RAV4 PHEV Dynamic plug-in arriving this week. Good or Bad?

[Flatcoat]

12 hours ago, Scottydog007 said:

Oh and I paid an additional £1040 to get the service plan that tells me I will get the next 3 years service included plus what looks like 3 years break down service. I have all the receipts for this but no info pack on any of this. The sales manager told me the break down information is on the window and he would show me, but we forgot. And I cannot see anything on the window. I now wonder will this come through the post, but I will ask them anyway.

When I left the garage, I travelled 50 yards in EV mode, so very quiet and found I was doing 35mph, as I came round the corner, and there was a police camera vehicle, I quickly slowed to the 30mph limit, but now wonder if they registered me, and that I will get something through the post.

Crikey, You paid how much?! How many miles does that cover? 

[Scottydog007]

2 hours ago, nlee said:

If it is the new smart connect system, it's easy, we have it on our Yaris. Just go to the radio station you want to save and press the ❤️ icon on the screen and it will add it to the favourites list.

Got this sorted, but completely different from my previous JBL media system. To difficult to explain, but once you have figured it out it is easy to use. The User guide I got is not for this newer system.

[Scottydog007]

2 hours ago, Flatcoat said:

Crikey, You paid how much?! How many miles does that cover? 

Sorry I got this wrong, so 3 services at 10,000 intervals, not 3 years. Sorry for that. Which I think is pretty much standard to what they normally offer.

[Flatcoat]

As our first Toyota after a lifetime of mostly VW/Audi products we are really impressed with our RAV PHEV. However now there are more PHEV SUV’s on the market it will be interesting to see what replaces ours….. another Toyota, Mazda CX60, Kodiaq PHEV (yes, due out this year)……? 

[Gray86]

6 hours ago, Flatcoat said:

As our first Toyota after a lifetime of mostly VW/Audi products we are really impressed with our RAV PHEV. However now there are more PHEV SUV’s on the market it will be interesting to see what replaces ours….. another Toyota, Mazda CX60, Kodiaq PHEV (yes, due out this year)……? 

I’d be very surprised if any of those can deliver the fuel economy and performance combination of the RAV. The RAV is the only one that started with a ‘proper’ hybrid - Atkinson cycle 41% efficient engine, with integrated hybrid system. The new 2023 RAV looks to improve all the areas which were lacking in the 2019-22 MYs. 

[Cyker]

It depends what you want; The others have better comfort/equipment/fit and finish etc., but as Grey86 says none of them beat Toyota for efficiency and reliability.

 

[Flatcoat]

20 minutes ago, Cyker said:

It depends what you want; The others have better comfort/equipment/fit and finish etc., but as Grey86 says none of them beat Toyota for efficiency and reliability.

 

Yes it is a balance. If economy was the sole arbiter I wouldn’t tow a caravan and run a 2tonne SUV. 

[Strangely Brown]

10 hours ago, Gray86 said:

I’d be very surprised if any of those can deliver the fuel economy and performance combination of the RAV. The RAV is the only one that started with a ‘proper’ hybrid - Atkinson cycle 41% efficient engine, with integrated hybrid system. The new 2023 RAV looks to improve all the areas which were lacking in the 2019-22 MYs. 

It's actually only 39.8% BTE.

See here at 23 mins.

 

[ernieb]

Strange, I’ve seen many references to the 2.5 ICE being 41%?

[Flatcoat]

10 hours ago, Gray86 said:

I’d be very surprised if any of those can deliver the fuel economy and performance combination of the RAV. The RAV is the only one that started with a ‘proper’ hybrid - Atkinson cycle 41% efficient engine, with integrated hybrid system. The new 2023 RAV looks to improve all the areas which were lacking in the 2019-22 MYs. 

It depends on your definition of areas which were lacking. I am not aware Toyota have improved the ‘look and it scratches’ rubbish finish on the plastics in the boot and elsewhere just for starters. Or added a gas strut to the bonnet. The latter isn’t a deal breaker but the rubbish plastics may well be when we replace the car. 

[Strangely Brown]

5 hours ago, ernieb said:

Strange, I’ve seen many references to the 2.5 ICE being 41%?

I have never seen 41% other than in this thread but I have often seen it rounded up to 40% without the "almost" qualifier. I would not put it past people to exaggerate just a little more. After all, what's 1% between friends. 🙂

If I'm being picky it's not really an Atkinson-cycle either. It is only a simulated Atkinson through VVT and is actually closer to a Miller-cycle.

Still, the important bit is that it is remarkably efficient for an ICE. 

[ernieb]

I think this is what I’d seen?

https://global.toyota/en/powertrain/engine/

[Strangely Brown]

2 hours ago, ernieb said:

I think this is what I’d seen?

https://global.toyota/en/powertrain/engine/

That's interesting. Thank you.

