2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

Name: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review
Brand: Toyota
Price: 28000 USD

Toyota RAV4 Prime SE 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

+134

The RAV4 Prime scores big on fuel economy and power. In our testing, we easily got the EPA-estimated 42 miles of electric-only range. The RAV4 Prime is also quick to accelerate to highway speeds and gets strong scores in regard to comfort, interior quality and technology.

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2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

byDan Edmunds^{Director, Vehicle Testing
Dan is a mechanical engineer by trade and spent 16 years developing new cars for two automakers before coming to Edmunds as its director of vehicle testing.}

Pros

42 miles of electric-only driving range
Impressively quick acceleration
Comfortable and quiet ride
Generous cargo and passenger space

Cons

Very low handling capabilities
Longer-than-average braking distances
Disconnected steering feel
Uncomfortable front passenger seat

What's new

All-new plug-in hybrid variant
Offers an estimated 42 miles of all-electric power
Based on the fifth-generation RAV4 introduced for 2019

Overview

Toyota has been applying a "Prime" moniker to its Toyota Prius for a few years now. That plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Prius has a slightly higher price and a somewhat bigger battery that enables 25 miles of electric driving before the engine comes to life. It's sensible — if you can plug it in and recharge it nightly — but that's about all. The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime shares that nondescript suffix, and perhaps unfortunately so. This is a much more interesting and more compelling plug-in hybrid than the Prius Prime.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.20 per gallon for regular unleaded and $0.15 per kWh for electricity in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$81/mo

$184/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

The reason why boils down to two points. The RAV4 Prime's battery is significantly bigger, and that gives this small SUV an estimated all-electric range of 42 miles. That's a truly useful number that will cover most daily commutes — especially when you know you can safely run it to zero and let the gasoline engine seamlessly keep the party moving. On top of that, the RAV4 Prime has bigger electric motors that make it significantly quicker than any other RAV4. Or just about any other small SUV for that matter.

Even with 302 horsepower, the RAV4 Prime isn't particularly fun to drive. But it is a compelling plug-in hybrid that delivers exceptional economy and practicality.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.8

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

How does the RAV4 Prime drive? The RAV4 Prime gets up to speed much better than its standard or hybrid siblings. In Edmunds testing it reached 60 mph in an impressively quick 5.6 seconds. The regular RAV4, for example, needs a comparatively unhurried 9.1 seconds. The RAV4 Prime is also smooth and easy to drive under typical commuting conditions.

Unfortunately, Toyota has failed to back up the muscular powertrain with any sort of dynamic athleticism. Handling is pretty abysmal, with prevalent body roll and vague steering that makes it hard to judge the right amount of input. The electronic driver assistants also freak out at the smallest provocation. Another demerit comes from the brakes. The RAV4 Prime's pedal feel is overly soft. Panic-stopping performance in our testing was below average for a small SUV.

Comfort

7.5/10

How comfortable is the RAV4 Prime? The driver's seat has enough adjustments to allow you to easily find a comfortable seating position. But the front passenger seat has fewer adjustments, which might lead to a few complaints on long trips. The available simulated leather upholstery (Toyota's SofTex) breathes well and is definitely helped on hot days by the available seat ventilation. The rear seats are also praiseworthy for the better-than-average thigh support.

The RAV4 Prime's ride quality is biased more toward comfort than performance, delivering a smooth ride over road imperfections. Road and wind noise is abated to pleasant levels, though the gasoline engine sounds unrefined when you're aggressively accelerating. Otherwise, it's pleasantly muted.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? The RAV4 Prime gets strong scores here. The controls are well labeled and logically grouped for easy operation. The drive modes don't explain what they fully do (you'll definitely need to read the manual), but every other system is very intuitive. Entry and exit are helped by an ideal ride height and big door openings; shorter passengers can get in easily and taller people won't have to stoop to get in.

There is enough headroom and legroom for 6-footers in any seat. Forward visibility is praiseworthy thanks to narrow front windshield pillars, but the side view is obscured by the thick pillar between the front and rear doors. One other gripe is that the touchscreen is too far away from the driver.

Technology

8.0/10

How’s the tech? The available 9-inch screen makes most infotainment interactions quick, easy and distraction-free. It's quick to react, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as standard. The size and placement of physical shortcut buttons could be improved for less distraction. The JBL audio upgrade will get you stronger bass and clarity, but it's not all that impressive.

Toyota's advanced safety features generally function as they should. We're especially fond of the traffic-adaptive cruise control that proves its worth whether you're on a free-flowing highway or stuck in traffic. But the lane-keeping assist feature tends to add too much steering effort for anything but straight highway cruising.

