Featured Rav4 Prime vs Tesla?

but this thread is about tco

 

This turns to an aspect that is probably better as a separate thread but I am leaning to the belief that oil/gas prices aren't going to go back up substantially nor be as volatile as they have historically been.

I really think this world wide pandemic is going to force-change a lot of the way society works including work from home. Add in the constant direction that clean energy is taking us and I see the demand for petrochemicals on a continuous decline. On the supply side, modern tech has both be able to find and recover previous unknown reserves (there's a HUGE one off the coast of Brazil) at lower and lower costs so scarcity, or the fear of scarcity, is no longer there either.

My 2 cents.

 

I only have a 2019 Rav4 hybrid, not a plug in. If you offered me a Model X with the same miles (~8500) even trade I'd not take the offer. If the Y had decent paint, I'm thinking of buying with my money. For the fun factor.

 

It depends on the year. If they have the old MobilEye system, no. But my requirements are for AutoPilot and/or Full Self Driving. Tesla builds 'state of the art' but does not 'rework to keep current' with the exception of software.

One thing a used Tesla can do is test transition from one technology to another. So my gateway was a BMW i3-REx. I tried the Prius Prime but found it was not even close and traded it on the Model 3.

Bob Wilson

 

?!!?
the prime is gutless compared to a model 3. Not to mention handling. Bur many people don't find handling & power to be the most important thing, rather in the OP's case, he's coming from something big & roomy . It might be more fair to compare the prime to the Honda Clariry - even though the clarity plug-in has greater electric range and is much more roomy. Not saying one is better, people just have different needs / wants

again - comparing power / efficiency of an EV to a gasser - it's apples to oranges. The OP has a big-ol' Lexus land barge. That's a real stretch to compare a huge lexis to a model y. Apples to Apples comparison - size would have to be more like a model X. As mentioned above (& from experience - owning then dumping both the model S and the Model X)

the quality of a Tesla can be hit-and-miss - especially if it's a brand new product line, like the model y. You have to really want to drive all electric to take the plunge into that market. The RAV4 would be a much more practical car, but a real compromise on size, once you've driven the biggest Lexus SUV.
As for Towing? Most people will never tow anything, much less up near the limits of a vehicle's capacity. Still, in that regard, the model X would be Head & Shoulders above a Rav4.

Even so, big deal. You could always rent a pickup truck in the rare event you need to tow something heavy. Realistically, the op will have to test drive both to make this decision.
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Which, to many, is irrelevant. I'm at full-throttle in my Prime about once every 3 months. It's perfectly adequate and I don't look to my car to be an amusement park ride.

I rode in a Model 3. I didn't like it. The sport-tuned suspension is harsh and uncomfortable. If I had to own one the first thing I'd do is soften the suspension and put it in chill mode all the time.

 

My Prius Prime is set at 44, and it's got a WAY better ride than the Model 3 I was in. I drive on a lot of bumpy roads and the ride of the Model 3 is terrible on those.

 

I got my Prius Prime before the Model 3 was available. I went for a ride in a model 3 with my friend who owns one. He has the 4WD long-range non-performance version. Fast, good handling, terrible ride, no dash.

 

We are a family of 4, last year I was about to get a Tesla Model 3 and got a 2020 Prius Prime XLE instead. As far as Driver assist goes, Prius prime with Comma2 is close to Tesla with Autopilot. Am very happy with the car and use Comma2 Open Pilot most of the time.

However just a month after I bought Prius Prime, Toyota announced 2021 Rav4 Prime (Dang).

Been longing for more EV range than Prius Prime and considering switching to Rav4 Prime. Though my daily commute to work & back totals only 18 miles, I’d like to get additional 15 EV miles per day for driving to kids’ activities.

Now am in the same boat as docboy, trying to decide between Rav4 Prime, MX, MY, M3 & also whether to just continue with my 2020 Prius Prime.

We ruled out used Model X, because it’s a hassle to use the Falcon wing doors (it gets in the way of both driver and passenger if you are trying to enter the car) and also it doesn’t charge as fast as M3 or MY.

Model Y has many quality issues now, likely to be solved in a year. However it’s not big enough to replace the 2015 Toyota Highlander (our family car) and just doesn’t justify the price tag for being a daily commuter car to work and back.

M3 is a compelling one for me now. Also Rav4 Prime is going to be super hard to get this year and probably in the next year as well.

Am thinking of making an attempt to get an XSE trim and if I don’t succeed, will stay with my current 2020 Prius Prime and think again about M3.

Few questions for the experts here:

RAV4 Prime being a first model year car, should we wait for a year or two? (so Toyota irons out any initial quality issues)

As many replied, will RAV4 Prime make me more longing for even more longer EV range? Should I just skip RAV4 Prime (Plugin EV) and go with full BEV (M3)?

 

1. VA is not a ZEV state so there was a notice that first shipments of the prime were only going to ZEV states.
2. Today Toyota has stopped accepting orders ans they are sold out and have limited build capacity.

Only you know your probable usage patterns and how much extra you want to spend to get what qualities in a car.

Every time I configure a Y, it comes out much more than a Rav4 or even a Highlander hybrid. What will be the payoff period? Last time I did that calculation before buying a car I was off from what really happened by 10 years.

 

It's not a first model year car. It's basically a Rav4 Hybrid with big battery.

 

Our last Prius, a 2017 with ~16 k miles, was traded in for a 2019 Std Rng Plus Model 3. We kept our four seat, 2014 BMW i3-REx as backup to the Tesla:

• 29 kWh/100 mi
• 72 mi EV range
• 78 mi gas range, maintains 70 mph at ~39-40 MPG

The 2014 BMW i3-REx was end-of-lease and cost $29 k. Replacement would run $20-22 k but would be unlikely . . . the Tesla is so good.

I wanted the most efficient EV and Model 3 has fully met our requirements, 170 kW peak charge rate. Although nearly as efficient, the Hyundai Ioniq EV has a reputation for under 100 kW peak charging. This reduces the block-to-block speed.

Bob Wilson

 

The order stop was for Japan only. Toyota hasn't even started taking orders for Europe or North America.

 

Which Model 3 did you get? SR+ or LR AWD?