Test Drive Toyota RAV4 4WD Hybrid: An Affordable Lexus?

Behind the practical facade of the RAV4 Hybrid lies the Lexus NX300h technology.

Recently, the fourth generation Toyota RAV4 has undergone a partial overhaul, during which the model received some stylistic changes, the most significant of which are a radically changed front end layout. The interior of the car is also presented in an updated form - with softer surfaces and redesigned controls. Thanks to Toyota Safety Sense, the RAV4 now boasts automatic high beams, traffic sign recognition, lane change assistant, adaptive cruise control and a collision avoidance system that can stop the car in the event of an imminent danger.

Perhaps the most interesting novelty, however, is how Toyota has re-prioritized the range of RAV4 drive options. In the future, their SUV will be available with one diesel engine option: the one that supplies BMW with a 143-liter unit with 152 hp, and only in combination with manual transmission and front-wheel drive. If you need more power, dual drive or automatic, you should turn to the 4 hp two-liter petrol engine. (optional with CVT transmission) or the all-new Toyota RAV70 Hybrid. Interestingly, in some markets, the hybrid model is expected to account for up to XNUMX percent of the model's total sales.

The drivetrain of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is already well known to us - Toyota borrowed the familiar technology of the Lexus NX300h, which combines a 2,5-liter gasoline engine and two electric motors (one of which is mounted on the rear axle and provides dual drive with torque transmitted to the rear wheels) combined with a continuously variable planetary gearbox.

Comfortably adjusted drive

Curiously, even after the first few kilometers, it becomes clear how the transmission adjustment in the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is one idea more convenient than in the Lexus NX300h: most of the time on board the aircraft is quiet and calm, and acceleration is smooth and almost silent. . Only in the case of a sharp acceleration, the planetary transmission creates a sharp increase, typical for this type of units, and the subsequent retention of speed, which leads to a rather sharp roar of the gasoline engine. However, the fact is that the car is pleasantly agile at the start, grip during intermediate accelerations also deserves praise, and the interaction between the two types of drive is characterized by typical brand harmony.

Most of the customers looking for this type of hybrid have a clear, ecological driving style, and this is how the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is a true pleasure to drive. In everyday life, the car turns out to be a pleasant, quiet and calm companion, and the chassis is completely in tune with its calm temperament.

Unlike other manufacturers, Toyota does not rely on plug-in technology to charge the battery from an external source, meaning the RAV4 Hybrid is fully current-operated only for short distances and in partial load modes. The total mileage that can be covered with electricity in optimal conditions is between two and three kilometers. Especially in urban conditions and when driving at a speed of no higher than 80-90 km / h, hybrid technology significantly contributes to improving the efficiency of the Toyota RAV4 - the average consumption in the test reported exactly 7,5 liters per hundred kilometers, but with a closer attention to the accelerator pedal and without long highway crossings, lower values can be reached with a positive value.

The question remains about the price of the new hybrid offering in the Toyota RAV4 lineup - the model is practically no more expensive than the outdated diesel with automatic transmission, offering almost identical, and in certain conditions lower fuel consumption at significantly higher prices. pleasant comfort in everyday life. So Toyota's expectations that the hybrid will become the most sought-after version of the RAV4 seem quite real.

CONCLUSION

Hybrid technology is presented as a very suitable alternative to the RAV4 powerplant. The drive adjustment is one idea more convenient compared to the Lexus NX 300h. In everyday life, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is presented as a quiet, balanced and pleasant to drive car with a fairly low cost in urban conditions. The price is also attractive for SUVs of this caliber, with rich equipment and hybrid drive.

Text: Bozhan Boshnakov

Photos: Toyota