Comparing the annual fuel costs of each Toyota RAV4 powertrain

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Gosh, the Toyota RAV4 gives shoppers a lot of options to consider. Amidst no less than a dozen trim grades that serve as starting points, and various optional packages within, are three powertrain choices to consider.

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With gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid versions (dubbed Prime) on offer, Toyota’s one of a small but growing number of automakers offering their bread-and-butter crossover product with a wide range of choices when it comes to what’s under the hood.

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Comparing the annual fuel costs of each Toyota RAV4 powertrain Back to video

Shoppers want selection, and they want more green, eco-friendly choices than ever these days, too.

Your choice between a conventional RAV4, the more powerful and efficient RAV4 Hybrid, or the Plug-in Powered RAV4 Prime, comes with implications for your wallet — both in the form of up-front pricing, and the long-term running costs you’ll incur for every mile you drive.

Let’s dive into the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) fuel consumption guide for a closer look. Below, we’ll compare the fuel mileage figures, annual fuel costs, and up-front pricing of each of the RAV4’s powertrain options. We’ll compare AWD-equipped models only, for the most accurate comparison.

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The information below can be used by prospective shoppers as a tool to help confirm or question their purchase decision.

Toyota RAV4 AWD

With a conventional gasoline powertrain, the Toyota RAV4 AWD starts at $30,690 in its LE trim grade. Power comes from a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower.

In this configuration, the engine needs to burn 8.7 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres it drives in city conditions. Put another way, every 100 kilometres of around-town driving reduces your fuel level by 8.7 litres.

Engines are more efficient in sustained-speed highway driving, where the RAV4 AWD uses just 6.9 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres it drives. As a combined figure, drivers with an average split of city and highway driving can expect to use 7.9 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres of driving. For ease, we’ll express that as 7.9 L/100km. 

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Based on this, NRCan says the average RAV4 AWD driver will spend $1,975 per year in fuel.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD 

The $32,950 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has a gas-burning engine under its hood, only this one’s fitted with extra hybrid technology to help increase performance and save fuel. By adding two electric motors and a self-recharging battery, drivers get 219 horsepower, an increase of 16 over the thirstier standard engine.

The RAV4’s hybrid engine also delivers a notable improvement in on-demand torque, which boosts throttle response and smoothness, especially in around-town driving. All of that, with fuel savings to boot. 

The RAV4 Hybrid uses just 5.8 L/100km in city driving — a savings of nearly 3 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres driven in a city setting. The RAV4 Hybrid also uses less fuel on the highway (6.3 L/100km), and boasts a combined average fuel consumption rating of 6 L/100km — a savings of nearly 2 L/100km versus the less powerful non-hybrid model.

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Estimated annual fuel costs of the RAV4 Hybrid are $1,500, meaning drivers save about $475 per year in gas. 

The upgrade cost from a RAV4 LE AWD to a RAV4 Hybrid LE AWD is $2,260. At current fuel prices, this means that the upgrade cost is covered by its fuel savings in about 5 years.

Note that as fuel prices increase, hybrid models will become more appealing, which may positively impact future resale value.

Finally, remember that it’s not possible to plug in the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid to recharge. There’s no cord connector, and the self-recharging battery simply sustains itself automatically as you drive around.

Toyota RAV4 Prime

The Toyota RAV4 Prime is the RAV4 lineup’s Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) option. Its powertrain works similarly to the RAV4 Hybrid above, though its self-recharging battery has a much higher energy storage capacity. 

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This allows drivers to plug the RAV4 Prime in to recharge, filling the battery in the process. The surplus energy storage allows the RAV4 prime to handle drives of up to about 70 kilometres without using any gasoline.

The RAV4 Prime’s battery can be recharged in just a few hours. Though charging is never required, a fully-charged RAV4 Prime can drive up to 70 kilometres using no fuel, and hundreds more on gasoline hybrid power when the battery is depleted. The switch between electric and gas power is instantaneous, automatic, and invisible, and requires no attention from the driver.

Remember: in a PHEV, plugging in is never mandatory. As long as there’s fuel in the tank, you’re good to go.

The $44,990 RAV4 Prime is available with a $5,000 Federal incentive, which lowers its cost to $39,990. That’s a $7,040 premium over the less powerful RAV4 Hybrid. 

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According to NRCan, fuel costs drop to just $870 per year — a savings of $630 per year versus the hybrid model (and $1,105 versus the standard RAV4). 

At a glance, that’s an 11-year payback period on fuel savings, though the NRCan Annual Fuel Costs reflect one mix of electric and gasoline driving. Shoppers should note that the specific way they use and charge their RAV4 Prime can affect that rating.

For instance, some RAV4 Prime owners report completely fuel-free commuting, and the ability to skip gas station visits for 6 or 7 months on end. If you frequently drive fewer than 50 kilometres per day, as many Canadians do, you’ll probably only burn fuel on longer, out-of-town trips.

This increases convenience, and RAV4 Prime owners also enjoy totally silent electric driving on the daily, as well as the highest-performing RAV4 experience available. Look for 302 horsepower, and acceleration second only to the Supra sports car within Toyota’s lineup.

When it is using gasoline, the RAV4 Prime burns 5.9L/100km in the city, 6.5L/100km on the highway, and a combined 6.2L/100km overall. 

That’s slightly more than the RAV4 Hybrid, but the ability to handle shorter trips using no fuel on the daily more than offsets these increases in real-life use.