2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Pros vs Cons

For many years, the Toyota RAV4 has been quite successful in the market. This isn't a huge surprise, as it has a reasonable cost, advanced technology, good capability, and ample cargo space. Toyota makes a number of types of the RAV4, and one of them is a hybrid. The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is powerful and efficient. It's equally suited for going into rugged terrain as it is running errands around town.

What's New for 2022?

There's a new trim available this year, and that's the SE. It's in the middle of the lineup, and it can be upgraded with some high-end features like a power liftgate and sunroof.

Besides this, there are a few other changes for the 2022 model year. One is that customers get to choose from one additional color - Calvary Blue. Another addition is a more aggressive style of headlamps. Finally, there's a new wheel design available on select trims. People like options when they're buying new vehicles, so this may get the SUV a bit more attention from prospective buyers.

Ten Reasons You May Like the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – The Pros

1. Great Mileage

The RAV4 Hybrid can go a long way before needing to stop to refuel. When driving in the city, it can earn up to 41 miles per gallon. On the highway, when the electric system doesn't benefit as much from regenerative braking, estimated fuel efficiency is 38 miles per gallon. This results in a combined fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon. This can easily translate into considerable savings at the gas station each month.

2. Plenty of Pep

This SUV feels energetic, thanks to a 2.5-liter engine and a pair of electric motors. Everything works together to yield a net horsepower of 219. Most drivers should be happy with this amount of power. When accelerating and merging onto a highway, going uphill, or even hauling small trailers, the RAV4 Hybrid should be able to handle things well.

Active cornering assist is another standard component. It can make adjustments as the vehicle goes around corners, and it can reduce understeer and enhance the feeling of agility.

3. Able to Deal With Rough Conditions

Even in wintry weather, the RAV4 Hybrid can maintain good traction and stability. It comes standard with electronic on-demand all-wheel drive. One electric motor sends power to the rear wheels, while the other electric motor and the gas-powered engine send power to the front ones. The vehicle can decide, based on the information it is constantly receiving, whether to send more power to the rear wheels or not.

There are different drive modes that people can select from. One of those drive modes is Trail mode, and it can get the SUV ready for rugged terrain. Also, having a ground clearance of 8.1 inches helps the Toyota make it over obstacles and deal with bumpy trails.

4. Able to Tow Cargo

The RAV4 Hybrid is capable of towing trailers. They can't be too big, of course, but it's great that the SUV comes with a towing capacity of 1,750 pounds. This opens up a lot of possibilities. Some people may have to bring heavier equipment with them for work, some may want to tow small campers, and others may need a way to haul motorcycles, jet skis, or other types of equipment when they're going off on fun adventures. Trailer-sway control improves stability and is built into every RAV4 Hybrid.

5. Load Up the Cabin

For a two-row SUV, the RAV4 Hybrid has a nice amount of interior room. Its rear cargo area is quite spacious, having a volume of 37.5 cubic feet. The rear seats can be folded whenever anyone needs more room. In this case, the maximum cargo capacity would be almost 70 cubic feet. Bikes, skis, snowboards, and small pieces of furniture can all be transported easily. Payload capacity is about 1,200 pounds.

6. A Sporty Style

This SUV has an attractive style. It comes standard with 17-inch wheels with a five-spoke design, and it can have 18-inch wheels that could be multi-spoke black versions or multi-spoke dark metallic-finished alloy wheels. The LED lights are futuristic, and higher trims could have advanced Bi-LED projector headlights. More LEDs are available in the Daytime Running Lights, integrated fog lights, and vertical accent lights.

One trim, the Hybrid XSE, has a two-tone exterior color that can really help it stand out. That trims also has blue-painted shock absorbers and black side mirrors to give it a more edgy appearance.

7. Putting Technology to Good Use

The hybrid version of the RAV4 has a long list of high-tech components, including a touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM. Wi-Fi connectivity is standard, too. Trims can either have seven- or nine-inch toucshcreens, with navigation and a JBL sound system being available. There are plenty of tools at one's disposal in terms of staying connected and staying entertained while on the road.

8. Keeping Passengers Safe

Driver-assist technologies are becoming common in the industry, and the company's safety suite called Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is pretty comprehensive. It comes with many sensors and monitors so that the vehicle can send out alerts when it seems like there's a problem. As an example, the RAV4 Hybrid can warn someone when he/she is veering out of position in a lane, and it can alert a driver when he/she is approaching another vehicle too quickly. In some cases, the SUV could make adjustments to steering and braking as it tries to prevent accidents.

Other components that come with the safety suite are automatic high beams and road sign assist. Plus, there's an adaptive cruise control system that can adjust the vehicle's speed if it senses that the leading vehicle has changed its speed.

9. Staying Comfortable

Five passengers can be comfortably accommodated in the RAV4 Hybrid. There are available heated front seats as well as heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. With dual-zone automatic climate control, the front passengers and driver can each input a preferred temperature. Rear-seat vents improve air circulation.

10. A Variety of Choices

Sometimes, manufacturers limit the number of hybrid options for a certain model. While there aren't as many hybrid trims as there are non-hybrid ones with the RAV4, there is still a number of choices. The Hybrid LE is the entry-level model. In the middle of the lineup are the Hybrid XLE, Hybrid XLE Premium, Hybrid SE, and Hybrid XSE. The Hybrid Limited is the most premium trim available. This range of models gives consumers quite a bit to consider.

Reasons You May Not Like the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – The Cons

1. First Trim Lacks Many Features

As the first trim in the hybrid RAV4 lineup, the Hybrid LE has a competitive starting price. The not-so-great news about this trim is that it lacks a lot of amenities. For instance, it doesn't have heated front seats, smart key entry, heated side mirrors, or blind spot monitoring, all of which may be found in some competitors.

2. Rugged Trims Not Available as Hybrids

Toyota makes a few versions of the RAV4 that are well suited for driving in the woods, the mountains, or any sort of rugged area. The Adventure and TRD Off-Road have some special mechanical components that give them better capability when it's hard to grip the road. Unfortunately, neither of these trims is available with a hybrid powertrain.

3. A Loud Engine

Some who have taken the vehicle out for a test spin have noticed that its engine is kind of loud. The SUV doesn't have any kind of active noise cancelling system that some other vehicles may have. Anyone used to a quiet cabin may need to work hard at tuning out the road and engine noise.

How It Stacks Up to the Competition:

2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid

These two SUVs match up well. They're very similar in many ways, but the CR-V Hybrid is about $2,000 more expensive than the RAV4 Hybrid is. There are only three available trims of the CR-V Hybrid, which some may find limiting. Plus, the RAV4 Hybrid edges out its close competitor in the area of fuel economy, horsepower, and cargo space. Those looking into hybrid SUVs are likely to point to care about these three factors.

2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs 2022 Ford Escape Hybrid

The Toyota bests the Escape Hybrid in some similar ways. It has more horsepower and more overall cargo space than the Escape Hybrid does, and it comes standard with all-wheel drive. With the Ford, all-wheel drive is offered, but it costs extra.

Conclusion

Toyota knows its audience. It has recognized that many of its customers want vehicles that are strong, athletic, and efficient at the same time, and the company knows that technology is important. It has made the RAV4 Hybrid with all of this in mind. The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has an ideal size and is ready to go pretty much anywhere, and it can do in style. It boasts high-tech equipment for drivers and passengers to take advantage of, and it has a solid safety package.