I use to drive a Subaru STI so I am familiar with how a capable AWD system does in the Canadian winter. Got the 2019 XSE since June and for sure the system isn't as capable but it is pretty damn good for what it is. It has constantly surpassed my expectations of what a inferior system is like. Considering i'm averaging about 47mpg (50mpg highest so far) in a car that has lots of space, awd and cost around the same as other crossovers this car is a beast.
What really matters for me is to know how the hybrid can do in winter conditions. I never go off-road trails or stuff like that, if you want to, buy something else. The mpg is impressive, XSE looks good
It's actually really good, even when fitted with a good all season tire, but felt better with all weather tires. Normal drive like normal with minimal slip and trail was more on top of stuff when on ice and snow. Texas snow and ice.
All terrain (more aggressive) tires for off roading would help but I also think just lowering your tire pressure would actually do wonders. Looks like you had about 30 psi or higher which is normal road psi. I've gone off roading w/ my family and my brothers always air down to about 10-15psi for off roading then air back up for the road to about 35-40psi. This rav4 hybrid is pretty sweet! If you mainly need the interior space and great mileage and do very occasional off roading for camping, hiking, etc, then it's perfect. Great review.
Because of this review. It’s one of the reasons I just bought a RAV4 AWD hybrid Limited trim. The model 1 step above that was tested on this video. Thanks 😉👍
Mr Douthit, thanks for a detailed review. One of reasons I bought this car and model was seeing how it did with you on the mountain trail. I have discovered one thing that you might find interesting - yes the Hybrid lacks the Descent Control the petrol adventure model does. But it does have something that can help. In drive mode you can shunt the mode selector to the side and pick the virtual gear set that the drive considers itself to be in. If you shift this down to S1 then the car will limit it's downhill speed to effectively the top of what first gear would do. Agreed it isn't as nice as picking a speed and the car just maintaining it. But if you need to control the speed to allow more time for attention to the steering on the trickier bits it does help.
I have a 2011 RAV4 and deeply falling in love with the new hybrids. I'm hoping the next 5 years will show their longevity. For now I'll just have to play the waiting game.
I thought about this video when I encountered a reasonable grade dirt road yesterday in Utah. My XLE hybrid 2019 went right up it with no problems and I went at least one mile making turns navigating washed out parts of the road etc. I don’t question you had issues, but you don’t stop on a hill. Just keep moving a little faster than you were driving and you will be just fine. Lowering the tire pressure for rocky terrain like you were driving makes a huge difference. An experienced off road driver is just as important as the automobile. If you are a passive driver you will get stuck.
I think Toyota is one of the best car companies out there in terms of reliable and not been to expensive. I come from a family of Chevy, GMC and ford owners, trucks, suvs. I’m the first of my family to ever own only Toyota products and I don’t think I’m ever going to switch. I own a 2013 4Runner and a 2011 rav4 limited. I always preferred cross overs and suvs over sedans because I’m 6 foot and I feel like sedans are way too low to the ground.
An AWD Limited/SE trim RAV4 is my actual dream car. I’ve gotten pretty close so far with a ‘17 RAV4 XLE FWD. They are very practical, reliable, and fun when you want them to be.
Number of people buying a Rav4 Hybrid as a rock-crawler: zero. Number of other sub-$40k vehicles on the road that can make it up this trail, do 0-60 in 7.5 secs and score 40+ mpg: also zero. Which is why he's likely saying it's one of his favourite crossovers on the market. I think it's as close to a game-changer as I've seen in a while... a truly singular vehicle of which there is no direct competition. That's why i bought one, anyway. ;-)
Loving my RAV4 Hybrid! Never bought it to do off-road, I have my truck for that. Incredibly impressed with it so far and look forward to seeing how it will do in our cold snowy Canadian winters.
Have you had a chance to drive it in snow, deep snow, ice yet? Can you provide some real world information about stability, uphill, or getting out of parked situations?
My dad has a 2011 rav4 LE with 125k miles. He bought it when it had 12k miles. I drive it when I can get my hands on and I love the cross over vibes. I can’t even imagine how this new rav4 feels to drive..
No snow and ice in the Pacific Northwest this time of year. We do what we can with what we have. If you look at our videos from a few months ago you’ll see several snow videos.
sgcole111 We don’t usually get any usable driving snow around here until after Thanksgiving. Note that we do feature the RAV4 in winter tires on snow in our Toyota AWD Explained video. If you haven’t watched that one yet, you should.
Great review sir...have the previous gen 2016 Rav4 Hybrid...still not broken in only 43K miles. No complaints with my decision, thou the new one looks mighty nice!
Shawn P yes hope Toyota is watching and they make some software modifications because the rear axis isn’t working like Toyota show on all videos and presentations! Is way to week!
thank you so much! As a new 19 Rav4 Hybrid owner, I was trying to understand the differences. I had an 18 Lexus NX300h and I was sold, but this little guy is very solidly comparable, without the extra 10K for the Lexus brand.
I actually expected less from RAV4 Hybrid, since the previous model had no power at all on the rear excel. It was nice to see that now its even powerful enough for an over-steer. It didn't do very good there on rocks when it came to diagonal elevation, but seems like the rear motor was strong enough to give it a good push, if both rear wheels were on a ground.
Read power looks pretty good in this video. Biggest cause of wheel spin are the factory eco-focused tires. Put some AT tires on and traction with improve greatly!
@@James-rd9mo On this video it does even better than CRV with the conventional AWD (even though CRV is also Hybrid): th-cam.com/video/q43fj4tPmDQ/w-d-xo.html
My opinion that reviewer did not discover full off-road potential of the vehicle, because obviously wheels would spin, but he remove power from wheels and roll back.
Did you buy a 2019 or 2020? I'm hitting dealers this Saturday and the next two Saturdays for a 2020 Hybrid Limited; best deals are made at the end of the month; they want to make their bonus by making their quoter. Mr DJ of Cat N Mr DJ - Filipina American Vloggers...
I actually just bought this same model last week right off the lot and it wasn't even the model I was shopping for but it just stood out and I'm so glad I got it.
Bless you for making this video! Helps calm my nerves a bit. I just bought a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid and I haven't experienced winter yet. We really need a snow and ice video!!
Thanks for showing the limits of what this Rav4 can do, in terms of climbing the uphill gravel path. I am past my youthful days and only occasional do this off road stuff so this SUV seems to fit well for my purpose as I mostly drive on paved roads but need that off-roading capability when I am a bit adventurous. For me good cars should be able to help us explore the less trodden places. Will get this car in a few months. Subsribed and liked.
Great reviews. I live in Canada so sometimes packaging is different but generally the same. One thing I would like is to know is if android auto is included. You always mention airplay but not everybody has apple products (85% of the world doesn't in fact) Keep up the good work. Love the real world awd tests. Agree with James snow and ice is important here in the great white north.
Great review. I'm disappointed with it's traction. I really thought they would at least make the rear drive lockable being that it's separate from the front drive
That’s going to be tough, but be on the lookout, i got the hybrid xle trim model for 31... missing some aesthetics but the hybrid performance is there.
I really hope Toyota will take notes. the rav4 prime have a very powerful motor. Toyota can program the rear motor to engage more aggressively to mimic power send to the rear wheels. that will be fun
We had a fun time pulling a Rav4 out of a sound bog, in Anza Borrego State Park, in our Jeep Compass trailhawk. It was a fun opportunity to use our traction boards, trail shovel, and tow strap.
Great review. Nice to get the perceptions of a reviewer who drives the way I do! I appreciate that no changes were made to boost offroad prowess, you showed how it performs as equipped. Thank you~ *subscribed Update- my 2020 limited hybrid will be built in Japan October 31. Panoramic sunroof equipped is built in Japan, adaptive headlights is built in Canada. Can't have both at this time.
I got a Woodland edition (that wasn’t available at that moment) and the more agressive tires are making a huge difference off-road. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an soft roader. But for my personal use (snowy winters and trips to the cottage), it does just fine.
3:00 it all starts very well, because the rear wheels are working, just look at the front of the car - it lifts up when starting that is, the rear axle drives the vehicle.
Great review thank you from the uk I have just taken delivery of RAV 4 Excel AWD yesterday . Yes you are right 99% of owners will not go on hill climbs like that . Here in the uk 7 months waiting list for the RAV4
On cars with a this sort of electronic traction vectoring using braked wheel methods, slip has to occur for a surprisingly long time before kicking in, you seemed to back off as soon as it slipped possibly negating it. I think you need to keep just a light slip going for far longer before the software wakes up and kicks in. Not good for tyre wear but you have to live with it to get you moving when stuck. The time limit for how long before the car realises your going nowhere and intervenes is set pretty long.
I test drove the hybrid and man, they are zippy. Still, I purchased an XLE Premium AWD, which only comes with a gas engine. The better traditional AWD system mixed with the available features and package upgrades for this trim makes it comparable to the XSE Hybrid but for $3,000 less (instead of the usual $800 less for the gas model). Also, it’s the only trim that, along with the Limited, comes with 19 inch rims and has 8.6” ground clearance.
The vehicle is really a "soft-roader", not a heavy-duty off-road vehicle. Which is fine given the vast majority of owners won't be attempting steep rocky trails. Maybe ski trips or snow-day errands will be the extent of it. The high ground clearance is for better visibility while commuting. The aggressive styling is for marketing purposes.
It may sound crazy, but I swear my rav4 hybrid performed better off-road. I had mountain climbing on trail similar to this one, the main problem was clearance. I hit some stones several times, thankfully didn’t damage the car. Also it was even harder to go downhill, i had to constantly apply brakes. They started smelling like hot ironing device. But I never had the problems like here. Oh, I didn’t use trail mode, all the time I was in sport mode. My tires were dedicated Bridgestones summer tires.
Usually it takes me weeks of watching a channel before I subscribe....but u know where this is going....I subscribed to you on the the very first video I watched on your channel. Good job. Very detailed, clear, and relevant information provided in a pleasant manner. Thanks.
As a 2020 XSE hybrid owner I’d like to point out that the RAV4 does indeed still suffer from “ping ponging” while trying to stay in its lane. Also there is no active TPMS display so you have no idea what your real-time tire pressure is.
Great review! . Before purchasing this model, and because of this video, 4 Michelin CrossClimate SUV tyres were mounted on my unit. Still waiting, here in Spain, for Android Auto; 2019 units have to be updated, but who knows the date due to the COVID19 lockdown. Thanks for your videos, they're great!
I have an R4P, and the lane assist is more annoying than helpful. The one you're testing seems to be doing way better. Mine basically gets fooled by any cracks in the road, mistaking them for lane stripes. It often ends up following the wrong lines, and pushes and pulls all over the lane... ping ponging, as you say. It causes me more stress than it relieves.
It boils down to what you like. The XSE is better looking with a lot of high tech while the Limited more practical and luxurious. Your good to go with either one you choose.
