ROAD TEST | Toyota RAV4 PHEV is more than a novelty

The RAV4 plug-in hybrid rolls on 19-inch snowflake pattern wheels.
Image: Supplied

Toyota has been involved with the hybrid agenda for decades. It was all the way back in 1997 that the Prius went on sale.

Charging can be done at home or public AC outlets.
Image: Supplied

While this is the first plug-in hybrid RAV4 to make an appearance on local shores, a regular hybrid version (non-plug-in) was part of the range since September 2021. It was initially offered in one grade (GX) before a range enhancement in 2022 saw the addition of the spiffier GX-R and VX versions in hybrid form.

The hybrid employ a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol motor, paired with electric motors on the front and rear axles. In isolation, the engine produces 131kW and 221Nm. The electric motors are capable of chipping in with 88kW and 202Nm (front axle), with the rear-mounted motor rated at 40kW and 121Nm. Claimed consumption is 4.5l/100km. Toyota said a range of 1,145km could be expected, in theory, from its 55l tank. The vehicle relies on a 650-volt nickel-metal hydride battery.

The plug-in hybrid is a different animal that you are better thinking of as a full-electric vehicle, but one that happens to have the benefit of an engine for long-distance requirements. It uses the same engine as its non-plug-in counterpart, but with more power, now 182kW and 227Nm. The front-mounted motor also gains more punch: 134kW and 270Nm; while the rear remains at 40kW and 121Nm.

As the battery is under the floor, there are no space compromises.
Image: Supplied

The biggest difference is the fitment of a lithium-ion battery and a 6.6kW on-board charger. The battery cells are placed in the floor of the vehicle, cooled by refrigerant from the air-conditioning system.

With a full charge, its 18.1kWh battery is able to deliver propulsion for a range of as much as 80km. This is more than sufficient for the average daily commute to the office and back (with a detour or two thrown in). The benefits of silent, zero-emissions motoring becomes hard to argue with, especially in slow traffic settings where vehicles would be idle pollutants, wasting fuel and your money.

Our test vehicle was supplied with a Type 2 connector that plugged into a two-point home socket. Wanting to make use of the public charging infrastructure, we borrowed a cable from service provider Grid Cars.

Using the 22kW AC charger at Clearwater Mall, the RAV4 could be charged from empty to full in three hours. To calculate charging time, take battery capacity and divide by charger speed. On a regular three-pin home socket (3kW) it would take six hours.

The price? To use a public AC charger costs R4.70 per kWh. Little over R85 for a range of 80km, in other words. Charging at home is about R2.20 per kWh, so just under R40 to juice up that 18.1kWh battery. If you get into the habit of plugging in at every chance, you could probably make a single tank of fuel last for a few months since you are rarely using the engine.

We charged up at GridCars' public AC outlets, costing R4.70 per kWh.
Image: Supplied

We should also mention the RAV4 has an unexpected wild streak to it, from a performance perspective. You would not take it for a traffic light sprinter. But with electric motors and engine working in tandem, it can hustle from standstill to 100km/h in six seconds flat/ Only 0.5 seconds slower than a GR Yaris. My average fuel consumption over 700km was 4.2l/100km. In battery mode, the RAV4 consumes around 21kWh/100km.

It is a relaxing car to drive, with the silent electric powertrain doing its thing. The tranquility is disrupted somewhat when the petrol engine and continuously-variable transmission (CVT) intone, bringing occupants back to the noisier reality of internal combustion.

The RAV4 plug-in hybrid feels sturdy and planted in all settings. We drove it on gravel roads, no issues. We negotiated waterlogged Johannesburg roads with sneaky, concealed potholes. On the freeway, it cruises along comfortably. As a companion for just about anything life would throw at you, the RAV4 delivers.

As the battery is located in the floor, there are no compromises in luggage space. The boot will swallow 580l or 1,189l with the rear seats folded. You even get a space-saver spare wheel, which is something many electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles seem to go without. Based on the high-grade GX-R trim, it is equipped with just about everything buyers in 2023 would want. Except a sunroof, perhaps. The interior is set apart from range stablemates with a dazzling set of 19-inch wheels and a more aerodynamic front bumper design, versus the non-plug-in hybrid.

Typical Toyota interior: good quality, simple layout.
Image: Supplied

Inside it boasts leather upholstery, form-hugging, sculpted seats (heated and cooled for front occupants), a nine-inch infotainment system, nine-speaker JBL audio system, heated steering wheel and wireless charging.

We also grew accustomed to the Toyota Safety Sense array of features. That includes a lane-tracing function that nudges the steering should you stray over the lines. With the adaptive cruise control engaged, the steering intervention work in tandem to facilitate semi-autonomous cruising.

As a product, the RAV4 plug-in hybrid makes complete sense. As a symbol of potential, this trial introduction is quite significant for Toyota and its electric vehicle plans for South Africa.