The plug-in hybrid Toyota RAV4 will go on sale in the UK in January with prices starting at just over £47,000. The model, which ekes 46 miles from a full charge before the petrol engine has to take over, will be offered in a choice of two trim levels.
Under the bonnet, the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, just like the standard RAV4 Hybrid, but there are fundamental differences between the two. For a start, the Plug-In Hybrid comes with a bigger battery and a more powerful motor, meaning it can drive further on a single charge and it offers a substantial 302 bhp.
As the name suggests, the Plug-In Hybrid can also be plugged in, allowing the battery to be charged on the driveway – just like an electric car. If you drive carefully and only rarely travel further than 46 miles between charges, the car will seldom use the petrol engine provided – a fact borne out in the 282 mpg official fuel economy.
Perhaps more importantly, though, the all-electric range means the car is less polluting than its Hybrid sibling, churning out 22g of carbon dioxide per kilometre. In turn, that means the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid will attract company car tax at a rate of just six percent.
The two trim levels – Dynamic and Dynamic Premium – correspond to the equivalent high-end models in the RAV4 Hybrid range. Prices start at £47,395 and £50,895 respectively, making the Plug-In Hybrid around £11,000 more expensive than the equivalent RAV4 Hybrid.
For that money, the Dynamic comes with 19-inch machined-face alloy wheels, a nine-inch multimedia touchscreen, and LED projector headlights. That’s in addition to the heated front and rear seats, and the 6.6 kW fast charging cable designed to plug into a domestic ‘wallbox’ charger.
Moving up to the Dynamic Premium adds features including black leather upholstery, front seats with ventilation and memory settings and a panoramic roof. The range-topping model also benefits from a head-up display and JBL premium sound system.
More on the Toyota RAV4:
Although prices and specifications have been confirmed, Toyota says it will not start taking orders until January 4. Customers who place orders during the first few weeks of sales should not expect their vehicle to arrive until the second quarter of next year (April-June 2021).
Gallery: Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid (2020)
