3 years in. Mechanically, solid. Charges to 59 miles. Retired, so gotta burn gas every so often cause we hardly ever take longer trips. On gas, great mileage and still peppy. Dislikes; I’m over 6 feet, so gotta bend plenty. And Toyota’s electronics are kinda iffy. Not really user friendly. And instrumentation could be illuminated better.
Congrats! And while that is more true than not, keep in mind that the Rav Prime still has some bugs that have not been worked out yet, for example there is a recall out on all of them right now because the DC to DC converter can fry itself when the vehicle is charged under 41 degrees Fahrenheit. The fix is available at dealers and I would imagine 2024 models like yours will ship with the fix. But little things like that keep coming up here and there and consumer reports has stated that the PHEV is less reliable overall than the standard hybrid. The new Toyota infotainment (digital gauges and new infotainment OS) is also still a bit glitchy as well so… age doesn’t always guarantee flawless operation!
Can’t get these in Australia. You would think it’s a no brainer. Either it’s going to be too expensive relative to a Chinese PHEV like the MG HS plus or the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, less car (smaller slower, thirstier, lower spec) … or the dealers don’t want it because they are excoriating TAF out of exisiting customers by selling old crap nobody else wants for a 25% markup. Decisions decisions
Josh, this is one of the best R4P review I've seen !!! Good work 👌 Not the typical car tester 1 week trial run that wants to keep the company on his good side type of video. Real experience and real "be careful" portion at the end. You just gained a new follower !!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed! And yes! I always try to keep it real here since I’m not a professional TH-camr or reviewer and just someone who wants to share their experiences unfiltered.
Thank you for providing a wealth of information and for provoking thoughtful insights about the likes and dislikes you've experienced over two years of ownership. Happy holidays!
Thanks for this review. I'm 3 months in to owning a 2023 R4P XSE and mostly loving it. I fully agree with your all about the numbers point. Especially don't buy any plug-in if you can't charge at home. I traded up from a 2018 base Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, mainly for the added towing capacity, double the EV range, more power, spare tire, and adaptive cruise. Also enjoying the no hands power lift gate, 360° cameras, heads up display, power driver seat presets, efficient heat pump, better gas mileage, bigger gas tank, and more fun to drive.
Congrats on the Prime! And the Outlander PHEV was great too, definitely ahead of its time! I see those first-gen models from time to time but they’re few and far between and I always get excited when I see one.
Great video. I also have a Prime SE, 2022. Should I have bought it, no, but two things 1) I got it for free (actually my 2020 XSE got totaled by a red-light runner and her insurance paid $13K more for replacement then I paid for the XSE and 2) It was the only car available during the new car shortage in the summer of 2022, someone canceled their reservation, and I got it for MRSP.
We have a 2021 SE and love it. We’re seniors so carrying around more than the two of us isn’t an issue. The 48 mile EV range covers 95% of our driving so we can go months without needing to get gas. So far it has been very reliable (oil, brakes and tires). They have gotten pricey. We were thinking about trading the 2021 for a new model but the 2024’s are $49K. We paid $33K-$35K (can’t remember exactly) and got a tax write off back in 2021 when we purchased the SE. Economic, fun to drive, a lot of features (drive assist, lane change warnings, rear camera, Bluetooth connectivity, etc.).
Yes! Same here to everything you say-especially the price. We have also thought about upgrading to an XSE but not for the price they’re going for these days.
Tested a '24 SE today. I liked the drivetrain, but the interior quality, particularly the plastic center console that felt like it was going to come apart. In a brand new car!
That’s the state of most new cars under $60K today, unfortunately. I agree with you, and that’s another reason I feel like the Prime is way overpriced today. It’s an economy car that sells for $50K today. For the $30K we paid for it, it’s great. But not for $50
August 2021 is when I purchased my SE Prime. No dealer mark up. 10k back come taxes. The value today of my vehicle 2.5 years later is still higher than my out the door price after tax credits.
Yes! Same here! Got ours in December of 21 also without a markup. And I’d love to take advantage of that fact but I don’t want to pay the price for a new one without any incentives so… I’ll be holding onto mine forever I suppose 🤣
@user-tb7rn1il3q As much as I wish you were right Toyota has had no problem selling every one of these that they can make and waitlists are still years long in some places. Never underestimate people who will blindly pay whatever Toyota asks for their vehicles.
Thanks for the review. I’ve been researching this car for months but your review was the only one to comment about acceleration ability in ev mode. The car should be good for us - 45 miles - no problem.
You did a good job. I just got a 2024 XSE and I completely match your "You should but if" list. Gotta love the immediate lease buyout option with the $6500 credit.
I don’t think you have to wait. As soon as you see your account appear on the TFS site, you can call them and ask where to send the check. The account just has to be fully opened on their end and open for payment which can take up to 2 months in my experience.
@joshjamescars thanks. Yes we now know the dealers are lying so that they get all their money from Toyota for the lease. They want you to hold onto it otherwise they lose money when you do an immediate lease buy out.
I agree with you 100% ,phev is best of both worlds ! I have my second phev and love it! We use average maybe 1 tank of fuel per month and 90% is used with ev range. What an incredible fuel savings. NO RANGE anxiety like a Tesla ev for example. I can cruise any back roads I want and do not have to worry about can I make it to the next charging station or waiting for next in line charge on busy holidays
Yep!! That’s how I feel. Until EVs can recharge as fast as a fuel tank, I think PHEVs are going to be a safer bet for people/households who can’t afford two cars.
We got lucky up here in canada. Just wandered on the local toyota dealership and found a 2024 Rav4 Prime XSE sitting on thier lot at the end of their day. Someone canceled thier order and it had just arrived! They let us take it out for a drive and we loved it. Kept it out for a couple days to try it out on our highway drive and it worked out we can drive our 60 km round trip to town and home on EV mode usually. We paid the MRSP minus $8,000 rebates and saved a lot in fuel since. This review helped us with our decision A LOT seeing its less biased than others. Our only concern is how much EV range we may lose in the winter here on the southern coast of Nova Scotia. Either way no regrets so far. One dislike we have is the auto hi beam headlights. Often doesnt notice oncoming cars and dimming them manually with auto dimming on still frustrates us. 😂
I’m so glad it helped and congrats on the Prime! And that’s amazing that you got such good incentives. Here in the US those don’t exist, and with how expensive the Prime is getting, they are DEFINITELY necessary. Hopefully your range isn’t too much shorter but it is important to run the gas engine in the winter time too anyway.
Another great review. I remember the Rav 4 was a featured vehicle at an auto show before Covid . I see quite a few on the road jet setting around. We have a RX 450h that is not a plug in. I feel car reviews should be done by people that have actually owned the vehicle, however there are so many out there that are so biased. Also, I recently debated someone who watched Motor Week on PBS that featured the Grand Highlander, about Toyota vehicles. He drives a BMW, he stated he would never spend $50,000.00 for a Toyota. Different strokes for different folks. There are a lot of Toyota haters.
Hello, and thank you! I completely agree with you that car reviews should be done by people who own them. For better or worse, everyone and their cousin can make car videos these days with varying results. 😂 And it’s crazy that we have $50K Toyotas (not counting Lexus) today. It wasn’t many years ago that even a 4Runner TRD Pro and Supra barely touched $50 and now a Rav4 costs $50K. Admittedly a great Rav4 but still. As for the BMW gentleman, well… the smart, quiet money goes for Toyota/Lexus and that’s all I’ll say. 🤣😜
I'm happy that fans of German cars don't switch to Toyota. That's all we'd need, more competition for the best cars, from people with money. I've bought 2 German cars new, and 4 Toyotas new. I would have bought more new Toyotas if they (and one used Prius I bought) didn't last so long! I did fine with the German cars also, but that was back in the '80s and '90s before they became "overpriced plastic crap" as Scotty Kilmer says. It's hard to believe it's 45 years since I bought my first new car, a 1979 Corolla with 1.2 liters, 5-speed manual, no radio, no AC. But it did have wiring for a radio/antenna, so I fixed that problem quickly. I guess I was young and didn't mind sweating in the summer.
They have. Along with the price, unfortunately! And yeah I’ve heard that it’s still so long in Canada. They seem to be much more available here in the states but still not as much as they should be.
The prime also has an extra 1000 lb of towing capacity compared to the hybrid, which we are able to use when we towed a 5x8 trailer from San Francisco to Austin this past summer during our move. After we moved to Austin, we were able to to mostly drive on EV mode only until December when I had to drive to Dallas,
Yes!!! It’s wonderful! Just a note about that you do want to fully drain the tank 3-4 times a year as gas can go stale and especially with our wild temperature fluctuations here in Texas, it’s best to keep the gas in your tank relatively fresh. So sometimes every few months I’ll force the car to go into hybrid mode for a week and get it down to as close to empty as I can.
@@joshjamescars Especially true with ethanol gas, it can gum things up horribly. When you do this, you can also add Seafoam for even more cleaning power.
I was able to use the Level 2 Tesla charger in my garage (left over from my Model Y) by buying a little Tesla-to-J1772 adapter on Amazon. I got the Zanch one for $76.99, but they had cheaper ones. It just fits on the end of my Tesla plug to make it a J1772 plug. It works great! Now my Tesla changer is a J1772 charger. It will charge to 100% in a little over 2 hours.
Thank you very much for the review. I am considering to get the prime RVA4 and I do need the review. It is very pricey as I am still driving my 2001 and 2007 cars. They are still in good shape but I retired last year and think to do some driving. I will need a new reliable car for that purpose. A new plugin hybrid will do. I need to look for good deal now. Thx again for the detail review.
Hello! Regarding a good deal, a good deal on a Prime is paying MSRP. Many dealers still mark these up and the wait list is about 6 months to a year long. I would highly recommend thinking about a Toyota Venza or standard Rav hybrid as well. The price premium on the Prime is quite steep these days.
Glad to see you have the same tires as I do on my 2023 Venza. The CrossClimate 2s are amazing. So much better than the original Bridgestones. Amazing in the Wisconsin snow. Great video. Totally agree with you on getting a plugin hybrid over an ev only vehicle.
Being at the end of lifecycle is actually better as all the bugs are worked out or at least known. Of course if you're someone who just trade-in after 3 years the new shiny is better as you don't need to worry about any problems, if you keep a car long term then it's better getting a more mature product.
Yes! This is largely true, but I do have to add that there are still recalls being issued on the Prime. Nothing catastrophic, but all Primes were subject to a recall where the DC to DC converter needed to be replaced.
Have a RAV4 Prime XSE w/ Premium Pkg on the way to us in 1-2 weeks. Super excited about it and will be swapping to the Michelin CrossClimate2’s immediately
Congrats!! Be sure to get the lease cash offer on it when you buy and check around for any other state/provincial offers as well! And yes, the Cross Climates are fantastic!
Agree with all your points. Well done! I have a 2021 XSE Prime which I also changed over to Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires, which are amazing! Why don’t you hang your charging cover on the charge door hook, instead of having it hang down against the body of the car???
This was really a nice video. I love the way you breakdown the numbers. But at end of the day I'll take a Toyota/Lexus product to live with in Us than any European car . Toyota new lines are so cute and solid... let's see if I'll keep my baby or change for the new ones.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed and thank you for always watching and commenting! I also would take a Toyota/lexus over anything else right now too and completely agree at their new design direction!
Thank you for the info! I have been on a waiting list for 2 years for my Prime and I am supposed to pick up my XSE Friday. There are like no incentives left and I know we will be paying big $$$ for it. I am justifying this cost in a couple ways. 1. I am in my 40's and this will be my 3rd car... I have been driving my Corolla for 16 years. So this RAV4 could very well be my last car, or second to last should I be so lucky to live that long. 2. And this is the thing I find MOST important but no one really talks about... it is the most flexible and future proof vehicle on the road. With climate change and wars and political unrest... should gas prices surge or gas even become hard to get... we have the EV to get us around. Should a major climate event take out the power grid for days at a time we can use the gas to get us around. And they make fold out solar charging pads for roof tops... should both become unavailable. So the uncertainty that lies before us during this time is the HUGE reason I decide on the prime and I will be forking out major $$$ in a couple days.
