2019 Rav 4 hybrid mini review

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My dad bought one of these awd's a couple months ago. I know next to nothing about them or hybrids in general. While visiting he made me his driver. He's 86 and his eyesight and reflexes aren't what they used to be. Anyhoo, my impressions of this vehicle weren't great. Maybe I'm too harsh a critic. The vehicle wasn't smooth transitioning from electric to gas and back, I could feel it every time. It wasn't especially powerful. It was noisy and full of rattles over less than smooth roads. He paid what I thought was way too much for this vehicle. He has some lament and says he wouldn't buy it again give the chance. He really liked the Pacifica hybrid he test drove and he didn't have to partially dismantle his road bike/trike to haul it around like with his new RAV. My brother convinced him he needed the awd and thus the choice. Like I said, I have no real world experience with other awd mini suv's for comparison. Maybe I'm being too critical.
 
The "adventure" trim is getting reports of the new AWD systems failing really early too.
 
The new RAV hybrids get good reviews generally. A shame your dad didn't get the car he wanted. He might be able to trade into a Pacifica and not take too big a hit. Hope I'm still riding some kind of bike at 86, props to dad!!!
 
I recently drove the non hybrid as a rental for two weeks. With the exception of a somewhat jolty downshift if you rolled a stopsign, the car was fantastic.
 
Originally Posted by Pew
The "adventure" trim is getting reports of the new AWD systems failing really early too.


What reports are you referring to?
 
Plus toyota charges 800-1000 more for the same vehicle in hybrid mode. Your father will never break even on the savings in gas with the higher cost and MPG differential given his age. Just to break even on the extra sticker cost will be 3 years of driving at todays gas prices and 15,000 miles a year. You have to keep a hybrid 150,000 miles to break even on them IMO,. (assuming you have to replace the hybrid battery down the road). Only Hyundai warrants the battery for life, all others 8-10 years . The 2019 Rav 4 uses 0W16 oil as well.
 
Ugh. I'm very tempted to trade in my '12 Rav4 V6 for a Rav4 Hybrid next year because I drive 18+k a year. Looks like I'm keeping mine for a few more years. Like the '12 with the power but I hate the MPG's.
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
My dad bought one of these awd's a couple months ago. I know next to nothing about them or hybrids in general. While visiting he made me his driver. He's 86 and his eyesight and reflexes aren't what they used to be. Anyhoo, my impressions of this vehicle weren't great. Maybe I'm too harsh a critic. The vehicle wasn't smooth transitioning from electric to gas and back, I could feel it every time. It wasn't especially powerful. It was noisy and full of rattles over less than smooth roads. He paid what I thought was way too much for this vehicle. He has some lament and says he wouldn't buy it again give the chance. He really liked the Pacifica hybrid he test drove and he didn't have to partially dismantle his road bike/trike to haul it around like with his new RAV. My brother convinced him he needed the awd and thus the choice. Like I said, I have no real world experience with other awd mini suv's for comparison. Maybe I'm being too critical.

Ooof. Glad I chose the CX5 GTR instead. This was the other one I was looking at. Solid as a bank vault, very quiet, plenty of power on tap (for what it is), and very smooth.

Originally Posted by road_rascal
Ugh. I'm very tempted to trade in my '12 Rav4 V6 for a Rav4 Hybrid next year because I drive 18+k a year. Looks like I'm keeping mine for a few more years. Like the '12 with the power but I hate the MPG's.

Check out the CX5 turbo trims. They are a ringer for the V6 RAV in acceleration, and I am averaging 25.9mpg so far over the 12K miles I've owned mine.
 
A hybrid makes no sense unless you do a lot of miles, which I'd doubt your father is doing these days.
OTOH, a buyer may recover much of the price premium on resale.
The 2019 RAV we had as a rental while the Forester was undergoing a body shop visit after being hit in the rear on I-75 in traffic was no more than okay.
The offending driver readily admitted fault, probably to the consternation of his insurer, which then tried to cheap us in every way, which only ended up costing them more than on honest approach to settling the claim would have.
Anyway, the RAV was a pretty okay little thing but nowhere near as good as I thought it might be and not on the level of a Forester.
In your father's case, the roll in of his bike through the sliding doors of a minivan would have made a lot of sense and fuel economy can't be a serious consideration for him at this stage of his life.
 