This is not a jeep so why drive it like one? I bought a new 18 RAV4 XLE hybrid and love it. Since I bought it, I have never moved it from the regular drive mode. The hybrids with the rear motor is for wet pavement and light snow conditions. It provides stability when roads are slick.To be honest I consider the "trail, sport and eco" modes to be "gimmicky." Again if you want to go off road other than a regular dirt or gravel road, but a jeep. By the way the price of this thing is outrageous. With this kind of money you have a lot of choices in the marketplace. Again love my 18 RAV4 hybrid.
@@ftdRaw Very true. And Toyota in their advertisements promote the RAV4s off road capability (when properly equipped of course). The occasional off road use is fine (visiting a campsite, etc) but if I wanted a "real" off road capable vehicle this would not be it.
He was trying to demonstrate the vehicle's limitations and capabilities...can't really do that without pushing things a bit. This review was far more revealing than some flat dirt road or grassy field that basically any vehicle could navigate without issue.
I'm glad you showed the bottom of this I didn't know it had all that plastic air deflection underneath it's good to know for people that do their own oil changes
Off-road capabilities are non existent in this car, it is pure city car. I had a moderate bump on a dirt road near by, Subaru Forester 2019 get over it easily using ABS to break spinning wheels, my new RAV4 2021 just sits there spinning left front wheel and won't do anything, trail mode is useless. That's not a complaint, I've got separate LC 100 series for off-road, I'm just saying that it is a city car.
Toyota should have included a Trail Cam feature along with the Trail Mode on this Rav 4, an approach camera and possibly even a departure camera would be helpful. It's obvious over the rocks and up the hill this Rav 4 is ill equiped tire-wise to tackle this sort of terrain.
You can get a 360 bird view in addition to obstacle closeup ones (both views shown side to side in split screen). It automatically shows up on the central display when reverse is engaged, but it can be switched manually from a button located on the left lower panel of the dashboard (where automatic headlights control, heated wheel, and some other assistance can be controlled). In addition, there are several view mode, and you can manually orient the view direction. Not sure it's available on all trims, but it should be there on the XSE, since it seems quite similar to the Lounge and Collection trims we have here in France. Mine is a Lounge with Premium option pack.
Do you mind if I ask, do you feel the AWDe is sufficient for snow and rain? I'm looking for a good all around vehicle (medium size cargo and people capacity, good fuel efficiency, good reliability, etc) and I'm a little torn between this and the Subaru Outback. The Outback seems like it may have a tiny bit more room in it, being wider and a bit longer, while also having a better AWD, but its fuel economy doesn't seem to match the EPA rated economy, while already being quite a bit lower than the Rav4 Hybrid's. (Fuel economy that's inconsistent with the EPA rated economy is a big pet peeve of mine) The Rav4 Hybrid seems to have more power and the fuel efficiency is incredible. Real world results also show most people at least meet, if not beat, the Rav4's EPA fuel economy. Aside from that, the two vehicles seem really comparable, but Toyota has incredible reliability. I'd love to hear thoughts from someone who's driven both vehicles. Any input is appreciated.
AWDe would be good in average snow and rain. The Outback is a mid-size so it’s technically the next size up. A Forester is the direct match to the RAV4. Economy will come down to how you drive it. Around town and in city driving then hybrid will excel. For lots of freeway the Forester will do better imho. In terms of real world I think you also have to look at who buys which type of car. Hybrid owners pride themselves on good economy and they will drive in a manner that therefore gives the best result. A driver that doesn’t care will have a heavier foot and ask more of their vehicle which will result in poorer gas mileage.
Having seen the RAV4 hybrid being tested off-road in Europe I think tyre choice was the biggest reason for the problems on the trail. It’s more capable off-road than this video implies.
Great video. Would love to see the honda crv hybrid, Subaru forester hybrid and even the outlander phev on that same stretch of test trail. Interior on this rav 4 looks so clean crisp and modern. .. keep the good videos coming....
Are you sure with the 8.6 inches clearance ? I’ve heard 8,1 for the Hybrid trims ?The trail or adventure if you prefer has the best clearance with 8.? Inches.
Does this SUV still has issues with gas tank and trasmissiion, and is it only on the 2019 hybrid models? Iam buying one this weekend but after reading some comments about this issue iam hesitant now
@@NoeSantos Looks like out of these three, the fun, drivers car is the cx-5. Everyone has their own criteria and I don't think there is a clear favorite.
@@wind7sailor very true . . . both Subaru and Mazda have similar True Cost to Own factors . . . but the Forester Sport does come with cloth seats which would be alot better in my desert region than the similarly equipped CX-5 with leather seats (although they are ventilated perhaps).
@@NoeSantos It comes down to what works for each person. The Cx-5 with turbo has the most power (250hp)and handles better, but is more cramped inside. The Forester Sport has the best interior room and visibility, plus Subaru AWD and it offers unique trim accents on that sport trim. It's a nice car, but has the slowest engine (182hp). The Rav-4 hybrid splits the difference and offers the best gas mileage about 40mpg from its 219hp hybrid engine and trim levels to appeal to a wide range of buyers from the base, sport, adventure, TRD (2020), and all it's hybrid trims. All are great options, it depends on what you're looking for.
Dom Jr the RAV4 TRD off-road will just have a off-road tunes shocks. Otherwise, it’s the same vehicle. This channel shows that AWD system in both the hybrid and normally aspirated RAV4’s doesn’t do too well offroad. Maybe Toyota intended for this so people will continue to buy the 4Runner for off-road.
You defenetly need to Upgrade Your Tires if You want to go Off Road. Is the the XSE Better than the Limited for Off Road? I believe the XSE C ok mes with those 18" Black Finish Rims. But the Limited comes with 19" Rims.
