The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime has many of the same features that made the original SUV so famous, and it can go even further than off-road. Before introducing the GR Corolla, the Toyota RAV4 Prime was the company’s second fastest car after the powerful Supra. It has given this esteemed family hauler the courage and speed to deliver a fun driving experience around the corner. The electric motor and high ground clearance make it easy to handle rough terrain. At the same time, the SUV comes with Toyota’s latest and greatest infotainment system and a long list of standard features that make it an attractive option.
The 2023 Toyota RAV Prime 4 is a subcompact with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and many excellent features as standard. It adds to the already extensive RAV4 lineup, which includes gas- and plug-in hybrid (non-electric) models and several trims. All-wheel drive comes standard on the Prime, making it suitable in any weather and surprisingly good on the dirt track. Toyota also has a lot of excellent safety tech, which makes it a great family car for weekend activities.
Toyota hasn’t changed much about the RAV4 Prime for 2023. Regular RAV4s get a few new features and new Woodland trim, but the RAV4 Prime is mostly the same. There’s only one significant change, though a new infotainment system will make owning and driving the car much better. The new interface is much easier on the eyes and easy to use. Besides that, the RAV4 Prime is the same as last year. It comes in two models, SE and XSE. The SE starts at $43,675, which includes a delivery fee of $1,335, and the XSE, the top model, starts at $47,545.
The long five-seater battles it out in a crowded market segment with cars like the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and many more. Honda and Nissan don’t make plug-in versions of their SUVs, but the hybrid CR-V is one of the best cars to drive. The RAV4 Prime’s closest competitor is the Hyundai Tucson, but its electric range is only 33 miles, compared to 42 miles for the Toyota. It’s cheaper at the base level but ends near the same price as the Toyota in the higher trims. This does not take into account ongoing Prime merchant margins.
The 2.5-litre engine and electric motor in the RAV4 Prime produce a total of 302 horsepower, a good amount that makes the SUV feel lively and thrilling on the road. Before the introduction of the GR Corolla, the Prime was the second fastest Toyota after the Supra, so it’s fast enough for city and highway driving. The electric torque also makes it easy to handle off-road, and the Prime is surprisingly good off-road for a compact car.
The RAV4 Prime features a high-quality interior with plenty of space and comfortable seating for five. However, like the regular RAV4, the back seat is small compared to the Tucson and Sportage, the two most popular compact SUVs. Although there isn’t much storage space, the Toyota has clever features like a floor panel that can be flipped over so the driver can choose between carpet and plastic. The Prime’s rear seats fold flat, providing 63.2 cubic feet of room instead of 33.5 cubic feet. The PHEV has less headroom than the regular RAV4 Hybrid because the battery is more extensive. However, the difference is only about five cubic feet.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says Prime is a top pick for Safety+. The SUV earned “Good” scores in all crash test categories. It also earned “superior” marks for its frontal collision avoidance technology. It has many advanced driving tools like blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and pedestrian detection. Essential Prime is an excellent option because it has all these features, uses electricity efficiently, and works well.
Toyota RAV4 performance
A 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and electric motor power RAV4 Prime. The total power is 302 horsepower, which is quite a lot for a small SUV. The hybrid powertrain delivers strong off-the-line torque, making the RAV4 Prime an energetic and exciting car. It’s not particularly fast or exciting, but it’s more potent than any other brand’s compact crossover, with a sprint of 5.6 seconds to 60 mph. The continuously variable gearbox shifts smoothly, but when pushed hard on the highway, the engine drones.
The RAV4 Prime is a fine companion in the dirt and a faster performer on the pavement. Yes, it has all-season tires, but unlike the Jeep Wrangler’s low-profile grunt, the electric motor’s torque is immediate and deployed precisely when needed. With an 8.2-inch ground clearance and relatively soft suspension, the Prime can ride on rough terrain without tiring the driver. After testing the Prime on off-road courses, we found that it beats the standard RAV4 TRD Adventure.
Honda, like Toyota, has made the CR-V Hybrid even more exciting to drive than its regular gas-powered sibling. The CR-V is more fuel efficient than the RAV4 Prime, but the Tucson’s standard and Sportage hybrid variants are more potent than their pure gas counterparts. The Hyundai Tucson PHEV is the closest thing to the Prime, though it’s slow and unable to handle off-road jobs. The Subaru Forester is capable off-road but lacks the traditional hybrid or PHEV variant.
Toyota RAV4 fuel efficiency, range, power consumption, and charging:
The RAV4 Prime gets 40 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 38 mpg combined. It has an all-electric range of 42 miles, bringing the MPGe, or total gas economy, to 94. That’s the most extended all-electric range of any 2023 PHEV, with only the Volvo S60 T8 coming close to recharging. No other SUV comes close to 36. The battery can be recharged in 12 hours using a local outlet and the built-in 6.6kW charger. On a 240V charger (also known as a Level 2 charger), this time is reduced to 2.5 hours.
The Hyundai Tucson PHEV has a fuel economy of 35 mpg and an all-electric range of 33 miles. The Honda CR-V Hybrid comes close to matching the RAV4 Prime’s allure, but it falls short. It gets 40 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined. The RAV4 Hybrid gets 40 mpg combined when unplugged.