Originally Posted by fdcg27
A hybrid makes no sense unless you do a lot of miles, which I'd doubt your father is doing these days.
OTOH, a buyer may recover much of the price premium on resale.
The 2019 RAV we had as a rental while the Forester was undergoing a body shop visit after being hit in the rear on I-75 in traffic was no more than okay.
The offending driver readily admitted fault, probably to the consternation of his insurer, which then tried to cheap us in every way, which only ended up costing them more than on honest approach to settling the claim would have.
Anyway, the RAV was a pretty okay little thing but nowhere near as good as I thought it might be and not on the level of a Forester.
In your father's case, the roll in of his bike through the sliding doors of a minivan would have made a lot of sense and fuel economy can't be a serious consideration for him at this stage of his life.

I had one company go so far as to authorize on my behalf, half-arsed repairs at a shop I told them I did not want it done at (original place of tow, as my vehicle was disabled in the wreck). This is against the law. The place they were having do it told me damages were $4K-ish. The place my lawyer and I had it transferred to discovered it was $13k-ish. I also then sued them for diminuition of value, medical, time lost from work, pain and suffering and probably some other stuff (I told my lawyer to paint the earth red and I don't care if I even see any of it, just make it bleed!). Long story short, it went from dinging them for $15K had they done what was right and legal, to about 30K for trying to screw me.
 
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Not quite so dramatic in our case, since my wife who was driving the vehicle on her way home from work is incapable of bring disingenuous, but the Subaru dealer to which we took the car for repair came up with a huge supplemental to the original estimate which included used and aftermarket parts, so we ended up with new OEM parts, a new rental RAV for around a thousand miles and a check for a couple of hundred bucks left over from the total paid the Subaru dealer body shop versus what the original estimate plus supplemental came to.
Had the offender's insurer agreed merely to cover repairs with new OEM parts to begin with, they would have saved themselves that couple of hundred dollars.
When you try go cheap with third parties where your insured is obviously at fault and the injured party has a year and a half old vehicle, you invite them to take from you what they can.
 
2019 RAV4 Hybrid 41city/38highway, 2019 ICE RAV4 26city/35highway. 20,000 highway miles @ $3 gas Hybrid saves $136. 20k miles @ 50/50 mix @ $3 gas Hybrid saves $500.

I'd encourage dad to get what he wants to drive and meets his needs, and I'd have a friendly chat with brother.
 
Originally Posted by AZjeff
2019 RAV4 Hybrid 41city/38highway, 2019 ICE RAV4 26city/35highway. 20,000 highway miles @ $3 gas Hybrid saves $136. 20k miles @ 50/50 mix @ $3 gas Hybrid saves $500.

I'd encourage dad to get what he wants to drive and meets his needs, and I'd have a friendly chat with brother.


Wow. I'd save $500/year in that Hybrid. Still not worth it from OP's review, but every 2 years that's a reasonable house payment saved, and shouldn't be overlooked.
 
1. A big salute to your dad for being active at 86 and biking !!

2. As some may remember, I was all over the 2019 RAV4 a few months ago, thought I was going to select it as replacement for my 2009 Forester 5-speed manual. First I looked at the Adventure pkg, looked cool but over priced and no discounts or incentives of much consequence. Next looked at the Hybrid pkg, loved the two tone w/ white roofs and dark body panels, plus everyone was saying the hybrid version the engine was quieter and the overall hybrid system worked so seamlessly and smooth. But again, not much wiggle room in prices. We had driven an XE trim 2019 RAV when my wife was seeking to replace her 2008 RAV-- she didn't like it said it felt too much like her 2008. Anyhow, I moved away from looking for a cuv altogether, so I've no more skin in that game. I am very glad, however, I didn't get a RAV, it just wouldn't have been the right choice for me.
 
Originally Posted by road_rascal
Ugh. I'm very tempted to trade in my '12 Rav4 V6 for a Rav4 Hybrid next year because I drive 18+k a year. Looks like I'm keeping mine for a few more years. Like the '12 with the power but I hate the MPG's.


We have two 2008 RAV with V-6 engines. I've never had a MPG complaint considering how quick the 3.5l V-6 is but you drive much more than we do. You couldn't get these quick little buggies away from us.

I don't care much for the new RAV4 myself but it is a top seller especially the hybrid.
 
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