I don't expect the rav4 to be as capable off road as a Subaru or Jeep... but can I count on the rav4 hybrid to handle Midwest winters better than a regular FWD car (like a Corolla or Camry)? I'm thinking about trading in my Camry. This Rav4 hybrid seems to do everything well: great gas mileage, good cargo capacity (with seats folded down), Toyota reliability, decent acceleration, etc.
ET Nem You will for sure love the new RAV4, I have the 2019 XSE, heated seats, panoramic sunroof, weather package, etc. my highest mpg I have averaged 51, I do drive a lot*. Most of the time I average 47 mpg. You will definitely love the car. If you want the hybrid your gonna have to wait since there is a high demand for them. There is a waiting list.
@@JJustinXu Thanks for the response. My Camry hybrid has 91k miles. By the time I hit 150k in a few years, I bet I can probably get a good deal on a used 2019 or 2020 Rav4 hybrid. I think I'm gonna wait because I'm still pretty happy with my Camry. MPG is averaging about 41 for me. Not bad. Thanks!
I will like to see the Forester on that trail. I saw the video on snow with the new x mode system, but this is a different scenario. Also, what about the Rav-4 adventure? Would be more capable than this one or the Forester?
Great video. Could you ellaborate how "upto 80% of power sent to rear wheels" when the power from the engine and front electric motors do not send any torque to the rear wheels?
To be correct it has no regular cvt, Toyota Just calls it e- cvt because normally nobody understands what a planetary gear solution is what it technically has. which doesn't change what you are referring to as this e-CVT also has the low torque problems but this is solved by the electric motors which deliver the complete torque they have with the first revolution they make
An Electric Drive system similar to the Chevy Volt would be best. This way the motors provide 100% of the torque even when moving ahead slowly. The problem w/ gasoline engines is that they provide lots of power at the high end of the power band and very low torque all the way through. A lot of these trails need a vehicle that can roll across slowly vs the drivetrain which is made for skipping along at higher speeds.
I use to drive a Subaru STI so I am familiar with how a capable AWD system does in the Canadian winter. Got the 2019 XSE since June and for sure the system isn't as capable but it is pretty damn good for what it is. It has constantly surpassed my expectations of what a inferior system is like. Considering i'm averaging about 47mpg (50mpg highest so far) in a car that has lots of space, awd and cost around the same as other crossovers this car is a beast.
Hey at 40mpg, I was very satisfied with the trail/rock/off road test. I won’t ever be doing that much off roading.
What really matters for me is to know how the hybrid can do in winter conditions. I never go off-road trails or stuff like that, if you want to, buy something else. The mpg is impressive, XSE looks good
@@matwxx $800 more to go from AWD gas model to hybrid (all hybrids are AWD).
It's actually really good, even when fitted with a good all season tire, but felt better with all weather tires. Normal drive like normal with minimal slip and trail was more on top of stuff when on ice and snow. Texas snow and ice.
All terrain (more aggressive) tires for off roading would help but I also think just lowering your tire pressure would actually do wonders. Looks like you had about 30 psi or higher which is normal road psi. I've gone off roading w/ my family and my brothers always air down to about 10-15psi for off roading then air back up for the road to about 35-40psi. This rav4 hybrid is pretty sweet! If you mainly need the interior space and great mileage and do very occasional off roading for camping, hiking, etc, then it's perfect. Great review.
Rav4 is really a great SUV and it's off-road credentials are great
Because of this review. It’s one of the reasons I just bought a RAV4 AWD hybrid Limited trim. The model 1 step above that was tested on this video. Thanks 😉👍
How much did it cost you?
Mr Douthit, thanks for a detailed review. One of reasons I bought this car and model was seeing how it did with you on the mountain trail. I have discovered one thing that you might find interesting - yes the Hybrid lacks the Descent Control the petrol adventure model does. But it does have something that can help. In drive mode you can shunt the mode selector to the side and pick the virtual gear set that the drive considers itself to be in. If you shift this down to S1 then the car will limit it's downhill speed to effectively the top of what first gear would do.
Agreed it isn't as nice as picking a speed and the car just maintaining it. But if you need to control the speed to allow more time for attention to the steering on the trickier bits it does help.
Ground clearance is actually 8.1" in that Rav4 XSE, Trail/Adventure model has 8.6" clearance.
Yup. Error. At least it’s over 8 and better than last year’s model.
I have a 2011 RAV4 and deeply falling in love with the new hybrids. I'm hoping the next 5 years will show their longevity. For now I'll just have to play the waiting game.
I thought about this video when I encountered a reasonable grade dirt road yesterday in Utah.
My XLE hybrid 2019 went right up it with no problems and I went at least one mile making turns navigating washed out parts of the road etc.
I don’t question you had issues, but you don’t stop on a hill. Just keep moving a little faster than you were driving and you will be just fine.
Lowering the tire pressure for rocky terrain like you were driving makes a huge difference.
An experienced off road driver is just as important as the automobile.
If you are a passive driver you will get stuck.
That trac on gravel pull was one of the best I have ever seen. Its like the car had clawed its way through the gravel.
I think Toyota is one of the best car companies out there in terms of reliable and not been to expensive. I come from a family of Chevy, GMC and ford owners, trucks, suvs. I’m the first of my family to ever own only Toyota products and I don’t think I’m ever going to switch. I own a 2013 4Runner and a 2011 rav4 limited. I always preferred cross overs and suvs over sedans because I’m 6 foot and I feel like sedans are way too low to the ground.
An AWD Limited/SE trim RAV4 is my actual dream car. I’ve gotten pretty close so far with a ‘17 RAV4 XLE FWD. They are very practical, reliable, and fun when you want them to be.