Storage

8.0/10

How’s the storage? The RAV4 Prime takes a small hit when it comes to cargo capacity, accommodating 33.5 cubic feet as opposed to the standard RAV4's 37.6 cubic feet. Still, there's plenty of space for all your luggage, and you can fold the rear seats down with minimal effort. Interior storage is helped by some extra shelves cut into the dash, a wireless charging pad, and a good-size center armrest bin.

Parents with young kids will appreciate the RAV4. It's easy to locate and connect safety seats to the lower car seat anchors. Likewise, tethering to the three upper anchors is straightforward. Forward-facing seats and boosters fit readily, but installing a rear-facing infant seat on the passenger side will likely require scooting the front seat up. The too-high front passenger seat is the issue.

Fuel Economy

9.0/10

How’s the fuel economy? On our standardized evaluation route, the RAV4 Prime easily logged 48 miles of electric-only propulsion (6 miles better than the EPA estimate). That's enough to cover most people's average commute and daily driving. Once the gas engine kicked in, we averaged about 34 mpg, which is similar to the RAV4 Hybrid. You can also likely drive nearly 600 miles with a full tank of gas and fully charged battery.

Value

8.5/10

Is the RAV4 Prime a good value? The RAV4 Prime is quite a bit more expensive than the regular RAV4. It will take a while to recoup the cost of a Prime compared to buying a regular RAV4 Hybrid based on gas savings alone.

The Prime's build quality is good enough to justify the price, and some nice touches are exclusive to this plug-in hybrid model. The warranty for hybrid components is extended past Toyota's usual coverage. Two years of free scheduled maintenance is also included.

Wildcard

8.0/10

As disappointing as the RAV4 Prime may be when it comes to performance and driving entertainment, it's an admirable plug-in hybrid SUV. Its easily achieved 42-mile EV range almost doubles that of its closest rivals (Kia Niro and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV). It certainly doesn't hurt that it gets up to highway speeds quickly, and the sharp styling might attract shoppers away from the less traditional competition.

Which RAV4 Prime does Edmunds recommend?

Consider sticking with the SE to maximize the RAV4's affordability. The XSE has more standard features — and offers optional features you can't get on the SE — but none of them are must-haves. You get the same fuel economy and performance with either trim level.

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime models

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime is a plug-in hybrid variant of the standard five-passenger RAV4 that is classified as a small SUV. It is offered in SE and XSE trims that are equivalent to the higher trims available on the standard RAV4.

SE
The base SE trim is well appointed with feature highlights that include:

A four-cylinder engine plus three hybrid electric motor-generators
18.1-kWh lithium-ion battery back
Combined output of 302 horsepower
All-wheel drive
Power liftgate
Heated front seats
8-inch touchscreen
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The SE also includes:

Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the RAV4 Prime and the car in front)
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane keeping assist (steers the RAV4 Prime back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)

XSE
The XSE adds several niceties, such as:

Two-tone roof (black)
Sunroof (optional on SE)
Paddle shifters
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
9-inch touchscreen
Wireless charging pad
Simulated leather upholstery
Interior ambient lighting

The Weather package starts off the RAV4 Prime's bundled options with:

Heated steering wheel
Heated rear outboard seats
Automatic wipers with de-icers

The Audio package is only offered with the XSE trim and includes:

Weather package
JBL audio system upgrade
Built-in navigation system and online destination help

Finally, the Premium package (also XSE only) rounds out the add-ons with:

Panoramic sunroof
Hands-free liftgate
Adaptive headlights
Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking
Quicker hybrid battery recharging capability
Ventilated front seats
Driver-seat memory settings
Head-up display
Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area)
Household-style power outlet in the cargo area
Surround-view parking camera system

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime.

5 (73%)

4 (12%)

3 (8%)

2 (5%)

1 (2%)

4.5

64 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Great value, favorite vehicle I've owned

Prime in New England, 12/14/2020

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)

I'd looked at and test drove the audi Q5 and Volvo xc60. Q5 is definitely nice but the performance, tech, value and environmentally friendliness made the Rav4 Prime the winner hands down. What I like: Quiet but sci-fi like sounding electric motor, smooth as silk ride, fast acceleration. Nice mid-point range size between my former Outback and my wife's Highlander. Went with a white SE …

Optimus Prime it's not. It's better from my POV

JT2QUICK, 11/23/2022

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)