Yes! Could not agree more with everything you say here, especially the future flexibility. That was a big consideration for us-and I have mentioned that in other videos so didn’t include it in this one, but you’re right about it offering the flexibility to get around both natural disasters and regulations. That said, it’s important to note PHEVs are targeted to be outlawed in Europe, so that won’t be true for everyone around the world.
I like your review, You hit all the topics on point, I agree with your thought about full EV cars, Im going to upgrade from a regular rav 4 2016 over to this one. Thanks for making such a well done video!
Will watch this tonight. Neighbor has a new TX. I’m sure it’s wonderful, but it just looks sort of simple. I’m sure it will grow on me, but it doesn’t elicit a lot of excitement.
A great review about the Rav4 Prime. Glad it has worked out for you. We are an older couple so mostly just the 2 of us. We bought a 2023 Rav4 Hybrid for our daughter to replace the old Escape Hybrid we had for 14 years and 178,000 miles. At the time we paid 4000 over list and had to buy a Limited as it was the only one available. We just purchased a 2024 Rav4 XLE Prime for my wife. "Only" paid list price for it this time as we weren't in a hurry. Probably won't get any tax incentives though (still trying). We will sell our 2012 Fusion Hybrid 116,000 miles once the paperwork and licensing clears. Bought out of state, no Primes in the Chicago market anywhere near list price even if you can find one. I would say that is the biggest drawback to the Hybrids or Primes. This vehicle should be more available and $10,000 cheaper. We love the Prime and our daughter has driven hers to Utah and back twice. Wonderful road cars. I know the new model is coming out, but we don't care. I would rather buy one that has had years of upgrades and tweaks to make it better than buy the first year that isn't proven. Have been waiting to replace our 2014 4Runner with the new turbo hybrid model, but they keep pushing it back. Still won't buy the first year, so I guess we will have to wait until 2026. Toyota's are great, if they keep this sales model going they will lose their loyal customers as there are other makes that are a better value...
That sounds like a regional problem. Even the Primes are readily available with discounts in other regions (like here where I live). Also, regarding the 4Runner, test drive a new Tacoma and you’ll get a sense of whether you can live with the turbo hybrid engine. It’s not for me as I think it still feels like it’s in beta, but that’s just me personally. 4Runner’s prices will likely go way up as well (Tacoma tops out at $65K so 4Runner should top out around $70K if I had to guess), and so I completely agree that they’re going to lose customers. Especially since the Tacoma feels terribly cheap inside compared to a Colorado or Ranger.
My aunt is currently waiting for her RAV4 hybrid XLE Premium for about 12 months now, but we got the notification for allocation update that ours is coming from Japan (like your Prime), but I expect to be 1 or 2 months or so to arrived though. The Prime waitlist is a lot worse than the RAV4 Hybrid which is why we ended up choosing this over the RAV4 Prime we initially thought. Plus, the hybrid is cheaper when EV tax credit no longer applies to the RAV4 Prime (if purchase; you can get it but if you lease).
Hello! I initially thought you were in Canada but then you mentioned the US tax credits… either way those wait times are horrendous! XLE hybrids are about a month wait here where I am right now. So happy it’s finally coming in for her! And yes that’s my entire point about the prime, it’s now way too expensive for what it is.
@@joshjamescars Yup, in California, the wait list is very long compared to other states (man 1 month is way impressive). Ours is at MSRP and no need to pay for being in the waitlist. M
First time on your channel; picked up my fully loaded '21 XSE couple years ago and still love it. Came here looking to see what folks are doing w/ those horrible eco stock tires and thanks for the suggestion! 👍
Congrats! And yes I HIGHLY recommend the Cross Climates if you’re in a place where you get winter weather from time to time. If not, they’re still great but you might go with something a little softer but most Michelins are great.
Nice review Josh .... I was looking at these but it was a little above my budget so I bought a 2023 Toyota Corolla LE AWD for $29,000 OTD .... I am hoping in the near future they make a Corolla Hybrid AWD PHEV some day ..... And after one year of ownership I can say it is one fantastic vehicle with outstanding MPG.
Hello! Congrats on the new car! I feel you on them being above the budget; I personally wouldn’t spend what they cost on one either. If you do decide you want a Corolla PHEV in the future, that would be the Prius! Exact same size class and platform. Though not AWD since the battery in the plug-in Prius sits exactly where your Corolla’s AWD gear sits on the rear axel.
Just found your channel. Thx for the info, and thx for explaining how the Rav4 prime drivetrain is the same as the RX 450h+ drivetrain. Interesting. I didn’t know this. That’s the kind of info we need to make informed decisions.
Hello! You are very welcome. Yes, most Toyota and Lexus cars now all ride on the same TNGA platform and all share 3 different drivetrains. So the powertrains in the new RX are more or less identical to what is in the Rav4, Venza, NX, Crown Signia, Camry and ES (except the V6 on those two), Tacoma, Highlander, etc. and same with the new Toyota trucks on the TNGA-F platform. Saves Toyota a ton of money but IMO makes the cars all feel very generic.
It is, however in the first year of production when everyone wanted one, this was the only one we could get and miraculously found it without a wait and bought for MSRP.
I think you’re better served by buying an actual performance crossover (e.g., BMW X3 or Porsche Macan). Speed and power is only as useful as the handling you have to use it with, and you don’t have great handling here.
Nice video!..I own a prime as well..I believe if you want to get the quickest time from 0 to 60 you might want to use the Auto ev mode not the Hv mode because Auto uses around 70% Electric and 30% gas ratio when Accelerating..Hv mode is the Opposite 30% electric 70% gas Roughly speaking.. My point is when you want maximum acceleration. You want the electric Component to be the Dominant factor.. You don't want to use strictly electric mode btw that would be the last option. . That's just my experience. Any feedback would be deeply appreciated. Thanks...
Hello! And thank you! So the above is actually not true, the ratio or power split is constantly in flux depending on the conditions. In other words, the car is constantly modulating and blending power from its different motors (the A25A I4 engine and then motor generator 2 or MG2 which is the primary drive motor up front). When it really needs to get going, the system can also bring MGR (motor generator rear) online and that increases its power output as the back wheels are also now pushing the vehicle forward. As for modes, the only difference between the Auto EV/HV and HV mode is that it HV mode locks it into hybrid operation. Think of this as a “save my EV range for later” mode where Auto EV/HV mode will use electric range when it thinks it is most efficient to operate as an electric vehicle (highway driving on pure EV power is SUPER inefficient). So for example, let’s say I’m on a road trip. While I’m on the freeway, I’ll want to put it in HV mode and save my electric range for when I get to my destination and thus can roam around the city I’m going to in EV mode. If I had left it in auto for the whole drive, I may end up in the city with 0 miles of EV range left. The only time you’re going to actually see a difference in power output or speed from changing drive modes is by locking it in EV mode where it won’t use the gas engine at all. But HV and Auto modes will both give you access to all 302 horsepower.
@@joshjamescars Excellent feedback thanks For the clarification. So just to be clear tho to get the fastest time 0 to 60, you would recommend Hv mode with Sport Because both motors are engaged plus all-wheel drive Is that about right? Very interesting, thank you!
Of course! To get the fastest response, you’ll want either Auto EV/HV or just HV powertrain mode and then yes you’ll want to be in Sport mode to get the sharpest/fastest response! Also, if you watch the energy monitor I find that the rear motor actually does engage even when not in sport mode. If I really step on the gas even in eco mode the car will turn on MGR to send power to the rear wheels too.
What I find interesting and confusing is I noticed when in HV mode the EV miles never drop Suggesting that Only gas is being used Unless the car Is taking it from the 20 %battery reserve... Have any idea what's going on there?
@pauljoseph7565 That’s exactly what’s supposed to happen. Remember that HV mode is “save my EV range for later” mode and so exactly like you say, the car is only using the partition of the battery that’s reserved for hybrid operation.
Hello! I’m actually quite familiar with the NL taxes and such on vehicles having lived there many years ago, and I believe you pay about 25% the price of a new vehicle in sales tax so if you added that to the price of ours ($43,000 USD) it would be about the same 55,000€ sadly. I am surprised that the Dutch government doesn’t give you any incentives toward the cost! Perhaps because it still has a gas engine and I know they want entirely electric vehicles?
My 04 4runner is 20 years old. But she gets terrible mileage on a natural v6. I'm looking at a newer vehicle since I suspect she's near the end of her life. I was hoping for some better mileage and was looking at hybrids and EVs. I'm skeptical about Tesla's build quality. Most of my driving is within 50+ miles so I would probably be good with the ev use. But I like the idea of having the gas option. Are there any hidden costs? Higher insurance/maintenance needs? Do they need to take the whole thing apart to do basic stuff and then charge you a ton extra?
Hello! To me, PHEVs are the best of both worlds. You have the electric drive when you want it, and the gas engine when you need it. I also probably would not jump right into Tesla, just because it’s going to be such a huge learning curve where the Rav hybrid or Rav Prime is going to feel more “like home” if that makes sense. No real hidden costs with the Prime. There is obviously a much more expensive up front cost to buy the Prime, but otherwise, it’s like maintaining any other Toyota and that’s what I like about it. Also, at least for us, it’s cheap to insure, unlike EVs which are astronomically expensive to insure. The only thing you need to be aware of is that the gas engine isn’t just there for backup, it needs to be run regularly (once a week) so that the gas in your tank doesn’t go stale. Finally, if fuel economy and lowest cost to buy and run is your aim, think about a standard non-plug in hybrid. Something like a regular Rav hybrid or the upcoming Crown Signia. PHEVs are really expensive simply because you’re buying both a gas car and an electric car in one.
18:28 Hi, thanks for the review, amazing as always! One thing I slightly differ on is that in my opinion there is very little room for significant improvements in the next generation's drivetrain. Some Toyota-focused channels, like Care Nut, suggest that what's being dubbed as the 5th generation might actually be more like a 4.5th hybrid system. So, it's likely that there might not be substantial enhancements beyond a few tweaks here and there. Regarding the exterior design, I have a hunch they might introduce some horrible front grill for the next model, similar to what they did with the Corolla Cross Hybrid. I might find myself wishing I had the chance to get this oldie model instead.
Hello! So what’s important to remember is that even with the same generation of hybrid system if they are able to put a more powerful and maybe more compact battery in the next generation, you could get way more range and even more power. I also hope they make a more dynamic the suspension for the next generation which would be another big upgrade over current. As for the exterior, I’ve thought the same thing as you. Their cars have been big hit (Prius) or big miss (TX) as of late for me.
I appreciate this review. One question is about the temperature control. We have dogs so I want to know can you have the ac on while not in the car? 1) can you do this. 2) is this a subscription based remote use capability?
If you remote start the vehicle you can but I believe it only runs for 10 minutes (you shouldn’t leave your dogs in the car for longer than that anyway when the temperature is such that you need to run the AC or heater). The remote start is not a subscription but only on the Rav4 Prime because it has the HOLD A/C button on the key fob.
We've recently started looking at them. It's a shame the government has discontinued the incentive of 7,500 because the vehicle is mainly made in Japan. No-brainer if the incentive was available, but at 48000 SE, 53,000 xse, that's a hard pill to swallow when you're retired.
Yep! Totally agreed. I love the Prime but I wouldn’t buy one at today’s prices. However, if you can afford to pay cash for it, you might look into the lease offer which takes $6,500 off, but you need to be able to buy it out of the lease in cash to make it worth it (otherwise you end up paying interest on a loan).
At first I disliked my se 3.3kw charger... but it has the side-effect of prolonging battery life. inflation in mind the rav4 prime is still a steal and having and older rav4 design is great for spare parts. I love how my rav4 blends in with the others. total sleeper. Tire squeal is fixable with good tires. After market brakes and suspension will complete this little rav4 as a handling powerhouse.
The first part isn’t exactly true. It’s the super high wattage DC fast charging of EVs that can kill the battery. 6.6kWh isn’t going to harm the battery. Plus the Rav4 Prime has some crazy cool energy regulation management tech to prevent any kind of dangerous current from impacting the battery :) Also I agree that an aftermarket suspension and brakes will improve it but it still won’t handle like an X3 or Macan. And I have good tires on this one and it still squeals simply because of how much power it can output. Not a complaint, by any stretch.
I haven’t noticed any battery degradation. Automotive grade Lithium Ion batteries degrade more steadily with time and not charging cycles so at 10 years I’d imagine I’d see more degradation but not over 2 years.
Hi, you mention the purchase price of $30k. Would you be ok with elaborating on how you got that price? I cannot find any listed price below $48k for the XSE. Even accounting for any rebates available, that doesn't move the needle down near the $30k mark. Would love to afford this vehicle.
As mentioned in the video that was back in 2021 when the Prime qualified for all the rebates available to us both state and federal. That’s why I say in the video, since you can’t get that price anymore and the price has gone way up, I don’t think it’s a great value anymore the way it was when we bought three years ago.
Good idea! Your 19 hybrid is still a really great car! I’m doubtful we’ll see hybrids being sold at invoice in the next five to ten years… dealers have seen that people will pay through the nose to get one even with inventory available and so there’s no reason for them to go back to that.
Good review, but as a Prius Prime owner for 7 years, I disagree with one detail. I would not advise any new PHEW owner from covering your entire commute with EV range, unless you do plenty of additional driving in hybrid mode. My own 100-mile round trip commute is 2/3 hybrid, 1/3 EV and I'm fine with that. I just treat it as 1/2 gallon coming out of the outlet every night. My gas never gets stale, I get actual full use out of my synthetic oil changes, and basically all systems get exercised and lubricated often enough. Then when I do a few days of EV only local driving, I don't have to worry if the engine has run enough over the last month. Good job snapping up a bargain as an early adopter. I can identify with that. I paid $22,600 for a new Prius Prime in 2017, before subtracting off state and federal credits/incentives. I have 129K miles on it, and it's functionally as new. Just a bit scratched up from offroading out west (!!) squeezing between scratchy trees/bushes. I've done all maintenance myself, and nothing has broken, so it's not been to a dealer since I purchased it. I declined the free 25K miles of routine service, preferring that nobody but me work on it unless absolutely necessary. I let my tire guy put tires on it, that's about it.
I think it first comes down to whether you want a hybrid or plug in hybrid. If you can live without the plug in hybrid’s ability to drive fully on battery power, then get the Venza. And with it you’ll obviously get a much more premium looking and feeling interior and exterior.
I don't have a place to charge at home as I am in a coop. I feel the RAV4 is very tough and rugged inside and out and I would like something more nicer and plush without going to Lexus prices.@@joshjamescars
Everything we use is from either Meguiars and Turtle Wax! The car washing soap is the meguiars wash that is like highlighter yellow. I don’t actually know what it’s called but it’s the only bright yellow thing they make and so if you look for the color, you’ll find it immediately!
Dude how many cars do you have?!? I was fighting between RAV4 Hybrid XSE loaded vs RAV4 XSE Prime. I really wanted the 3 or 4 othr features....but the plug in capability is iffy on me still....plus I like the more sportier look on the Hybrid.
Haha, we usually have three; last year was kind of insane because we were flipping things around in order to get one of the last V8 and V6. I really like the PHEV drivetrain because it works for my needs and I can do most of my driving on EV only range, but is definitely not right for everyone!
Any concerns with CVT vs Gears transmission. Longevity is not good for CVT in the long term. Any Feedback? The hybrid Highlander has the option of either CVT or Gears Transmission. I wish they gave the option to RAV4 as well/
With all due respect, you really need to do some basic research on transmissions and what an “eCVT” is versus a traditional automatic versus a belt and pulley CVT. You also need to go and understand how the Toyota Hybrid system works (I’m linking a video at the end of this reply that you should watch). What Toyota uses in these hybrids is NOT the same as the belt and pulley CVT that’s in a Hyundai accent or Honda civic. In Toyota’s hybrids, the “transmission” is a planetary-style power-split reduction gear which they call an “eCVT” because it’s continuously varying and blending the power from the electric motors and the gas engine to consistently keep your vehicle running as efficiently as possible. HUGE difference between that and an 8-speed auto. The eCVT isn’t really a transmission, it just performs the same function as a transmission in a gas car. You might be surprised to know that Toyota’s hybrids with these eCVTs actually consistently rank HIGHER than their gas-only versions with traditional automatics per Consumer Reports and JD Power. These planetary style power split devices are designed to last the lifetime of the car and thus run for hundreds of thousands of miles, as is evidenced by the huge number of 20+ year old Priuses running around on the roads today. They’re so reliable that Toyota dealers never keep them in stock because the failure rate is so low. So, if reliability is your biggest concern, rest assured that you can buy a hybrid with an eCVT and I guarantee you it will be the last thing to fail on the car. Also, to correct your statement above, the Highlander Hybrid does NOT have a choice of gears versus eCVT. The Highlander gas model has an 8-speed auto, the Highlander hybrid has an eCVT. And it’s the same with the Rav4. Gas RAV4 has an 8-speed auto, Rav Hybrid and Prime have the eCVT. Check out this video to see how the Toyota Hybrid System works: th-cam.com/video/q1KNKhGo4c0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zMqW7r22rRdiOM0_
@@joshjamescars Hi Josh, Thank you so much for the info and video link. I also researched and found a great video that you described above (see link th-cam.com/video/O61WihMRdjM/w-d-xo.html ). Sorry, it was the Grand Highlander Hybrid not Highlander Hybrid that give the customer have a choice of gears versus eCVT. The three options for the Grand Highlander Hybrid are: 1) XLE - eCVT 2) Limited - eCVT 3) Platinum -A6 (no eCVT)
@biomanna7303 Hello! You’re very welcome! Yes, you’re right about the Grand Highlander, it is offered with two very different hybrid systems offered. The standard hybrid does not have a turbo, has the CVT and uses the electrification for maximum efficiency. The hybrid max system has a turbo and uses the electrification for maximum power (and is less efficient). That one has the 6-speed auto. The turbo engine is a new design and so reliability is TBD on that, so do keep that in mind. Turbo engines in general can be more costly to maintain in the long run.
When the big battery runs out of charge, this car is going to act like a regular gas car or a regular hybrid car? If it is going to act like a regular hybrid car, does this mean there another battery inside the car for this purpose which automatically charges itself like a regular hybrid car?
What's the best way to find out the little nit-picky questions answered? I talked to my local dealer and they get one or two a year so they don't know much about them. At least not to the level of knowledge I would like to know. For example, I was told there is a power outlet in the back. If I use that outlet for a 10 hour tailgate party can I "recharge" the battery with the engine by turning it on "hybrid mode" or can you only charge it from an outlet? I have a number of little questions like that.
I think the best thing would be to ask on forums. Also, there is an outlet in the back but the 1,500 watt inverter is NOT standard (at least it wasn’t when we bought and we didn’t get it as we didn’t have a use for it). As for power, it’s best to think of the car as a generator. If it’s plugged in, you can run anything you want for any amount of time. However, if the car is running as its own energy source, you can run down the battery and also run the outlet off the gas engine and just plug it in when you get back home. But not every appliance draws the same amount of power so you may run through that faster or slower.
Hi Josh, is the prime XSE with PP worth it over the non PP for 6K Canadian? Is it worth it to purchase an extended warranty as we only drive 10-15k KMS a year. TIA
Hello! If your premium package is like ours, it might mean that without it you still get “mixed media” seats which means cloth in the center and SofTex bolsters. As for extended warranty, I would skip it. You can always add it later on before the factory warranty expires. If I recall, though, you and I had talked about the Rav Prime not being worth the cost for you at all since you couldn’t plug it in every night and I still stand by that. I think you should spend the $60K CAD on something much better than a Rav Prime.
Hello! It’s hard to say with the Prime because you can’t look at one number for efficiency. In EV mode you’re measuring miles per kilowatt hour, in hybrid mode it’s mpg. Most of my driving is done in EV mode and as far as I’ve seen I still average between 2-3 miles per kilowatt hour. And when I drive in hybrid mode the number is always different because the situational conditions are different. So in a single drive it can average out to anything from 90mpg to 37mpg depending on how much of the drive was done on EV range. I haven’t noticed a big drop in either, though. On a full charge I maybe get 2-5 miles less range but that could also be the fall/winter temperatures too. That all said, the trade off in ride quality and handling is so worth losing a little bit of efficiency or range.
I love my rav4 prime. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing at the stop light Grand Prix lol.😂 I debadged mine so no one knows it’s the quick one,except but those who know what 2 fuel doors means. Those plug in emblems are just ugly . My only complaint is road noise is excessive and tire wear has been double what my Corolla hybrid was …my tires are done at 28k and they get rotated every 5 k . At the last free service they recommended new tires .
Are those the stock tires? If so, Toyota stock tires are never great and never last beyond 25K miles. We changed ours our way before that as I always end up doing with Toyota cars. Your road noise will go down significantly with a better set of tires, too. The Cross Climate 2s that we have are outstanding if you live someplace with all four seasons and the car is so quiet now that they’ve broken in.
@@joshjamescarsYes the stock Dunlop tires I have 18” as I have the cheaper Se model too. I have a set of cheap 17” wheels and Blizzaks for the winter I put 3k miles on those this winter . Probably going to try the Continental tires everyone is recommending on fb prime group.
Oh yikes no those are terrible, that’s exactly what we had and got rid of well before we ever hit 20K. You’ll notice a huge difference with a better summer/warm weather tire.
If your daily commute is a bit further than your EV range it's actually better since you really do need to run the engine often to keep it healthy. Some people might say you need to turn it on at least once a month some people say you need to turn it on at least once a week I think that you need to turn it on almost every single day. That might be even more true as the car goes older.
That may be true, and to each their own. I’m personally of the opinion that it needs to be run once a week or so. My GX460 runs about that often. it still doesn’t change my mind about a Rav4 Prime being worth $10K more than a hybrid and nearly $50K for an SE which was my problem with it if you’re going to be consistently using your hybrid range.
@@joshjamescars how realistic is that they will considerably enlarge the EV range in a new model? I'm between getting this one or waiting for a new one but I am afraid that they will just add more safety features some of which might even be annoying if it tracks your eyes or similar and if the EV range stays the same this version that you have to me at least looks perfect.
@raspas99 It’s hard to say because battery technology is advancing SO rapidly today. The Prius Prime for example doubled its range when the new generation out. And then you also have to think about the cost. Toyota’s cars have by and large gotten $5K more expensive when new generations have come out. So you may get 50+ miles of range but at what, $60K? I already think the Rav4 Prime is way too expensive, LOL! So… I don’t think you can go wrong with the current one but you have to, have to, have to be able to get some kind of subsidy on it to make the price worth it. Spending $50+ cash, out of pocket on a Rav Prime is just stupid.
Where do you live? Here in NJ , $$39k was the starting point for this vehicle. I ended up paying 43k for it. Tax credit I got was only up to $2500. Not the full $7500
I live in Texas and we bought in 2021. Keep in mind the full $7,500 tax credit required that you met certain tax liabilities and income restrictions to get the full credit in that calendar year.
@@joshjamescars during that year, many dealerships in NJ "claimed" that the Prime was very hard to come by and therefore they had to sell at higher mark-ups. TBH, 43k was a great deal . One dealership even told be they were not going under 45k no matter what (and that was just the starting point). I don't regret my purchase at all.
We were very fortunate that the dealer we bought from sold all their vehicles strictly at MSRP. They have since changed that, but at the time, that was their policy.
@@joshjamescars I bought R4P in 2022 XSE for MSRP in Canada where I believe there is law forbidding dealer charging more. But, we only had 5K Canadian EV credit. I love it and will keep it for 30 years.
10:47 plus, with EV, you don’t have to worry about oil change, transmission fluid change, and replacing brakes as often due to regenerative breaking. Less trips to the mechanic saves time and money.
While the oil and fluid changing is true, as someone who’s done long haul driving in EVs, I don’t think we’re at the point where you can say you actually save any time or money. In one day driving up the east coast I spent more time and money at chargers than I spend at dealers over a year of owning an ICE vehicle.
@@joshjamescars you must do a lot of long haul drives, then. It’s not that serious when you’re a city commuter. For those long hauls, you can simply rent a gas guzzler off of Turo for dirt cheap.