Number of people buying a Rav4 Hybrid as a rock-crawler: zero. Number of other sub-$40k vehicles on the road that can make it up this trail, do 0-60 in 7.5 secs and score 40+ mpg: also zero.
Which is why he's likely saying it's one of his favourite crossovers on the market. I think it's as close to a game-changer as I've seen in a while... a truly singular vehicle of which there is no direct competition. That's why i bought one, anyway. ;-)
David Webb Word!! Same here!
Killer cheap RAV4. NEW CR-V Hybrid. Soon.
I was waiting for this review for a long time. You showed everything I wanted to see. Thank you very much!!
me too, thanks a lot
Like wise here to. Every day I was checking TH-cam for this video notification.
same here.
So did you go with this or something else ?
@@sudhirraom Going for it in September, planning to take XLE Hybrid
Loving my RAV4 Hybrid! Never bought it to do off-road, I have my truck for that. Incredibly impressed with it so far and look forward to seeing how it will do in our cold snowy Canadian winters.
Have you had a chance to drive it in snow, deep snow, ice yet? Can you provide some real world information about stability, uphill, or getting out of parked situations?
My dad has a 2011 rav4 LE with 125k miles. He bought it when it had 12k miles. I drive it when I can get my hands on and I love the cross over vibes. I can’t even imagine how this new rav4 feels to drive..
Forget the Offroad testing we need a snow and ice test. Many more people use their SUV's ok poor road conditions, not off-roading.
No snow and ice in the Pacific Northwest this time of year. We do what we can with what we have. If you look at our videos from a few months ago you’ll see several snow videos.
The 2019 RAV4 does amazing in snow, better in fact than my 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
Dual Sport Numbskullz , Hybrid 2019 didn’t come out until March. Not much snow where I live in March.
@@drivingsports second the request. Please update with winter tires when you get some snow up around Crystal Mountain or Mt Baker!
sgcole111 We don’t usually get any usable driving snow around here until after Thanksgiving. Note that we do feature the RAV4 in winter tires on snow in our Toyota AWD Explained video. If you haven’t watched that one yet, you should.
A set of all terrain tires and lower air pressure would make all the difference
I got this car....it would
@@deadkemper I have the adventure model and I'm beyond happy. 2019 is a great rav4 year
also having the added weight from cargo that youd likley have on a trip like this might help too
And a transfercase with low range.
An Xmode with Lockers front and rear..@@robertraman6307
Great review sir...have the previous gen 2016 Rav4 Hybrid...still not broken in only 43K miles. No complaints with my decision, thou the new one looks mighty nice!
sacredsleeper Same with mine!
Whats your mpg?
@@TwinFun0327 what's your mpg like?
Dose rav4 hybrid made in Japan?
Hope Toyota is watching. Great review!
Shawn P yes hope Toyota is watching and they make some software modifications because the rear axis isn’t working like Toyota show on all videos and presentations! Is way to week!
Please put some snow tires on and try in the winter. Very curious about winter-equipped perfomance. Thanks!
thank you so much! As a new 19 Rav4 Hybrid owner, I was trying to understand the differences. I had an 18 Lexus NX300h and I was sold, but this little guy is very solidly comparable, without the extra 10K for the Lexus brand.
I actually expected less from RAV4 Hybrid, since the previous model had no power at all on the rear excel. It was nice to see that now its even powerful enough for an over-steer. It didn't do very good there on rocks when it came to diagonal elevation, but seems like the rear motor was strong enough to give it a good push, if both rear wheels were on a ground.
Read power looks pretty good in this video. Biggest cause of wheel spin are the factory eco-focused tires. Put some AT tires on and traction with improve greatly!
@@James-rd9mo On this video it does even better than CRV with the conventional AWD (even though CRV is also Hybrid): th-cam.com/video/q43fj4tPmDQ/w-d-xo.html
My opinion that reviewer did not discover full off-road potential of the vehicle, because obviously wheels would spin, but he remove power from wheels and roll back.
I just bought one yesterday. We put 230 miles on it. It’s great. 😃👍🏻
Did you buy a 2019 or 2020? I'm hitting dealers this Saturday and the next two Saturdays for a 2020 Hybrid Limited; best deals are made at the end of the month; they want to make their bonus by making their quoter. Mr DJ of Cat N Mr DJ - Filipina American Vloggers...
I actually just bought this same model last week right off the lot and it wasn't even the model I was shopping for but it just stood out and I'm so glad I got it.
Bless you for making this video! Helps calm my nerves a bit. I just bought a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid and I haven't experienced winter yet. We really need a snow and ice video!!
This hybrid SUV checks so many boxes it will be my next SUV. I love it. The XSE is the better trim.
It checks all my boxes. XSE in either white/black top or red/black top really rocks
Thanks for showing the limits of what this Rav4 can do, in terms of climbing the uphill gravel path. I am past my youthful days and only occasional do this off road stuff so this SUV seems to fit well for my purpose as I mostly drive on paved roads but need that off-roading capability when I am a bit adventurous. For me good cars should be able to help us explore the less trodden places. Will get this car in a few months. Subsribed and liked.
Put some off-road tires on, lower the pressure, and it will go fine. Maybe smaller wheels, 17" and higher tires ?
They should put a crawl control like the 4runners.
Great reviews. I live in Canada so sometimes packaging is different but generally the same. One thing I would like is to know is if android auto is included. You always mention airplay but not everybody has apple products (85% of the world doesn't in fact) Keep up the good work. Love the real world awd tests. Agree with James snow and ice is important here in the great white north.
