[kentpisouthflorida]

Hello all,

First post on the forum.

My wife wants to buy a small SUV and RAV4 comes to my mind.
But it gets so many trims and I have no idea which one to buy.

Can someone give me some general idea where to start?
Personally, I prefer to buy non-hybrid to avoid possible issue down the road. The gas saving from hybrid may not cover the premium I will pay for it.

Thank you

Hello,
Get the Premium XLE gas only and you will have many fewer problems than with the Hybrid, just follow this thread and observe all the Hybrid problems
Good Luck,

 

[poppygirl1]

Hello all,

First post on the forum.

My wife wants to buy a small SUV and RAV4 comes to my mind.
But it gets so many trims and I have no idea which one to buy.

Can someone give me some general idea where to start?
Personally, I prefer to buy non-hybrid to avoid possible issue down the road. The gas saving from hybrid may not cover the premium I will pay for it.

Thank you

I was able to purchase an XLE Premium gas 3 weeks ago with the extreme weather package and am thrilled with ALL the features it has!! I got $1250 off MSRP which put it at $36,599. Just got back from a suburban grocery store trip and odometer calculated 33.5 MPG's. I am AVERAGING 30.3 MPG's over the last 1100 miles. I only expect this mileage will improve as the car is fully broken in. When I am getting this kind of gas mileage, who needs to pay extra up front for a Hybrid and if you decide to keep it a long time have to replace that expensive battery. Makes zero sense to me. To each their own but give me all these wonderful options instead any day!! Not to mention this tried and true non turbo engine and NO CVT transmission. I am over the moon with this fantastic RAV4!!!

 

[FKHeath]

I have had zero problems with my hybrid. Less than zero? Please itemize the problems that the hybrid has.

One of the things I really, really appreciate about the hybrid is it does not have the same issues gas engines have when you are stopped at a red light. I guess it is mandatory that the gas engine shut off when stopped at red lights or other extended stops.

The start/stop system is not mandated, rather it is used to save fuel. Yes, the fuel economy standards are mandated, but how a manufacturer meets those standards is not mandated.

 

[427cobramach1]

Hello all,

First post on the forum.

My wife wants to buy a small SUV and RAV4 comes to my mind.
But it gets so many trims and I have no idea which one to buy.

Can someone give me some general idea where to start?
Personally, I prefer to buy non-hybrid to avoid possible issue down the road. The gas saving from hybrid may not cover the premium I will pay for it.

Thank you

When asking an open ended question like this you're going to get every different response possible. Short of it is that you need to make the best informed decision of what your wife wants and what your long term goals of the car are to guide your decision.

With the trims look at the different options and determine what options you can/can't live without and then go from there. There will always be some tradeoffs in that department so if your wife is the type that will be disappointed and wish she had something then maybe just get it fully loaded, realizing that sometimes some of those options can be several thousand dollars.

Like others have said as well and I agree with is that I'm not a fan of first model year of a new generation as well. That being said, while there are some changes in the 2026, they probably aren't enough to be much of a quality issue. A body style change isn't going to have problems. It's all the other components underneath and again while there are some changes, I don't see a lot. Where the issues may show up is likely in software issues with infotainment etc, but nowadays a lot of that can be fixed with updates.

Someone mentioned that hybrid/phev versions may not be justified based on their premium prices. This comes down to your use of the vehicle. I'm the kind of person who keeps my vehicles for 20 years. Last new vehicle I purchased was a 2002 Ford F-250 Diesel. Drove it for 346,000 miles without any issues but general maintenance. Still ran great when I sold it and was in perfect mechanical condition. I did the math on my new 2025 PHEV Rav4 I purchased and in 5-6 years I will have recouped the premium cost of the PHEV over the Hybrid version and since I plan to keep for a long time assuming it's a reliable vehicle I'll be saving that additional $7k every 5 years I keep it beyond the first 5. If you're someone that has to have a new vehicle every 5-7 years then I would say the Hybrid/PHEV is not a viable option when it comes to the cost.

