Why settle for just one Toyota RAV4 Plug-in review when we have collected all of the UK motoring publications reviews into one handy place? After being invited to test-drive our highly anticipated new flagship Toyota RAV4 Plug-in hybrid SUV around varied roads of the UK, the national motoring press has had its say. Scroll below to see who said what about our latest car.
The new Toyota RAV4 Plug-in takes its place at the pinnacle of the RAV4 range and as the flagship
of our hybrid model line-up, delivering a rare combination of power and efficiency.
2021 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in reviews
Autocar: 4/5
“Mechanically speaking, it’s not dissimilar to the standard RAV4. [But] there are some key differences. The petrol engine now develops 182bhp… and the front electric motor’s output has been upped…to 180bhp. The rear motor still produces 54bhp but combined they lend the RAV4 PHEV a system output of 302bhp.
“The lithium-ion drive battery… is mounted beneath the floor to lower the car’s centre of gravity. Toyota claims a WLTP-certified range of 46 miles, while a full charge can be delivered in 2.5 hours from a dedicated wall box.
“You’ve got a choice of four different powertrain operating modes. Start the car and it defaults to pure EV. Provided there’s enough juice in the battery you can travel at speeds of up to 84mph, and even if you hit the kick-down switch to summon a well of acceleration, the ICE motor won’t spark up. Throttle response is excellent, and forward progress arrives in a smooth, seamless fashion.”
Auto Express: 3.5/5
“With two electrified axles, the RAV4 drives through its electric motors nearly all the time. The driver can flick through four modes – EV for pure electric running, EV/HV, which shuffles between fully electric and hybrid power automatically, HV for solely hybrid running, and a charging mode, which sees the engine top up the battery on the move.
“From start-up, the RAV4 defaults to EV mode if there is enough charge in the battery. Keep the cell topped up – it can be recharged in 7.5 hours from a household plug or as little as 2.5 hours from a 7kW wall box – and there’s plenty of all-electric range to lean on.
“EV mode really means just that, and little will provoke the engine into action. Toyota claims up to 46 miles of pure-electric running is possible, and we managed 35 silent miles with no real effort. The car is extremely smooth, and on electric power alone it’s certainly fast enough for day-to-day life.”
Car Enthusiast: 3.5/5
“The fifth-gen RAV4 is a great-looking thing inside and out, and the PHEV builds upon that with a black mesh radiator grille, dark plating under-runs front and rear, metallic bumper finishes and its own design of 19-inch alloys. Inside, there’s plush leather with bespoke stitching, while the part-digital instrument cluster and switchgear on the centre console are both mildly altered to account for the plug-in set-up.
“Considering this is the marque’s first plug-in hybrid outside of the Prius line-up, it’s beautifully executed. It also rolls along magnificently, providing a cultured and hushed ride in towns while conducting itself equally elegantly on A-roads and motorways. The energy management of Toyota’s system is exceptional and the decision to make it operate as an HEV after being a PHEV – or, more accurately, to ensure that the set-up always keeps more than the bare minimum reserves in the battery pack to allow for continuous HEV operation – reaps real benefits.”
Driving Electric: 3.5/5
“The numbers… aren’t exactly what you’d expect from a Toyota. This is a family SUV with a 2.5-litre petrol engine and an 18.1kWh battery. It’s got 302bhp and a 0-62mph time of just six seconds. It’ll do 46 miles on electricity at speeds of up to 84mph and emits just 22g/km of CO2 – putting it in one of the very lowest company-car tax bands. Charge it regularly and Toyota says it’ll do 282mpg.
“Depending on your usage, the Toyota RAV4 Plug-In could save you thousands of pounds in running costs compared to a conventional petrol, diesel or hybrid car.”
Fleet World: 4/5
“With 282.4mpg combined fuel consumption and BIK of just six per cent, Toyota believes this model will be justifiably popular with fleet when the first UK buyers get their hands on them in April. In EV mode, the RAV4 Plug-in starts and drives in eerie silence.
“With over 300bhp on tap, the Toyota does feel eager from the start, with speed building quickly on the move. This RAV4 is a keen handler too, the result of stiff suspension and the battery pack situated under the floor. The RAV-4 Plug-in is a welcome addition to the rapidly growing plug-in SUV sector. Powerful, good to drive and offering welcome BIK savings.”
Motoring Research
“The key point is that it defaults to being a hybrid when the batteries run flat. And that makes it very efficient indeed. Let’s look at those efficiency numbers first, as any eagle-eyed fleet manager surely will. Here, the RAV4 plays its ace card, with an incredible 282.5mpg and CO2 emissions of just 22g/km… on the official WLTP fuel economy test.