Nice review, however I would argue that the Kia Sorento PHEV which I own is a better value as compared to this RAV4 Prime. I also have the top SX Prestige AWD trim which provides a lot more luxurious amenities than the Prime.
I just bought a 2024 Rav4 SE Prime last night. We were originally looking for a regular Rav4 XLE Hybrid. The Prime was on the lot because the person who ordered it bailed. You noted that there is a $6500 rebate for the new RAV4's but that rebate only works on leases. Some people say, to grab the rebate, then pay off the lease. Well, according to my dealer, there is a "penalty" and it's not what you think. We ended up negotiating the price down - made the dealer take off the $5000 "market value" up charge, and halved the dealer add-ons. Our out the door price with TTL (Texas) was $50K. During the paperwork, the finance guy said he has only seen 3 RAV4 Primes get sold at their dealership and we got it for the lowest price ever. The Primes are very rarely in stock. It's still a lot of money. We did debate getting a Lexus RX Hybrid, but you can't get one for below $60K. We don't want an NX because it's too small. I love your videos, especially the numbers. Keep making great content!
Hello! Congratulations on the Prime! It’s a great car and I think it is a much better car than the RX hybrid. However, I do want to advise you not go back to that Toyota dealer in the future because most of what they told you that you’ve written here is just not true. And if they’ll play dirty at sales they’ll also play dirty at service. You can absolutely buy out your lease at any time, you’ll just pay the lease end fee which is like $500 I believe. Second, any dealer who puts a market adjustment on a car is not to be trusted full stop. Dealer add-ons are also pure profit for them and they set their price knowing that they can half that and still make a tidy sum. That all said, you got a great car and I hope it serves you well! I’m just very against shady dealers like that.
@Chicklet42 You got taken for a ride. Josh is being so nice as to not tell you to your face but I will because I hate dealers who play tricks and lie to people to get them to buy the car. I bought my 24 SE Prime using the lease rebate, stacked another discount on it, and then bought the car out 3 months later. There was a lease end fee of $800. But I saved way more with the $6,500. Out of pocket price around $42,000. You also need to find out how much the car is worth in case you get into an accident or need to sell it because like Josh says most people got theirs at a discount and Primes don’t sell in the used market for more than the MSRP price anymore.
If you pay off you lease early you would still need to pay the residual value of the car which is around 25k-30k. So paying off the lease + residual would cost around 50k. What did you end up doing?
@@verynick No that’s not right, son. With a lease there is a payoff amount that changes by the day like any other financed car as it accrues interest. Leases are nothing more than financing part of a vehicle for 3 years for people who can’t afford to finance the whole vehicle. The lease payment that is calculated at time of signing is inclusive of principle and “money factor” which is the same as APR on a traditional closed term loan. But you don’t pay that interest if you buy the car out of the lease like I did after riding 3 months of the lease. I wrote Toyota Finance a cheque for the payoff quote on the car which was around $38000 and the car was mine outright!
@@delilahgray0826I see I think I will be doing that same then lol I just lease my 2023 Se Prime a week ago but I think I will try to keep the car longer so if I keep paying the lease it would cost me more than I bargained for with included $6k rebate. I might wait for 6 months then look for a loan through my credit union so I can buy out my lease.
The end of the life-cycle negative that you put is not a negative to some. End of the life-cycle also means all the kinks are worked out and you are getting the optimized reliability year.
Largely this is true however the Prime continues to have various recalls as Toyota figures out its PHEV drivetrain and the Prime overall scores lower in reliability than the standard hybrid. I need to take mine in for the recall that was put out on all Rav Primes (thru the 2024 model year) for the DC to DC converter.
Not speed but power. Two very different concepts. It can do wonderfully at 110mph in a straight line but try to change directions and it’s a different story, LOL!
Which do you recommend, rav4 prime or nx 350h? I know they are different. The rav4 wind noise is kinda loud but the prime seemed a bit quieter. The venza which uses Lexus sound insulation, was worse for some reason. The nx is quiet and I love the quiet ride. I can’t make up my mind :( The prime gas economy might be the deal breaker. Is it true that it is a combined 90 plus mpg? As for the nx, I won’t get a plug in. Too much considering I just got a grand Highlander and I’m looking at a crown hybrid for my partner.
Hello! I think I’d asked you before if this new car is in addition to the Grand Highlander or if it’s replacing it. I’d keep the Grand Highlander if it has to be one or the other. But between these two I’d go with the NX350h for you hands down. For the amount of driving you’re doing I don’t think the Prime makes sense because you’d be doing so much of your driving outside of the EV range and once the EV range has been depleted it actually is less efficient than a standard Rav hybrid. The 90 plus MPG is not true, PHEV fuel economy can’t really be calculated into a single number because it is ENTIRELY dependent upon that EV range and whether you have any of it left or not.
@@joshjamescars hi. Sorry I didn’t see the original question. The grand highlander i just bought two days ago so it's for family outings. thank you for the recommendation. i. think it's back to the NX. argh….that makes me want that RX lol. btw why the NX? you flipped yours and kept the prime. is it cuz it's from japan? if i took the prime out of the list, what is the fuel economy with a rav hybrid and nx in your experience.
Well based on what you’ve said, you want a luxury car which the prime is not. The NX isn’t super luxurious either but it’s more premium than the Rav. Also, like I said in my reply above I don’t think the Prime works for your driving needs, but it does for mine.
@@joshjamescars oh and another noob question. If I get a prime can’t I just put it on hybrid for the long drive to not deplete the battery? And when I drive in town during the weekends put it on ev?
@joelgarcia3907 You can but the Prime is about $10K more than a comparable non-plug in (Prime SE to Hybrid SE). So if you think $10K is worth spending just to do EV driving on the weekend then sure but that’s a ton of money to spend just for some weekend driving.
So how often do you have to do oil changes if you hardly put any miles of the actual engine? Like if you put 5000 miles on the electric motors and 1000 on the gas engine - do you really need to change the oil?
General rule of thumb is to have the car serviced every 6 months, regardless of mileage. Remember that service on a modern car isn’t just an oil change but also checking and servicing the software, safety hardware, and computer systems, rotating tires, etc. My GX gets driven even less than the Rav (about 4,000 miles a year) but I take it in every 6 months anyhow because things can go stale from lack of use.
@@joshjamescars well I’m currently driving a Model 3, which I love. I never have to service it ever. But looking at Prime for other duties like hauling more stuff and towing a 2000 pound boat.
Tesla actually recommends annual service intervals for wear items so do be sure you’re doing that. Also, if you’re only interested in towing I would probably save some money and get a cheap truck. I don’t think it makes sense to spend Rav Prime money for what isn’t a really great tow/haul vehicle.
@@joshjamescars it definitely tows just fine for what I need it for! And yes ,8’ regularly rotating my tires, etc. it’s a second car for the family , not just for towing lol. Yes that wouldn’t make sense.
Hybrid just means some combination of two power sources. Gas engine + electric motors. Non-plug-in hybrids are self charging and have smaller batteries that augment a gas engine. Others like this Prime have a bigger battery that you plug in and thus can actually do full EV driving up to 85mph for 45 miles, but also have a gas engine to use with the electric motors when you need to do longer trips.
You DEFINITELY want a Highlander or something in the midsize class if that’s a requirement. Especially since most infant and child seats need to be on the outboard seats and that means you’d have an adult in the center seat.
@billyrock8305 If that’s true, the price is going to be astronomical and the hybrid MPG is going to be abysmal because the battery is going to need to be about twice the size it is now which means way higher cost and much heavier car. The short range most PHEVs have is to be able to balance those two things exactly… so personally I hope that’s NOT true. The Prime is already 800 pounds heavier than the hybrid from the added battery weight. And some states like California also tax by vehicle weight too. 😅
@@joshjamescars Excellent points Josh. I’m all for a vehicle weight, road damage and pedestrian injury tax on huge trucks and SUVs. “124-mile Toyota PHEV confirmed Toyota Motor Corporation is doubling down on EVs, it’s not leaving behind plug-in hybrids. The company will improve PHEVs by increasing their electric range to 200 km (124 miles), repositioning them as “a practical BEV,” Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima said during an announcement on April 7, 2023. While it’s not yet confirmed, the 124-mile PHEV should represent a future version of the RAV4 Prime. However, the triple-digit electric range is probably a WLTP target, meaning the EPA-est. for the same model could be just under 100 miles, which would still be impressive. “
The best review of this car that I've seen, and the most honest about its benefits and drawbacks. Thank you very much!
Thank you! Glad you found it informative!
3 years in. Mechanically, solid. Charges to 59 miles. Retired, so gotta burn gas every so often cause we hardly ever take longer trips. On gas, great mileage and still peppy. Dislikes; I’m over 6 feet, so gotta bend plenty. And Toyota’s electronics are kinda iffy. Not really user friendly. And instrumentation could be illuminated better.
I prefer to buy cars which are at the end of the lifecycle as it ensures reliability. Just ordered the 2023 RAV4 PHEV full spec.
Congrats! And while that is more true than not, keep in mind that the Rav Prime still has some bugs that have not been worked out yet, for example there is a recall out on all of them right now because the DC to DC converter can fry itself when the vehicle is charged under 41 degrees Fahrenheit. The fix is available at dealers and I would imagine 2024 models like yours will ship with the fix. But little things like that keep coming up here and there and consumer reports has stated that the PHEV is less reliable overall than the standard hybrid. The new Toyota infotainment (digital gauges and new infotainment OS) is also still a bit glitchy as well so… age doesn’t always guarantee flawless operation!
Collecting my RAV4 plug in next week. Cannot wait. Few cars are perfect but this for us really fits the bill.
Congratulations!!! Hope you love it as much as we do!
Can’t get these in Australia. You would think it’s a no brainer. Either it’s going to be too expensive relative to a Chinese PHEV like the MG HS plus or the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, less car (smaller slower, thirstier, lower spec) … or the dealers don’t want it because they are excoriating TAF out of exisiting customers by selling old crap nobody else wants for a 25% markup. Decisions decisions
RAV4 Prime is best of both world.
Could not agree more!
When you full gas how many miles can drive to show 400 miles around or
@danushavlogs I’m sorry I don’t understand your question.
@@joshjamescars he is asking when you fill your gas tank, how far does the range estimator say on your dashboard
@Asstronauts93 Ah! Thats in the video and I believe it’s around 450-500 miles when both gas tank and battery are both full.
Josh, this is one of the best R4P review I've seen !!! Good work 👌 Not the typical car tester 1 week trial run that wants to keep the company on his good side type of video. Real experience and real "be careful" portion at the end. You just gained a new follower !!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed! And yes! I always try to keep it real here since I’m not a professional TH-camr or reviewer and just someone who wants to share their experiences unfiltered.
I absolutely love your videos. Very well put together with lots of helpful/insightful information. Thank you once again. ❤
Thank you so much!! That’s so very kind of you to say!!
Thank you for providing a wealth of information and for provoking thoughtful insights about the likes and dislikes you've experienced over two years of ownership. Happy holidays!
Thank YOU for always coming back to watch and comment! I so appreciate it and I’m glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays to you too!
They handle pretty well too after you get rid of the stock tires. I love the General Altimax RT45s.
One of the best videos I’ve seen. The editing, the information, the format, and etc. it’s perfect.
Thank you so much! Very kind of you to say!
Thanks for this review. I'm 3 months in to owning a 2023 R4P XSE and mostly loving it. I fully agree with your all about the numbers point. Especially don't buy any plug-in if you can't charge at home. I traded up from a 2018 base Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, mainly for the added towing capacity, double the EV range, more power, spare tire, and adaptive cruise. Also enjoying the no hands power lift gate, 360° cameras, heads up display, power driver seat presets, efficient heat pump, better gas mileage, bigger gas tank, and more fun to drive.
Congrats on the Prime! And the Outlander PHEV was great too, definitely ahead of its time! I see those first-gen models from time to time but they’re few and far between and I always get excited when I see one.
Great video - as usual. Your videos are the BEST! Rav 4 gets pricey quickly
Thank you so much for saying so, it means a lot! And yes, incredibly so!