As far as reliability of the Hybrid/PHEV, Toyota has been doing this a long time and they have a well seasoned platform so I wouldn't worry about that or battery fires etc. as some have mentioned. It's just too much of a rarity to worry about.

I would just recommend you buy what you can afford with the options you want. I never thought I'd own a Toyota being a die-hard Ford person my entire life, but Ford just didn't make anything that worked for me recently which is why I bought a used Chevrolet Volt several years ago which I loved, and that led me to my new Rav4 PHEV. I got it at the end of April and already have 4k miles on it!!! We go everywhere with it leaving the Mach E in the garage most of the time.

Enjoy your new ride.

Jeff
Michigan

 

[lmcharlot]

If you are worried about battery fires, that would only be an issue in the Rav4 PHEV (Prime). The traction battery in the Rav4 Hybrid is Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH) = no fire risk. The Hybrid is only $2,000 more than the gas-only Rav4, and you will definitely recover that money in gas savings in about the first 80,000 miles. If you live in California, where gas is about 40% more expensive that in the rest of the US, you recover the price premium of a Rav4 Hybrid in 53,000 miles. The P-710 transaxle in the Hybrid is way less complicated than the 10 speed automatic in the gas-only Rav4. Toyota has been making these Hybrid transaxles since 1997 (the first Prius), and they know how to make them reliable. Millions of them worldwide have gone 250,000+ miles with no problems.
Just talk to any of the Rav4 Hybrid owners on this Forum and you will be hard-pressed to find someone who wishes they had bought something else.

The Hybrid's powertrain management system for starting the gas engine is a 30 hp electric motor, MG1, embedded in the transaxle, not a conventional starter motor. The way the Rav4 Hybrid drives, is that you pull away from a stop on the 120 hp MG2 electric motor plus some added torque from the MGR rear axle motor, until you get to about 14~18 mph, then MG1 spins the gas engine at about 1,100 rpm and it starts, nearly silently, and with no perceptable jerkiness.

My personal ride is a 2023 Rav4 Prime. The price premium on these is $12,000 because of the big Lithium battery. I went for it because we have cheap electricity in my city thanks to a not-for-profit Municipal electric service, and hideously expensive gas ($4.50/gallon), so I felt the $12K price premium was at least somewhat justified. Besides, the Prime is fun to drive, and I get 58 miles of EV range on a full charge. I am averaging about 6.5¢/mile total cost for gas and electricity, compared to about 12¢/mile that it would cost to drive a Rav4 Hybrid, so the mileage to recover the $12,000 price premium is about 225,000.

Get a Rav4 Hybrid, You won't regret it.

 

[eugenepowers001]

Hello all,

First post on the forum.

My wife wants to buy a small SUV and RAV4 comes to my mind.
But it gets so many trims and I have no idea which one to buy.

Can someone give me some general idea where to start?
Personally, I prefer to buy non-hybrid to avoid possible issue down the road. The gas saving from hybrid may not cover the premium I will pay for it.

Thank you

If you knew how hybrid really operates you would not say that. There is no starter, alternator, regular transmission to grind gears etc... Engine operates at reduced power because of the electric motors so less wear and tear on the engine because it is not the main source of power. eCVT transmission is basically bulletproof because it has fewer gears and no belts. I expect hybrid to last way longer than the regular car. Toyota is switching to all Hybrids RAV4 in 2026.
As far as the trim LE is very basic. XLE is one step up. XSE (I prefer) is the same as XLE except with differently tuned suspension. SE is the same as LE but with the same suspension as XSE. Limited is kind of like XLE but with more features. Woodland is like XLE but with rugged features. Limited is usually more expensive than all others. You can get XSE with a Premium package to get fully loaded. But you have to understand what you are getting because certain things maybe detrimental. I did not get Premium because of the pano roof. All I really wanted is a 1500W inverter so I installed it myself. I could not care less about any other features in the Premium package. Just more things to break.
Also, are you going to tow? Some can tow more than others. It is either 1500, 2500 or 3500lbs.
You can go to Toyota site and see the difference between the trims by downloading PDFs of each.
Just anecdotal. A few years ago a lady parked 2022 XLE next to my 2023 XSE. She asked me if she can sit in my car. After she sat for a minute she said that my seats are more comfortable. I did not compare. It is a personal thing about the comfort. All I know is that my seat are comfortable to me and allow me to drive a long distance without getting uncomfortable. My wife said that the passenger seat is OK but it is too high. I do not have adjustment on it.