“No matter how often you charge it, the RAV4 is extremely cheap to tax. The Dynamic model attracts a seven per cent Benefit-In-Kind rate for 2021/22, meaning a 20% taxpayer stumps up £663 and a 40% taxpayer owes £1,326.
“[My] first 44 miles are completed in typical EV style, which is to say almost silently, with ever-present electric torque offering lively response and swift acceleration. As the range readout reaches zero and the RAV4 switches automatically into hybrid mode, I brace myself for the familiar drone of a petrol engine and CVT gearbox – but it never comes. Factor in extra sound insulation and acoustic front window glass and you have a mainstream SUV with a refinement of a fully paid-up luxury car.”
Pocket-lint: 4/5
“This is a whole other experience on the road compared to any other RAV4. That combination of electric motor and combustion engine is at times ferocious – in a very good way indeed. With up to 46 miles of [EV] range, it can head a fair distance on charge alone too. Plenty of other similar vehicles top out at 27 miles, so that’s impressive innings from Toyota.
“The Toyota RAV4 plug-in is something of a revelation. So if you’re realistically going to be driving 40 miles on the school/shopping run or nearby commute every day then, well, you’ll rarely be burning any actual fuel.”
Telegraph: 4/5
“A plug-in hybrid with a massive (for the class) 18.1kWh battery pack and a total power output of 302bhp, which makes it, after the sporting GR Supra coupe, the most powerful car Toyota makes. It’s a two-tonne hot rod, with five seats and a ground clearance of 130mm. You just don’t expect a family SUV to be so vivacious.
“There are all the modern toys you’d expect, with cruise control, wireless phone charging, a reversing camera and a powered tailgate. Toyota’s Safety Sense systems are standard… [and] the towing weight is 1.5 tonnes. The rear seats are large and accommodating, with lots of leg and headroom. Compared with the regular RAV4, the plug-in version’s larger battery doesn’t compromise the overall boot space much.”
All information is correct at the time of publishing.
Still can’t see any option for PHEV on the website when building a RAV4. So similar to the other questions , when will you be releasing RAV 4 PHEV with complete trim line up ???
Hi Mike,
The car configurator, and all the specs, for RAV4 PHEV are already live on the website. Please go here to build yours: https://www.toyota.co.uk/new-cars/rav4-plugin/
Thanks
I ordered the RAV4 plug in in early February, and still don’t have a delivery date. Toyota were advertising a delivery date of April in January. The dealer says he’s waiting for Toyota to respond to his query but now THINKS it COULD be July or August!!! The response from Toyota UK is speak to your dealer. Surely someone in Toyota must do production scheduling?
Hi David,
Thanks for getting in touch. We’re sorry to hear this.
We have updated your customer relations case with your latest message and hope you get your car soon.
Thanks.
I have a Prime on order which should be ready for collection soon.
I want to get a home charging point installed but the Rav 4 Prime is not showing up on the list of qualifying cars. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electric-vehicle-homecharge-scheme-vehicle-applications
When can I expect the Rav 4 to have been added?
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your comment, and congratulations on your order! We assume you are referring to the Dynamic Premium grade.
We’ll look into this further for you with our wider team and get back to you as soon as we can.
Thanks.
No, this is to do with you getting the Rav 4 Prime added to the approved list of vehicles that qualify for the UK government grant. Please can someone get back to me urgently on this.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electric-vehicle-homecharge-scheme-vehicle-applications
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your reply.
The RAV4 Plug-In is only available in Design, Dynamic and Dynamic Premium grades.
Regarding the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, this is something that we are looking into for you with our wider team. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
Thanks.
Ok thanks for that. Sorry I was getting the model name wrong – it’s a Prime in the US, but in the UK it’s a RAV4 Plug-in.
Some urgent progress on getting the car added to the list of qualifying vehicles for the home charging grant would be much appreciated. As I do lots of shorter journeys, the ability to charge quickly during the day is important to me so I need a faster charger. The grant saves £350 and can’t be claimed retrospectively so it’s really something that needs sorting out.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your reply.
We will email you directly to gather further details and set up a Customer Relations case on your behalf so that this can be looked into.
Thanks.
I see on my MyT app the RAV4 plug in I have on order is currently being assembled in Japan. Could Toyota urgently update the government website for the home charge scheme so that I can have a wall charger installed and claim the £350 grant.
Thanks
Hi David,
Thanks for your comment, and congratulations on your new RAV4 Plug-In!
