Shopping for an SUV can be overwhelming because of the massive selection that is on the market today. At Toyota of Orange, one of the leading car dealers near Santa Ana, there are so many different types of SUVs that you can quickly become confused about which one is which at the end of the day.
However, besides the spacious cabin, cargo room, awesome tech features, and power under the hood, the most important aspect about any vehicle nowadays is if it can save you some coins on your next trip to the gas station.
If you are going to be near Santa Ana auto dealers and you are in the market for a new or used SUV, check out these options below.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
This vehicle easily provides comfortable ride quality, a spacious cargo area, and of course, excellent fuel economy. In fact, it isn’t a shocker for the sales reps at car dealers near Santa Ana that the Toyota RAV4 has become one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States.
Toyota has really stepped up their hybrid game recently since the 2021 RAV4 Hybrid isn’t just available in one or two trims. It comes in an astonishing five trim lineup. These are LE, XLE, XLE Premium (new for 2021), XSE, and Limited.
Regardless of the trim you choose at the car dealers near Santa Ana, each one comes equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired to an electric motor with a continuously variable automatic transmission. Also, there is a second electric motor that powers the rear wheels when traction is necessary, meaning every RAV4 Hybrid comes standard with all-wheel drive. When put all together, the hybrid powertrain produces 219 horsepower.
Toyota RAV4 Prime
What is more innovative for Toyota compared to a hybrid vehicle is an all-electric power SUV. The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime is an all-new plug-in hybrid variant.
The vehicle is based on the fifth-generation RAV4 that was introduced in 2019. This SUV offers an estimated 42 miles of all-electric power.
This isn’t the first time that Toyota has used the ‘Prime’ byname. The Japanese car company has been using this name for years with its Toyota Prius. That plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Prius has a tad higher price tag and also a more cumbersome battery that can do only 25 miles of electric driving before the engine kicks in.
Although the RAV4 Prime shares the same suffix, it can do more and it is an entirely different type of plug-in hybrid than the Prius Prime.
The reason why the RAV4 Prime is an entirely different beast is because of two things. The RAV4 Prime’s battery is considerably larger, and that gives this small SUV an estimated all-electric range of 42 miles. That is a handy number of miles that will cover most daily commutes. Particularly when it is a vehicle you know, you can go to zero without any concerns and allow the gasoline to seamlessly step in to keep everything going.
Plus, the RAV4 Prime has bigger electric motors that make it rather faster than any other RAV4, or any other small SUV in that case.
Overall, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime is a plug-in hybrid variant of the standard five-passenger RAV4 that is noted as a small SUV. It is available in SE and XSE trims that are equivalent to the higher trims that come on the standard RAV4.
Toyota Venza
The Toyota Venza is a resurrected model for 2021 and has many new styling elements and features. It is only being offered with a hybrid engine. Surprisingly, it is the same 2.5-liter 219 horsepower engine that is found in the RAV4 Hybrid. Nonetheless, it is slightly lower when it comes to fuel economy.
Based on the numbers from the EPA, the Toyota Venza can do 40 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. That is just one mpg less than the RAV4, so if you are more into the Venza’s sophisticated styling then you won’t have any fears that you are missing out on your miles per gallon.
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
This is the mama bear of all fuel-saving SUVs. it is a three-row SUV that has lots of space, provides a comfortable ride, and has loads of standard and available safety features.
Toyota got a lot of credit for making the Highlander into a hybrid version. The reason being is that not many car manufacturers offer their midsize three-row SUVs in a hybrid version for their customers.
The 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a three-row midsize SUV that is available in four trim levels: LE, XLE, Limited, and Platinum. You can easily seat eight on the base LE trim. Optional for the XLE and Limited and standard for the Platinum. There are optional second-row captain’s chairs for the XLE and Limited, but they come as standard for the Platinum.
The Highlander Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is paired to a hybrid system. Altogether, they produce a generous 243 horsepower. Although this may seem to be a let down when you compare the Highlander Hybrid with a normal V6-powered SUV, you have to keep in mind that the Highlander Hybrid provides an excellent EPA-estimated 35-36 mpg in combined driving. So, you could say that the trade-off in power for better fuel efficiency is worth it.
There is no doubt that Toyota has a lot to offer its customers since they make the most reliable and practical vehicles in the world and its current lineup has many amazing newcomers in their respective segments.
You may feel you are going in circles trying to find the perfect SUV for you and that is because there are so many different factors that you have to think about. For instance, how many seats does it have? What type of towing power does it have? Is it off-road capable? And of course, as we spoke about today, is it fuel-efficient?
For many of us, the fuel economy is just as important. Fortunately, Toyota makes some of the most fuel-efficient SUVs on the market.