 

[Rav4CASC]

If you are worried about battery fires, that would only be an issue in the Rav4 PHEV (Prime). The traction battery in the Rav4 Hybrid is Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH) = no fire risk. The Hybrid is only $2,000 more than the gas-only Rav4, and you will definitely recover that money in gas savings in about the first 80,000 miles. If you live in California, where gas is about 40% more expensive that in the rest of the US, you recover the price premium of a Rav4 Hybrid in 53,000 miles. The P-710 transaxle in the Hybrid is way less complicated than the 10 speed automatic in the gas-only Rav4. Toyota has been making these Hybrid transaxles since 1997 (the first Prius), and they know how to make them reliable. Millions of them worldwide have gone 250,000+ miles with no problems.
Just talk to any of the Rav4 Hybrid owners on this Forum and you will be hard-pressed to find someone who wishes they had bought something else.

The Hybrid's powertrain management system for starting the gas engine is a 30 hp electric motor, MG1, embedded in the transaxle, not a conventional starter motor. The way the Rav4 Hybrid drives, is that you pull away from a stop on the 120 hp MG2 electric motor plus some added torque from the MGR rear axle motor, until you get to about 14~18 mph, then MG1 spins the gas engine at about 1,100 rpm and it starts, nearly silently, and with no perceptable jerkiness.

My personal ride is a 2023 Rav4 Prime. The price premium on these is $12,000 because of the big Lithium battery. I went for it because we have cheap electricity in my city thanks to a not-for-profit Municipal electric service, and hideously expensive gas ($4.50/gallon), so I felt the $12K price premium was at least somewhat justified. Besides, the Prime is fun to drive, and I get 58 miles of EV range on a full charge. I am averaging about 6.5¢/mile total cost for gas and electricity, compared to about 12¢/mile that it would cost to drive a Rav4 Hybrid, so the mileage to recover the $12,000 price premium is about 225,000.

Get a Rav4 Hybrid, You won't regret it.

My 2024 prime is Lithium ion, stated in owner’s manual.

 

[TheSilverStreak]

My preference is not to ever buy the first year model of a new version. Too many teething problems. So I would get a 2025 instead of a 2026.

Back in 2015, the base level (LE) did not have adjustable interval wipers. Just off, low, hi. That was the one thing an XLE would have that I wanted. So I swapped in an XLE wiper switch on the new 2015 LE I had had for a week. Not sure that is still true today, but it is a cautionary tale.

As far as gas/hybrid/PHEV, I don't think there is an economic formula that shows the hybrid/PHEV premiums are justified. They are cool to own and fun to talk about though, so you have to credit the premium to your entertainment account.

+1 about buying first-year models. We bought a ’24 RAV4 Hybrid XLE and most of this generation’s bugs had already resolved.

Hybrid driving took some getting used to but it finally boiled down to just letting the car take care of itself, which it does quite well.
Hybrid has better power and gas mileage, so we took the plunge. No regrets 18 months later.

