124-foot average stopping distance from 60 was accompanied by excellent stability, and a nicely firm pedal.Īll ’16 RAVs have Toyota’s Star Safety System available including Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Forward Collision Warning, and Smart Stop Technology. There was much less CVT buzziness than expected, and we completed the ¼-mile in 15.8-seconds at 85 miles-per-hour.īraking impressed as well. A solid second faster than the non-hybrid. The added electric assist was very noticeable off the line, as we sprinted to a quick 7.4-second 0-60 time. Yet, through the cones it was plenty light on its feet, but ample amounts of understeer and eco-minded tires kept it from reaching its true potential. And the added weight of the hybrid system seems to have helped with a more substantial overall feel. Toyota makes no claims of it being quieter, but we found that’s the case. That makes it both the most powerful and most fuel efficient RAV4 you can get, so no need settle for one or the other. So the Energy Impact Score is much improved now burning just 10.0-barrels of oil yearly, with C02 emissions of 4.5-tons. That’s 6 mpgs better than we recently averaged in a non-hybrid RAV4. We averaged 32.1 miles-per-gallon of Regular. Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 34-City, 31-Highway, and 33-Combined. A CVT transmission is mandatory.Īnd much like the larger Highlander, a 3rd rear-mounted electric motor supplies the all-wheel-drive. Hardware is the now very familiar 2.5-liter I4-based Hybrid Synergy Drive setup, with 2-electric motors up front for a total system output of 194-horsepower. So, the hybrid gets you just a few additional badges and the traditional blue Toyota hybrid logo treatment.īut all RAV’s get an updated exterior for ’16 including a new front fascia with simulated skid plates, available LED headlights and tail lights, a smoother rear bumper, and sharper rocker panels. Over 300,000 buyers last year alone obviously agree. There’s not much outside to discern the new hybridness, which is a good call we think. So, while the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is not a vehicle we get overly excited about driving its presence will none the less have quite an impact in the compact crossover segment where impressive MPG ratings are in short supply. So let’s see all this fuss is worth getting charged up about. Finally, for 2016, it has arrived, and it joins a revamped lineup that includes updates throughout the RAV4 roster. While the Toyota brand is certainly synonous with hybrids, it has taken almost 20 years for that fuel stingy technology to trickle down to their highly popular RAV4 compact crossover.

2016 rav4 hybrid