2016 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID

Economically fuel consumption with addition of hybrid powertrain

Hybrid vehicles introduced by Toyota have already made a huge impact on the automotive market since they were released. For the 2016 model year, Toyota is releasing more hybrid cars than the previous one. Riding on the hype that these type of vehicles have produced Toyota plans to include a hybrid version to all of its top selling cars by the year 2020. This time we review the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid option which gets to be released now for the 2016 model year. The car is already a good investment when you thing about fuel economy, The RAV4 has always had some good fuel economy specs and has provided the customers an efficient vehicle available at an affordable price. With the addition of a hybrid powertrain, they are setting the bar even higher, or lower as is the case with the fuel usage. The RAV4 hybrid will be the favorite vehicle for the people who are looking to save some money on fuel. A unique feature is that this time we will get to see a much different design of the RAV4 Hybrid version opposed to its base option. The car is much more distinguishable and sports a completely different design to its base counterpart. As you can see from the pictures provided, the car looks pretty good and if you want to see it in person the only way you can do that is at its release during the New York Auto Show. Read on to find out the specs and the price of the vehicle as well.

2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Exterior

The case with the exterior design of the RAV4 hybrid vehicle for the 2016 model year is that it looks much better compared to the base version of the car that comes out for the same model year. It has been updated to be much more modern looking and has a futuristic tone to it if you look at it closely. The most noticeable thing is that the front end of the car has taken a book from Toyota Mirai’s design and included it and made it its own. It is not a complete copy of course, but you can see where the idea comes from. The entire front look is actually exclusive for the Hybrid version of the car and includes an edgier fascia that has been added at the front with smaller headlights as well.

The back changes are not that exclusive but there are some. Most noticeable are the clear-lensed taillights which give a certain charm to the car. The rest of the changes are the Toyota’s signature blue highlight on the corporate logos and some new color schemes that this model includes. The offered color palate includes the Magnetic Gray Metallic, Super White, Classic Silver Metallic, Blizzard Pearl, Black Sand Pearl  and an exclusive new color that has simply been dubbed as Blue by Toyota.

Inside Changed Design

The inside has not been drastically changed for that matter. As the focus was to concentrate more on the exterior look of the Toyota RAV4 hybrid version, the inside was not updated that much. So if you are familiar with the interior setup of the base version of the RAV4, you will have no trouble in dealing with the hybrid version as well. The most noticeable changes, on the other hand, are seen on the gauge cluster as there are the hybrid components that are necessary for the function of the car added. Another thing is the interior spacing of the car. The added hybrid powertrain takes up a bit of the space which the RAV4 has. Actually the basics version is perceived as quite a roomy vehicle with ample cargo space, but when it comes to fitting the hybrid components it eats up too much space than people hope it would. Not to say that it’s too cramped on the inside but feels a little bit tighter compared to the roominess that is available in its base version.

Powertrain Specs and Horsepower

The powertrain of the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid will still combine the same engine that was used before in its original shape. The 2.5-liter inline-four engine will combine with the hybrid technology but the power ratings have still to be announced. As we have no confirmation to say how much they actually are we can only say that Toyota has announced that it will be bigger than the 176 horsepower that the base version has provided. It will combine with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission and come standardly equipped with Toyota’s Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive System. This system uses a separate rear electric motor that adds torque to the vehicle and increases acceleration. The EPA rating are also kept under the radar but as a similar powertrain combination has been used inside the Lexus NS 300h, we assume that the fuel economy will be somewhere around 33 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.

Price and Release Date

The release date is excepted to be somewhere at the beginning of 2016 but the car will make its official debut at the New York Motor Show when fans can get to have a first glimpse at the new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The information about the release date will come the closer we get to the show. The price on the other hand has already been issued. As the base XLE option comes at  $26,125 while the RAV4 Limited version is priced at $29,335, the RAV4 Hybrid will come with the offer of being available at $30,000.