 

[eugenepowers001]

If you are worried about battery fires, that would only be an issue in the Rav4 PHEV (Prime). The traction battery in the Rav4 Hybrid is Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH) = no fire risk. The Hybrid is only $2,000 more than the gas-only Rav4, and you will definitely recover that money in gas savings in about the first 80,000 miles. If you live in California, where gas is about 40% more expensive that in the rest of the US, you recover the price premium of a Rav4 Hybrid in 53,000 miles. The P-710 transaxle in the Hybrid is way less complicated than the 10 speed automatic in the gas-only Rav4. Toyota has been making these Hybrid transaxles since 1997 (the first Prius), and they know how to make them reliable. Millions of them worldwide have gone 250,000+ miles with no problems.
Just talk to any of the Rav4 Hybrid owners on this Forum and you will be hard-pressed to find someone who wishes they had bought something else.

The Hybrid's powertrain management system for starting the gas engine is a 30 hp electric motor, MG1, embedded in the transaxle, not a conventional starter motor. The way the Rav4 Hybrid drives, is that you pull away from a stop on the 120 hp MG2 electric motor plus some added torque from the MGR rear axle motor, until you get to about 14~18 mph, then MG1 spins the gas engine at about 1,100 rpm and it starts, nearly silently, and with no perceptable jerkiness.

My personal ride is a 2023 Rav4 Prime. The price premium on these is $12,000 because of the big Lithium battery. I went for it because we have cheap electricity in my city thanks to a not-for-profit Municipal electric service, and hideously expensive gas ($4.50/gallon), so I felt the $12K price premium was at least somewhat justified. Besides, the Prime is fun to drive, and I get 58 miles of EV range on a full charge. I am averaging about 6.5¢/mile total cost for gas and electricity, compared to about 12¢/mile that it would cost to drive a Rav4 Hybrid, so the mileage to recover the $12,000 price premium is about 225,000.

Get a Rav4 Hybrid, You won't regret it.

In California in general gas is about 30% more expensive than other next expensive state, not 40%. And transmission is 8 gear, not 10 gear. PHEV cost $9300 more than Hybrid, not $12000 for comparable trim. $35,295 for Hybrid SE. $44,565 for SE PHEV. Plus you get something back from the state. And if buy back lease you get $6500. So they are very close in price. And I highly doubt you get 58 miles in EV. 48 maybe in the city if you are lucky and you drive like a frail 100 year old. On freeway maybe 36 miles. I also have 2023 Prime XSE. Costco gas near me is $3.97 right now. The cheapest Costco

Costco - 14501 Hindry Ave - Hawthorne, CA - GasBuddy.com

Costco in Hawthorne CA Carries Regular, Premium. Has Membership Pricing, Pay at Pump, Membership Required Check current gas prices and read customer reviews. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars.

www.gasbuddy.com

Costco in Las Vegas is $3.09 so about 30% less.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

One of the things I really, really appreciate about the hybrid is it does not have the same issues gas engines have when you are stopped at a red light. I guess it is mandatory that the gas engine shut off when stopped at red lights or other extended stops.

Not all gas model 5th gen RAV trim levels have the auto stop/start. On those that do there is a dash button below the climate control you push to disable it. On the 2019-2021 model years you could disconnect the electric wire to the hood latch to permanently delete auto S/S. On later model years there are cheap, easy to install plug in modules sold on Amazon that permanently delete auto S/S.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Please itemize the problems that the hybrid has.

The notorious "Cablegate" connector corrosion issue. Jury is still out on whether the latest 2025 design will permanently cure the problem. The 2026 model RAV hybrids have that same connector

 

[eugenepowers001]

The notorious "Cablegate" connector corrosion issue. Jury is still out on whether the latest 2025 design will permanently cure the problem. The 2026 model RAV hybrids have that same connector

Not everyone lives in salt states so many of us don't worry about it.

 

[billimack]

Hello all,

First post on the forum.

My wife wants to buy a small SUV and RAV4 comes to my mind.
But it gets so many trims and I have no idea which one to buy.

Can someone give me some general idea where to start?
Personally, I prefer to buy non-hybrid to avoid possible issue down the road. The gas saving from hybrid may not cover the premium I will pay for it.

Thank you

First do you do mostly highway milage or city. Hybrid mpg great in city. Ok on highway if not using cruise control. Worse mpg using cruise control. Regular Hybrid battery is not lithium only prime is lithium. Now figure what you want for accessories. Heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel bigger Info head unit etc. Do you want sun roof or panoramic sun roof. Newer RAV4 is supposed to be quieter. If you go with limited you might as well by a lexus or a highlander for a couple thousand more. Drive it first

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

True, but one of the theories about "Cablegate"was that GALVANIC corrosion could cause it even in the absence of salt on the roads.

Not everyone lives in salt states so many of us don't worry about it.

 

[eugenepowers001]

First do you do mostly highway milage or city. Hybrid mpg great in city. Ok on highway if not using cruise control. Worse mpg using cruise control. Regular Hybrid battery is not lithium only prime is lithium. Now figure what you want for accessories. Heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel bigger Info head unit etc. Do you want sun roof or panoramic sun roof. Newer RAV4 is supposed to be quieter. If you go with limited you might as well by a lexus or a highlander for a couple thousand more. Drive it first

Really?

To and from Las Vegas. 280 miles there and 251 back on cruise control only in HV.

 

[Ttrace]

Hello all,

First post on the forum.

My wife wants to buy a small SUV and RAV4 comes to my mind.
But it gets so many trims and I have no idea which one to buy.

Can someone give me some general idea where to start?
Personally, I prefer to buy non-hybrid to avoid possible issue down the road. The gas saving from hybrid may not cover the premium I will pay for it.

Thank you

We researched for a year and in May chose a new 2025 RAV4 hybrid. We chose the XLE model so my could have the electric drivers seat for her petite size. We are getting 43 mpg on the highway and have 4700 miles already since May 5. Very happy with our choice. There are many options and packages. The only thing I hate is Toyota makes you think you can go on line and build-a-car but it a tease to steer you to the nearest dealer. Do your research as to what optionsackages you need and then go on line and check every dealer in your state to see what they have in stock is being shipped to them. That’s the best way to get what you want and price you can afford. Takes a lot of work but you’ll be happy you put the effort in it.

 

[q0987]

As a newbie, I truly appreciate any suggestions or comments from this community.

Here's my calculation when comparing the 2025 RAV4 XLE and XLE Hybrid:
Total fuel savings (per 10,000 miles/year over 10 years):
$12,500 – $9,375 = $3,125 saved over 10 years.

However, we don’t drive much, so I’m having a hard time deciding whether the hybrid is worth it for us.
Also, the salesperson mentioned that replacing the hybrid battery could cost around $5,000–$8,000.
From my perspective, I’m not seeing much of a financial benefit in choosing the hybrid model.

I’d also love to hear thoughts on the maintenance cost difference between the hybrid and regular models.

Thank you

 

[Cavalry]

These days, even the LE has a lot of decent equipment that is standard. As for the hybrid, there are no real "issues" you need to worry about. The complexity it adds is mostly offset by the things it doesn't have and how it all works. For instance, if you buy a gas only AWD, then you have additional shafts bringing the power to the rear differential. The hybrid uses ONLY an electric motor to power the rear wheels that comes on in an instant when needed so there is no mechanical connection between the transmission and the rear wheels. The CVT used in the hybrid is probably the best one ever made and it's complexity is reduced because it doesn't have a reverse gear. Reverse thrust is only provided by electricity. Your brakes will wear out FAR less and there is no conventional starter. If you're opting for a FWD gas only model you might have an argument but if you want an AWD then I would say it's a wash or the hybrid would be even less problematic.

