Toyota’s RAV4 Prime is a perfect plug-in hybrid for the range-anxious

Enlarge / The $38,350 Toyota RAV4 Prime is one of the most in-demand plug-in hybrid EVs on sale today. (credit: Toyota)

I wouldn't say that Toyota invented the crossover. But in 1994, the company debuted the first RAV4, an SUV with off-road-capable four-wheel drive-yet built on a unibody chassis, just like a Corolla. And its bold styling and decent on-road performance did a lot to popularize this new vehicle segment.

In the years since, the RAV4 has grown. Today's RAV4 is much larger than the original two-door model from the '90s, and it's now far and away Toyota's most popular offering. Here in the US, the RAV4 has outsold the Camry and Corolla-as well as the entire Lexus brand-by tens of thousands of units this year already.

That popularity is why it has taken a surprisingly long time to arrange this review. When Toyota announced it was making a plug-in hybrid version of its bestseller, demand was so great that the company prioritized getting cars into the hands of its customers rather than the media.

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