2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime
- Elegant combo of gasoline power and plug-in battery power
- Very usable 42 miles (est.) of pure-electric range
- The most powerful RAV4 by a country mile
- Superb fuel economy for a 302-horsepower SUV
- Still eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit
- Pricing starts at $39,800 (plus $1,215 destination)
- On sale in December
A KBB Best Buy Award winner when it launched last year, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 makes an encore appearance this year at the top of the best Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle podium.
Very little has changed for the RAV4 Prime this year, but very little needed to. More than one of our editors was so impressed by the quality, comfort, capabilities, and value of this compact SUV that they added it to their “next-car” shopping lists.
The Best RAV4 by the Numbers
Combining 302 horsepower, 40-mpg capability, and full-time all-wheel drive makes the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime hard to beat — not just as a plug-in hybrid SUV, but as a choice in what to drive day-to-day.
For starters, the RAV4 Prime is a gasoline/electric plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV). That means you get the freedom of living in a gasoline-powered world combined with the efficiency of driving an electric car. If you can plug in your RAV Prime every night, and you never need to travel more than 42 miles a day (most of us don’t), you’ll rarely need to contend with going to a gas station or the damage that can do to your budget. Any time you want to get out for a long road trip, however, the RAV4 Prime is your gasoline-powered partner able to fuel up like a “normal” car and travel 600 miles without needing to stop for gas.
Compromise is not part of the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime’s vocabulary. It gets terrific fuel economy — 40 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway — while ripsnorting 302 horsepower any time you want to pass.
You can charge the RAV4 Prime with a standard household outlet in about 12 hours, and just over four hours if you’re using a 240-volt charger.
A Better RAV4 by our Hearts
With a starting price of just under $40,000, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime immediately offsets that cost with a $7,500 federal tax credit as well as any state and local incentive credits you can get. Traveling day-to-day in EV mode, you can save decent money over time, and play with ways to extend the SUV’s 42-mile range.
One truth that never goes sour is the long-term value of driving a Toyota. With a reputation for quality and reliability that comes attached to the name, the Toyota RAV4 Prime’s resale value over time will remain solid as the compact SUV itself. And with a battery warranty that lasts for 10 years or 150,000 miles, any concerns about battery life can be comfortably dropped in the old-fashioned-thinking wastebasket.
Blind-spot monitoring comes standard. You’ll also enjoy the driving assurance of full-speed radar cruise control, a pre-collision system with pedestrian/bicyclist detection, automatic high beams, lane-tracing assist, and lane-departure warning with steering assist.
One of the Best Toyotas We’ve Driven
The RAV4 Prime’s 5-passenger cabin is roomy, with stretch-out space in both rows, and great headroom. The cargo area holds a good amount of your goods for this class.
Standard features include all-wheel drive and 18-inch wheels. Inside, the build quality and materials are easy to appreciate. Every RAV4 Prime gives you an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat that lets you ride high and puts you at the helm with a good all-around view. Plus, it’s pretty quiet. Heated front seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system — with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Amazon Alexa capability — and four USB charge ports also come standard.
One good long look at the RAV4 Prime qualifies it for SUV status. You won’t be using it for boulder crawls, but it will still play happily in the timberlands. Most of the time, of course, this compact SUV will be exploring the urban jungles. In those rugged wilds, the RAV Prime will make you feel right at home, constantly reminding you of the reasons it’s a Best Buy winner.
Photo Tour: 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime
