MT- Toyota Rav4 Hybrid Review |"Toyota Raises the (Real) MPG Bar for Crossovers"

[mikeavelli]

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2016-toyota-rav4-hybrid-first-test-review/

Extremly positive and glowing review for the Rav4 Hybrid...

The 2016 RAV4 Hybrid is an incredibly promising vehicle if you think about the implications. Toyota, a company not known for its sports cars these days, has made a hybrid crossover that is faster than most, more efficient than all, and pretty nice on the inside. When the only new competitors outrunning your hybrid in the stoplight drags have turbochargers or a V-6, you’ve done hybrid right.

 

[IS-SV]

Smart move by Toyota, applying best hybrid technology to high growth segment vehicle, compact crossover SUV with AWD.

 

[Gecko]

If this had been out when I was shopping for mine, I'd have bought it. Doh!

 

[mmcartalk]

Good news, but, in some ways, not really news. With the exception of pure-electrics like Tesla, Toyota has always led the industry in hybrid-engineering. In fact, some of the early Ford hybrids actually used Toyota parts/engineering under license.

 

[IS-SV]

^Lol, "in some ways, not really good news" with trivia on Tesla (which is not even a hybrid) and early and now dated Ford hybrids....(okas they say, its cool)

Regarding topic of RAV4 Hybrid, I can see Toyota getting some incremental conquest sales from this vehicle, due to being on highly regarded compact crossover SUV platform (the highest growth vehicle segment in US) offering 4wd and not having any direct competition. Good business decision.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Toyota timed the market perfectly for the release...unfortunately, it probably will suck right now for the Prius, but gas will go up sooner than later.

 

[mmcartalk]

^Lol, "in some ways, not really good news" with trivia on Tesla (which is not even a hybrid) and early and now dated Ford hybrids....(okas they say, its cool)

That's not what I said. What I said was that I was pointing out that Toyota has generally led the industry in hybrid technology for the last 15 years or so, short of full-electrics. The early-model Escape Hybrids did use some Toyota hardware under license. So, to have the latest RAV-4 hybrid (the thread topic, as you note) a step above its competitors is not surprising at all....IMO, it is more or less to be expected. And I'm glad Mike posted the article to confirm it. Now, if that earns an LOL in your book, fine.....it certainly doesn't in mine.

 

[IS-SV]

That's not what I said. What I said was that I was pointing out that Toyota has generally led the industry in hybrid technology for the last 15 years or so, short of full-electrics. The early-model Escape Hybrids did use some Toyota hardware under license. So, to have the latest RAV-4 hybrid (the thread topic, as you note) a step above its competitors is not surprising at all....IMO, it is more or less to be expected. And I'm glad Mike posted the article to confirm it. Now, if that earns an LOL in your book, fine.....it certainly doesn't in mine.

Agreed, good explanation. And with that added, no lol.

 

[mmcartalk]

Agreed, good explanation. And with that added, no lol.

Thanks. When my brother and I got him his new Sportage last June, we considered waiting for the RAV-4 Hybrid, but he didn't want to wait that long. With regular gas averaging only a little over $2 a gallon nationally, no sign of any really sharp increase anytime soon (though, of course, in a crisis, gas prices can change at the drop of a hat), and with previous excellent luck and customer-service experience at his local Kia dealer (the dealership is actually owned by his own representative in Congress)....he decided on another Kia. But he agreed that, for a hybrid, in that small CUV class, the RAV-4 would have been the way to go....especially now that Ford no longer does the Escape Hybrid in America, and now leaves that role to the (non-SUV) people-mover C-Max.

 

[IS-SV]

Thanks. When my brother and I got him his new Sportage last June, we considered waiting for the RAV-4 Hybrid, but he didn't want to wait that long. With regular gas averaging only a little over $2 a gallon nationally, no sign of any really sharp increase anytime soon (though, of course, in a crisis, gas prices can change at the drop of a hat), and with previous excellent luck and customer-service experience at his local Kia dealer (the dealership is actually owned by his own representative in Congress)....he decided on another Kia. But he agreed that, for a hybrid, in that small CUV class, the RAV-4 would have been the way to go....especially now that Ford no longer does the Escape Hybrid in America, and now leaves that role to the (non-SUV) people-mover C-Max.

Yes, had this RAV4 Hybrid been on market when I bought Mazda 2013 CX-5 it would have made it on my very short list. Toyota hit the performance (thankfully not Prius slow) and efficiency sweet spot for an AWD compact SUV, top of its class now.

 

[mikeavelli]

Toyota timed the market perfectly for the release...unfortunately, it probably will suck right now for the Prius, but gas will go up sooner than later.

I honestly think the new Prius challenging looks will hurt it.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

I honestly think the new Prius challenging looks will hurt it.

+1, the Prius is polarizing, how much we have to see how the market reacts to it. I'm sure it will sell first to existing owners...the Civic-looking Volt has been out a few months, and I've starting see more than my fare share of them on the streets here in California. If Prius sales become abysmal worldwide, Toyota will need to do a big MMC like they did for the Camry. But the big difference is that the Prius is a global vehicle while the Camry we have is localized to NA and Australia.