We’ve been happy with our 2020 RAV4 Hybrid XLE, but we’re thinking about upgrading. The 2025 RAV4 Prime has caught my eye, but I’m not sure if it’s the practical choice for us.
My wife’s daily commute is about 35 miles round trip—20 of that on the highway at 70 mph and the rest in town. Fully charged, the Prime could handle the entire trip in EV mode, so in theory, she’d barely need gas.
Right now, she gets about 37 mpg in the RAV4 Hybrid and spends around $12 a week on gas. I’ve read that charging the Prime could cost about $50 a month in electricity, so the gas vs. EV cost seems like a tie.
But then there’s the added expense of installing a home charger and the higher cost of the Prime itself. Even with rebates or incentives (if they’re still available), it feels like it would take forever to break even.
While I see the environmental benefits, our current RAV4 Hybrid already gets close to 40 mpg, which seems pretty green. Are we looking at this wrong? Should we just stick with a regular hybrid? If we decide to move on from our current RAV4, I might check out the Crown Signia instead.
Honestly, the whole ‘environmental benefit’ argument doesn’t hold much weight. Billionaires like Kylie Jenner take multiple private jet flights a day—nothing we do will compare to that. Just focus on whether the car makes financial sense for your situation.
Here’s why I got a RAV4 Prime: I totaled my 2021 Highlander Hybrid Platinum after hitting a deer on the highway and got $35k from insurance. I needed something quick, practical, reliable, and efficient. The 2024 RAV4 Prime XSE checked all the boxes. After 16,000 miles, I have no regrets. I love that I can drive it like a sports car, but it still gets 60+ mpg. On pure EV mode, I’ve gone months without buying gas.
You don’t need a fancy charger to start. A 110V outlet is fine if you’re just charging overnight. If you want faster charging later, you can install a 220V outlet. I’d recommend making it a 50A plug for future-proofing. Then you can use a plug adapter with the stock charger—it works great.
@Hazel
Thanks for the tip. We already have a 220V outlet in the garage, but it’s not in a good spot for charging. Luckily, my buddy’s an electrician, so running a new line shouldn’t be a problem.