Toyota's Rav4 as a hybrid in 2016

[Suanne]

Since my 04 Prius won't last forever, I've been saving and looking at possible replacement vehicles.  I love Toyota's hybrid technologies for living out of my car.  So, I know I want, if at all possible, to stick with a Toyota hybrid.  Thus far I've been looking at a Prius V (station wagon) and a Highlander hybrid (large SUV) as my best options.  But, today I found out that Toyota will also have the Rav4 (small SUV) in a hybrid as well, beginning in 2016. 

There's a lot more interior space in the Rav4 vs. the Prius V.  Unfortunately, the difference in ground clearance isn't that great.  The Prius V has 5.7" and the Rav4 has 6.3".  But, the Rav4 is AWD.  For comparison, the Highlander AWD hybrid has 8.0" clearance, which would be wonderful.

When my beloved 04 Prius finally dies, the Rav4 hybrid may just be my best replacement option ... unless, of course, Toyota has a hybrid AWD minivan by then.

I just thought that you all might be interested in this information as well.

Suanne ... enjoying the holidays with family, preparing to snowbird with friends

 

[RVTravel]

Very interesting Suanne. Make sure to check out how the back seats fold down. On the 2014 Honda CR-V (latest design I think), you lose most of the back seat floor space by putting the seats down. Some newer cars that have reclining back seats also have a big hump going from the rear compartment up onto the rear seat, when down.

 

[akrvbob]

I wonder what the MPG will be on it. For some reason the Highander only gets 26 MPG. I love it but I can't understand why it so poor.

It probably isn't a factor to you, but it has a very good towing abiity.
Bob

 

[Suanne]

Make sure to check out how the back seats fold down. On the 2014 Honda CR-V (latest design I think), you lose most of the back seat floor space by putting the seats down. Some newer cars that have reclining back seats also have a big hump going from the rear compartment up onto the rear seat, when down.

Good points RVTravel. I saw a 2016 Rav4 in person earlier today at a Toyota dealership (that's when I found out about the hybrid option). If I were to get one, I'd build a bed with storage underneath. Any unevenness or humps would be below the bed frame. I was quite surprised at how much room was under the hatch between the floor and bottom of the side windows. Not as much as a van or minivan, but still much more than my Prius.

 

[Suanne]

I wonder what the MPG will be on it. For some reason the Highander only gets 26 MPG. I love it but I can't understand why it so poor.

The Rav4 hybrid looks to be getting 33 MPG (combined).  I think the lower 26 MPG on the Highlander is a function of its V6 engine, body size, weight and relatively poor aerodynamics.  Because they are AWD, both the Rav4 and Highlander hybrids have 2 electric motors vs. the Prius' one.  I suspect that may take a hit on their MPG as well.

 

[akrvbob]

So they actually have a different motor for each driving each axle. that's interesting. The Highlander has a reputation is being a very strong puller so that would explain it--also why it tows so well.
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

It's only a matter of time a small euro van model is produced.

I can forsee two 200 watt solar panels hinged togeather down the centerline of the roof on a slight decline toward the rain gutters where each panel can have adjustable tilt along the gutters. For instance, the van is orientated east-west and the north facing solar panel is tilted upwards.

And of course, the solar controller feeds the battery bank already in place.

 

[pnwgypsy]

Read your post yesterday Suanne & mentioned it to the other half. He's chomping at the bit for a hybrid Rav4 now.

Here's a video review that shows the interior w/ back seats down. They don't go totally flat.

 

[Suanne]

I was hoping to test drive a Rav4 hybrid in person before I left for the RTR. I put a request in at Michael's Toyota, but didn't get a call before heading south. If you get to do a test drive, be sure to let us know what you think.

 

[pnwgypsy]

My schedule is pretty crazy in January. My current lease (Scion) is up the end of July...so pretty shortly here we're going to be doing some serious looking. I'll definitely report back. As of right now, my dealership doesn't have any hybrids in stock, but there are 2 in Bellevue. I'm crushing on the bright blue one & wishing the black currant (dark purple) came in hybrid, because it's the same color as my Scion.

 

[Konaexpress]

Hi,

I have a RAV4 and I would have to wonder if the bigger price tag is worth it to get a couple of extra miles to the gallon? I get about 28 now and it has a Lexas engine in it. Great car but might be a bit small. I would think to build a teardrop for around $2K and pull it around. Love teardrops! Love my RAV4!