Great review. I'm disappointed with it's traction. I really thought they would at least make the rear drive lockable being that it's separate from the front drive
A Subaru Forrester makes de trail 10 times better
I want one ! Saving my pennies for a used one next year.
J Garza there won’t be a Hybrid in less than a year that’s used.
That’s going to be tough, but be on the lookout, i got the hybrid xle trim model for 31... missing some aesthetics but the hybrid performance is there.
I really hope Toyota will take notes. the rav4 prime have a very powerful motor. Toyota can program the rear motor to engage more aggressively to mimic power send to the rear wheels. that will be fun
A more aggressive tires would do the job much better for sure. With the factory tires it came with, it did the job but not good as good.
We had a fun time pulling a Rav4 out of a sound bog, in Anza Borrego State Park, in our Jeep Compass trailhawk. It was a fun opportunity to use our traction boards, trail shovel, and tow strap.
Lol. I really miss my jeep. And I had a renegade desert hawk!
Got the 2021 rav4 xse hybrid. 😔
Really impressed with the RAV4 so far.
Great review. Nice to get the perceptions of a reviewer who drives the way I do! I appreciate that no changes were made to boost offroad prowess, you showed how it performs as equipped. Thank you~ *subscribed
Update- my 2020 limited hybrid will be built in Japan October 31. Panoramic sunroof equipped is built in Japan, adaptive headlights is built in Canada. Can't have both at this time.
I got a Woodland edition (that wasn’t available at that moment) and the more agressive tires are making a huge difference off-road. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an soft roader. But for my personal use (snowy winters and trips to the cottage), it does just fine.
3:00 it all starts very well, because the rear wheels are working, just look at the front of the car - it lifts up when starting
that is, the rear axle drives the vehicle.
Good observation
Great review thank you from the uk I have just taken delivery of RAV 4 Excel AWD yesterday . Yes you are right 99% of owners will not go on hill climbs like that . Here in the uk 7 months waiting list for the RAV4
Great review thank you. Would love to know how it goes on the beach in soft sand and some challenging beach entrances/ exits.
On cars with a this sort of electronic traction vectoring using braked wheel methods, slip has to occur for a surprisingly long time before kicking in, you seemed to back off as soon as it slipped possibly negating it. I think you need to keep just a light slip going for far longer before the software wakes up and kicks in. Not good for tyre wear but you have to live with it to get you moving when stuck. The time limit for how long before the car realises your going nowhere and intervenes is set pretty long.
Excellent review. Loving my RAV4 XSE Hybrid
Andy Schwartz
Me too!
I test drove the hybrid and man, they are zippy. Still, I purchased an XLE Premium AWD, which only comes with a gas engine. The better traditional AWD system mixed with the available features and package upgrades for this trim makes it comparable to the XSE Hybrid but for $3,000 less (instead of the usual $800 less for the gas model). Also, it’s the only trim that, along with the Limited, comes with 19 inch rims and has 8.6” ground clearance.
It looks like it kinda sucked on rocks. I was very impressed with the Suzuki Vitara in very steep mud/loose rocks in the rain.
Suzuki do not exists in US so no tests. But I agree that Suzuki have better AWD system than city Toyotas/ Rav4, but inferior to Subarus.
The vehicle is really a "soft-roader", not a heavy-duty off-road vehicle. Which is fine given the vast majority of owners won't be attempting steep rocky trails. Maybe ski trips or snow-day errands will be the extent of it. The high ground clearance is for better visibility while commuting. The aggressive styling is for marketing purposes.
It may sound crazy, but I swear my rav4 hybrid performed better off-road. I had mountain climbing on trail similar to this one, the main problem was clearance. I hit some stones several times, thankfully didn’t damage the car. Also it was even harder to go downhill, i had to constantly apply brakes. They started smelling like hot ironing device. But I never had the problems like here. Oh, I didn’t use trail mode, all the time I was in sport mode.
My tires were dedicated Bridgestones summer tires.
Great Review. Great to see a positive Toyota review. Let alone a Hybrid Rav.
Usually it takes me weeks of watching a channel before I subscribe....but u know where this is going....I subscribed to you on the the very first video I watched on your channel. Good job. Very detailed, clear, and relevant information provided in a pleasant manner. Thanks.
As a 2020 XSE hybrid owner I’d like to point out that the RAV4 does indeed still suffer from “ping ponging” while trying to stay in its lane. Also there is no active TPMS display so you have no idea what your real-time tire pressure is.
Awesome video. I love the way you test all this cars in different off roads. I will watch all the episodes :)
The problem is obviously the tires. Put any decent all terrain tire on the Rav4 Hybrid and it'd make quick work of that trail.
Tires are for fuel efficiency and are paramount in offroading - not the intent of this hybrid.
Great review! . Before purchasing this model, and because of this video, 4 Michelin CrossClimate SUV tyres were mounted on my unit. Still waiting, here in Spain, for Android Auto; 2019 units have to be updated, but who knows the date due to the COVID19 lockdown. Thanks for your videos, they're great!
I have an R4P, and the lane assist is more annoying than helpful. The one you're testing seems to be doing way better. Mine basically gets fooled by any cracks in the road, mistaking them for lane stripes. It often ends up following the wrong lines, and pushes and pulls all over the lane... ping ponging, as you say. It causes me more stress than it relieves.
I’ve experienced pretty good off-road traction by using the manual selector and selecting a lower gear like fourth fifth or sixth
I've had mine for less than 500mi, but loving it. First Hybrid and it makes me nervous at times. Great review.
You'll love it, we have a 2006 hy-hi and it is fantastic. It's not a beat off road but it's good enough and it's very quick and fun on road.
xse is nicer than the limited. The XSE should have been the Limited.
