Toyota has announced a RAV4 Hybrid. The RAV4 Hybrid will most likely be based on the Lexus NX Hybrid that sits on the same platform and is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 194-hp and gets 35-mpg city and 33-mpg highway for 33-mpg combined.
While those RAV4 Hybrid fuel economy numbers aren’t very impressive when compared to other hybrids, they are almost 40% better fuel economy in the city than the standard RAV4. The real world gas savings should be pretty significant for average drivers.
It’s kind of surprising that Toyota hasn’t released a hybrid version of the RAV4 when the Highlander Hybrid has been on sale since 2005. Maybe they’ve finally determined that small SUV buyers like fuel economy (go figure!) or maybe they just didn’t want to steal sales from the Camry Hybrid by offering an SUV with a similar price and good fuel economy.
Details like pricing haven’t been announced yet, but the Camry and RAV4 start within $1,000 of each other, so the RAV4 Hybrid will probably be within a grand or so of the Camry Hybrid’s $26,790 starting price.The RAV4 Hybrid will be officially unveiled next week at the New York Auto Show.
Source: Green Car Reports