I guess the EPA tests could have been on the engine as used in an ICE only application.

It does look like the engine as used in HV applications is slightly different so I am happy to stand corrected. 🙇‍♂️

Every day is a school day.

[Cyker]

Ahh ernieb beat me to it!  

I was going to say, almost all the new 'dynamic force' engines have a peak efficiency of 40 or 41%

[ernieb]

It’s sometimes confusing to look for this kind of data as many of the charts and commentaries are not obviously dated to see what is the latest data.

Whatever the numbers I think we all know that this is one very clever engine and has been developed and optimised over the years to produce possibly one of the best on the general market. Not only efficient but reliable.

[Gray86]

12 hours ago, ernieb said:

It’s sometimes confusing to look for this kind of data as many of the charts and commentaries are not obviously dated to see what is the latest data.

Whatever the numbers I think we all know that this is one very clever engine and has been developed and optimised over the years to produce possibly one of the best on the general market. Not only efficient but reliable.

There are examples (in USA) with well over 300,000 miles on them, with no issues 

[Hayzee]

 I've just finished a short break in Wales where the RAV4 completed over 500 miles. 75% on motorways using ACC almost all of the time with a set speed in the mid 60's (don't feel the need to go faster these days ). Didn't use EV mode and returned 55 MPG (plenty of gradients).

I've had the car exactly 1 year now and this latest trip underlined what a fantastic vehicle it is. All of the trip down was in filthy wet conditions, yet both trips were without any real stress as the ACC was flawless even in difficult conditions.

I've had very many cars in my time and this is the one that gives me the least stress when driving long distances, indeed gives me the most pleasure overall. Add in the EV mode which I use mostly every day and I can't commend it enough.

 

[Phil E]

9 hours ago, Hayzee said:

 I've just finished a short break in Wales where the RAV4 completed over 500 miles. 75% on motorways using ACC almost all of the time with a set speed in the mid 60's (don't feel the need to go faster these days ). Didn't use EV mode and returned 55 MPG (plenty of gradients).

I've had the car exactly 1 year now and this latest trip underlined what a fantastic vehicle it is. All of the trip down was in filthy wet conditions, yet both trips were without any real stress as the ACC was flawless even in difficult conditions.

I've had very many cars in my time and this is the one that gives me the least stress when driving long distances, indeed gives me the most pleasure overall. Add in the EV mode which I use mostly every day and I can't commend it enough.

 

I had a similar experience last year

i drove from south to north Wales for a short break which is a tortuous trip whichever route you take. Started with a full charge which I used sparingly in towns and villages as there were very few charging opportunities either along the route or where we were staying.

I covered 450 miles and returned 57mpg over the whole trip

[Gray86]

10 hours ago, Hayzee said:

 I've just finished a short break in Wales where the RAV4 completed over 500 miles. 75% on motorways using ACC almost all of the time with a set speed in the mid 60's (don't feel the need to go faster these days ). Didn't use EV mode and returned 55 MPG (plenty of gradients).

I've had the car exactly 1 year now and this latest trip underlined what a fantastic vehicle it is. All of the trip down was in filthy wet conditions, yet both trips were without any real stress as the ACC was flawless even in difficult conditions.

I've had very many cars in my time and this is the one that gives me the least stress when driving long distances, indeed gives me the most pleasure overall. Add in the EV mode which I use mostly every day and I can't commend it enough.

 

That really is impressive. Acting like a HEV (despite the weighty battery) and delivering 55mpg, it really is a class act. This has pretty much cemented the PHEV as my next car - an EV when you need it to be, and a (very efficient)  HEV when you are covering distance. 

[Flatcoat]

The economy is truly diesel rivalling and with petrol typically 20p litre cheaper all helps reduce running comparable costs. We get similar mpg solo and high 20’s towing a 1.5tonne caravan compared with mid 20’s with our previous diesel PHEV……. 

[philip42h]

47 minutes ago, Flatcoat said:

The economy is truly diesel rivalling ...

No it's not ... my RAV4 diesel (auto) managed to return 37/38 mpg; my RAV4 hybrid delivers 45/46 mpg. Like for like, hybrid eats diesel ... 😉

[Strangely Brown]

1 hour ago, philip42h said:

No it's not ... my RAV4 diesel (auto) managed to return 37/38 mpg; my RAV4 hybrid delivers 45/46 mpg. Like for like, hybrid eats diesel ... 😉

Likewise. My Saab diesel was returning high 30s to low 40s on average with 50 on a long run if I was really careful.
The RAV4 HEV returns high 40s to low 50s very consistently and even into the low 60s with favourable conditions.