- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid MPG & CO2 emissions
- Fuel economy can vary depending on the sort of driving you do, but the Toyota RAV4’s CO2 emissions are impressively low
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid MPG & CO2
- Consumption Toyota RAV4 2023
- Consumption
- Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid range, MPG, battery & charging
- Range, fuel economy and charging are a strong suit for the Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, with best-in-class claims in all three areas
- Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid range, MPG & CO2 emissions
- Charge time
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid review
- The latest Toyota RAV4 is a striking-looking and efficient hybrid family SUV, but there are more versatile seven-seat alternatives for similar money
- Pros
- Cons
- Toyota Rav4 hybrid LPG, consumption and CO2 emissions compared
- Toyota Rav4 Hybrid LPG
- How is the LPG system of a hybrid car made?
- Toyota Rav4 hybrid LPG, consumption and CO2 emissions compared
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid MPG & CO2 emissions
Fuel economy can vary depending on the sort of driving you do, but the Toyota RAV4’s CO2 emissions are impressively low
Model | Fuel Economy | CO2 emissions |
2.5-litre FWD | 48-50mpg | 126-130g/km |
2.5-litre AWD-i | 48-49mpg | 131-132g/km |
While the RAV4 Hybrid may boast better fuel economy and lower emissions than most similarly sized SUVs, it can’t beat the plug-in hybrid RAV4 on either point. Still, around town the RAV4’s hybrid powertrain will save fuel when it can run on electric power alone. Plus, its lower CO2 emissions means savings for company-car drivers on their BiK (Benefit-in-Kind) tax bills.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid MPG & CO2
Official figures vary depending on whether you go for front or four-wheel drive, and what wheel size you choose, but the average economy figure only ranges from 48 to 50mpg, so you can count on something in the region of 50mpg as the best-case scenario whichever one you go for. When we tested the front-wheel-drive car, we managed around 40mpg on the motorway, while sedate around-town driving saw that creep up to 45mpg and more, as this slow-speed stuff is where the RAV4 can make best use of its electric running. CO2 emissions vary, too: 126g/km for the front-wheel-drive car on 17-inch wheels and up to 132g/km in the top trim level. The four-wheel-drive version emits 131-132g/km depending on the trim level. Company-car drivers stand to make big savings on their Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) bills compared to a petrol or diesel SUV of similar size to the RAV4. The RAV4’s economy will be at its best if you do mostly urban driving, giving the hybrid motor’s batteries a chance to recharge as you slow down and brake. Gentle use of the accelerator when moving away and when in stop-start urban traffic will also ensure you maximise the RAV4’s electric range. If you want a hybrid SUV, but don’t need something as big as the RAV4, it’s worth bearing in mind the Toyota C-HR can hit almost 58mpg. The RAV4 comfortably beats its more direct rival the Honda CR-V Hybrid, though; the latter only returned 41mpg in official testing. Also consider that plug-in hybrid rivals like the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and MINI Countryman Cooper S E will offer far more pure electric running if you can plug them in, although the flipside is that they’ll be much less efficient than the RAV4 when their petrol engines are running.
Consumption Toyota RAV4 2023
The most economical version of the Toyota RAV4 has an average consumption of 1.0 l/100 km according to the WLTP standard.
Below you can find all data regarding the consumption and CO2 emissions for each version of the Toyota RAV4.
Consumption
Data | Info |
---|---|
Fuel consumption combined (WLTP) | 5.6 — 5.8 l/100 km |
Fuel consumption low (WLTP) | — |
Fuel consumption medium (WLTP) | — |
Fuel consumption high (WLTP) | — |
Fuel consumption extra high (WLTP) | — |
Fuel tank capacity | — |
CO2 emissions combined (WLTP) | 126 — 131 g/km |
CO2 emissions low (WLTP) | — |
CO2 emissions medium (WLTP) | — |
CO2 emissions high (WLTP) | — |
CO2 emissions extra high (WLTP) | — |
Emission rating | — |
Range | — |
Electric consumption | — |
Electric range | — |
Charging time | — |
Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid range, MPG, battery & charging
Range, fuel economy and charging are a strong suit for the Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, with best-in-class claims in all three areas
Depending on your usage, the Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid could save you thousands of pounds in running costs compared to a conventional petrol, diesel or hybrid car. With one of the longest pure-electric ranges in the family SUV class, you can travel further without using fuel; 46 miles is more than a Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Kuga or Volvo XC60 will manage. But as is the case with all plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), you’ll need regular access to a charging socket to realise those cost advantages – otherwise you’re carrying around a heavy electric motor and battery pack without reaping any of the benefits. Charging from a wallbox doesn’t take long, and even from a domestic socket you’ll wake up to a full battery by topping up overnight. This is how we’d recommend running a plug-in hybrid.
Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid range, MPG & CO2 emissions
All versions of the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid come with 19-inch wheels, which means they all boast the same low CO2 rating (22g/km) and 46-mile electric range. Not only is that best in class – a Peugeot 3008 hybrid will do 40 miles; a Ford Kuga 35 miles – it also means that no matter which Toyota you choose, if you’re a company-car driver, you’ll benefit from a 6% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rating. But that doesn’t mean the RAV4 is without appeal for private buyers. That quoted 46-mile range is probably closer to 30-35 miles in real-world driving, but if you charge regularly and do mainly short trips, you could find visits to the petrol station reduce dramatically. In truth, like all plug-in hybrids, the RAV4’s 282mpg fuel-economy figure doesn’t mean an awful lot; you’ll see 40-45mpg without charging, but top up the batteries every day and your car could return a whole lot more.
Charge time
The Toyota RAV4 boasts pretty quick charge times for a plug-in hybrid, thanks to its relatively powerful 6.6kW on-board charger. This means you can top up the car’s batteries and realise the RAV4’s 46-mile range in just two and a half hours using a 7.4kW home wallbox. Like most plug-in hybrids, there’s no option for rapid charging. All versions come with two cables as standard, however, which means you can also charge from a conventional three-pin socket. Doing so will take seven and a half hours.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid review
The latest Toyota RAV4 is a striking-looking and efficient hybrid family SUV, but there are more versatile seven-seat alternatives for similar money
Pros
Cons
While the original Toyota RAV4 made the classic SUV more compact and fun to drive, it’s got a little more sedate over the years. But the latest Toyota RAV4 hybrid seems to have brought back some of the original’s flair. Buyers aren’t short of choice; with plenty of rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Honda CR-V. To fight its corner, Toyota has had to up the ante by offering the RAV4 as a full-hybrid and plug-in hybrid, both of which we’ve driven, but it’s the former of which we’re focusing on here. The hybrid RAV4 offers good value and low running costs, plus no need to plug in to charge.
The benefit of the system used in the hybrid RAV4 is that it takes energy from the petrol engine and brakes (that would otherwise be wasted) to power the battery; a system that Toyota refers to as “self-charging”, given that there’s no need to plug in. That said, the battery is fairly small, so you’ll only get around a mile of zero-emissions driving; its main purpose is to take strain off the petrol engine and thus improve economy. For better electric range, you’d be better off with the plug-in hybrid with its bigger battery and lower company-car tax – but you need somewhere to plug it in overnight.
The first-generation RAV4’s design was eye-catching for its time, and the sharper-edged design cues, unique headlights and chunky wheelarches of the latest generation make it similarly striking for modern tastes, and an improvement over other previous iterations, which had begun to look mundane. The brand also offers the bold-looking Toyota C-HR with a similar powertrain, but it’s not quite as practical as the RAV4.
The RAV4 hybrid has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet, plus the electric motor and small battery. Horsepower, fuel economy, CO2 and acceleration figures differ slightly between the front and four-wheel drive versions, while a CVT automatic gearbox is the only transmission available. It’s offered in the UK in five different trim levels: Icon, Design, Excel, Dynamic and Adventure (with Icon only being available in front-wheel-drive form).
The RAV4 manages to be both comfortable and reasonably engaging behind the wheel. The engine, however, isn’t the smoothest, and is quite noisy even under moderate acceleration which is likely as much down to the CVT automatic gearbox as the engine itself.
