Toyota RAV4 Prime - Plug-In Hybrid

[s0me0nesmind1]

Just put in a pre-order for this. Sadly won't be getting it until like... January of next year. Also comes with a $7,500 Fed tax credit


Wife wants an electrical car, but getting a Tesla for a decent price isn't always feasible... That and we need an SUV now with 2 kids.

We were originally going to go with a standard RAV4 Hybrid - but we got wind of the new RAV4 Prime coming out - which is basically the Hybrid with a fat battery stacked on it that gets ~42 miles on a full charge. Perfect for keeping it electric on short daily-work commutes, but also has the flexibility to do a long-ass road trip via gas.


Thoughts on the Prime? Is this the future? Toyota has always been slow to adopt full-electric, and I can see why... SUVs/Trucks are selling like crazy. Cars aren't.

2025 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid | Toyota.com

Charge up your drive with the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid (previously the RAV4 Prime). With fuel-efficient plug-in power and spacious comfort, it's ready for every adventure.

www.toyota.com

 

[RearAdmiral]

Seems great w/ the rebate! Someone in my family got the hybrid. It is much smaller than I thought it would be. I wasn't expecting a highlander or anything but it is a lot closer to a crosstrek than I was anticipating.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Seems great w/ the rebate! Someone in my family got the hybrid. It is much smaller than I thought it would be. I wasn't expecting a highlander or anything but it is a lot closer to a crosstrek than I was anticipating.

Really?

I thought it seemed plenty big enough - I remember when I was going through SUVs to try and narrow down which ones we wanted... I checked Nissan, Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura, and a couple others and based on the "cargo space" metric, it looked like the RAV4 was generally high on the list vs. other equivalent ones.

But yeah - the rebate really helps justify it. Still.... it's going to cost me $50k before that rebate with the upgrades.

Also check out the warranty on it... 12 Years / 150k miles on the battery.

 

[herm0016]

its the suv form of the volt! GD GM we probably would have already gotten one if you built it. we love the volt, but its quite small.

 

[RearAdmiral]

Really?

I thought it seemed plenty big enough - I remember when I was going through SUVs to try and narrow down which ones we wanted... I checked Nissan, Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura, and a couple others and based on the "cargo space" metric, it looked like the RAV4 was generally high on the list vs. other equivalent ones.

But yeah - the rebate really helps justify it. Still.... it's going to cost me $50k before that rebate with the upgrades.

Also check out the warranty on it... 12 Years / 150k miles on the battery.

That is an amazing battery warranty. Prorated? I could also say that my wife has an '11 Rogue(turd) and it looks like basically the same size. Looks like the RAV-4 has a few more cubes of cargo space. Pretty darn nice overall, was just smaller than I though it would be.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

its the suv form of the volt! GD GM we probably would have already gotten one if you built it. we love the volt, but its quite small.

I *THINK* ford does have a plug-in hybrid SUV

Fake Edit: Yeah, Ford Escape - saying it should be available in Spring 2020. https://www.ford.com/suvs-crossovers/escape/models/escape-se-plug-in-hybrid/

 

[ponyo]

Plug in hybrid like Prime is definitely not the future but with that tax credit, it's not bad vehicle to buy until pure EVs are cheaper and better.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Plug in hybrid like Prime is definitely not the future but with that tax credit, it's not bad vehicle to buy until pure EVs are cheaper and better.

I think we have a long way to go though - I honestly wouldn't want to do something like drive from TX to FL on a 300 mile all-electric SUV - just knowing that multiple times during the journey you will have to stop for a matter of HOURS for it to re-charge.

Until we get something like hot-swapping batteries (which won't be for 15+ years if even that), Hybrids definitely seem like the way to go.

 

[ponyo]

I think we have a long way to go though - I honestly wouldn't want to do something like drive from TX to FL on a 300 mile all-electric SUV - just knowing that multiple times during the journey you will have to stop for a matter of HOURS for it to re-charge.

Until we get something like hot-swapping batteries (which won't be for 15+ years if even that), Hybrids definitely seem like the way to go.

You're way off in charging time. But I agree we need more charging stations. But even at current state, I would buy Model Y over RAV4 Prime if I needed crossover.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

You're way off in charging time. But I agree we need more charging stations. But even at current state, I would buy Model Y over RAV4 Prime if I needed crossover.

Wife has a BMW i3 - if you are LUCKY to get a full-blown Super-Charger (480), it still takes about an hour+ to charge the I3. Depending on the battery size, I figure it will only take longer for a full-sized SUV one.

That - and like I said, super chargers just aren't the majority. Most are standard 120/240

You don't think hot-swapping batteries would make more sense in the distant future? If Amazon has taught us anything, it's that 'Mericans don't want to wait...

 

[ponyo]

Wife has a BMW i3 - if you are LUCKY to get a full-blown Super-Charger (480), it still takes about an hour+ to charge the I3. Depending on the battery size, I figure it will only take longer for a full-sized SUV one.

