Toyota RAV4 Forums banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Looking at the Rav4 hybrid XLE and XLE Premium and XSE

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
W

web1999

· Registered
Joined
·
196 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi All,

I'm new to the forum and wanted to do some research before purchasing a Rav4 Hybrid. I'm trying to get some feedback on the XLE, XLE Premium and XSE.

What I understand is that the XLE Premium seems to add softex seating and automatic power lift-gate. XSE has a different sportier suspension, is that correct?

How's the ride on the XLE? It's already pretty firm, right or it's very soft ride like the Camry LE or XLE?

What are common problems? Likes and dislikes?

Thanks for sharing.
 
#2 ·
You are right on what comes with each trim level. I bought the XLE Premium hybrid for two main reasons:
1. It has the Softex seats (faux leather). I don't like cloth seats.
2. It was the only trim (besides the Limited) that came in the colors I wanted: Blueprint exterior and Nutmeg interior. I love the nutmeg interior over the bland grey or black options.

The XLE premium has a fairly firm ride, certainly not soft, but not jarring either. I have not driven or ridden in an XSE but I have heard that is is bit firmer, but again not jarring.

One big difference is the XSE comes with blue ambient lighting in the foot wells and shelves, not on the XLE, but most of that can be easily added (see other threads on that).

The one thing that I don't like about the XLE Premium hybrid is the lettering on the display in the center of the instruments is a bit small. The optional larger display is better. Otherwise, I really like my XLE Premium hybrid. But you may have different priorities than I have.

If you go to the Toyota web site, you can download the full sales brochure that shows every feature, accessory, and options for all trim levels. With that you can choose what best fits your needs/wishes.
 
#3 ·
Welcome! I'd be happy to give some information to help you with deciding.

I bought the XSE. I actually didn't get it just because of the extra features, I got it because I fell in love with the way it looked. I absolutely LOVE the two tone color that gives you the black roof and the black mirrors and black wheels. But that's just my personal preference. It also comes standard with a digital rearview mirror which is a cool feature that I personally really like, although a lot of people would say it is not necessary.

As far as the ride quality, it's really excellent for a crossover. When I first took it for a test drive I knew this was the car for me because of how smooth it drove. As I have the XSE and I haven't driven the other models I can't really compare but I don't think there's much of a difference from the sportier suspension. I do actually feel like it is a very similar ride to the camry, just can't go around too corners too fast due to it being taller than the camry.

Overall thoughts it's a great practical car that checks all the boxes, however doesn't really go above and beyond.
1. It actually has a decent amount of horsepower and it's not a slow car, but it's no fun flooring it because it makes an annoying engine droning sound.

2. It lacks a lot of interior lighting throughout the car. No LED lighting, no lighted window switches and you won't be able to see the button to lock or unlock the doors from inside your car at night. Luckily a lot of this stuff can be remedied by buying aftermarket lights. Also if you have a moonroof you will not be able to see the controls for it at night.

3. I feel like the interior overall is very plain. It's functional, the seats are comfortable, and all the controls work great, but some other manufacturer like Mazda make you feel like you're sitting in a luxury car. Toyota makes you feel like you're sitting in, well, a Toyota.

Would I recommend this car? It is an extremely safe purchase to make because you will have great gas mileage and the car will outlast a lot of other cars since it is a Toyota after all. Also will have FANTASTIC resale value if you decide to sell it at some point later on.
 
#4 ·
I had a 2019 (gas not hybrid)XLE with the weather package(heated seats, steering wheel & wipers) and convenience package(power liftgate).
I traded it in for a loaded 2021 XSE hybrid.

I loved my XLE...but I love my XSE far more.
I love everything about the XSE-the way it looks, the way it drives,the Softex seats, the interior look with the blue stripe seats, the soft door trim ambient lighting, the features(digital rearview, panoramic sunroof,heted seats, steering wheel, etc). There is nothing about this car that I don't like.

Like I said, I loved my XLE, but compared to the XSE it felt very ordinary.
I really had no intention of trading my XLE in, but while waiting for my car to be serviced I figured I would test drive an XSE to see how different a hybrid was compared to a gas model. In my head I thought "Really, how different can they be?" Once I drove the XSE I had to have it. Lucky for me it worked out great-I got more for my 2019 than I paid for it 2 1/2 years ago, I found a dealer that had the exact XSE (color & packages)that I wanted on allocation and due in in a month and I got it for good amount under MSRP, so it was a no brainer for me.

