Review and test Toyota RAV4 AWD Plug-in Hybrid Business Plus

John de Mol shot the pitch for the format The most boring improv show finished within five minutes, but at Toyota the inventors had more success. It went like this: ‘Imagine an average Toyota driver. No, even better, imagine a Toyota hybrid driver. Okay, now give him over 300 horsepower.’ What does he do with it? Probably nothing.

The power is not useless, however. That excess is not there to lure GTI drivers out of their hot hatchback, because this Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid is fortunately not a sporty SUV. It is by no means a wet mop; the nose dives vigorously into the bend, but the laws of nature quickly take over with the high center of gravity, weight and eco-tyres. Think of power more as comfort; carefree insertion and fast overtaking, that idea. The chassis is relaxed and accommodating.

Be sure to load it up

Fully electric, the Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid is by far the best drive. Although the electric motor has to manage without the four-cylinder, the Toyota comes out of its place with enough pep. Without a peg, the RAV4 simply achieves a speed of 135 km/h and a range of 75 kilometers – for a PHEV generous. What you do hear at that time is that the RAV4 produces quite a bit of wind noise and tire noise, like more SUVs.

The Toyota RAV4 is not the only plug-in hybrid with unnecessary power and a very acceptable 0-to-100 time. Even the sensible Opel offers a crossover with more than 300 hp. The difference is that the RAV4’s engine actually feels like a bit of a pull, unlike other hybrids that often do it with a ton of dismay and noise. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder eagerly picks up and doesn’t even sound very bad. As far as the experience is concerned, the top speed is missing only the switching moment; the CVT automatic transmission without gears keeps the four-cylinder at a fixed speed. You can’t have everything.

The petrol engine is modest

When the hybrid system deems it necessary, the petrol engine kicks in almost unnoticed and without vibration. And if the driver does not use the full power, the four-cylinder does its job quietly. When the batteries are empty, it comes to the fore a little more during recharging while on the move.

In addition, the electric motor keeps the CVT (continuously variable transmission) in check. In the normal RAV4, the machine wants to react quite sensitively to the accelerator pedal, with a lot of revs and whine as a result. Now the electric motor takes care of a large part of the acceleration, which ensures more peace of mind in the drivetrain.

Inside the Toyota RAV4 AWD Plug-in Hybrid

The interior is also a nice place to be. A nice contrast is the analog needle for the battery level in the instrumentation. The driving mode dial changes color when you go to sport mode, for example, which is also a nice detail. The rest of the dashboard is neatly finished with beautiful and soft materials. The seats are good and the back is great.

The interface in the Toyota RAV4 AWD Plug-in Hybrid isn’t the prettiest or fastest, but it does a decent job. It has Android AutoPlay in it, so make sure to connect the screen to your phone. At least then you know for sure that you arrive on time, because although we drove on and had no delay, the estimated time of arrival kept increasing while driving. Probably has to do with the fact that the navigation often thinks that you are allowed 130 km/h in the Netherlands during the day. And that while the car is younger than the new speed limit. The adaptive cruise control that is just a little too happy social distancing does may also take some of the blame. But hey, the RAV4 drives best unhurriedly.