Toyota RAV4 PHEV gains new entry-level Design trim-level

Toyota has launched a new entry-level specification for the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. Called Design, it sits below the SUV’s existing Dynamic and Dynamic Premium trim-levels, lowering its starting price to £46,495.

Standard equipment for the Toyota RAV4 PHEV Design includes 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlamps, front and rear parking sensors and a power-operated tailgate. Every model also comes with a 6.6kW charging cable for use with a wallbox charger.

Toyota has also fitted the RAV4 PHEV Design with lane departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beam assist, automatic adaptive cruise control, road sign assist and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection as standard. 

Inside, there are heated front and rear seats, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a leather steering wheel, a reversing camera and a nine-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also remote-operated dual-zone air conditioning, which can pre-condition the cabin before the start of a journey.

The mid-range Toyota RAV4 Dynamic builds on this specification with 19-inch alloy wheels, a two-tone paint finish, a wireless smartphone charger and front and rear centre armrests. Prices start from £47,395.

The range-topping Dynamic Premium model is priced from £50,895 and adds a panoramic sunroof, black leather upholstery, ventilated and memory activated front seats, a head-up display and an upgraded JBL stereo system.

The RAV4’s plug-in hybrid powertrain comprises a 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine, a pair of electric motors and an 18kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The system has a combined output of 302bhp, which Toyota says is enough for a 0–62mph time of six seconds flat.

The battery can also store enough charge for a best in-class electric range of 46 miles, although Toyota says that figure can be stretched to as much as 60 miles when driving in an urban environment. The PHEV RAV4 will also return up to 282.5mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, while emitting only 22g/km of CO2.

Like the standard RAV4 hybrid, the PHEV model features Toyota’s electric all-wheel-drive system, with the combustion engine and front electric motor powering the front axle, and a separate rear-mounted electric motor powering the rear axle. Both motors also feature regenerative braking to charge the battery – the strength of which can be adjusted using a pair of paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel.

What do you make of the 302bhp Toyota RAV4 PHEV? Let us know in the comments section below…