It all depends on what is most important to you. I can tell you that I love my XSE more than any other car I have owned-it is quiet, smooth, beautiful to look at (I got Blizzard Pearl)and gets fantastic mileage. I average about 49 mpg. I made a few changes to it-added lighted door switches, blackout badges, interior LED lights, changed the fog lights to High Performance fog lights, black chrome exhaust tips, dynamic sequential turn signals, etc and now the car is perfect.
 
#5 ·
We're in the same spot as you. We test drove the XLE Hybrid then the XSE Hybrid. Yes, the XLE is firm compared to a regular sedan as I would expect. The XSE is sport tuned, so just as firm with quicker steering response and feel. In comparison, the key items are all the same, such as engine and hybrid capability, AWD, ground clearance, and dimensions. The big differences were the sport tuned suspension and wheel size, along with the cosmetics. Oh, and of course price.

We chose the XSE Hybrid version with the weather package because we liked the sport suspension, and the two-toned color scheme. Price wise, if we had chosen the XLE Limited, we would have wanted to add extras to closely match the options on the XSE.

We got delivery of the 2021 XSEh beginning of 2021 and no problems with it other than the quirks. Toyota app for example, lack of interior lighting as mentioned, it could be quieter but we always have the music on anyway.

Good luck with your decision.
 
#6 ·
AlexRav4xse said:
Welcome! I'd be happy to give some information to help you with deciding.

I bought the XSE. I actually didn't get it just because of the extra features, I got it because I fell in love with the way it looked. I absolutely LOVE the two tone color that gives you the black roof and the black mirrors and black wheels. But that's just my personal preference. It also comes standard with a digital rearview mirror which is a cool feature that I personally really like, although a lot of people would say it is not necessary.

As far as the ride quality, it's really excellent for a crossover. When I first took it for a test drive I knew this was the car for me because of how smooth it drove. As I have the XSE and I haven't driven the other models I can't really compare but I don't think there's much of a difference from the sportier suspension. I do actually feel like it is a very similar ride to the camry, just can't go around too corners too fast due to it being taller than the camry.

Overall thoughts it's a great practical car that checks all the boxes, however doesn't really go above and beyond.
1. It actually has a decent amount of horsepower and it's not a slow car, but it's no fun flooring it because it makes an annoying engine droning sound.

2. It lacks a lot of interior lighting throughout the car. No LED lighting, no lighted window switches and you won't be able to see the button to lock or unlock the doors from inside your car at night. Luckily a lot of this stuff can be remedied by buying aftermarket lights. Also if you have a moonroof you will not be able to see the controls for it at night.

3. I feel like the interior overall is very plain. It's functional, the seats are comfortable, and all the controls work great, but some other manufacturer like Mazda make you feel like you're sitting in a luxury car. Toyota makes you feel like you're sitting in, well, a Toyota.

Would I recommend this car? It is an extremely safe purchase to make because you will have great gas mileage and the car will outlast a lot of other cars since it is a Toyota after all. Also will have FANTASTIC resale value if you decide to sell it at some point later on.
Click to expand...
I agree with you about the XSE looking great with it's black roof and mirrors... What makes it look so good is the fact that the black lower body accents are GLOSS black and not matte finish. Also the XSE is the only RAV4 which comes with a black headliner and blue front shock absorbers. Speaking of the black wheels, they're exclusive to the XSE only.
Claude.
 
#7 ·
web1999 said:
Hi All,

I'm new to the forum and wanted to do some research before purchasing a Rav4 Hybrid. I'm trying to get some feedback on the XLE, XLE Premium and XSE.

What I understand is that the XLE Premium seems to add softex seating and automatic power lift-gate. XSE has a different sportier suspension, is that correct?

How's the ride on the XLE? It's already pretty firm, right or it's very soft ride like the Camry LE or XLE?

What are common problems? Likes and dislikes?

Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...
Doesn't the Toyota web site allow you to side by side compare models?
 
#8 ·
toofastforyou said:
What makes it look so good is the fact that the black lower body accents are GLOSS black and not matte finish.
Claude.
Click to expand...
While I agree that the gloss black body accents look great, there is an advantage to the matte black bumper, rocker panel, and wheel well trim. The areas with the gloss black are some of the most vulnerable spots for scuffs, scratches, and stone nicks. For those of us who can be OCD about the fits and finishes of our vehicles, it is nice to know that, with the matte black trim, most minor damage can easily be brought back to like-new condition.
 
Discussion starter · #9 · (Edited)
Thanks for sharing all.

We are thinking about the XLE Premium is what I'm thinking about and it's around $38K (dealer optioned packages) with destination at MSRP. We will not pay more than that. Anyone have any good dealers in SF Bay Area better than that?
 
#10 ·
web1999 said:
Thanks for sharing all.