Great video. I also have a Prime SE, 2022. Should I have bought it, no, but two things 1) I got it for free (actually my 2020 XSE got totaled by a red-light runner and her insurance paid $13K more for replacement then I paid for the XSE and 2) It was the only car available during the new car shortage in the summer of 2022, someone canceled their reservation, and I got it for MRSP.
If I got $13K of free money I would have totally done the same!! Cheers!!
We have a 2021 SE and love it. We’re seniors so carrying around more than the two of us isn’t an issue. The 48 mile EV range covers 95% of our driving so we can go months without needing to get gas. So far it has been very reliable (oil, brakes and tires). They have gotten pricey. We were thinking about trading the 2021 for a new model but the 2024’s are $49K. We paid $33K-$35K (can’t remember exactly) and got a tax write off back in 2021 when we purchased the SE. Economic, fun to drive, a lot of features (drive assist, lane change warnings, rear camera, Bluetooth connectivity, etc.).
Yes! Same here to everything you say-especially the price. We have also thought about upgrading to an XSE but not for the price they’re going for these days.
Tested a '24 SE today. I liked the drivetrain, but the interior quality, particularly the plastic center console that felt like it was going to come apart. In a brand new car!
That’s the state of most new cars under $60K today, unfortunately. I agree with you, and that’s another reason I feel like the Prime is way overpriced today. It’s an economy car that sells for $50K today. For the $30K we paid for it, it’s great. But not for $50
August 2021 is when I purchased my SE Prime. No dealer mark up. 10k back come taxes. The value today of my vehicle 2.5 years later is still higher than my out the door price after tax credits.
Yes! Same here! Got ours in December of 21 also without a markup. And I’d love to take advantage of that fact but I don’t want to pay the price for a new one without any incentives so… I’ll be holding onto mine forever I suppose 🤣
@user-tb7rn1il3q As much as I wish you were right Toyota has had no problem selling every one of these that they can make and waitlists are still years long in some places. Never underestimate people who will blindly pay whatever Toyota asks for their vehicles.
Thanks for the review. I’ve been researching this car for months but your review was the only one to comment about acceleration ability in ev mode. The car should be good for us - 45 miles - no problem.
Glad you found it useful! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
You did a good job. I just got a 2024 XSE and I completely match your "You should but if" list. Gotta love the immediate lease buyout option with the $6500 credit.
Yes! That’s the way to go with the lease cash.
How does the immediate lease buy out option work? Dealer told me you had to keep the lease for 6 months. We want to buy out right away
I don’t think you have to wait. As soon as you see your account appear on the TFS site, you can call them and ask where to send the check. The account just has to be fully opened on their end and open for payment which can take up to 2 months in my experience.
When you did the buy out were they hidden lease fees when you bought it outright in cash?
@joshjamescars thanks. Yes we now know the dealers are lying so that they get all their money from Toyota for the lease. They want you to hold onto it otherwise they lose money when you do an immediate lease buy out.
As always, awesome video! Your format, (the way you present the information) is so good. 😎
Thank you so much! I’m so glad I’m doing something right!
I agree with you 100% ,phev is best of both worlds ! I have my second phev and love it! We use average maybe 1 tank of fuel per month and 90% is used with ev range. What an incredible fuel savings. NO RANGE anxiety like a Tesla ev for example. I can cruise any back roads I want and do not have to worry about can I make it to the next charging station or waiting for next in line charge on busy holidays
Yep!! That’s how I feel. Until EVs can recharge as fast as a fuel tank, I think PHEVs are going to be a safer bet for people/households who can’t afford two cars.
We got lucky up here in canada. Just wandered on the local toyota dealership and found a 2024 Rav4 Prime XSE sitting on thier lot at the end of their day. Someone canceled thier order and it had just arrived! They let us take it out for a drive and we loved it. Kept it out for a couple days to try it out on our highway drive and it worked out we can drive our 60 km round trip to town and home on EV mode usually. We paid the MRSP minus $8,000 rebates and saved a lot in fuel since. This review helped us with our decision A LOT seeing its less biased than others. Our only concern is how much EV range we may lose in the winter here on the southern coast of Nova Scotia. Either way no regrets so far. One dislike we have is the auto hi beam headlights. Often doesnt notice oncoming cars and dimming them manually with auto dimming on still frustrates us. 😂
I’m so glad it helped and congrats on the Prime! And that’s amazing that you got such good incentives. Here in the US those don’t exist, and with how expensive the Prime is getting, they are DEFINITELY necessary. Hopefully your range isn’t too much shorter but it is important to run the gas engine in the winter time too anyway.
Another great review. I remember the Rav 4 was a featured vehicle at an auto show before Covid . I see quite a few on the road jet setting around. We have a RX 450h that is not a plug in. I feel car reviews should be done by people that have actually owned the vehicle, however there are so many out there that are so biased. Also, I recently debated someone who watched Motor Week on PBS that featured the Grand Highlander, about Toyota vehicles. He drives a BMW, he stated he would never spend $50,000.00 for a Toyota. Different strokes for different folks. There are a lot of Toyota haters.
Hello, and thank you! I completely agree with you that car reviews should be done by people who own them. For better or worse, everyone and their cousin can make car videos these days with varying results. 😂 And it’s crazy that we have $50K Toyotas (not counting Lexus) today. It wasn’t many years ago that even a 4Runner TRD Pro and Supra barely touched $50 and now a Rav4 costs $50K. Admittedly a great Rav4 but still. As for the BMW gentleman, well… the smart, quiet money goes for Toyota/Lexus and that’s all I’ll say. 🤣😜
I'm happy that fans of German cars don't switch to Toyota. That's all we'd need, more competition for the best cars, from people with money. I've bought 2 German cars new, and 4 Toyotas new. I would have bought more new Toyotas if they (and one used Prius I bought) didn't last so long!
I did fine with the German cars also, but that was back in the '80s and '90s before they became "overpriced plastic crap" as Scotty Kilmer says. It's hard to believe it's 45 years since I bought my first new car, a 1979 Corolla with 1.2 liters, 5-speed manual, no radio, no AC. But it did have wiring for a radio/antenna, so I fixed that problem quickly. I guess I was young and didn't mind sweating in the summer.
The interior of the 2023-2024 have really changed. Such a long wait list in Canada. Thanks for the video
They have. Along with the price, unfortunately! And yeah I’ve heard that it’s still so long in Canada. They seem to be much more available here in the states but still not as much as they should be.
The prime also has an extra 1000 lb of towing capacity compared to the hybrid, which we are able to use when we towed a 5x8 trailer from San Francisco to Austin this past summer during our move. After we moved to Austin, we were able to to mostly drive on EV mode only until December when I had to drive to Dallas,
Yes!!! It’s wonderful! Just a note about that you do want to fully drain the tank 3-4 times a year as gas can go stale and especially with our wild temperature fluctuations here in Texas, it’s best to keep the gas in your tank relatively fresh. So sometimes every few months I’ll force the car to go into hybrid mode for a week and get it down to as close to empty as I can.
@@joshjamescars Especially true with ethanol gas, it can gum things up horribly. When you do this, you can also add Seafoam for even more cleaning power.
Yes, I always put ethanol free gas in mine for exactly the reasons you stated.
I was able to use the Level 2 Tesla charger in my garage (left over from my Model Y) by buying a little
Tesla-to-J1772 adapter on Amazon. I got the Zanch one for $76.99, but they had cheaper ones. It just fits on the end of my Tesla plug to make it a J1772 plug. It works great! Now my Tesla changer is a J1772 charger. It will charge to 100% in a little over 2 hours.
Awesome! And yes! If you have a level-2 it charges in no time!
Thank you very much for the review. I am considering to get the prime RVA4 and I do need the review. It is very pricey as I am still driving my 2001 and 2007 cars. They are still in good shape but I retired last year and think to do some driving. I will need a new reliable car for that purpose. A new plugin hybrid will do. I need to look for good deal now. Thx again for the detail review.
Hello! Regarding a good deal, a good deal on a Prime is paying MSRP. Many dealers still mark these up and the wait list is about 6 months to a year long. I would highly recommend thinking about a Toyota Venza or standard Rav hybrid as well. The price premium on the Prime is quite steep these days.
Glad to see you have the same tires as I do on my 2023 Venza. The CrossClimate 2s are amazing. So much better than the original Bridgestones. Amazing in the Wisconsin snow. Great video. Totally agree with you on getting a plugin hybrid over an ev only vehicle.
I’ve heard such great things about them and have no complaints thus far but have yet to take them into any serious weather!!
Being at the end of lifecycle is actually better as all the bugs are worked out or at least known.
Of course if you're someone who just trade-in after 3 years the new shiny is better as you don't need to worry about any problems, if you keep a car long term then it's better getting a more mature product.
Yes! This is largely true, but I do have to add that there are still recalls being issued on the Prime. Nothing catastrophic, but all Primes were subject to a recall where the DC to DC converter needed to be replaced.
I have to say this but your video of this car hits all the points that I want to know and more ! Thank you for the great video !
Thank you so much! Glad it was helpful to you!
Have a RAV4 Prime XSE w/ Premium Pkg on the way to us in 1-2 weeks. Super excited about it and will be swapping to the Michelin CrossClimate2’s immediately
Congrats!! Be sure to get the lease cash offer on it when you buy and check around for any other state/provincial offers as well! And yes, the Cross Climates are fantastic!
Agree with all your points. Well done! I have a 2021 XSE Prime which I also changed over to Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires, which are amazing!
Why don’t you hang your charging cover on the charge door hook, instead of having it hang down against the body of the car???
The Cross Climates are amazing!! And normally I do, I was just rushing through for the sake of the video LOL!
Nice job on the content and some info I really never thought about till you brought it up. Thanks
This was really a nice video.
I love the way you breakdown the numbers.
But at end of the day I'll take a Toyota/Lexus product to live with in Us than any European car .
Toyota new lines are so cute and solid... let's see if I'll keep my baby or change for the new ones.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed and thank you for always watching and commenting! I also would take a Toyota/lexus over anything else right now too and completely agree at their new design direction!
You welcome@@joshjamescars
Thank you for the info! I have been on a waiting list for 2 years for my Prime and I am supposed to pick up my XSE Friday. There are like no incentives left and I know we will be paying big $$$ for it. I am justifying this cost in a couple ways. 1. I am in my 40's and this will be my 3rd car... I have been driving my Corolla for 16 years. So this RAV4 could very well be my last car, or second to last should I be so lucky to live that long. 2. And this is the thing I find MOST important but no one really talks about... it is the most flexible and future proof vehicle on the road. With climate change and wars and political unrest... should gas prices surge or gas even become hard to get... we have the EV to get us around. Should a major climate event take out the power grid for days at a time we can use the gas to get us around. And they make fold out solar charging pads for roof tops... should both become unavailable. So the uncertainty that lies before us during this time is the HUGE reason I decide on the prime and I will be forking out major $$$ in a couple days.
Yes! Could not agree more with everything you say here, especially the future flexibility. That was a big consideration for us-and I have mentioned that in other videos so didn’t include it in this one, but you’re right about it offering the flexibility to get around both natural disasters and regulations. That said, it’s important to note PHEVs are targeted to be outlawed in Europe, so that won’t be true for everyone around the world.
I like your review, You hit all the topics on point, I agree with your thought about full EV cars, Im going to upgrade from a regular rav 4 2016 over to this one. Thanks for making such a well done video!
Thank you so much for the kind words! The Prime is a great car, and be sure you get all the incentives you can!
Will watch this tonight. Neighbor has a new TX. I’m sure it’s wonderful, but it just looks sort of simple. I’m sure it will grow on me, but it doesn’t elicit a lot of excitement.
Hope you enjoy! And I agree. They’re quite common to see here now and I always think it’s either a grand Highlander or a minivan…
Excellent review ❤
Thank you!
