2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV

The 2017 RAV4 Hybrid SUV directly competes with three different car models namely Nissan Rogue Hybrid SV, Honda CR-V LX, and Kia Niro FE. Although the Toyota’s Hybrid SUV is costlier among its rivals, it still has the upper hand when it comes to acceleration and safety features.

Toyota offers its RAV4 Hybrid SUV in three different trims namely XLE, SE, and Limited. The low-end XLE trim comes with a price tag of $29,030, while the advanced SE trim is available for $32,185. For the Limited trim of the SUV, which is also the high-end variant, the MSRP is set at a value of $34,030. All the three variants of 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV have an AWD (All Wheel Drive) mechanism.

Trim	XLE	SE	Limited
MSRP (AWD)	$29,030	$32,185	$34,030
Key Features	Halogen projector-beam headlights with auto on/off feature Integrated fog lights Dual-zone automatic climate control with air filter Tilt/telescopic leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio  Multi-Information Display (MID)  Advanced voice recognition and Bluetooth hands-free phone controls Fabric-trimmed 6-way adjustable driver’s seat with sport bolsters and seatback pocket  4-way adjustable front	LED projector-beam headlights with auto on/off feature LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) SofTex trimmed 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support Sport bolsters and seatback pocket  4-way adjustable front passenger seat with sport bolsters and seatback pocket Smart Key System with Push Button Start and remote power liftgate function SofTex®-trimmed 60/40 split, reclining, fold-flat second-row seat with center armrest	Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite Frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) SofTex-trimmed 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory function  Power lumbar support  Sport bolsters and seatback pocket  4-way adjustable front passenger seat with sport bolsters Seatback pocket Smart Key System with Push Button Start and remote power liftgate function

Talking about the XLE trim of 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV, its highlighted features include dual-zone automatic climate control and fabric-trimmed driver’s seat, which is 6-way adjustable and comes with sports bolsters and a seatback pocket.

Apart from the features of the XLE trim, the SE trim of the RAV4 hybrid offers additional features such as LED projector-beam headlights and LED DRLs. Furthermore, the SE trim comes with a Smart Key System offering Push Button Start and remote power liftgate function. A SofTex 8-way adjustable driver seat with power lumbar support is also provided in the SE trim.

“Engine power in the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is decent for daily commuting in the city or on the highway, but acceleration isn't particularly speedy. The engine can also be pretty loud. The RAV4 Hybrid earns some of the highest fuel economy estimates in the class.”- cars.usnews                                                                                      

Engine and Transmission

The 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV houses a 2.5 L inline 4-cylinder 16-valve DOHC engine that churns out raw power of 150 hp at a maximum of 5,700 rpm and at the same time provides 152 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm. When matched to its competitors, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV falls short in terms of producing power (except for Kia Niro FE) as the Nissan Rogue Hybrid SV has a power figure of 176 hp while the Honda CR-V LX is capable of producing 184 hp. However, the Toyota’s RAV4 SUV produces almost 11 hp power more than the Kia Niro FE.  

Models	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia Niro FE
MSRP	$29,030	$26,640	$24,045	$22,890
Engine	2.5L I4	2.0L I4	2.4L I-4 16-Valve DOHC i-VTEC	1.6L I4 16-Valve
Transmission	CVT automatic	CVT automatic	CVT automatic	6-speed automatic
Horsepower	150-hp @ 5,700 rpm	176 hp	184 hp @ 6400 rpm	139 hp
Torque	152 lbs.-ft. @ 4,400 rpm	262 lb-ft	180 lb-ft @ 3900 rpm	195 lb-ft

Coming to the torque figure of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV’s engine, it delivers a peak of 152 lbs.-ft. at a maximum rpm of 4,400. However, this torque figure is less than all of its competitors as Nissan Rogue offers 262lbs.-ft., Honda CR-V LX offers 180 lbs.-ft. and Kia Niro offers 195 lbs.-ft. of torque. Coming to the transmission, The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV employs CVT automatic technology, which is also common in Nissan Rogue Hybrid SV and Honda CR-V LX.  

Acceleration

Despite having lower power and torque figures than the Nissan’s Rogue and Honda CR-V LX, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV outpace both the car models along with the Kia’s Niro in terms of touching 60 mph speed mark. The time required by Toyota’s RAV4 Hybrid to go from 0 to 60 mph is 8 seconds. Lower emissions of Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is yet another of its merit and it has an estimated emission of 5.5 tons/year @ 15k miles per year, which is better than the Honda’s CR-V.  