It boils down to what you like. The XSE is better looking with a lot of high tech while the Limited more practical and luxurious. Your good to go with either one you choose.
True shit bro. I got the XSE anyway
Can you do a RAV4 Adventure vs a Mazda CX-5, off Road and space challenge please?
This is not a jeep so why drive it like one? I bought a new 18 RAV4 XLE hybrid and love it. Since I bought it, I have never moved it from the regular drive mode. The hybrids with the rear motor is for wet pavement and light snow conditions. It provides stability when roads are slick.To be honest I consider the "trail, sport and eco" modes to be "gimmicky." Again if you want to go off road other than a regular dirt or gravel road, but a jeep. By the way the price of this thing is outrageous. With this kind of money you have a lot of choices in the marketplace. Again love my 18 RAV4 hybrid.
because some people do use them off the pavement,its nice to know the actual capabilities
@@ftdRaw Very true. And Toyota in their advertisements promote the RAV4s off road capability (when properly equipped of course). The occasional off road use is fine (visiting a campsite, etc) but if I wanted a "real" off road capable vehicle this would not be it.
He was trying to demonstrate the vehicle's limitations and capabilities...can't really do that without pushing things a bit.
This review was far more revealing than some flat dirt road or grassy field that basically any vehicle could navigate without issue.
Enjoyed and subscribed. Keep up the great off-road reviews.
used to be my ride in europe : Sierra Cosworth , nice T-Shirt , alltho this RAV4 is way more practical and made by Toyota
I'm glad you showed the bottom of this I didn't know it had all that plastic air deflection underneath it's good to know for people that do their own oil changes
Can you do a RAV4 Adventure and a Subaru Forester?
John Chen that’s all we ever wanted
There is a video on TH-cam already and the Subaru lost really bad sorry to say
D Brown depends on your description of off road
One of the best RAV4 XSE review I've seen
Off-road capabilities are non existent in this car, it is pure city car. I had a moderate bump on a dirt road near by, Subaru Forester 2019 get over it easily using ABS to break spinning wheels, my new RAV4 2021 just sits there spinning left front wheel and won't do anything, trail mode is useless. That's not a complaint, I've got separate LC 100 series for off-road, I'm just saying that it is a city car.
Toyota should have included a Trail Cam feature along with the Trail Mode on this Rav 4, an approach camera and possibly even a departure camera would be helpful. It's obvious over the rocks and up the hill this Rav 4 is ill equiped tire-wise to tackle this sort of terrain.
You can get a 360 bird view in addition to obstacle closeup ones (both views shown side to side in split screen). It automatically shows up on the central display when reverse is engaged, but it can be switched manually from a button located on the left lower panel of the dashboard (where automatic headlights control, heated wheel, and some other assistance can be controlled). In addition, there are several view mode, and you can manually orient the view direction.
Not sure it's available on all trims, but it should be there on the XSE, since it seems quite similar to the Lounge and Collection trims we have here in France. Mine is a Lounge with Premium option pack.
He is one of the best. Very informative and true to the fact
Do you mind if I ask, do you feel the AWDe is sufficient for snow and rain? I'm looking for a good all around vehicle (medium size cargo and people capacity, good fuel efficiency, good reliability, etc) and I'm a little torn between this and the Subaru Outback.
The Outback seems like it may have a tiny bit more room in it, being wider and a bit longer, while also having a better AWD, but its fuel economy doesn't seem to match the EPA rated economy, while already being quite a bit lower than the Rav4 Hybrid's. (Fuel economy that's inconsistent with the EPA rated economy is a big pet peeve of mine)
The Rav4 Hybrid seems to have more power and the fuel efficiency is incredible. Real world results also show most people at least meet, if not beat, the Rav4's EPA fuel economy. Aside from that, the two vehicles seem really comparable, but Toyota has incredible reliability. I'd love to hear thoughts from someone who's driven both vehicles. Any input is appreciated.
AWDe would be good in average snow and rain. The Outback is a mid-size so it’s technically the next size up. A Forester is the direct match to the RAV4. Economy will come down to how you drive it. Around town and in city driving then hybrid will excel. For lots of freeway the Forester will do better imho. In terms of real world I think you also have to look at who buys which type of car. Hybrid owners pride themselves on good economy and they will drive in a manner that therefore gives the best result. A driver that doesn’t care will have a heavier foot and ask more of their vehicle which will result in poorer gas mileage.
Is it too complicated to measure concrete 0-60 time in case you are talking about it?
The rollers test show us the theory, know you show in practice..
still sticking to my subaru crosstreck with power 50% back and front
Only if its a manual!
Fellow Washingtonian here, which trail was this? I’ve been looking into this car recently and I’m liking it for the most part.
def looks like a lot of a tire issue. some solid tires and proper pressure, looks like you have the power there tho
Having seen the RAV4 hybrid being tested off-road in Europe I think tyre choice was the biggest reason for the problems on the trail. It’s more capable off-road than this video implies.
What percent grade was that trail? That’s important information when considering how well a car can climb a grade.
It was about 20% overall.
I like the presentation and you get the point across correctly. when can we expect the video on CRV Hybrid?
We plan to film that when it’s available.
Great video. Would love to see the honda crv hybrid, Subaru forester hybrid and even the outlander phev on that same stretch of test trail.
Interior on this rav 4 looks so clean crisp and modern. .. keep the good videos coming....
Are you sure with the 8.6 inches clearance ? I’ve heard 8,1 for the Hybrid trims ?The trail or adventure if you prefer has the best clearance with 8.? Inches.
You are correct. 8.1. Not a significant difference, but worth noting.
