The Toyota RAV4 Prime starts out at an MSRP of $43,690. Around fifteen thousand dollars more than a base RAV4, at $28,675, but it’s more powerful by a margin of around 100 horses, and you can go 42 miles on the battery alone, meaning that you could theoretically drive this thing every single day for weeks without having to burn any gas. Keep in mind that you’ll need a Level 2 home charger to get the most out of any PHEV.
$43,690 is just the starting point, of course. If you really want to drive in style, the RAV4 Prime is offered with a range of upgrades that can make the morning commute a little more comfortable if you’ve got the cash to spend. Here’s what you’ll be spending and what you’re getting in a fully loaded Toyota RAV4 Prime.
This article’s information was sourced from Toyota’s website, while the running costs were sourced from
RepairPal
and
CarEdge
.
A Look At The RAV4 Prime
Toyota
Engine
2.5-Liter 4-Cylinder Hybrid
Power
302 hp
Torque
165 lb-ft
Configuration
AWD
Transmission
1-Speed CVT
All-Electric Range
42 Miles
Fuel Economy
38 MPG/94 MPGe
While a RAV4 Prime offers the convenience of fewer trips to the gas station, the EPA estimates typical use only saves the average driver around $400 a year on gas over the standard RAV4. That means it would take you decades to make up the $15,015 price difference, and that’s before we add in the cost of replacing the traction battery every ten years or so.
With all of that in mind, you have to look at the RAV4 Prime not as a way to save money in the long term but as an upmarket version of the SUV. It’s a fuel-saver, but it’s not a money-saver. That is, simply buying the hybrid RAV4 means you’re already spending extra for a superior driving experience. The RAV4 Prime delivers 302 horsepower to the base model’s 203 hp, and it hits 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, whereas the standard RAV4 takes a minimum of 8 seconds to get there, which honestly feels downright sluggish if you’ve already driven the plug-in variant.
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The PHEVs listed here are ranked by their J.D. Power reliability rating, and they all sell at a base MSRP below $50,000.
At present, the RAV4 Prime does not qualify for a federal tax credit if you buy it. Leasing a RAV4 Prime may score a $6,500 credit, but that credit goes to the dealer, not to the buyer unless they want to pass the savings on, which they are under no obligation to do. In any event, we’re looking at the total sticker price here, so the focus will be on the cost of buying an RAV4 Prime.
What this all means is that there are only two reasons to buy a RAV4 Prime over a base RAV4: either you’re really committed to reducing your emissions, or you like that the Prime is noticeably more powerful than the ICE-powered SUV it’s based on. Right up front we’ll tell you that the second reason is the smart one. If you just want to cut your emissions, a Hyundai Kona Electric will cost you around $33,660, and it’ll never burn a drop of gas as long as you drive it.
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Enthusiasts aren’t fond of CVTs, but wait until they see the cars on this list.
As for charge times, the RAV4 Prime is reported to charge to full in about 12 hours on a 110v charger or just 2.5 hours on a 220v charger. The 220v charge time is a two-hour improvement over the 2023 model, which took 4.5 hours to fill up at 220v. Charging costs are pretty marginal. With an 18.1 kWh battery and a national average of 15 cents per kWh, you’re looking at a bill of around $2.70 for a full charge. If three dollars of electricity is going to scare you off of a new SUV, you might want to find something cheaper.
When we first got our hands on the RAV4 Prime in 2021, we named it the best RAV4 we’d ever driven. The Prime should appeal to people who want to do some moderate-duty Toyota-style off-roading and drivers who are looking for a family car but who want to feel a little bit of oomph when they hit the gas pedal. The appeal of this SUV is that you get a fair amount of power for the price. Gas savings are a secondary consideration, so bear that in mind when you ask yourself whether the PHEV is worth the extra fifteen thousand bucks.
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Here’s What All The Upgrades Will Cost You
Toyota
The RAV4 Prime is available in two trim levels: the base SE and the $47,560 XSE. Mechanically, these are both the exact same SUVs. But the XSE packs a 10.5-inch touchscreen compared to the SE’s 8-inch touchscreen, plus an 11-speaker JBL sound system, a power tilt/slide moonroof, and some extra cosmetic touches like silver door handles. It also opens up a number of option packages you can’t get in the SE.
From there, here’s what each upgrade is going to cost us:
Blueprint, Wind Chill Pearl, or Supersonic Red metallic roof – $425Rear outboard heated seating with weather package – $815All-weather floor mats and cargo mat – $449Body side molding – $269Crossbars – $369Mudguards – $150Paint protection hood & door package – $748Phone cable charge package – $79Toyoguard Platinum – $69
Fully Loaded RAV4 Prime XSE (with Delivery Fee)
$52,913
If we add a 6% tax and calculate that into a 60-month loan with a $10,000 down payment and a 5% interest rate, we get a total cost of $65,064 after interest and taxes.
Is A Fully-Loaded Toyota RAV4 Prime Worth The Price Tag?
RepairPal estimates an annual maintenance cost of around $441 for a typical Toyota. The most expensive issues you might have with a RAV4 Prime will be an oil pump replacement, starting at around $2,051, new exhaust manifolds at $1,129, and new fuel injectors, at $832. All of these repairs have been reported in low enough numbers that RepairPal doesn’t even have an annual maintenance estimate for the model itself.
CarEdge estimates that the RAV4 Prime will retain around 78% of its original value after five years, and 49% after ten. This puts it well ahead of a typical SUV in terms of depreciation. A Ford Explorer, for instance, will only hold 63% of its value after five years, and just under 39% after ten.
The 2024 RAV4 Prime hasn’t generated any recalls or investigations with the NHTSA as yet, and it holds a five-star safety rating with the Administration. The 2022 model lists three recalls, one for a potential electrical fire in over 40,000 units, one for faulty airbags in over 3,500 units, and one for stability control issues in nearly half a million Toyota and Lexus models. None of these issues seem to extend to the 2024 model.
Related What Is The Secret To Toyota’s Reliability?
Anyone who knows anything will tell you that Toyotas are reliable. But, ask them why, and they may draw a blank.
Based on the brand’s track record for reliable, low-maintenance performance, a Toyota is almost always going to be a smarter purchase than a comparable vehicle that is not made by Toyota. It’s when you compare a Toyota to another Toyota that you start wondering if you’re wasting your money.
The biggest upgrades you’re getting when you buy the most expensive RAV4 Prime you can buy are the moonroof and the premium sound system, both of which come standard in the XSE, and do not require you to spend any extra money on options, packages, and add-ons. A set of mudguards or some crossbars for the roof might be a must in your book, but if you’re buying a fully-loaded RAV4 Prime just to say that you own a fully-loaded RAV4 Prime, that’s about four thousand dollars worth of upgrades that you’ll probably never even notice you have.
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If you live somewhere cold, the $815 rear outboard heated seats are probably worth the expense, and Toyoguard Platinum will probably save you some money on maintenance in the long run. Beyond that, we’d have to say that the value proposition really peaks with a stock XSE model. And if a moonroof and premium audio aren’t that necessary for your needs, you might as well go with the base SE.
And if you don’t think you need an extra hundred hp under the hood, you might as well drive a standard RAV4. It costs about fifteen thousand dollars less, and you won’t have to shell out another ten thousand bucks on a new traction battery every ten years or so.