We are thinking about the XLE Premium is what I'm thinking about and it's around $38K (dealer optioned packages) with destination at MSRP. We will not pay more than that. Anyone have any good dealers in SF Bay Area better than that?
Click to expand...
My son, who lives in Monterey, is looking to get a Corolla hybrid and is finding that all the dealers in central CA are charging a premium over MSRP due to the shortage of cars. I may have to order a car from my dealer here in Utah for him. My dealer doesn't charge over MSRP and will give a Costco discount. I got a $750 Costco discount on my RAV4 hybrid, ordered in May and received in August.
 
#11 ·
web1999 said:
Thanks for sharing all.

We are thinking about the XLE Premium is what I'm thinking about and it's around $38K (dealer optioned packages) with destination at MSRP. We will not pay more than that. Anyone have any good dealers in SF Bay Area better than that?
Click to expand...
I've heard people have had to even go out of state. I know I had to compete with a buyer from AZ, who bought one out from under us while we were on the way to the dealer here in NC. Dealer said they wired the deposit and was flying in the next day to pick it up.
 
#12 ·
badankles said:
I've heard people have had to even go out of state. I know I had to compete with a buyer from AZ, who bought one out from under us while we were on the way to the dealer here in NC. Dealer said they wired the deposit and was flying in the next day to pick it up.
Click to expand...
The more I hear about new cars shortages, how difficult it is for people to find cars and how long they’re waiting, the more fortunate I feel to have found the exact model, color & configuration I wanted for under MSRP and a short 5 week wait time. I wasn’t looking to get a new car-the opportunity to get a loaded 2021 XSE Hybrid kind of fell into my lap(I also got more for my 2019 RAV4 XLE gas than I paid for it brand new)and I am so glad I took advantage and snapped it up!
 
#13 ·
javadoo said:
The more I hear about new cars shortages, how difficult it is for people to find cars and how long they’re waiting, the more fortunate I feel to have found the exact model, color & configuration I wanted for under MSRP and a short 5 week wait time. I wasn’t looking to get a new car-the opportunity to get a loaded 2021 XSE Hybrid kind of fell into my lap(I also got more for my 2019 RAV4 XLE gas than I paid for it brand new)and I am so glad I took advantage and snapped it up!
Click to expand...
I'm not going to jinx it, but we also feel fortunate too. When the dealer told us that upon our arrival, and they had no other on the lot, we went straight to another dealership across town who found one and gave us a decent deal off the MSRP and our 300K+ miles Camry.
 
#16 ·
Millstone50 said:
The power liftgate comes with the XLE.
Click to expand...
And boy is that nice. I open or close my liftgate probably 80% of the time with just a wave of the foot. Great for when you just got back from the store and have both hands full of bags but you want to close the liftgate.
 
#19 ·
FKHeath said:
My son, who lives in Monterey, is looking to get a Corolla hybrid and is finding that all the dealers in central CA are charging a premium over MSRP due to the shortage of cars. I may have to order a car from my dealer here in Utah for him. My dealer doesn't charge over MSRP and will give a Costco discount. I got a $750 Costco discount on my RAV4 hybrid, ordered in May and received in August.
Click to expand...
I wonder if we have the same Utah dealer haha. My sales guy mentioned that he's been getting folks from out of state because they aren't charging over MSRP. Even some of the other dealers in Utah are charging about 3K over, ridiculous. I was able to make a deal under MSRP since we ordered our car in May, but I don't think they're doing that anymore
 
#20 ·
LittleB said:
I wonder if we have the same Utah dealer haha. My sales guy mentioned that he's been getting folks from out of state because they aren't charging over MSRP. Even some of the other dealers in Utah are charging about 3K over, ridiculous. I was able to make a deal under MSRP since we ordered our car in May, but I don't think they're doing that anymore
Click to expand...
I ordered my XLE Premium hybrid from Tony Divino Toyota in Ogden. I visited every Toyota dealer on the Wasatch Front when I was looking for a RAV4. Performance Toyota in Bountiful wanted $5K over MSRP, and most of the dealers in SLC and happy valley outright refused to place an order.

I talked to my salesman at Tony Divino just two or three days ago, and he told me they do not charge above MSRP.
 
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
About this Discussion
30 Replies
14 Participants
Last post:
XLR8TOR
Toyota RAV4 Forums
posts
1.1M
members
174K
Since
2004
Rav 4 World is the internet's largest Toyota Rav4 SUV and EV online forum community. Discuss towing, modifications, and more.
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
4.3 General 4.3 Mechanical 4.5 RAV4 Hybrid (except Prime) 4.5 RAV4 Prime 4.3 Exterior