That - and like I said, super chargers just aren't the majority. Most are standard 120/240

You don't think hot-swapping batteries would make more sense in the distant future? If Amazon has taught us anything, it's that 'Mericans don't want to wait...

Generally it shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to charge Model Y to 80% at Tesla Supercharger. However it can take longer if there's some other Tesla vehicle charging next to you as you'll have to share the bandwidth on V2 Supercharger. V3 Superchargers don't have that limitation and can even charge faster but V3 are only starting to roll out. It will be awhile before V3 are common.

Hot swapping batteries doesn't make sense. We just need more chargers that can charge at Supercharger speeds everywhere along the major interstates.

 

[herm0016]

my last road trip, we drove 1100 miles home, starting at 7 pm and getting home the next afternoon, sleeping for a few hrs in a truck stop. 800 of that was like 5am to 6 pm. we stopped 5 times in that 1100 miles, and that is sort of a typical senerio for us. realistically driving an EV with a 300 mile range, assuming you want to charge at 75%, are using the AC because its 100 degrees outside. at least 6 or 7 stops at at least an hr each if you can find fast charge and its a reasonable distance from your route. Minimum you are spending 7 hrs longer, and i would say more likly to be spending 12 hrs longer on a trip like that. routes were WI, IA, NE, CO and CO,WY,SD,MN,WI,MI (upper peninsula) I would guess we would not find much charging infrastructure in most of those states along our route. A pure EV is great as a smaller, more local machine, but its still not going to fill all roles.

we love our volt. barely use any gas in it. a full EV would replace it, but we would still be using a gas vehicle for any long trip or winter trip in the mountains... stuck by an avalanche on I70? could be many many hrs before you can go again, and you could die without heat. I wont be relying on an EV for that.

i think EREV or PHEV is going to be a great choice for a lot of people.

 

[foghorn67]

I'm shopping for the conventional hybrid right now. Seems like a good car.

 

[rstrohkirch]

The build config on this vehicle doesn't seem to be up yet. I assume when you say pre-order you meant a down payment for an allocation that you'll config later? Or do the dealers have the option guide on paper?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

The build config on this vehicle doesn't seem to be up yet. I assume when you say pre-order you meant a down payment for an allocation that you'll config later? Or do the dealers have the option guide on paper?

Just put in a down payment - he did mention coming in later at some point to do additional config...

But I'll be honest (I don't buy cars often - and I ESPECIALLY don't buy new cars) I don't know what else I need to configure. So far I've picked the model (XLE - The other option is LE), I picked the color, and I picked the additional packages.

I can't think of anything else I care about configuring or additional features.

 

[ondma]

my last road trip, we drove 1100 miles home, starting at 7 pm and getting home the next afternoon, sleeping for a few hrs in a truck stop. 800 of that was like 5am to 6 pm. we stopped 5 times in that 1100 miles, and that is sort of a typical senerio for us. realistically driving an EV with a 300 mile range, assuming you want to charge at 75%, are using the AC because its 100 degrees outside. at least 6 or 7 stops at at least an hr each if you can find fast charge and its a reasonable distance from your route. Minimum you are spending 7 hrs longer, and i would say more likly to be spending 12 hrs longer on a trip like that. routes were WI, IA, NE, CO and CO,WY,SD,MN,WI,MI (upper peninsula) I would guess we would not find much charging infrastructure in most of those states along our route. A pure EV is great as a smaller, more local machine, but its still not going to fill all roles.

we love our volt. barely use any gas in it. a full EV would replace it, but we would still be using a gas vehicle for any long trip or winter trip in the mountains... stuck by an avalanche on I70? could be many many hrs before you can go again, and you could die without heat. I wont be relying on an EV for that.

i think EREV or PHEV is going to be a great choice for a lot of people.

Yea, this. No matter how much Ponyo tries to push Teslas, range is a serious limitation on all electric vehicle, unless you have more than one car. Now if you have 2 or 3 cars and one is ICE, you could take that on trips, or rent a car I suppose. But OTOH, who wants to pay 50k plus for a car that is handicapped for taking long trips.

 

[Torn Mind]

Plug in hybrid like Prime is definitely not the future but with that tax credit, it's not bad vehicle to buy until pure EVs are cheaper and better.

Gas will always be in the future. Being grid-proof is one of the wonders of gas energy. Although it won't be a bad thing to become economically independent and free from Middle East oil, there's damn good reason oil is still the black gold of the world.

EVs are residential grade tools for owner-occupied houses in suburbia and inner cities with garages. The equivalent of a Craftsman or Anker product. Good enough for commuting to regular jobs sitting in the morning till evening but insufficient for "work".

Never mind the inevitable bugs that having that much electricity at a charging station can have(hint: electrical fires).
Charging stations ought to bring back full service just because of the wait. In fact, a Hooters+charging station concept wouldn't be half bad in some California town.

 

[ondma]

Gas will always be in the future. Being grid-proof is one of the wonders of gas energy. Although it won't be a bad thing to become economically independent and free from Middle East oil, there's damn good reason oil is still the black gold of the world.

EVs are residential grade tools for owner-occupied houses in suburbia and inner cities with garages. The equivalent of a Craftsman or Anker product. Good enough for commuting to regular jobs sitting in the morning till evening but insufficient for "work".

Never mind the inevitable bugs that having that much electricity at a charging station can have(hint: electrical fires).
Charging stations ought to bring back full service just because of the wait. In fact, a Hooters+charging station concept wouldn't be half bad in some California town.

Hmmm....
How about a hooters/EV charging oasis like over the interstates around chicago.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

That is an amazing battery warranty. Prorated? I could also say that my wife has an '11 Rogue(turd) and it looks like basically the same size. Looks like the RAV-4 has a few more cubes of cargo space. Pretty darn nice overall, was just smaller than I though it would be.

RAV4 was also high on my list of options for a prospective new or recent-model car.

I've been spoiled by my midsize SUV. Vehicles like the RAV4, the Suburu Forester and some others are not "true SUVs" because they aren't built on a frame and concept similar to a workhorse pickup truck. I think some of them are of "uni-body" construction. But -- they're good vehicles, and rugged enough.

I've held back buying a newer car for several reasons, but among them was a reticence about new technology and an unwillingness to invest in early years of battery-driven models. The warranty cited on the RAV4 for the battery is reassuring. Another year and I'll be able to start shopping.

. . . Provided there is a vaccine for COVID-19. I'm horrified at the thought of getting into the car for a test drive with a salesman who has multitudes of daily contacts, when the car itself may be carrying viral particles from other customers in test drives.

In the meantime, I'm obsessively pursuing my project with what sounds like a Sci-Fi movie: "Android Trooper". More on that in other threads. I wouldn't want to annoy anyone here . . .

 

[Torn Mind]

Hmmm....
How about a hooters/EV charging oasis like over the interstates around chicago.

"Strip club at a pit stop" has a catchy cadence. At least in my head

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Yahoo! Looks like production of these are going better/quicker than expected. Originally wasn't expecting to get the RAV4 Fusion until Dec 2020 or Jan 2021, but just got a call that it's currently in production and will be done around end of September, maybe mid-October at the latest.


Also confirmed via fueleconomy.gov that it will qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit

 

[Wreckem]

They are expected to be marked up $5-10k over MSRP...

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

They are expected to be marked up $5-10k over MSRP...

I have in all honesty... never bought a car new until now.... nor have I pre-ordered a vehicle.... So I'm not sure what to expect or when to expect it.

My understanding is I will pay MSRP + stuff like a few hundred for a delivery fee since they are moving it across country specifically for me....

We will see when it comes time to actually fully signing once it arrives....

Thus far the only things I have signed or been given has been MSRP labeled pricing.

 

[rstrohkirch]

If the dealership already agreed to MSRP and you signed paper work for it then you're fine. Not that they couldn't try and pull something but it would be a rare case. Even when there are market areas that try and over charge for vehicles there are always markets that aren't. No different then accepting 2% off during negotiations or going out of state and getting 8% off during negotiations then shipping.

For pricing, all vehicles have a delivery fee and most add that on top of the MSRP. Toyota charges $1175 for theirs on this SUV. Then you have sales tax, dealership fees and government fees. I'm not sure what your sales tax is but your total purchase price assuming a base model Rav 4 Prime is probably about $42k or about $45k after you tack on interest from the loan with 0 down.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

If the dealership already agreed to MSRP and you signed paper work for it then you're fine. Not that they couldn't try and pull something but it would be a rare case. Even when there are market areas that try and over charge for vehicles there are always markets that aren't. No different then accepting 2% off during negotiations or going out of state and getting 8% off during negotiations then shipping.

For pricing, all vehicles have a delivery fee and most add that on top of the MSRP. Toyota charges $1175 for theirs on this SUV. Then you have sales tax, dealership fees and government fees. I'm not sure what your sales tax is but your total purchase price assuming a base model Rav 4 Prime is probably about $42k or about $45k after you tack on interest from the loan with 0 down.

I ended up getting the XSE with Premium package, so it will end up being more.

According to the email I received for MSRP the base of the XSE is $42,670. Tack on an extra $5,760 for the premium package and were at $48,430. Now tack on another $1k for delivery... then tack on 8.25% for TX sales tax and I'm probably looking at ~$55k with dealer fees. Yikes. Good thing I'm the type of person that will drive this car until the wheels fall off.


But - what helps soften the wound is definitely going to be the $7,500 federal tax credit - then on top of that I discovered that my state will also give me a $2,500 rebate for it... so all and all, around $45k.