This car is even fairly capable off-road if you go for the four-wheel-drive option, so it’s a good choice if you find yourself regularly tackling a muddy yard or grassy lane in the countryside. But if you’re looking for an all-out off-roader, you’d be better off with a Jeep or Land Rover, which are more capable still. The Toyota is also not the best option if you plan to tow regularly, with a well-below-average 1,650kg capacity, compared to non-hybrid rivals that can manage from 2,000 to 2,500kg.
Inside, there’s a decent amount of passenger and luggage room, combined with high interior trim quality. Although the RAV4 can’t be said to be at the cutting edge of style or luxury, even compared to some rivals, it looks smart and has some great common-sense touches including rubberised grips on the inside of the door handles. As part of an update for 2023, the RAV4 now comes as standard with a 10.5-inch central touchscreen, wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, plus all but the base models also get a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, too.
It’s a good balance of honest utility and straightforward, decent-looking materials and interior design. It is, however, well into the price territory of cars like the Skoda Kodiaq, which offer seven-seat versatility that the five-seat-only Toyota can’t compete with.
Toyota Rav4 hybrid LPG, consumption and CO2 emissions compared
L’hybrid represents a ideal solution in different driving conditions and to increase savings and convenience, a hybrid engine can be converted into LPG. Ecomotive Solutions with Autogas Italy (‘sisters’ within the Holdim group, specialist in engine calibration) has built and distributed aftermarket conversion kit for hybrid vehicles and for conversions a LPG that methane (mainly on foreign markets). The latest retrofit system has been installed on a Toyota Rav4 Hybrid 2.5 Active 2WDlet’s see what are the advantages of converting a hybrid car into LPG.
Toyota Rav4 Hybrid LPG
For Toyota Rav4 Hybrid 2.5 Active 2WDan aftermarket kit has been created that allows the LPG operation while maintaining the excellent performance of both the Hybrid system and the heat engine.
The results can be seen in the spirited guide that it does not penalize performance in terms of power by combining a further economic advantage determined by the use of natural gas.
How is the LPG system of a hybrid car made?
The Toyota propulsion system consists of the petrol engine 2.5 VVT-iE with Atkinson cycle176 hp and 221 Nm combined with an electric unit 88 kW and 202 Nm which express an overall power of 218 hp allowing a speed of 180 km / h and 0-100 km / h acceleration in 8.4 ”.
The LPG conversion kit it is made up of an electronic control unit (8-channel ECU), of a pressure reducer, of 8 gas injectors controlled in “direct” or “MPI” mode according to the strategy set by the stock engine control unit, which reads the data of the original device and manages two injection circuits and shutdown during electrical operation. The LPG tank of 58 liters has been placed under the cargo floor of the trunk.
The charging socket for refueling the tanks is positioned laterally in the rear of the vehicle outside the bodywork, in the compartment where the filler for refueling is already present. In the passenger compartment there is a switch clearly visible on the left of the dashboard that allows you to select the type of fuel, check the level of LPG in the tanks
Toyota Rav4 hybrid LPG, consumption and CO2 emissions compared
After the installation of the LPG system the Toyota Rav4 hybrid was subjected to a test session on the road, to establish the real fuel consumption and CO2 emissionsas well as the differences between LPG and full hybrid power.
The average real consumption (from test) of 7.0 l / 100 km with gas drops to 6.0 l / 100 km of LPG more 0.5 l / 100 km of petrol (the slight consumption of petrol is given by the direct injection system). These data lead to a considerable cost reduction, even more significant in the face of current refueling prices. Against a cost of the plant of approx 2,200 eurosallow you to amortize it in little more than 30,000 km.
The economic savings are also combined with the reduction of greenhouse gases and pollutants (typical of petrol), with a significant decrease of CO2 than of NOx. As for performance, the power test bench on which the car was tested returned the same values as the original petrol operation. On the road, no alterations in driving behavior were highlighted. The autonomy of the hybrid Rav4 converted to LPG is 700 km.