I Bought my 2021 Rav4 Prime SE 06/06/2021. As of 11/21/2022 driven it 26247 miles. Fuel/electric cost is below. Wanted to drive it for over a year before really posting a review from my POV. Not gonna get into tech and specs. Plenty of articles out there already. To give you a better idea whether it "Might" be a good fit for you. I drive 67 miles round trip 4 days a week. Saturday and … Sunday driving about 40 miles a day. Towing small 4 X 6 Trailer once every month or so, hauling total of about 1200 lbs. No problems at all. That E-10(forget it) use only good non-ethanol 87octane. Fuel cost for me is higher as I use Top Tier Fuel everytime, about $.40 to $.60 average higher than cheapy regular gas. Road traveled, generally level overall. Located 1260 feet above sea level. Only use Level one home charging. No level TWO Charger. Conservative driver but at times forget now and then to plug-in, only human. No off-roading, no pedal-to-metal drag racing, fast and furious wannabe. Just a regular smuck. No Moon/Sun roof. No fancy 20 speaker JBL ear popping entertainment system. Pros: Two times I got 61 miles just on one charge alone. But I was driving like Miss Daisy and it was the summer time. Vehicle itself is very easily adaptable and accesorizable. Easy to install DRL, Change rear turn sequential turn signals, DIY trailer hitch, customizable B pillars, dash cam cable routing poses no problems. Inside rear hatch dome 20 LED Lights. DIY Engine hood assist struts. Ability to run trailer wiring harness inside of vehicle for ready use with no problems. The DIY maintenance on this is super easy. Filters, Air, fluids. Good ground clearance to not even need to jack it up. DIY oil change a breeze with EZ Drain plug valve. Door handles extremely customizable. DRL easy install. CURT trailer hitch installed myself (easy). Modified side mirror mods also easy to install. Tinted windows 30% more really felt the difference in the OK heat. Overall driver view is great. LTA and other adaptive safety features, pretty good. One touch door locking from outside with using FOB is nice, prevents wear and tear on the FOB. FOB AC/Heat one touch use in Winter time, while inside the garage??? OOH...Yeah baby, A definite nice touch. No Gas, No Fumes, No Mess. Most importantly...living in Oklahoma severe winter ice and snow at times, able to put on and drive with 235/65R17 104 BW BRIDGESTONE BLIZZAK WS70 WINTER TIRES. My OEM is 225/60/R18. For the record, bought the winter tires 11/2013. Used them on old 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. Used them on 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe... Now on Angel. Runs great, with no snags, no scraping, no rubbing on other parts. Clearance is good..so no worries. Due to the Prime's heavy weight, snow tires combined performed extremely well in my opinion during my test run when OKC Airport was shut down 02/02/2021 due to really severe weather. She ran solid with good traction. Even posted a video on youtube about it. Real good for seniors. due to higher ground clearance and how Prime is contructed, my 87 year old mother can get in and out the vehicle without having to squat. Now put on Bridgestone Weatherpeak All-Weather Tires- very nice and worthwhile tires. Cons: Only Now and then during cold weather, under 40 degrees Farenheit, when turning on the heat "Driving" hear a weird groaning noise. People on Rav forum site says, it's normal due to the heat/pump, but nothing to damage the vehicle. Not gonna get into the driver comfort and how others say road handling is not up to par. Maybe because I'm not driving it like it's a sports car, but here's the bottom line about this vehicle. It is one super-efficient, practical, fully capable, customizable, dependable and fun SUV to drive. My recommendation to you is to test drive it and see for yourself. I bought mine out of state right at $41400, after the tax credit, I got of $7250, I ended up really paying just $34150. Is it worth it? A Most Definite "YES"!!!! Here's my fuel/electric cost to give you an idea: Overnight Charge from 0Ev-56EV showing was 14.4kwh @$.0945=$1.37 (so for roughtly 50plus miles of driving it cost me $1.37...not too shabby. City Driving gets me WAY BETTER MILEAGE than Highway driving due to the efficient Re-Generative Charging system of the Prime. Average hybrid gas mileage I was achieving was around 45 HV Average mileage per full charge I was getting was around 51 EV, because at times the gauge would show 48EV after a fuel charge in the winter time, and in the warmer months at times it would be around the 57EV range 1 month’s worth of driving: Drove 1700 miles, with Electrical usage of 381.9kwh @ $.0945kwh per hour - $36.09 and fuel cost of $39.76 = $75.85 and that’s the total driving cost to drive 1700 miles. FYI used 9.96 gals. 6 months Total cost Fuel + Elec= $369 1yr Usage below: Fuel- 131.2 gals KWH- 4133 1 year’s cost of driving: 4133 kwh @ $.0945 per kwh = $391 + (150.16 gals) $512 . Means total cost for me to drive 20,000 miles is $903 (that is not bad for combined electric and fuel cost) FYI: Cost of kwh in my area is $.0945 Now my take on who this vehicle might be a good fit for: 1. Couple with a pet or family of Three. 2. Mostly city drivers (super-efficient in the city) 3. People who do not want to totally rely on just an EV. 4. Need that extra space for hauling stuff 5. Towing stuff under 2500lbs 6. Need a dependable and reliable vehicle. 7. Easy vehicle to maintain like DIYers. 8. People with a garage 9. People who are not in a rush. Been charging mine overnight since I got my Angel. Works just fine for me. 10. Your kwh cost is like mine around $.0945 per kwh, if it’s around $.50kwh well think about it. Tips for saving extra money: 1. Don't get a sunroof/moonroof (they'll leak in time). 2. Don't get the premium entertaiment system, extra $3000, just get yourself an android box, like I did. 3. Forget the rack on top, unless absolutely needed. Can fit a 2ft x 10ft lumber inside with no problem. 4. Purchase a lifetime Alignment at Hibdon's for $99 think about that one. 5. Same for lifetime tire rotations at places like discounttires 6. Use Top Tier Fuel (you'll save yourself and the car in the long run) 7. Purchase a Curt trailer hitch and install it yourself (you can do it, plenty of vidoes out there to help) 8. Don't waste your money on that dealer "extended warranty"(think about what it says it covers and What it “Really” will cover. 9. Shop around for the best "Overall price" in the country. Bought mine out of state, paid $740 to have it transported from Missouri to Oklahoma. Hint, Hint. 10. Last, don't pay for any extras the dealers want to throw at you. Tips when you get one: 1. Re-tint the windows even though it already has the factory tint. 2. Protect the dash with a dashcover 3. When or if you install a trailer hitch, just keep the harness inside, no need to route it under the Floorboard, and out towards the hitch. Rear door hatch will still close properly with no problem 4. Protect the B pillars with a cover. 5. Use Top Tier fuel, when possible, not that junkie E-10 type. Your vehicle will thank you for it. 6. In very Wintery locations, buy yourself dedicated Winter Tires 7. Go beyond the regular maintenance schedule, and change the oil every 5,000 miles same with air filters (don’t be cheap on that $45000 plus vehicle you have). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDIvhcOVCCo

Very quiet ride in EV & HV

Sierra Nevada, 03/11/2021

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)

The ride on EV mode is so smooth. Hybrid mode is a bit louder but I could hardly hear it. Very quiet ride. I wished the backup siren (it’s not beep beep beep😹) were not as loud but I guess it being loud would spook the cat away, so it is effective. You can program via the dash when to allow charge to take place to take advantage of the lower electricity rate during off-peak time. Ample …

Beautiful car for City Ride and Performance

BananaNuke, 07/08/2021

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)

I have owned the Prime SE for over 3 weeks now and have about 900 miles on the ODO. I paid the sticker price of 42,018.00 and it came with Weather&Moonroof package, roof rack cross bars, mudguards, all weather liners, bodyside moldings. I get about 45 miles of EV range driving in the Normal model with Eco AC ON. My dirving is mostly town and backroads, so the speed limits are between 25 …

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2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime video

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Review — 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-in Hybrid MPG, Price, Worth & More

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime is a plug-in hybrid with around 40 miles of pure EV range. It's also the second-quickest vehicle Toyota makes, right behind the Toyota Supra. Mark Takahashi explains why and what else you should know about this compact SUV.

2021 RAV4 Prime Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$38,250
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,125 Based on income
Engine Type	Plug-in hybrid
EPA Electric Range	42 miles
Combined MPGe (Electric + Gas)	94 MPGe^{MPGe is the official metric that the EPA uses to measure the efficiency of alternative-fuel (including electric) vehicles. Just like regular MPG shows how far a car will travel on one gallon of gas, MPGe shows how far a vehicle will drive on 33.7kWh of electricity - the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. Combined MPGe is the combined total of 45% city MPGe + 55% highway MPGe.}
Cost to Drive	$81/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	4.5 hours
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	33.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the RAV4 Prime models:

Pre-Collision with Pedestrian Detection: Detects and warns of potential front impacts, including one involving a pedestrian or cyclist, and automatically engages the brakes.
Blind-Spot Monitoring: Monitors your blind spots for other vehicles, illuminating a warning signal on the outside mirrors.
Lane Departure Alert w/Steering Assist: Monitors the vehicle's position in its lane and corrects steering to avoid exiting the lane unintentionally.

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2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which RAV4 Prime does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime models

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Great value, favorite vehicle I've owned

Optimus Prime it's not. It's better from my POV

Very quiet ride in EV & HV

Beautiful car for City Ride and Performance

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime video

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Review — 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-in Hybrid MPG, Price, Worth & More

2021 RAV4 Prime Highlights

Safety

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2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which RAV4 Prime does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime models

Most helpful consumer reviews

Great value, favorite vehicle I've owned

Optimus Prime it's not. It's better from my POV

Very quiet ride in EV & HV

Beautiful car for City Ride and Performance

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime video

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Review &mdash; 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-in Hybrid MPG, Price, Worth & More

2021 RAV4 Prime Highlights

Safety

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Related Used 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime info

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Shop used vehicles in your area

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Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Review — 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-in Hybrid MPG, Price, Worth & More