it is not good enough this time, they can get it good enough this go round they should in the next generation and then they should put it on the camry and lexus esh, nxh. The ford escape hybrid, the previous 4wd cute ute hybrid, didn't really sell well, but had worse fuel economy, slower acceleration, and a higher hybrid premium than the new rav4 hybrid.

The stats are only about 15% of SUV drivers ever go "off-road", many buy the systems to go on dirt roads (camping/fishing), snow, and rain. The on road awd systems definitely can be made more efficient as they don't need the off road wheels and tires or as high of ground clearance, allowing lower rolling resistance and better aero dynamics. IMHO a hybrid design from the ground up for such a awd cross over may make sense, although the cute utes - RAV4, CR-V, Escape have been moving in this direction.

 

I've been a software developer for over 2 decades. The stories I could tell you about users & interfaces...

The way people interact with the internet is changing. If we don't adapt, we allow the quality of what we post to fall. It becomes misleading if we don't make an effort. Providing a link is great, but people won't know what to look at if that detail isn't pointed out. Some won't see it either, then discussions get drawn out simply due to an easy to prevent assumption. There's also the reality of links becoming broken quicker than in the past. That degrades the quality of the thread ever further.

Speaking of improving the quality of posts... don't exclude the author out of the quote. It makes it appear as though it came from the previous poster, which is an easy-to-prevent assumption that leads to misleading.

Think about how some of us get misquoted. Examples like that are usually the source.

 

One MPG better than the NX300h AWD is disappointing compared to most hopes here.