The TRD will have the higher clearance
Does this SUV still has issues with gas tank and trasmissiion, and is it only on the 2019 hybrid models? Iam buying one this weekend but after reading some comments about this issue iam hesitant now
a clever testing video ever, thanks!
I’m glad I went with the 2019 Subaru Forester Sport, but I definitely considered the RAV4 hybrid.
I'm going through the same debate right now . . . or also the CX-5 AWD?
@@NoeSantos Looks like out of these three, the fun, drivers car is the cx-5. Everyone has their own criteria and I don't think there is a clear favorite.
@@wind7sailor very true . . . both Subaru and Mazda have similar True Cost to Own factors . . . but the Forester Sport does come with cloth seats which would be alot better in my desert region than the similarly equipped CX-5 with leather seats (although they are ventilated perhaps).
@@NoeSantos It comes down to what works for each person. The Cx-5 with turbo has the most power (250hp)and handles better, but is more cramped inside. The Forester Sport has the best interior room and visibility, plus Subaru AWD and it offers unique trim accents on that sport trim. It's a nice car, but has the slowest engine (182hp). The Rav-4 hybrid splits the difference and offers the best gas mileage about 40mpg from its 219hp hybrid engine and trim levels to appeal to a wide range of buyers from the base, sport, adventure, TRD (2020), and all it's hybrid trims. All are great options, it depends on what you're looking for.
I was doing the exact same comparison as you. Also went with the Forester Sport!
Please repeat the same test on the same course with the Toyota RAV4 TRD
Doesn't matter which Toyota FWD based AWD you use. They all perform poorly.
th-cam.com/video/rWxzkY8_D3g/w-d-xo.html
Dom Jr the RAV4 TRD off-road will just have a off-road tunes shocks. Otherwise, it’s the same vehicle. This channel shows that AWD system in both the hybrid and normally aspirated RAV4’s doesn’t do too well offroad. Maybe Toyota intended for this so people will continue to buy the 4Runner for off-road.
Great review! Thanks. This helps in deciding which way to go with a new SUV. Thank you.
its not to do with the type of tyre when your tyre pressures and too high
You defenetly need to Upgrade Your Tires if You want to go Off Road. Is the the XSE Better than the Limited for Off Road? I believe the XSE C ok mes with those 18" Black Finish Rims. But the Limited comes with 19" Rims.
I would be curious how the Rav4 hybrid would do with better tires. It would be fun to see that video, maybe with the Rav4 Woodland edition?
I don't expect the rav4 to be as capable off road as a Subaru or Jeep... but can I count on the rav4 hybrid to handle Midwest winters better than a regular FWD car (like a Corolla or Camry)?
I'm thinking about trading in my Camry. This Rav4 hybrid seems to do everything well: great gas mileage, good cargo capacity (with seats folded down), Toyota reliability, decent acceleration, etc.
ET Nem You will for sure love the new RAV4, I have the 2019 XSE, heated seats, panoramic sunroof, weather package, etc. my highest mpg I have averaged 51, I do drive a lot*. Most of the time I average 47 mpg. You will definitely love the car. If you want the hybrid your gonna have to wait since there is a high demand for them. There is a waiting list.
@@JJustinXu
Thanks for the response. My Camry hybrid has 91k miles. By the time I hit 150k in a few years, I bet I can probably get a good deal on a used 2019 or 2020 Rav4 hybrid. I think I'm gonna wait because I'm still pretty happy with my Camry. MPG is averaging about 41 for me. Not bad. Thanks!
ET Nem yes but they will be more expensive than gas models. You won’t start finding any used until like 2024 or so.
With top winter tires it will be a big difference, let's not forget about the ground clearance neither.
I will like to see the Forester on that trail. I saw the video on snow with the new x mode system, but this is a different scenario. Also, what about the Rav-4 adventure? Would be more capable than this one or the Forester?
This is a winner crossover! 💯💯💯💯 I would deff buy one!
you should watch his Passport review
Just got My XSE love it.. Happy i ditched my CRV!
Ata boyyyyy hahaha
I ditched mine too!
Perhaps trail mode, and the other modes for that matter, would work better on dirt if the tires were slightly deflated for better traction.
I wonder if you could take an Adventure front and put it on the hybrid, will it work?
Thank you for the great review and the little offroad demonstration. Forrester or Rav4. Thats the question!
If your gonna do a trail like what he did then you won't be getting the hybrid
Great video. Could you ellaborate how "upto 80% of power sent to rear wheels" when the power from the engine and front electric motors do not send any torque to the rear wheels?
No mention of the cvt transmission? imo that’s the main reason it failed on your off road trail.
I don't believe it is ctv 6 speed I do believe but could be wrong
To be correct it has no regular cvt, Toyota Just calls it e- cvt because normally nobody understands what a planetary gear solution is what it technically has. which doesn't change what you are referring to as this e-CVT also has the low torque problems but this is solved by the electric motors which deliver the complete torque they have with the first revolution they make
It really looks like the awd system is awesome but the tires suck for this application. Put better tires, it would be fine
An Electric Drive system similar to the Chevy Volt would be best. This way the motors provide 100% of the torque even when moving ahead slowly. The problem w/ gasoline engines is that they provide lots of power at the high end of the power band and very low torque all the way through. A lot of these trails need a vehicle that can roll across slowly vs the drivetrain which is made for skipping along at higher speeds.
RAV-4 is so good and better than anything else in its class it is not funny. Great job Toyota, simply the best car line ever
Yup, much better than those crappy chrome plated rogues I seen.
I wonder how this compares to the forester for the same off road test and in snowy or wet conditions.