Models	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia Niro FE
0-60 MPH	8.0 sec	8.4 sec	8.6 sec	8.6 sec
Quarter mile	16.0	16.4 sec	16.7 sec	16.7 sec
Engine	2.5L	2.0L	2.4L	1.6L
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	5.5	N/A	6.3	3.5

Ride and Handling

The SUV offers three drive modes to select from, which are namely sport, eco and normal mode. In the eco and normal mode, the throttle response is not good but becomes satisfactory in the sports mode. 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV is designed more for the economy and thus lags sharp handling and steering capabilities. However, the turning circle diameter of the Toyota RAV4 is 10.6 meter, which is good for an SUV.  

Braking

The brakes employed in the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV may not be best in its segment, but they are impressive for sure. Anti-lock braking system present in the SUV allows it to come from 60 mph to a complete halt of 0 mph within 123 ft. of distance. The curb weight of the Toyota RAV4 is 3925 lbs., which is the highest among its rivals. Nissan Rogue Hybrid, Honda CR-V LX, and Kia Niro FE have curb weights of 3624 lbs., 3307 lbs. and 3106 lbs. respectively.  

Model	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia niro FE
Brake Front (in.)	N/A	11.9	11.1	15.0
Brake Rear (in.)	11.6	11.7	10.2	14.0
Curb Weight (lbs.)	3925	3624	3307	3106
60-0 MPH (ft.)	123	124	117	123

The fuel economy of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV is good, especially while riding in city traffic as it offers a mileage of 34 MPG. However, for highway rides, the economy reduces to 30 MPG, which results in the combined fuel economy of 32 MPG.

Model	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia Niro FE
MPG (city)	34	34	26	52
MPG (highway)	30	35	32	49
MPG (combined)	32	33	28	50

Among the competitors, the Toyota’s RAV4 Hybrid is more economical as compared to the Honda CR-V LX, which has a combined fuel economy of 28 MPG. However, the SUV’s mileage falls short against Nissan Rogue Hybrid and Kia Niro FE having combined fuel economy of 33 MPG and 50 MPG respectively.

“Toyota revised and updated the RAV4's interior last year with better materials and more lavish trim, which helped make an already well-packaged crossover a much nicer place to spend time.”- thecarconnection  

Seating and Comfort

2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV allows seating of 5 passengers including the driver, which is similar among its three topmost rivals. As the RAV4 is an SUV, it is definitely spacious from inside and at the front seating portion, it offers 38.9 inches of headroom, 57.3 inches of Shoulder room and 42.6 inches of legroom space. The headroom space offered by RAV4 is least as compared to Nissan Rogue Hybrid, Honda CR-V, and Kia Niro FE. However, it is second best among the rivals when it comes to the shoulder room and legroom in the front seat.

Model	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia niro FE
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.9/57.3/42.6	41.6/56.6/43.0	40.1/57.9/41.3	40.1/56.0/41.7
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.9/55.4/37.2	39.7/55.9/37.9	39.2/55.6/40.4	39.1/55.2/3

The space available at the back seat comprises of 38.9 inches of headroom, 55.4 inches of shoulder room and 37.2 inches of legroom. These figures are lesser when compared to the Nissan Rogue and Honda CR-V.  

Infotainment System

A 6.1-inch infotainment display screen is available inside the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV, which displays information regarding music, FM, and navigation. Additionally, the infotainment system offers Bluetooth connectivity and an auxiliary input jack for connecting music players and smartphone. In the limited edition model, the infotainment system gets coupled with the Toyota’s Entune and JBL speaker system.  

Interior Features

The interiors of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV are not much overwhelming due to the usage of cheap looking plastics. The XLE trim of RAV4 comes with following features:

• SofTex leather seats in the upper SE and Limited trims
• Synthetic leather door trim
• 2 inch TFT multi-information display
• multi-way adjustable driver seats
• chrome door handles
• all-season carpet floor mats

Cargo Capacity

When it comes to the cargo capacity, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV offers a massive space of 35.6 inches with rear seats up and 70.6 inches after folding down the rear seats. The cargo capacity of RAV4 is greater than Nissan rogue and Kia Niro while the Honda CR-V LX has a larger cargo volume of 39.2 inches with rear seats up and 75.8 inches with folded rear seats.  

Model	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia Niro FE
Cargo Volume to rear seat up (ft.3)	35.6	27.3	39.2	19.4
Cargo Volume to rear seat folded (ft.3)	70.6	61.4	75.8	54.5

  Towing Capacity  

Model	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia niro FE
Towing Capacity (lbs.)	1750	N/A	1500	N/A

“Overall, we like the looks of the 2017 RAV4 compact-crossover SUV, and its sharp lines are positively aggressive compared to previous models. Owners of those older models may notice that there's no rear-mounted spare tire on the current generation.” – Kelley Blue Book  

Dimension and Weight

2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has a length of 183.5 inches, which is greater than the length of both Honda CR-V LX and Kia Niro FE, but shorter than Nissan’s Rogue Hybrid. The width of the RAV4 hybrid is nearly 72.6 inches while having a height of 67.1 inches. The SUV offers a ground clearance of 7.0 inches against the 7.4 inches ground clearance of Nissan Rogue Hybrid and 6.3 inches ground clearance of Kia Niro FE.  

