Toyota RAV4 Prime with 302 horsepower to start at $39,220

(May 31, 2020) PLANO, Texas — The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime will break ground as the most powerful and quickest RAV4 ever, hitting dealerships this summer with a starting price of $39,220 including a 1,120 destination charge in the SE turn. The up level XSE trim will start at $42,545. The RAV4’s first-ever plug-in model has up to 302 horsepower with an ability to do 0-60 mph in a projected 5.7 seconds, which makes it the quickest four-door model in the Toyota lineup.

But, it doesn’t end there. The RAV4 Prime also has up to a manufacturer-estimated 42 miles on battery alone on a single charge, making it the highest EV range of any PHEV SUV on the market. The RAV4 Prime also has up to a manufacturer-estimated 94 combined MPGe. Even more, what sets RAV4 Prime apart is the standard Electronic On-Demand AWD.

First revealed at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2021 RAV4 Prime will be available in SE and XSE grades, both emphasizing athletic on-road performance and premium comfort and style.
 
With more powerful motor-generators, a newly developed high-capacity Lithium-Ion battery and a booster converter, the 2021 RAV4 Prime yields an 83-horsepower  jump in total system output over the RAV4 Hybrid and has the most horsepower in its segment. And, notably, the RAV4 Prime uses regular-grade gasoline-just not much of it.

A comparison with an older RAV4 offers a vivid illustration of the march of technology. The 2006-2012 RAV4 offered an optional 269-hp, 3.5-liter gas V6 engine that reached 0-60 mph in 6.3-seconds, which is a half-second slower than the RAV4 Prime. And, that model's 21 combined MPG fuel economy rating simply pales in comparison.

Toyota engineered the 2021 RAV4 Prime for the performance-oriented driver and is therefore offering it in the sporty SE and XSE grades. The SE grade is new for the fifth-generation RAV4 Prime, and the XSE is currently exclusive to the RAV4 Hybrid. The SE flaunts its sporty attitude with 18-in. painted and machined alloy wheels and an exclusive front grille design and front lower spoiler. Piano black exterior accents and a painted grille/diffuser complete the premium look.

The SE's equipment is quite comprehensive, with standard heated front seats, 8-way power driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, 7-in. Multi-Information Display, Blind Spot Monitor, a leather steering wheel and shift knob, power liftgate, and Audio with 8-in. touch-screen and Amazon Alexa, as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The available Weather & Moonroof Package lets in the sun, moon and stars while keeping the cold at bay with a heated steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats, and windshield wiper de-icer, while rain-sensing windshield wipers add to convenience.

As on the current RAV4 Hybrid XSE, the Prime version of this grade stands apart with a two-tone exterior paint scheme pairing a black roof with select colors, including the striking new-to-RAV4 Supersonic Red. Exclusive 19-in. alloy wheels, the largest ever offered on a hybrid RAV4, have a unique two-tone design. Vertical LED accent lights give the XSE a distinct look, while the optional Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) with headlamp auto-leveling partially aims the beams into turns as the driver steers.

All Toyota RAV4 models come equipped with standard Toyota Safety Sense (TSS 2.0), which groups a long roster of active-safety technologies and capabilities:
    •    Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD)
    •    Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
    •    Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA)
    •    Automatic High Beam (AHB)
    •    Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)
    •    Road Sign Assist (RSA)
The XSE Premium Package adds Rear Cross Traffic Braking (RCTB) and Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automated Braking (PA w/AB).