 

[darude]

wonders what the payback time would be for the hybrid motors and batts vs MPG!! right now i'm on an 2014 VW jetta TDI and it's been turning out 59 MPG'S wich blows a prius through the roof i have gotten 64 MPG out of it as well

 

[Konaexpress]

wonders what the payback time would be for the hybrid motors and batts vs MPG!! right now i'm on an 2014 VW jetta TDI and it's been turning out 59 MPG'S wich blows a prius through the roof i have gotten 64 MPG out of it as well

Nice!

 

[darude]

Nice!

it would be nice to find an 07 they still get the same MPG'S and there's no emissions so you can do a WVO conversion and still get the same MPG'S running on veggie oil while you save on diesel

 

[akrvbob]

wonders what the payback time would be for the hybrid motors and batts vs MPG!! right now i'm on an 2014 VW jetta TDI and it's been turning out 59 MPG'S wich blows a prius through the roof i have gotten 64 MPG out of it as well

But had they not lied it would never have passed emissions and been built. It's produces an unhealthy level of particulates and really is harmful in the long run.

The Prius is drastically cleaner and safer for people around it.

Beyond that it's reliability record has been stellar, a truly amazing piece of engineering.
Bob

 

[darude]

But had they not lied it would never have passed emissions and been built. It's produces an unhealthy level of particulates and really is harmful in the long run.

The Prius is drastically cleaner and safer for people around it.

Beyond that it's reliability record has been stellar, a truly amazing piece of engineering.
Bob

from what I was told. the car is not spewing out any more emissions than it's supposed to it's just that the computer is not reading it right :s . so the car is still with in it's limits as far as how much emissions it can spew out it's just that the computer is not reading it right and it thinks the car is putting out more than it really is!! I do agree with you about the prius reliability record being steller as yota makes a dam good product to begin with. as theres people that own Priuses that have well over 200k miles on them with no issues at all as the first prius ever built is still in high demand!! I agree that it's cleaner but I don't know about on the freeway when the gas engine is running but for city driving then yes I agree it's cleaner. I can't justify the cost of the electric motors and the batteries since I drive on the freeway everyday I test drove a chevy volt I was getting 37 mpg on the freeway. you can buy a decent mid sized car for that and get about the same mpg's at a lower cost with out having to pay for the electric motors and batteries. now if I was city driving everyday sure I would buy one!!

 

[darude]

but then again when you hear people talk about how much it cost to replace the batteries in the car wich can go from 3,500 all the way up to as much as a new car would cost depending on what the stealership has to do to it like recondition the batts or ripping all of the batts out and putting in all new ones that can be costly!! another thing they don't tell you is that if you have the high speed charger at your house it will cost you more to charge the car vs using a standard 110 volt outlet and waiting forever for it  to charge up!! I can get the high speed charger at no charge thanks to all of the rebates CA is offering but I have to pay someone to install it plus I have to agree to allow the electric company to monitor my usage for 2 years not worth it to me as I refuse to let anyone manipulate me into a contract. and the infrastructure is a whole nother novel :dodgy:. before I ever bought one they would have to give me longer battery range and faster charging times. VW has the right idea for all of these electric cars. they made a diesel hybrid that gets 300 MPG all it is is a set of batteries with a diesel generator that keeps the batts charged even if the car is going 75 mph like on a locomotive. why don't we have that over here and why is it still a concept :huh: . I can say that I don't thing the gubberment would allow something like that because they would be loosing out on the road taxes

 

[darude]

423 MPG from this thing ouch LOL I been wanting one

 

[Oberneldon]

The Prius hybrid does not require any plug-in. The engine charges the hybrid battery. Generator on wheels!

 

[akrvbob]

From what I've read VW knew it could NOT meet EPA emissions standards so it put software into the car to defeat the missions test. Quote from: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volksw...compensation-is-your-car-affected-latest-news.

We love to convince ourselves that the EPA scientists are either liars or fools and the emissions aren't really harmful, but they are. We each have to make our own choices.

Defeat device an open secret with VW
The existence of the defeat device software was an open secret within Volkswagen's engine development department by both staff and managers, new reports by German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung reveal.

The report states that knowledge of the VW emissions scandal defeat devices stretches back as far as 2006 when engineers, rather than admit to the management board that strict US emissions limits for diesel engines could not be met, chose to cheat the system.

The defeat device developed as a result of the Group's strict corporate culture against failure, and managerial pressures to enter the US market in a cost efficient manner, the investigation by Seuddeutsche Zeitung says.