A great review about the Rav4 Prime. Glad it has worked out for you. We are an older couple so mostly just the 2 of us. We bought a 2023 Rav4 Hybrid for our daughter to replace the old Escape Hybrid we had for 14 years and 178,000 miles. At the time we paid 4000 over list and had to buy a Limited as it was the only one available. We just purchased a 2024 Rav4 XLE Prime for my wife. "Only" paid list price for it this time as we weren't in a hurry. Probably won't get any tax incentives though (still trying). We will sell our 2012 Fusion Hybrid 116,000 miles once the paperwork and licensing clears. Bought out of state, no Primes in the Chicago market anywhere near list price even if you can find one. I would say that is the biggest drawback to the Hybrids or Primes. This vehicle should be more available and $10,000 cheaper. We love the Prime and our daughter has driven hers to Utah and back twice. Wonderful road cars. I know the new model is coming out, but we don't care. I would rather buy one that has had years of upgrades and tweaks to make it better than buy the first year that isn't proven. Have been waiting to replace our 2014 4Runner with the new turbo hybrid model, but they keep pushing it back. Still won't buy the first year, so I guess we will have to wait until 2026. Toyota's are great, if they keep this sales model going they will lose their loyal customers as there are other makes that are a better value...
That sounds like a regional problem. Even the Primes are readily available with discounts in other regions (like here where I live). Also, regarding the 4Runner, test drive a new Tacoma and you’ll get a sense of whether you can live with the turbo hybrid engine. It’s not for me as I think it still feels like it’s in beta, but that’s just me personally. 4Runner’s prices will likely go way up as well (Tacoma tops out at $65K so 4Runner should top out around $70K if I had to guess), and so I completely agree that they’re going to lose customers. Especially since the Tacoma feels terribly cheap inside compared to a Colorado or Ranger.
I have the 2022 Red Rav4 prime 🎉loaded XSE AWD one of the best cars I have owned! Great review! Nicely Done 🇺🇸😊🇺🇸😊🇺🇸😊😊😊
Terrific! And thank you so much!
Very good review. Appreciate it. I am getting one soon
Great choice!
Hi, I will receive my RAV4 SE in March and I am very happy here in Quebec $10,000 Canadian discount from the government, very good video
Thierry
Terrific!!! That’s a nice large discount you’ll be getting and I definitely think it’s worth it at that price!
@@joshjamescars , thank you very much and happy new year
How long have you waited?
How long have you waited?
@@ginoscarpaleggia7019 26 Month !!
Very very helpful video. So well done. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much!!! I so appreciate your kind words!
28 months with a bought used 2021 RAV4 Prime XSE +$5400 Cdn performance package....is the best auto on the road Bar none! :):):
My aunt is currently waiting for her RAV4 hybrid XLE Premium for about 12 months now, but we got the notification for allocation update that ours is coming from Japan (like your Prime), but I expect to be 1 or 2 months or so to arrived though. The Prime waitlist is a lot worse than the RAV4 Hybrid which is why we ended up choosing this over the RAV4 Prime we initially thought. Plus, the hybrid is cheaper when EV tax credit no longer applies to the RAV4 Prime (if purchase; you can get it but if you lease).
Hello! I initially thought you were in Canada but then you mentioned the US tax credits… either way those wait times are horrendous! XLE hybrids are about a month wait here where I am right now. So happy it’s finally coming in for her! And yes that’s my entire point about the prime, it’s now way too expensive for what it is.
@@joshjamescars Yup, in California, the wait list is very long compared to other states (man 1 month is way impressive). Ours is at MSRP and no need to pay for being in the waitlist. M
@joecrash1232 That’s wild. But thank goodness you’re getting it at MSRP! That’s rare as can be in California too. Congrats!
Great job as usual ❤ emailing you 😊
Thank you!! And it was so great hearing from you!!! ❤️❤️
First time on your channel; picked up my fully loaded '21 XSE couple years ago and still love it. Came here looking to see what folks are doing w/ those horrible eco stock tires and thanks for the suggestion! 👍
Congrats! And yes I HIGHLY recommend the Cross Climates if you’re in a place where you get winter weather from time to time. If not, they’re still great but you might go with something a little softer but most Michelins are great.
excellent stuff. I'm sure this vid will rack up some views.
Thank you!! I’m never in it for the views but it at least means I’m doing something right!
@@joshjamescars these kinds of vids always do well. (And then there’s you, of course…)
Nice review Josh .... I was looking at these but it was a little above my budget so I bought a 2023 Toyota Corolla LE AWD for $29,000 OTD .... I am hoping in the near future they make a Corolla Hybrid AWD PHEV some day ..... And after one year of ownership I can say it is one fantastic vehicle with outstanding MPG.
Hello! Congrats on the new car! I feel you on them being above the budget; I personally wouldn’t spend what they cost on one either. If you do decide you want a Corolla PHEV in the future, that would be the Prius! Exact same size class and platform. Though not AWD since the battery in the plug-in Prius sits exactly where your Corolla’s AWD gear sits on the rear axel.
Just found your channel. Thx for the info, and thx for explaining how the Rav4 prime drivetrain is the same as the RX 450h+ drivetrain. Interesting. I didn’t know this. That’s the kind of info we need to make informed decisions.
Hello! You are very welcome. Yes, most Toyota and Lexus cars now all ride on the same TNGA platform and all share 3 different drivetrains. So the powertrains in the new RX are more or less identical to what is in the Rav4, Venza, NX, Crown Signia, Camry and ES (except the V6 on those two), Tacoma, Highlander, etc. and same with the new Toyota trucks on the TNGA-F platform. Saves Toyota a ton of money but IMO makes the cars all feel very generic.
Very good video the base model is indeed a bit limited in terms of equipment but is so much better then a rav4 standard hybrid 😊
It is, however in the first year of production when everyone wanted one, this was the only one we could get and miraculously found it without a wait and bought for MSRP.
@@joshjamescars I understand still a great car
Literally only want it for the speed. Family hauler in the day, drag car doin low 14s on weekends and home in AC.
I think you’re better served by buying an actual performance crossover (e.g., BMW X3 or Porsche Macan). Speed and power is only as useful as the handling you have to use it with, and you don’t have great handling here.
Nice video!..I own a prime as well..I believe if you want to get the quickest time from 0 to 60 you might want to use the Auto ev mode not the Hv mode because Auto uses around 70% Electric and 30% gas ratio when Accelerating..Hv mode is the Opposite 30% electric 70% gas Roughly speaking.. My point is when you want maximum acceleration. You want the electric Component to be the Dominant factor.. You don't want to use strictly electric mode btw that would be the last option. . That's just my experience. Any feedback would be deeply appreciated. Thanks...
Hello! And thank you! So the above is actually not true, the ratio or power split is constantly in flux depending on the conditions. In other words, the car is constantly modulating and blending power from its different motors (the A25A I4 engine and then motor generator 2 or MG2 which is the primary drive motor up front). When it really needs to get going, the system can also bring MGR (motor generator rear) online and that increases its power output as the back wheels are also now pushing the vehicle forward.
As for modes, the only difference between the Auto EV/HV and HV mode is that it HV mode locks it into hybrid operation. Think of this as a “save my EV range for later” mode where Auto EV/HV mode will use electric range when it thinks it is most efficient to operate as an electric vehicle (highway driving on pure EV power is SUPER inefficient). So for example, let’s say I’m on a road trip. While I’m on the freeway, I’ll want to put it in HV mode and save my electric range for when I get to my destination and thus can roam around the city I’m going to in EV mode. If I had left it in auto for the whole drive, I may end up in the city with 0 miles of EV range left.
The only time you’re going to actually see a difference in power output or speed from changing drive modes is by locking it in EV mode where it won’t use the gas engine at all. But HV and Auto modes will both give you access to all 302 horsepower.
@@joshjamescars Excellent feedback thanks For the clarification.
So just to be clear tho to get the fastest time 0 to 60, you would recommend Hv mode with Sport Because both motors are engaged plus all-wheel drive Is that about right? Very interesting, thank you!
Of course! To get the fastest response, you’ll want either Auto EV/HV or just HV powertrain mode and then yes you’ll want to be in Sport mode to get the sharpest/fastest response! Also, if you watch the energy monitor I find that the rear motor actually does engage even when not in sport mode. If I really step on the gas even in eco mode the car will turn on MGR to send power to the rear wheels too.
What I find interesting and confusing is I noticed when in HV mode the EV miles never drop Suggesting that Only gas is being used Unless the car Is taking it from the 20 %battery reserve... Have any idea what's going on there?
@pauljoseph7565 That’s exactly what’s supposed to happen. Remember that HV mode is “save my EV range for later” mode and so exactly like you say, the car is only using the partition of the battery that’s reserved for hybrid operation.
Love the color. Blueprint SE? Sorry I skipped around if you said it. Love it
Nope! This is midnight black metallic.
Great video, looking into buying this new or a used Lexus Rx 500h
Two great options there! I think you might also want to wait to see what happens with the Crown Signia.
Great video, you helped me make my buying decision. No need to watch anymore for Rav4 prime at least.
Thank you! Glad I was able to help you make a decision!
Another great review!
Thank you!
I wish to buy a rav4 prime in Holland for the 2024 price you shown. Here it start at 55.995 euro's and you get no price reduction/tax cuts.
Hello! I’m actually quite familiar with the NL taxes and such on vehicles having lived there many years ago, and I believe you pay about 25% the price of a new vehicle in sales tax so if you added that to the price of ours ($43,000 USD) it would be about the same 55,000€ sadly. I am surprised that the Dutch government doesn’t give you any incentives toward the cost! Perhaps because it still has a gas engine and I know they want entirely electric vehicles?
My 04 4runner is 20 years old. But she gets terrible mileage on a natural v6. I'm looking at a newer vehicle since I suspect she's near the end of her life. I was hoping for some better mileage and was looking at hybrids and EVs. I'm skeptical about Tesla's build quality. Most of my driving is within 50+ miles so I would probably be good with the ev use. But I like the idea of having the gas option.
Are there any hidden costs? Higher insurance/maintenance needs? Do they need to take the whole thing apart to do basic stuff and then charge you a ton extra?
Hello! To me, PHEVs are the best of both worlds. You have the electric drive when you want it, and the gas engine when you need it. I also probably would not jump right into Tesla, just because it’s going to be such a huge learning curve where the Rav hybrid or Rav Prime is going to feel more “like home” if that makes sense.
No real hidden costs with the Prime. There is obviously a much more expensive up front cost to buy the Prime, but otherwise, it’s like maintaining any other Toyota and that’s what I like about it. Also, at least for us, it’s cheap to insure, unlike EVs which are astronomically expensive to insure.
The only thing you need to be aware of is that the gas engine isn’t just there for backup, it needs to be run regularly (once a week) so that the gas in your tank doesn’t go stale.
Finally, if fuel economy and lowest cost to buy and run is your aim, think about a standard non-plug in hybrid. Something like a regular Rav hybrid or the upcoming Crown Signia.
PHEVs are really expensive simply because you’re buying both a gas car and an electric car in one.
You make excellent points!
18:28 Hi, thanks for the review, amazing as always! One thing I slightly differ on is that in my opinion there is very little room for significant improvements in the next generation's drivetrain. Some Toyota-focused channels, like Care Nut, suggest that what's being dubbed as the 5th generation might actually be more like a 4.5th hybrid system. So, it's likely that there might not be substantial enhancements beyond a few tweaks here and there.
Regarding the exterior design, I have a hunch they might introduce some horrible front grill for the next model, similar to what they did with the Corolla Cross Hybrid. I might find myself wishing I had the chance to get this oldie model instead.
Hello! So what’s important to remember is that even with the same generation of hybrid system if they are able to put a more powerful and maybe more compact battery in the next generation, you could get way more range and even more power. I also hope they make a more dynamic the suspension for the next generation which would be another big upgrade over current. As for the exterior, I’ve thought the same thing as you. Their cars have been big hit (Prius) or big miss (TX) as of late for me.
Super thorough revuew
I appreciate this review. One question is about the temperature control. We have dogs so I want to know can you have the ac on while not in the car? 1) can you do this. 2) is this a subscription based remote use capability?
If you remote start the vehicle you can but I believe it only runs for 10 minutes (you shouldn’t leave your dogs in the car for longer than that anyway when the temperature is such that you need to run the AC or heater). The remote start is not a subscription but only on the Rav4 Prime because it has the HOLD A/C button on the key fob.
Appreciate that good to know. I was trying to recreate Tesla dog mode.