We’ve emailed you directly to gather further details in order to set up a Customer Relations case for this to be looked into further.
Thanks.
Hi,
Picked up my RAV4 PHEV from the dealers on the 12th. July, love the car, but still waiting for the car to be listed on the government’s home charge website in order to claim the £350 grant!!!
Hi David,
We are really sorry about the delay.
Our Toyota Product Team have confirmed that we are still waiting for the Government to update the information relating to the RAV4 Plug-In onto the home charge website.
We are aware that you are already in contact with our Customer Relations Team, who will update you on this when the vehicle is listed.
Thanks.
On a more positive note, I’ve just driven back from London, it was very slow going initially but I started out with a fully charged battery and ran it in EV eco mode with the air conditioning on until the petrol engine kicked in,specifically to take note of the mileage achievable in EV mode.
The excellent news is that I achieved 51.8 miles with luggage and a passenger, contrary to some motoring magazine reports the car is very comfortable and quiet even with the engine running.
I am late coming to this review because I can now consider this car but I have two questions;
1) Has the £350 grant towards the charge point been approved for this RAV. My dealer doesn’t know and I see this was a topic in this forum?
2) From what I can see from brochure and discussion with Dealer, none of the RAV4 plug in models come with the 360 degree panoramic view monitor. If this is correct it is a serious safety and convenience omission. It is included on my current RAV4 Black edition. It is an option on Yaris Cross. Why exclude it on the (otherwise) high spec Plug in?
Thanks
Hi Rob,
We are still waiting for the Government to update the information relating to the RAV4 Plug-In onto the home charge website.
Furthermore, we have passed on your feedback regarding the Panoramic View Monitor onto our wider product team.
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Thanks.
Did the product team have a response if there is going to be an option for PVM on plug-in RAV, or even included as standard, considering the price of the car? For me it is a deal breaker as the plug-in lacks many features that are standard in my RAV4 Hybrid Black Edition.
Also is a general model upgrade planned following upgrades to the Hybrid models that will eliminate these disparities? e.g PVM, front and rear sensors, including braking. And some nicer (less fussy/easier clean) wheels would be nice. And introduce full Adaptive High Beam system like on Lexus, to eliminate the shortcomings of AHB – which I switch off because of being flashed? And if there is a possibility that 5th Gen hybrid battery (Corolla Cross) is coming in the plug-in, I’ll wait.
🙂
Thank you
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your comment.
Nothing further to share on this just yet.
However, more information is available on the Model Year 2022 RAV4 here – https://fal.cn/3kRYW
Thanks.
Hello,
I contacted OZEV two weeks ago and they replied stating that ‘We do not add vehicles to our list without an application from the manufacturers of those vehicles. It is for the vehicle manufacturer (e.g. Toyota) to make an application to us for approval of a particular vehicle model to be added to our eligible vehicle list.’
It seems that you’re both waiting for each other?
We, as customers need more than ‘We are still waiting’. Can you please actively chase this up?
Thanks
Hi Cyril,
Our Customer Relations team will be best placed to look into this for you.
You can contact them here – https://www.toyota.co.uk/help-centre/email-us.
Thanks.
I contacted Toyota UK regarding the OZEV to be told they had no information regarding the timescale on Toyota’s application. I’ve waited for OZEV to update their list twice, yet no RAV4. It’s so disappointing to read your standard response to those of us who have bothered to write a comment. Do I have to start commenting on your Facebook page@
Hi Cyril,
Is there anything further we can do to assist you at this time?
Thanks.
Hi, I’m looking at the RAV4 Dynamic Premium Plug-in available May 2022.
Does it have a Panoramic View monitor where it shows a 360 degrees birds eye view of around the car showing on the monitor ?
Hi Mike,
Thank you for your interest in the RAV4 Plug-in.
This does not come with the Panoramic View Monitor.
Thanks.
I’ve just ordered a RAV4 Dynamic Premium which is expected delivery in our 22 weeks. Three questions please,
1 As it was ordered on 3rd December and delivery around May 2022, would this be the MY22 spec?
2 Will the above vehicle RAV4 Dynamic Premium offer a 360 view on the monitor similar to what is on the RAV4 HEV ?
3 Is the charge point on the driver’s side of the car ? My electric sockets are on that side of my garage.
Thank you.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your order.
1) As there is currently no MY22 RAV4 Plug-in, it is likely the MY21.
2) Are you referring to the Panoramic View Monitor?
3) Yes, the connector location is on the right side of the vehicle.
Thanks.