 

[q0987]

 

[500500]

If you are worried about battery fires, that would only be an issue in the Rav4 PHEV (Prime). The traction battery in the Rav4 Hybrid is Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH) = no fire risk. The Hybrid is only $2,000 more than the gas-only Rav4, and you will definitely recover that money in gas savings in about the first 80,000 miles. If you live in California, where gas is about 40% more expensive that in the rest of the US, you recover the price premium of a Rav4 Hybrid in 53,000 miles. The P-710 transaxle in the Hybrid is way less complicated than the 10 speed automatic in the gas-only Rav4. Toyota has been making these Hybrid transaxles since 1997 (the first Prius), and they know how to make them reliable. Millions of them worldwide have gone 250,000+ miles with no problems.
Just talk to any of the Rav4 Hybrid owners on this Forum and you will be hard-pressed to find someone who wishes they had bought something else.

The Hybrid's powertrain management system for starting the gas engine is a 30 hp electric motor, MG1, embedded in the transaxle, not a conventional starter motor. The way the Rav4 Hybrid drives, is that you pull away from a stop on the 120 hp MG2 electric motor plus some added torque from the MGR rear axle motor, until you get to about 14~18 mph, then MG1 spins the gas engine at about 1,100 rpm and it starts, nearly silently, and with no perceptable jerkiness.

My personal ride is a 2023 Rav4 Prime. The price premium on these is $12,000 because of the big Lithium battery. I went for it because we have cheap electricity in my city thanks to a not-for-profit Municipal electric service, and hideously expensive gas ($4.50/gallon), so I felt the $12K price premium was at least somewhat justified. Besides, the Prime is fun to drive, and I get 58 miles of EV range on a full charge. I am averaging about 6.5¢/mile total cost for gas and electricity, compared to about 12¢/mile that it would cost to drive a Rav4 Hybrid, so the mileage to recover the $12,000 price premium is about 225,000.

Get a Rav4 Hybrid, You won't regret it.

some non-prime trims have lithium so your statement 'only primes' is incorrect

 

[lmcharlot]

PHEV cost $9300 more than Hybrid, not $12000 for comparable trim. $35,295 for Hybrid SE. $44,565 for SE PHEV. Plus you get something back from the state. And if buy back lease you get $6500. So they are very close in price. And I highly doubt you get 58 miles in EV. 48 maybe in the city if you are lucky and you drive like a frail 100 year old. On freeway maybe 36 miles. I also have 2023 Prime XSE. Costco gas near me is $3.97 right now. The cheapest Costco

Costco - 14501 Hindry Ave - Hawthorne, CA - GasBuddy.com

Costco in Hawthorne CA Carries Regular, Premium. Has Membership Pricing, Pay at Pump, Membership Required Check current gas prices and read customer reviews. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars.

www.gasbuddy.com

Costco in Las Vegas is $3.09 so about 30% less.

So the Hybrid has seen a significant price increase. The 2025 PHEV SE is about $1000 more than my 2023 Prime SE, but if your numbers are correct, the 2025 Hybrid SE is almost $4000 more than it was in 2023. I do in fact get 58~60 miles range in EV mode, in summer. In winter, this drops to 52~55 miles depending on how cold the battery is when I start a charge cycle. In January, the battery gets down to about 50°F, about 35°F colder than the summer average, and this significantly reduces EV driving range. These range numbers are on city streets in the 25~40 mph speed range. On the freeway, at 55 mph, range drops precipitously, to the mid 30's - the Rav4 has the aerodynamics of a cinderblock on wheels, so I reserve EV mode for city streets only - if I have to hop on the freeway, I switch to Hybrid mode. My Prime has about 21,000 miles on it, so the traction battery is still in near new condition. I've run into a couple of people with 2021~2023 Rav4 Hybrids and Primes that have somehow already put 60,000+miles on the vehicle, and they have seen about a 10% loss of battery capacity from what their cars had when new. I have set my EVSE to charge at 10 amps instead of 32 (the maximum), which takes 3 times longer to do a full charge, but I'm hoping this will help the battery last as long as possible.