We've recently started looking at them. It's a shame the government has discontinued the incentive of 7,500 because the vehicle is mainly made in Japan. No-brainer if the incentive was available, but at 48000 SE, 53,000 xse, that's a hard pill to swallow when you're retired.
Yep! Totally agreed. I love the Prime but I wouldn’t buy one at today’s prices. However, if you can afford to pay cash for it, you might look into the lease offer which takes $6,500 off, but you need to be able to buy it out of the lease in cash to make it worth it (otherwise you end up paying interest on a loan).
At first I disliked my se 3.3kw charger... but it has the side-effect of prolonging battery life. inflation in mind the rav4 prime is still a steal and having and older rav4 design is great for spare parts. I love how my rav4 blends in with the others. total sleeper. Tire squeal is fixable with good tires. After market brakes and suspension will complete this little rav4 as a handling powerhouse.
The first part isn’t exactly true. It’s the super high wattage DC fast charging of EVs that can kill the battery. 6.6kWh isn’t going to harm the battery. Plus the Rav4 Prime has some crazy cool energy regulation management tech to prevent any kind of dangerous current from impacting the battery :) Also I agree that an aftermarket suspension and brakes will improve it but it still won’t handle like an X3 or Macan. And I have good tires on this one and it still squeals simply because of how much power it can output. Not a complaint, by any stretch.
It would be great if Rav4 Prime gave more range of battery instead of 40 miles
It would, but that’s the point of having both PHEVs and full BEVs. If you want more EV, range then you buy an EV.
Nice video; how much has the battery deteriorated with charging? I usually charge 1.5 to 2 times in a day, will it detroiate the battery a lot?
I haven’t noticed any battery degradation. Automotive grade Lithium Ion batteries degrade more steadily with time and not charging cycles so at 10 years I’d imagine I’d see more degradation but not over 2 years.
Hi, you mention the purchase price of $30k. Would you be ok with elaborating on how you got that price? I cannot find any listed price below $48k for the XSE. Even accounting for any rebates available, that doesn't move the needle down near the $30k mark. Would love to afford this vehicle.
As mentioned in the video that was back in 2021 when the Prime qualified for all the rebates available to us both state and federal. That’s why I say in the video, since you can’t get that price anymore and the price has gone way up, I don’t think it’s a great value anymore the way it was when we bought three years ago.
Great video ❤
Thank you!
26:40, thanks 🙏 for the sound advice.
I’ll just keep my ‘19XLE-Hybrid I got at invoice $👍
Good idea! Your 19 hybrid is still a really great car! I’m doubtful we’ll see hybrids being sold at invoice in the next five to ten years… dealers have seen that people will pay through the nose to get one even with inventory available and so there’s no reason for them to go back to that.
Good review, but as a Prius Prime owner for 7 years, I disagree with one detail. I would not advise any new PHEW owner from covering your entire commute with EV range, unless you do plenty of additional driving in hybrid mode. My own 100-mile round trip commute is 2/3 hybrid, 1/3 EV and I'm fine with that. I just treat it as 1/2 gallon coming out of the outlet every night. My gas never gets stale, I get actual full use out of my synthetic oil changes, and basically all systems get exercised and lubricated often enough. Then when I do a few days of EV only local driving, I don't have to worry if the engine has run enough over the last month.
Good job snapping up a bargain as an early adopter. I can identify with that. I paid $22,600 for a new Prius Prime in 2017, before subtracting off state and federal credits/incentives. I have 129K miles on it, and it's functionally as new. Just a bit scratched up from offroading out west (!!) squeezing between scratchy trees/bushes. I've done all maintenance myself, and nothing has broken, so it's not been to a dealer since I purchased it. I declined the free 25K miles of routine service, preferring that nobody but me work on it unless absolutely necessary. I let my tire guy put tires on it, that's about it.
What do you think of this versus the discontinued Venza Limited for those who do not care about cargo storage?
I think it first comes down to whether you want a hybrid or plug in hybrid. If you can live without the plug in hybrid’s ability to drive fully on battery power, then get the Venza. And with it you’ll obviously get a much more premium looking and feeling interior and exterior.
I don't have a place to charge at home as I am in a coop. I feel the RAV4 is very tough and rugged inside and out and I would like something more nicer and plush without going to Lexus prices.@@joshjamescars
How do u maintain the exterior of the car? What car wax and car shampoo do u use?
Everything we use is from either Meguiars and Turtle Wax! The car washing soap is the meguiars wash that is like highlighter yellow. I don’t actually know what it’s called but it’s the only bright yellow thing they make and so if you look for the color, you’ll find it immediately!
Dude how many cars do you have?!? I was fighting between RAV4 Hybrid XSE loaded vs RAV4 XSE Prime. I really wanted the 3 or 4 othr features....but the plug in capability is iffy on me still....plus I like the more sportier look on the Hybrid.
Haha, we usually have three; last year was kind of insane because we were flipping things around in order to get one of the last V8 and V6. I really like the PHEV drivetrain because it works for my needs and I can do most of my driving on EV only range, but is definitely not right for everyone!
Any concerns with CVT vs Gears transmission. Longevity is not good for CVT in the long term. Any Feedback? The hybrid Highlander has the option of either CVT or Gears Transmission. I wish they gave the option to RAV4 as well/
With all due respect, you really need to do some basic research on transmissions and what an “eCVT” is versus a traditional automatic versus a belt and pulley CVT. You also need to go and understand how the Toyota Hybrid system works (I’m linking a video at the end of this reply that you should watch). What Toyota uses in these hybrids is NOT the same as the belt and pulley CVT that’s in a Hyundai accent or Honda civic.
In Toyota’s hybrids, the “transmission” is a planetary-style power-split reduction gear which they call an “eCVT” because it’s continuously varying and blending the power from the electric motors and the gas engine to consistently keep your vehicle running as efficiently as possible. HUGE difference between that and an 8-speed auto. The eCVT isn’t really a transmission, it just performs the same function as a transmission in a gas car.
You might be surprised to know that Toyota’s hybrids with these eCVTs actually consistently rank HIGHER than their gas-only versions with traditional automatics per Consumer Reports and JD Power. These planetary style power split devices are designed to last the lifetime of the car and thus run for hundreds of thousands of miles, as is evidenced by the huge number of 20+ year old Priuses running around on the roads today. They’re so reliable that Toyota dealers never keep them in stock because the failure rate is so low.
So, if reliability is your biggest concern, rest assured that you can buy a hybrid with an eCVT and I guarantee you it will be the last thing to fail on the car.
Also, to correct your statement above, the Highlander Hybrid does NOT have a choice of gears versus eCVT. The Highlander gas model has an 8-speed auto, the Highlander hybrid has an eCVT. And it’s the same with the Rav4. Gas RAV4 has an 8-speed auto, Rav Hybrid and Prime have the eCVT.
Check out this video to see how the Toyota Hybrid System works: th-cam.com/video/q1KNKhGo4c0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zMqW7r22rRdiOM0_
@@joshjamescars Hi Josh, Thank you so much for the info and video link. I also researched and found a great video that you described above (see link th-cam.com/video/O61WihMRdjM/w-d-xo.html ). Sorry, it was the Grand Highlander Hybrid not Highlander Hybrid that give the customer have a choice of gears versus eCVT.
The three options for the Grand Highlander Hybrid are:
1) XLE - eCVT
2) Limited - eCVT
3) Platinum -A6 (no eCVT)
@biomanna7303 Hello! You’re very welcome! Yes, you’re right about the Grand Highlander, it is offered with two very different hybrid systems offered. The standard hybrid does not have a turbo, has the CVT and uses the electrification for maximum efficiency. The hybrid max system has a turbo and uses the electrification for maximum power (and is less efficient). That one has the 6-speed auto. The turbo engine is a new design and so reliability is TBD on that, so do keep that in mind. Turbo engines in general can be more costly to maintain in the long run.
When the big battery runs out of charge, this car is going to act like a regular gas car or a regular hybrid car? If it is going to act like a regular hybrid car, does this mean there another battery inside the car for this purpose which automatically charges itself like a regular hybrid car?
Hello! Check out one of the chapters in this video here, I get into detail on exactly your question:
th-cam.com/video/6PnHN7ptjdo/w-d-xo.html
What's the best way to find out the little nit-picky questions answered? I talked to my local dealer and they get one or two a year so they don't know much about them. At least not to the level of knowledge I would like to know. For example, I was told there is a power outlet in the back. If I use that outlet for a 10 hour tailgate party can I "recharge" the battery with the engine by turning it on "hybrid mode" or can you only charge it from an outlet? I have a number of little questions like that.
I think the best thing would be to ask on forums. Also, there is an outlet in the back but the 1,500 watt inverter is NOT standard (at least it wasn’t when we bought and we didn’t get it as we didn’t have a use for it). As for power, it’s best to think of the car as a generator. If it’s plugged in, you can run anything you want for any amount of time. However, if the car is running as its own energy source, you can run down the battery and also run the outlet off the gas engine and just plug it in when you get back home. But not every appliance draws the same amount of power so you may run through that faster or slower.
Nice review
Thank you!
In 2021, car loan interest rate is commonly ar 0%, but ar 2024, it has jump up to minimum of 5% APR. That's a big jump for a near $50k vehicle
Yes, that is absolutely true too.
Hi Josh, is the prime XSE with PP worth it over the non PP for 6K Canadian? Is it worth it to purchase an extended warranty as we only drive 10-15k KMS a year. TIA
Hello! If your premium package is like ours, it might mean that without it you still get “mixed media” seats which means cloth in the center and SofTex bolsters. As for extended warranty, I would skip it. You can always add it later on before the factory warranty expires. If I recall, though, you and I had talked about the Rav Prime not being worth the cost for you at all since you couldn’t plug it in every night and I still stand by that. I think you should spend the $60K CAD on something much better than a Rav Prime.
Hi Josh! How many miles before you changed out your tires?
Hello! I don’t remember mileage but it was a year and a half of ownership (from new) or thereabout.
I'm curious if you noticed any drop in gas mileage when you switched to your Michelin CrossClimate tires?
Hello! It’s hard to say with the Prime because you can’t look at one number for efficiency. In EV mode you’re measuring miles per kilowatt hour, in hybrid mode it’s mpg. Most of my driving is done in EV mode and as far as I’ve seen I still average between 2-3 miles per kilowatt hour. And when I drive in hybrid mode the number is always different because the situational conditions are different. So in a single drive it can average out to anything from 90mpg to 37mpg depending on how much of the drive was done on EV range. I haven’t noticed a big drop in either, though. On a full charge I maybe get 2-5 miles less range but that could also be the fall/winter temperatures too. That all said, the trade off in ride quality and handling is so worth losing a little bit of efficiency or range.
I love my rav4 prime. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing at the stop light Grand Prix lol.😂 I debadged mine so no one knows it’s the quick one,except but those who know what 2 fuel doors means. Those plug in emblems are just ugly . My only complaint is road noise is excessive and tire wear has been double what my Corolla hybrid was …my tires are done at 28k and they get rotated every 5 k . At the last free service they recommended new tires .
Are those the stock tires? If so, Toyota stock tires are never great and never last beyond 25K miles. We changed ours our way before that as I always end up doing with Toyota cars. Your road noise will go down significantly with a better set of tires, too. The Cross Climate 2s that we have are outstanding if you live someplace with all four seasons and the car is so quiet now that they’ve broken in.
@@joshjamescarsYes the stock Dunlop tires I have 18” as I have the cheaper Se model too. I have a set of cheap 17” wheels and Blizzaks for the winter I put 3k miles on those this winter . Probably going to try the Continental tires everyone is recommending on fb prime group.
Oh yikes no those are terrible, that’s exactly what we had and got rid of well before we ever hit 20K. You’ll notice a huge difference with a better summer/warm weather tire.
If your daily commute is a bit further than your EV range it's actually better since you really do need to run the engine often to keep it healthy. Some people might say you need to turn it on at least once a month some people say you need to turn it on at least once a week I think that you need to turn it on almost every single day. That might be even more true as the car goes older.
