Toyota today revealed details of its first-ever plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime, whose 302-hp gas-electric powertrain promises to deliver 60 km of electric driving range.
Positioned as a premium, high-performance addition to the range, the RAV4 Prime will be the most powerful version of the compact crossover when it arrives next year, with Toyota projecting a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration time of 5.8 seconds. Toyota says that figure makes the RAV4 Prime its second-quickest model in that speed test next to the Supra.
The RAV4 Prime's promises 60 km of EV range, which Toyota claims is better than any other PHEV SUV available today.
That performance comes partly from a 2.5L four-cylinder gas engine shared with the standard RAV4 Hybrid, but tuned for a bit more torque. The gas-powered engine works with a pair of electric motors -- one up front and a second at the rear axle to provide AWD grip -- that are fed by a 17.8 kWh battery pack. Paddle shifters will let the driver adjust the amount of regenerative braking; Toyota stops short of calling this one-pedal driving, but it will simulate engine braking for maintaining speed in downhill driving.
Toyota's fuel consumption estimate for the RAV4 Prime is 2.6 Le/100 km when running in all-electric mode; the company does not say how long charging the Prime's battery will take.
Befitting its place as a performance-oriented option, the RAV4 Prime comes in Toyota's sporty SE and XSE trim levels.
SE's exterior will wear 18-inch wheels, trim-specific grille and lower spoiler, and piano black accents. Interior kit will include heated front seats, an eight-way power driver's seat, 7.0-inch driver info display, an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift lever. In addition to the standard Toyota Safety Sense suite (forward collision detection with automatic braking, radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and automatic high beams), the RAV4 Prime SE will also get blind spot monitoring.
XSE's additions are a two-tone paint scheme with a black roof, 19-inch wheels, vertical LED front accent lighting, synthetic leather upholstery, wireless smartphone charging, ambient lighting, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with integrated garage door remote. This package also includes what Toyota calls the "largest multimedia screen in any RAV4 ever," but provides no specifics. Another package will add rear cross traffic braking and front and rear park assist with automatic braking to the RAV4 Prime XSE.
Toyota says the RAV4 Prime will arrive at Canadian dealers in summer 2020 as a 2021 model. Pricing will be announced closer to the car's market launch.
You may also like
