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Talk me off the ledge: Considering Toyota RAV4 Prime

DucRider

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The RAV4 Prime is a fine vehicle if your expectations are appropriate.

That being said, PHEVs have:
  • Many of the best aspects of BEVs
  • Almost all of the disadvantages of an ICE vehicle
All wrapped up into a single package ?
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DuckTruck

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The worst possible flavor. ?

(I hate coffee).

(Yes, it's a struggle in Seattle).
SeaGeo,

Not a Coffee Lover?! And you call yourself a Seattellite?! Good news for you! Portland welcomes misfits of all types, if and when they run your decaffeinated a$$ out of the Puget Sound area. And we have three Herbal Tea companies here as well!

How strange, I can't even eat a bowl of Lucky Charms until I start my second cup of coffee. Now, Cap'n Crunch, that's a different story!
 

DuckTruck

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Haha don't be so dramatic...JK. And just curious, which car is making yo

That’s why I said do both. Get a RAV4 and keep the Rivian order. Great resale value means you can get out of it easily.
Now that you put it that way, it sounds like a great plan to me! ?
 

LoneStar

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I've had one 4 months now. Toyota quality design, materials and driver engagement is top-notch. Get's the 40 miles of EV-only range on a full charge. Spirited performance when the battery is full and you run in Sport and "auto" that taps the ICE during full-throttle bursts.

Will say that when the battery gets down to around 20-25% and it goes into "normal Hybrid" mode the ICE engine can be clumsy and the drop-off in performance is very apparent. I fully understand the security blanket aspect of having that ICE. My few runs of many miles (over 100 let's say) show it gets a very respectable 50'ish MPG through a whole tank of gas. Running around more locally or city driving with mixed EV/hybrid will reveal almost silly economy in the 70-range MPG.

Bought it as a "gap-filler" ride until my R1T comes along - or perhaps my early reservation on F-150 Lightning. Maybe Toyota will lure me again if the all-new Tundra comes in a similar Prime option with a legitimate hybrid turbo V-6 offering a similar 40-50 miles of EV only range. There is something to be said for never worrying about truly running out of electrons, especially when towing.

I've enjoyed my RAV-4 Prime. If I had the chance for a mulligan do-over, I would seriously consider the Volvo XC40 Recharge instead for a pure EV-only midsize SUV with a reasonably decent range at a similar price point.

Rivian R1T R1S Talk me off the ledge: Considering Toyota RAV4 Prime 20210530_101255
 

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Gshenderson

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What?! No Vanilla? CBP is a great choice!

You, Sir, have great taste!
My kids tell me only old people eat Butter Pecan ice cream. I’m good with that - more for me! ?
 

hola29

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I think all the reasons you listed are 100% valid for not going with an R1T...

But...

Do you want to have the coolest car around? Faster? Better for the environment? Way more capable in terms of offroad, onroad, snow, sand? Be part of something new? Enjoy the challenges that come with making semi-crazy decisions and turning them into wins? Have a first in class vehicle that will lead the way (hopefully) for SUV's & trucks for the next 40 years? Leave loud, polluting, geopolitically disturbing ICE vehicles for good?

Then go with Rivian :p

Lots of good opinions with smart people here, and not a few Toyota/Prime/other EV owners.

So, help talk me off the ledge of withdrawing my RTI pre-order, and going for a Toyota RAV4 Prime.
1) Less cost
2) The PHEV aspect, where I DO have a ICE "if I needed it". 99% of the time I wouldn't, but there's still the accessibility of "During Adventure" charging.
3) Of course Toyota's tech is already a proven/known factor, whereas Rivian is a start up.
4) All the questions posted elsewhere about resale/leasing/financing/"first adopter" (which I'm typically not).

So, Talk me down, ye Disciples of the Great R.
 

DuckTruck

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My kids tell me only old people eat Butter Pecan ice cream. I’m good with that - more for me! ?
Yeah, what do they know? At a neighborhood 4th of July picnic a few years ago, I told all of the kids that the Salt & Vinegar potato chips may very well cause them to be full-blown monogamists when they grow up! Works every time! ?
 

Gshenderson

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Yeah, what do they know? At a neighborhood 4th of July picnic a few years ago, I told all of the kids that the Salt & Vinegar potato chips may very well cause them to be full-blown monogamists when they grow up! Works every time! ?
I live in UT. What’s this “monogamist” thing of which you speak? ?
 

Pugster

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I think it’s really an apples to oranges argument.

My wife and I were playing the “what if we won the lottery” game deciding where we’d move, if we’d quit our jobs etc etc….and the what cars would we own topic came up.

For us, it would be a Model S Plaid and a Rivian R1T. Not bad considering we already drive a Model 3 and the R1T isn’t far off to replace our current F150. It was a neat moment, quite humbling actually.

My point is, I think the Rivian is going to be good enough to get “dream vehicle” status. No flies on a RAV4 Prime but just a different category IMHO. So as a placeholder I think it’d be great, but as an apples-to-apples alternative to a Rivian, well I don’t think that exists yet.
 

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EVTrucking

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Lots of good opinions with smart people here, and not a few Toyota/Prime/other EV owners.

So, help talk me off the ledge of withdrawing my RTI pre-order, and going for a Toyota RAV4 Prime.
1) Less cost
2) The PHEV aspect, where I DO have a ICE "if I needed it". 99% of the time I wouldn't, but there's still the accessibility of "During Adventure" charging.
3) Of course Toyota's tech is already a proven/known factor, whereas Rivian is a start up.
4) All the questions posted elsewhere about resale/leasing/financing/"first adopter" (which I'm typically not).

So, Talk me down, ye Disciples of the Great R.
I started down the same path, looking for a gap filler between now and when my R1T is delivered. For a short time the Rav4 Prime was a consideration but I could not get past the fact that it has a tailpipe.

I am not going to purchase another vehicle with a tailpipe no matter how practical or flashy or fast it is. My main attraction to the R1T is that it is a vehicle with all the capabilities I desire AND it does NOT have a TAILPIPE.

My suggestion for a gap filler vehicle is to look at the available EVs such at XC40 Recharge, Mach-E, VW ID.4 to name a few. You may pay a bit more but I think you can get one more easily than the RAV4 Prime. After test driving a Tesla Y, XC40 Recharge and a Mach-E, I ordered a Mach-E and I am expecting delivery in late Oct.

Like many folks I have range anxiety for long trips but 99% of my driving will be local and when I do make a long trip I will deal with it. I am fortunate to have solar on my house so the vast majority of the energy for my EV will be green.

The R1T/R1S are fast, flashy, fun and highly capable but first and foremost they are EVs!!! Do all the great stuff and no exhaust!
 
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kanundrum

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mike813

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I'm gap filling with a Jeep wrangler 4xe. Lots of fun.
 

DuckTruck

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I live in UT. What’s this “monogamist” thing of which you speak? ?
Odd that when you break that word down, you get mono & gamist. That sounds like one person and a joystick, all by themself!

I think I'll let it go at that.... ?
 
 




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