Official RAV4 Prime Review Thread

There are some interesting tidbits of information in this review.

 

Some more interesting information.

 

i am very interested to drive one. not a fan od suv's, but since toyota refuses to make a camry prime, i might have no other choice

 

Sedans are the least practical vehicle type in my opinion. Might as well make a hatchback, wagon, or SUV.

One thing that stands out to me on the RAV4 Prime is the analog battery gauge. What is this, a design from the 90's? I'm sure there's a digital readout on one of the screens too, but why waste space with a gauge? Tesla's minimalist interior remains decades ahead of what traditional automakers are putting out.

 

sedans are quieter and more cofortable for us old fogies, i realize there are less and less of us

 

My Toyota wish list:

Camry Prime
Tundra Prime

Notice I said "Toyota" and not the other "T" company.

But, the RAV4 Prime is a step in the right direction...

 

agreed

 

I'm still waiting for a 4Runner Prime.


It's tempting to swap a RAV4 Prime drivetrain into a more capable vehicle.

 

The sedan form factor does have some aero advantages. And you only have to sit in a model Y and try to look out the back window to see hos trying to split the difference is tough, just like in the two rear window Prius.

I look at the gauge are in front of my Rav4h Limited steering wheel and think of what a waste of expensive real estate that is. Two big round dials on the side telling us things that could be so better be displayed digitally in half the space.

 

I disagree. The big round power meter on the left is FAR more useful than any previous power meter in the Toyotas, I love it. The big analog battery gauge may well earn a similar place in my heart. But I might just reserve final judgement till I am actually driving one.

 

Musings on many of the reviews:

Of which Alex on Autos is just one of many

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj2hqbwyvzpAhXVSTABHUQjCfQQtwIwA3oECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSsWuvEA7qLQ&usg=AOvVaw2dH5GEV5MgAKhPlUlxuDo7

This review said the RAV4 Prime Battery is liquid cooled via the A/C coolant. They couldn’t find a separate loop or reservoir so I disagree still. I still believe it’ll be air cooled via the A/C. I just believe it’ll have it’s own connection.

Towing is supposed to be 2500 lbs

Usable battery is about 15 kWh out of 18.1 total (using 94 mpge and 42 miles EV range) - 83% seems high for Toyota.

Looking at the various cutaways I noticed the 12V battery is in the same spot as in the PiP, passenger side cargo area. Not in the engine compartment like the Prius Prime. I also went back and scanned through the cutaways of the UX300e and couldn’t even find a 12V battery.

The front motor puts out 180hp, compared to the RAV4 Hybrid at about 118hp. Is this the first time Toyota has put in a more powerful motor than the engine on a Toyota hybrid?

On his other YouTube reviews for the 2021 Sienna and Venza he said a question was asked and the Toyota engineers said they have no plans to prime the HiHy platform and, therefore, the Sienna platform. So those that are holding your breath, don’t bother.


iPad ? Pro

 

From what I'm reading about extremely limited availability, it may be 1-2 years before most of us will get to lay hands on one of these. Sounds like they will be getting allocated mainly to urban centers, left and right coasts.

 

My bet is big dealers who order lots of cars from their distributor will get allocations first. It was that way when the RAv4h current generation was first becoming available in early 2019. Discounts will be hard to get.

 

The numbers I've seen are far more grim than that. More like 1 per dealer over the next year. That's right, one unit per dealer on average. I wonder if the big lithium battery availability is driving this. Supposedly anything beyond that allocation will go to the biggest volume dealers in the mega cities. So, vaporware for 90% of the country.

 

If that is all the dealers get, they are going to miss a window of opportunity I see before more EVs become available. Granted I've argued the case that EVs aren't for everyone, especially those who don't have a place to plug them in trivially (read overnight). But if you can plug in, why go half way there as more EVs come from more manufacturers with more range. I also think the Rav4h plug-in may lose some state incentives as states are under pressure to raise revenue. They have debts to pay and promises to keep.

 

Wisconsin is now charging $75 per year for hybrids and $100 per year for electric vehicles.

 

Follow the Prius Prime sales for sales allocations?


iPad ? Pro

 

Doing that would make the capable vehicle less capable. Unless you are putting the Rav engine and transaxle in the rear, you are taking a RWD vehicle which can be 4wd for whenever you want it to a FWD that can be AWD for limited periods.

You'll want to use the Crosstrek PHEV drivetrain for any 4Runner PHEV project. It was designed for a longitudal front engine with mechanical AWD system.

HVAC systems don't have much in the way of reservoirs, and their piping is much thinner than that for water based systems. The fluid in a HVAC system is only liquid part of the time. The video is under the mistaken impression that Toyota saying liquid meant it was water based. An initial Toyota release, said the cooling for the battery is a loop off the HVAC, so the components outside the battery pack will be the same as those for the non-Prime, though the condenser might be larger.

Regardless of how exactly it cools the battery, it will be interesting to see how the battery cooling works when heat is called for the cabin.

The Rav4p likely can operate like the Priusp. The Prius Prime has a clutch that lets the output from the M/G1 to be added to M/G2 while in EV mode. The quoted 180hp is likely really for that combined output.

The Rav4 Adventure can tow 3500lbs. As the video states, the Prime getting a higher rating likely has to do with changes to the suspension; it was probably beefed up for the battery and other additions. Is the rear motor rated higher in the Prime than the hybrid?

If someone can buy one, it isn't vaporware.

The one per dealer, is about a initial roll out, and is great if it includes dealers all across the country. This is 2021 model, anybody getting anything in 2020 is a plus. Allocations beyond that first one is unknown, and giving one to all dealers could let Toyota know where best to ship them. I would expect CARB states first, as is the norm for plug ins.