Safety and Driver Assistance Technology: Toyota RAV4
Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 is standard on all RAV4 Prime models. It includes automatic emergency braking, forward collision warnings, lane departure alerts, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, road sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Toyota also offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Blind Spot Monitoring. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety did not rate the 2023 RAV4, but the 2022 model achieved its highest rating in Top Safety Pick+. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet inspected it.
The 2022 CR-V was named Top Safety Pick+, while the Rogue and Tucson were named Top Safety Pick+. The score variance is primarily related to crash-test performance rather than equipment, as all compact SUVs have many safety features.
Room and Comfort: Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 Prime cabin is comfortable, but it doesn’t have as much space as many competitors. The Prime has 37.7 inches of legroom and 41 inches of legroom up front, roughly equal to the CR-V. On the other hand, the seatback is only 37.8 inches long, which is significantly less than the Honda’s 40.1 inches. If the owner does not need to use the back seat, these numbers do not matter, but many do, so they often buy an SUV.
Toyota comes with a power-adjustable driver’s seat and cloth seats as standard. The seats can be made to look like leather, and the front seats are heated by default. The Premium package for the XSE can be upgraded to include heated rear seats, and the Weather and Sunroof package for the SE can add a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a power sunroof.
Information and entertainment:
Toyota has been near the bottom for a long time because its infotainment system is old and heavy, although it is better in terms of quality and reliability. On the other hand, the new RAV4 Prime has Toyota’s latest interface, which has smoother menu changes and a more user-friendly navigation system. Also, the screen is now 8 inches instead of 7 inches, and the most expensive version has a 10.5-inch screen. Most have a 7-inch screen, but you can get by with a 12.3-inch screen.
With the latest updates, Honda’s infotainment system has lagged behind Toyota’s. However, they both have the standard wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, so the experience is more or less the same. The Nissan Rogue’s touchscreen system isn’t the easiest, but it’s better than the Honda’s. Hyundai’s system is easier to use and has fewer menu changes. This makes using it less distracting while driving.
Cargo and storage space: Toyota RAV4
One problem with plug-in hybrids and electric cars built with gas-first platforms is that adding batteries tends to take up space that could be used for other things. This is an issue for the RAV4 Prime, as its cargo room is much smaller than others in its class when the rear seats are folded down. The Toyota has 63.1 cubic feet of space, while the CR-V Hybrid has 68.7 cubic feet. The RAV4 has 69.8 cubic feet of gas. The Tucson PHEV is a little bigger, but Toyota gave the RAV4 Prime a flat loading floor at a good height, which makes loading and unloading things much more accessible.
The RAV4 Prime can tow up to 2,500 pounds, more than a Kia Sportage Hybrid (2,000 pounds) or a Honda CR-V Hybrid (1,500 pounds). So Toyota could quickly compensate for the slightly smaller space by sending extra bags into a carry-on nightmare.
Style and design:
Toyota’s design works well with its cars and looks good on its trucks, but it doesn’t work for its SUVs. With the RAV4, it seems like they want to use some TRD Pro style from the Tacoma and Tundra, but then the designers remember that this is a small crossover, not a truck. The RAV4 doesn’t focus on one thing, like power or turning, but simultaneously on both.
But here’s the truth: We spend more time in our cars than driving them, and RAV4 buyers know what they want. These crossovers always sell the most, and part of that is because their room only goes one way.
With the RAV4 Prime, you get that high-end Toyota flavor. That means the front seats are great, comfortable, and supportive, and the climate, radio volume, and tuning controls have large knobs that are easy to grab and go. Even if the entire cabin is made of plastic, the plastic looks good and is not cheap. As you might expect from a Toyota product, the panel’s fit between the lines is about as good as you can get from a Mercedes E-class.
Is the 2023 Toyota RAV Prime 4 worth it?
The RAV4 Prime is a pretty good deal if you can find one at MSRP. Since it started in 2021, Prime has always had to contend with retailers’ profit margins that can make prices go up a lot. But this problem will improve in 2023.
There are two trims for the 2023 RAV Prime 4: SE and XSE. The SE starts at $43,675, which includes a delivery fee of $1,335, and the XSE, the top model, starts at $47,545. With so many standard features, the base is the way to go unless you want the XSE for its two-tone look, larger wheels, and convenience features.
While there are other PHEVs in this price range, this particular model of the RAV4 doesn’t come cheap, and it’s more expensive than some luxury cars of a similar size. The gas-powered RAV4 starts at under $30,000 but increases your fuel mileage, which could save you money. The base, plug-in hybrid is an exciting option that costs around $32,000 and looks similar to the other two cars.
The RAV4 Prime used to be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, but new 2023 Inflation Reduction Act rules will likely make it ineligible. The IRS maintains a list of eligible vehicles now. Toyota’s part is blank, which means the company has only registered its intent to make qualifying vehicles. But according to the new rules, the Ford Escape PHEV is the only car that can compete with the RAV4 Prime. This makes the Ford Escape PHEV a perfect choice in its class.
What is the cost of insurance for Toyota RAV Prime 4 2023?
Coverage for the RAV4 Prime should be just as expensive as most other cars in its class. Based on available data, the average annual premium for a 30-year-old driver with a clean record is $2,160, but that’s the average for all 50 states. A Honda CR-V Hybrid owner might pay $50.1, a Hyundai Tucson Hybrid costs $920.1, and a Kia Sportage Hybrid costs over $960.1.