That may be true, and to each their own. I’m personally of the opinion that it needs to be run once a week or so. My GX460 runs about that often. it still doesn’t change my mind about a Rav4 Prime being worth $10K more than a hybrid and nearly $50K for an SE which was my problem with it if you’re going to be consistently using your hybrid range.
@@joshjamescars how realistic is that they will considerably enlarge the EV range in a new model? I'm between getting this one or waiting for a new one but I am afraid that they will just add more safety features some of which might even be annoying if it tracks your eyes or similar and if the EV range stays the same this version that you have to me at least looks perfect.
@raspas99 It’s hard to say because battery technology is advancing SO rapidly today. The Prius Prime for example doubled its range when the new generation out. And then you also have to think about the cost. Toyota’s cars have by and large gotten $5K more expensive when new generations have come out. So you may get 50+ miles of range but at what, $60K? I already think the Rav4 Prime is way too expensive, LOL! So… I don’t think you can go wrong with the current one but you have to, have to, have to be able to get some kind of subsidy on it to make the price worth it. Spending $50+ cash, out of pocket on a Rav Prime is just stupid.
@@joshjamescars thanks!
Does Plug-in Hybrid has bigger battery and weight? so that would mean unless you charge regularly it will take more petrol anyway
Yes, that is correct. If you aren’t able to charge it daily it does not make sense to buy it versus the regular self charging hybrid.
Where do you live? Here in NJ , $$39k was the starting point for this vehicle. I ended up paying 43k for it. Tax credit I got was only up to $2500. Not the full $7500
I live in Texas and we bought in 2021. Keep in mind the full $7,500 tax credit required that you met certain tax liabilities and income restrictions to get the full credit in that calendar year.
@@joshjamescars during that year, many dealerships in NJ "claimed" that the Prime was very hard to come by and therefore they had to sell at higher mark-ups. TBH, 43k was a great deal . One dealership even told be they were not going under 45k no matter what (and that was just the starting point). I don't regret my purchase at all.
@kreator-ys1yz Yikes. Sorry about that. I’m glad you don’t regret your purchase but boy did the dealer clean up at the expense of its customers.
I can' t get the Toyota Rav 4 PHEV ..... waiting list for 3 years.
I’m guessing you’re in Canada. They are readily available now in the US so hopefully you’ll see the same there soon.
I am surprised dealer didn’t charge extra for rav4 2 years ago.
We were very fortunate that the dealer we bought from sold all their vehicles strictly at MSRP. They have since changed that, but at the time, that was their policy.
@@joshjamescars I bought R4P in 2022 XSE for MSRP in Canada where I believe there is law forbidding dealer charging more. But, we only had 5K Canadian EV credit. I love it and will keep it for 30 years.
10:47 plus, with EV, you don’t have to worry about oil change, transmission fluid change, and replacing brakes as often due to regenerative breaking. Less trips to the mechanic saves time and money.
While the oil and fluid changing is true, as someone who’s done long haul driving in EVs, I don’t think we’re at the point where you can say you actually save any time or money. In one day driving up the east coast I spent more time and money at chargers than I spend at dealers over a year of owning an ICE vehicle.
@@joshjamescars you must do a lot of long haul drives, then. It’s not that serious when you’re a city commuter. For those long hauls, you can simply rent a gas guzzler off of Turo for dirt cheap.
Nice review, however I would argue that the Kia Sorento PHEV which I own is a better value as compared to this RAV4 Prime. I also have the top SX Prestige AWD trim which provides a lot more luxurious amenities than the Prime.
That’s a great car, and I agree about the features. I just personally wouldn’t ever buy a Hyundai/Kia.
good review
I just bought a 2024 Rav4 SE Prime last night. We were originally looking for a regular Rav4 XLE Hybrid. The Prime was on the lot because the person who ordered it bailed. You noted that there is a $6500 rebate for the new RAV4's but that rebate only works on leases. Some people say, to grab the rebate, then pay off the lease. Well, according to my dealer, there is a "penalty" and it's not what you think. We ended up negotiating the price down - made the dealer take off the $5000 "market value" up charge, and halved the dealer add-ons. Our out the door price with TTL (Texas) was $50K.
During the paperwork, the finance guy said he has only seen 3 RAV4 Primes get sold at their dealership and we got it for the lowest price ever. The Primes are very rarely in stock.
It's still a lot of money. We did debate getting a Lexus RX Hybrid, but you can't get one for below $60K. We don't want an NX because it's too small.
I love your videos, especially the numbers. Keep making great content!
Hello! Congratulations on the Prime! It’s a great car and I think it is a much better car than the RX hybrid. However, I do want to advise you not go back to that Toyota dealer in the future because most of what they told you that you’ve written here is just not true. And if they’ll play dirty at sales they’ll also play dirty at service. You can absolutely buy out your lease at any time, you’ll just pay the lease end fee which is like $500 I believe. Second, any dealer who puts a market adjustment on a car is not to be trusted full stop. Dealer add-ons are also pure profit for them and they set their price knowing that they can half that and still make a tidy sum. That all said, you got a great car and I hope it serves you well! I’m just very against shady dealers like that.
@Chicklet42 You got taken for a ride. Josh is being so nice as to not tell you to your face but I will because I hate dealers who play tricks and lie to people to get them to buy the car. I bought my 24 SE Prime using the lease rebate, stacked another discount on it, and then bought the car out 3 months later. There was a lease end fee of $800. But I saved way more with the $6,500. Out of pocket price around $42,000. You also need to find out how much the car is worth in case you get into an accident or need to sell it because like Josh says most people got theirs at a discount and Primes don’t sell in the used market for more than the MSRP price anymore.
If you pay off you lease early you would still need to pay the residual value of the car which is around 25k-30k. So paying off the lease + residual would cost around 50k. What did you end up doing?
@@verynick No that’s not right, son. With a lease there is a payoff amount that changes by the day like any other financed car as it accrues interest. Leases are nothing more than financing part of a vehicle for 3 years for people who can’t afford to finance the whole vehicle. The lease payment that is calculated at time of signing is inclusive of principle and “money factor” which is the same as APR on a traditional closed term loan. But you don’t pay that interest if you buy the car out of the lease like I did after riding 3 months of the lease. I wrote Toyota Finance a cheque for the payoff quote on the car which was around $38000 and the car was mine outright!
@@delilahgray0826I see I think I will be doing that same then lol I just lease my 2023 Se Prime a week ago but I think I will try to keep the car longer so if I keep paying the lease it would cost me more than I bargained for with included $6k rebate. I might wait for 6 months then look for a loan through my credit union so I can buy out my lease.
The end of the life-cycle negative that you put is not a negative to some. End of the life-cycle also means all the kinks are worked out and you are getting the optimized reliability year.
Largely this is true however the Prime continues to have various recalls as Toyota figures out its PHEV drivetrain and the Prime overall scores lower in reliability than the standard hybrid. I need to take mine in for the recall that was put out on all Rav Primes (thru the 2024 model year) for the DC to DC converter.
Interesting comment about the car not being build to accommodate its speed. Otherwise, pretty minimal negatives.
Not speed but power. Two very different concepts. It can do wonderfully at 110mph in a straight line but try to change directions and it’s a different story, LOL!
Which do you recommend, rav4 prime or nx 350h? I know they are different. The rav4 wind noise is kinda loud but the prime seemed a bit quieter. The venza which uses Lexus sound insulation, was worse for some reason. The nx is quiet and I love the quiet ride. I can’t make up my mind :(
The prime gas economy might be the deal breaker. Is it true that it is a combined 90 plus mpg? As for the nx, I won’t get a plug in. Too much considering I just got a grand Highlander and I’m looking at a crown hybrid for my partner.
Hello! I think I’d asked you before if this new car is in addition to the Grand Highlander or if it’s replacing it. I’d keep the Grand Highlander if it has to be one or the other. But between these two I’d go with the NX350h for you hands down. For the amount of driving you’re doing I don’t think the Prime makes sense because you’d be doing so much of your driving outside of the EV range and once the EV range has been depleted it actually is less efficient than a standard Rav hybrid. The 90 plus MPG is not true, PHEV fuel economy can’t really be calculated into a single number because it is ENTIRELY dependent upon that EV range and whether you have any of it left or not.
@@joshjamescars hi. Sorry I didn’t see the original question. The grand highlander i just bought two days ago so it's for family outings. thank you for the recommendation. i. think it's back to the NX. argh….that makes me want that RX lol. btw why the NX? you flipped yours and kept the prime. is it cuz it's from japan? if i took the prime out of the list, what is the fuel economy with a rav hybrid and nx in your experience.
Well based on what you’ve said, you want a luxury car which the prime is not. The NX isn’t super luxurious either but it’s more premium than the Rav. Also, like I said in my reply above I don’t think the Prime works for your driving needs, but it does for mine.
@@joshjamescars oh and another noob question. If I get a prime can’t I just put it on hybrid for the long drive to not deplete the battery? And when I drive in town during the weekends put it on ev?
@joelgarcia3907 You can but the Prime is about $10K more than a comparable non-plug in (Prime SE to Hybrid SE). So if you think $10K is worth spending just to do EV driving on the weekend then sure but that’s a ton of money to spend just for some weekend driving.
So how often do you have to do oil changes if you hardly put any miles of the actual engine? Like if you put 5000 miles on the electric motors and 1000 on the gas engine - do you really need to change the oil?
General rule of thumb is to have the car serviced every 6 months, regardless of mileage. Remember that service on a modern car isn’t just an oil change but also checking and servicing the software, safety hardware, and computer systems, rotating tires, etc. My GX gets driven even less than the Rav (about 4,000 miles a year) but I take it in every 6 months anyhow because things can go stale from lack of use.
@@joshjamescars well I’m currently driving a Model 3, which I love. I never have to service it ever. But looking at Prime for other duties like hauling more stuff and towing a 2000 pound boat.
Tesla actually recommends annual service intervals for wear items so do be sure you’re doing that. Also, if you’re only interested in towing I would probably save some money and get a cheap truck. I don’t think it makes sense to spend Rav Prime money for what isn’t a really great tow/haul vehicle.
@@joshjamescars it definitely tows just fine for what I need it for! And yes ,8’ regularly rotating my tires, etc. it’s a second car for the family , not just for towing lol. Yes that wouldn’t make sense.
i thaught the meaning of hybrid is self charging, it charges as long as the car is running.
Hybrid just means some combination of two power sources. Gas engine + electric motors. Non-plug-in hybrids are self charging and have smaller batteries that augment a gas engine. Others like this Prime have a bigger battery that you plug in and thus can actually do full EV driving up to 85mph for 45 miles, but also have a gas engine to use with the electric motors when you need to do longer trips.
@@joshjamescars ok bro.... thanks for the insight
Nice
Can anyone tell me if 2 adults and a baby seat could fit on the back seats?
You DEFINITELY want a Highlander or something in the midsize class if that’s a requirement. Especially since most infant and child seats need to be on the outboard seats and that means you’d have an adult in the center seat.
I want it so bad
Topgun video 👍
Redesign 2026 and announced this November. 🤔
Thank you! And yes that seems to be the speculative timeline.
@@joshjamescars
Word on the IP street is the auto show in November! PHEV range 124 miles! 😀
@billyrock8305 If that’s true, the price is going to be astronomical and the hybrid MPG is going to be abysmal because the battery is going to need to be about twice the size it is now which means way higher cost and much heavier car. The short range most PHEVs have is to be able to balance those two things exactly… so personally I hope that’s NOT true. The Prime is already 800 pounds heavier than the hybrid from the added battery weight. And some states like California also tax by vehicle weight too. 😅
@@joshjamescars
Excellent points Josh. I’m all for a vehicle weight, road damage and pedestrian injury tax on huge trucks and SUVs.
“124-mile Toyota PHEV confirmed
Toyota Motor Corporation is doubling down on EVs, it’s not leaving behind plug-in hybrids. The company will improve PHEVs by increasing their electric range to 200 km (124 miles), repositioning them as “a practical BEV,” Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima said during an announcement on April 7, 2023.
While it’s not yet confirmed, the 124-mile PHEV should represent a future version of the RAV4 Prime. However, the triple-digit electric range is probably a WLTP target, meaning the EPA-est. for the same model could be just under 100 miles, which would still be impressive. “