Model	Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE	Nissan Rogue hybrid SV	Honda CR-V LX	Kia Niro FE
Curb weight (lbs.)	3925	3624	3307	3106
Length(in)	183.5	184.5	180.6	171.5
Width(in)	72.6	72.4	73.0	71.1
Height(in)	67.1	67.6	66.1	60.4
Ground clearance (in)	7.0	7.4	N/A	6.3
Wheelbase (in)	104.7	106.5	104.7	106.3
Track width (in) F/R	61.8/61.8	62.8/62.8	63.0/63.7	61.6/62.2

Exterior Features

The exteriors of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV are a bit different among its trims. The low-end XLE trim gets the 17-inch alloy wheels while the SE and Limited trims come with 18-inch alloy wheels. Halogen projector-beam headlights are offered with the XLE trim, whereas the higher trims get the more-efficient LED projector-beam headlamps.

High safety standards are employed in the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV and most of the safety features are standard in all the trims, which is really great. To ensure the safety of passengers of RAV4, it integrates numerous safety features including Toyota Safety Sense, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist. Additionally, Automatic High Beams and Blind Spot monitor are also available to reduce the chances of mishaps on the road.

The IIHS ratings of 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV are not available yet but its NHTSA Ratings are clearly accessible. The SUV scores 4 stars in overall frontal barrier crash rating, 5 stars in overall side crash rating and 4 stars in rollover rating. The RAV4 Hybrid scores 5 stars in the overall safety ratings of NHTSA, which signifies that the SUV is among the safest cars available in the market.  

Safety Features  

Some standard safety features include -

• Toyota Safety Sense (TSS-P)
• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection26 (PCS w/PD)
• Automatic High Beams (AHB
• Blind Spot Monitor (BSM)4 and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)
• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
• Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA)

NHTSA Rating

Overall rating	5 star
Overall frontal barrier crash rating	4 star
Frontal barrier crash rating driver	4 star
Overall side crash rating	5 star
Side barrier rating	5 star
Side pole rating driver front seat	5 star
Combined side rating rear seat	5 star
Rollover rating	4 star
Side barrier rating driver	5 star
Frontal barrier crash rating passenger	4 star
Combined side rating front seat	5 star
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat	5 star

IIHS has not rated the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV yet.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs Nissan Rogue Hybrid SV

In terms of pricing, the Nissan Rogue Hybrid SV is available for $26,640, which is almost $2,400 less than the XLE trim of RAV4. Additionally, the Nissan’s Rogue delivers a maximum power of 176 hp and 262 lbs.-ft. of torque thus surpassing the Toyota RAV4 in terms of performance. However, for both the 0-60 MPH acceleration and quarter mile time, the Rogue is 0.4 seconds behind the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV.  

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs Honda CR-V LX

Yet another strong competitor of 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV is the Honda CR-V LX, which employs a 2.4L Inline 4-cylinder 16-valve i-VTEC engine that produces 184 hp of power and 180 lbs.-ft. of torque. The braking of the Honda CR-V is better than the Toyota RAV4 as the former decelerate from 60 to 0 MPH in just 117 feet against the 123 feet distance of the latter. On certain parameters, the Honda CR-V lags behind the RAV4 including the 0-60 MPH acceleration, fuel economy, and emissions.  

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs Kia Niro FE

Kia Niro FE is the most aggressively priced SUV among the rivals with the price tag of merely $22,890. When compared to the Toyota’s RAV4, the Niro exceeds in torque delivery but falls short when it comes to providing maximum power. Kia’s Niro features a 6-speed automatic transmission against the CVT transmission available in RAV4. In terms of acceleration, overall dimensions, and ground clearance, the Niro is second to the Toyota’s RAV4. However, the Niro has an upper hand among all the competitors when it comes to low emissions and greater fuel economy.

On the upside, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV offers better mileage with its hybrid gas and electric powertrain along with spacious interiors. The SUV scored 5-stars in the NHTSA ratings with its high-end safety features including Lane Departure Alert and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. For buyers who want to own an SUV that is more eco-friendly and follows high safety standards, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is definitely a right choice.

Talking about the shortcomings, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV lags badly in terms of power delivery and the pricing. The SUV misses the extra punch in the throttling section and compromises with riding and handling experience. The car is suitable for people who are willing to pay extra to get an economical hybrid car ride that can save money and the environment as well.