A combination of a hybrid with a sport utility vehicle appearance makes everyone at Toyota of Orange, the Toyota near Irvine dealership, cry out in delight. The best of both worlds for many who are looking for a vehicle that can double up as a great people and thing carrier while still producing great numbers when you measure out your fuel economy.
The 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is a compact crossover you can find at Toyota of Orage, a Toyota dealer near Irvine, that was built in Japan and it has good fuel economy, looks stunning, and technology that doesn’t bore you!
Driving
Don’t waste any time taking a look under the hood of the 2018 RAV4 Hybrid at Toyota near Irvine. The RAV4 Hybrid’s powertrain system combines a 2.5-liter I-4, three electric motors, a nickel-metal hydride battery, and a CVT. It generates a combined output of 194 horsepower, which makes it more powerful than the gasoline guzzling only RAV4, which has 176 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque.
For all of the variants, the EPA fuel economy is 34 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, which has elevated the RAV4 HYbrid to one of the most fuel-efficient compact crossovers around
You will have fun test driving the RAV4 Hybrid at Toyota near Irvine because it has good acceleration as well as brakes. If you go ham on the throttle, you can easily go from 0 to 60 mph in 8 or 9 seconds flat.
Technology
The 2018 RAV4 Hybrid at Toyota near Irvine is Toyota’s fourth-generation RAV4 that was in its sixth model year. So, bear that in mind when you are judging its infotainment system. Honestly, Toyota has improved greatly in the infotainment area. The RAV4 has a 7-inch center display, which is the largest you can get. The car’s infotainment system runs on Toyota’s Entune system, which is very good. In 2018, the RAV4 still didn’t have upgrades such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but the Entune infotainment system makes up for that.
If you go for the hybrid model’s base trim, which is the XLE, you get 17-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, dual-zone climate control, a rearview camera, Toyota’s Entune infotainment system, a 6.1-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, a 4.2-inch multi-information display, cloth upholstery, and keyless entry/start.
Step it up a notch with the SE trim and enjoy LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, leatherette upholstery, a power driver’s seat, and heated front seats. On the range-topping Limited trim, additional standard features include parking sensors, a height-adjustable power liftgate, a larger 7.0-inch touchscreen, navigation, and driver’s seat memory.
Furthermore, if you want to get extra with your RAV4 Hybrid, you can go for the optional 360-degree camera system and a JBL premium audio system on the SE and Limited trims. Also, there are higher-end multimedia systems that form part of the optional packages on the XLE and SE grades.
Comfort
Even though the RAV4 Hybrid has the added hybrid powertrain components, it can still provide its driver and occupants a heck of a lot of cargo space at 35.6 cubic feet behind the split-folding second row and 70.6 cubic feet behind the front seats.
You can easily slip in four occupants in the vehicle, but if you have a spare that needs a lift, you can get away with squeezing in a fifth in the middle.
When the RAV4 Hybrid gets into cruise mode, it very quiet and relaxing. When you are driving around at low speeds trying to find the best spot in car lots and around town, you’ll notice that the electric motor runs ever so silently. When you start to drive the RAV4 Hybrid, you’ll have to get used to being gentle with the throttle to prevent the gasoline engine from cutting out. So, there’s no need to be aggressive with this machine!
The vehicle has thickset tires and elevated ride height that provides decent ride comfort. The driver’s seat has enough wiggle room to adjust the seat and steering wheel to accommodate anyone regardless of their shape or size.
The vehicle’s interior looks very durable with comfortable and supportive seats. Average size adults will find enough space to sit whether they are upfront or in the back. The standard RAV4 Hybrids come with cloth upholstery, manually adjustable seats, and reclining second-row seats.
On the other hand, there are other seating features available if you want a more upgraded look and feel such as synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable driver’s seat, and heated front seats.
There are some car customers who specifically look for an SUV that can carry a lot, and the 2018 RAV$ Hybrid is one of them. In fact. It has one of the most spacious cargo areas for a compact SUV in its class. There are 35.6 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up and 70.6 cubic feet of space when the back row is folded down.
If you are chauffeuring around not only yourself but family and friends, you probably want to make sure that the RAV4 Hybrid is a safe and trustworthy vehicle, and it is!
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the RAV4 Hybrid the highest rating of Good in five crash tests. Also, it got the highest rating of Superior for front crash prevention.
Furthermore, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the RAV4 Hybrid a general rating of five out of five stars, with four-star in frontal crash and rollover tests and five stars for its side crash test.
The RAV4 Hybrid has a vast array of standard advanced safety features that will leave you gobsmacked. Have a look at them here:
- rearview camera
- pre-collision braking
- pedestrian detection
- lane departure alert
- lane keep assist
- automatic high beams
- adaptive cruise control
If you are happy with all those fantastic safety features, but you want even more, then the RAV4 Hybrid also comes with available advanced safety features such as :
- blind-spot monitoring
- rear cross-traffic alert
- front and rear parking sensors
- A surround-view parking camera system
Overall
The 2018 Toyota RAV4 is the vehicle you get before you graduate to something even bigger and more superior such as a Toyota Highlander. A roomy car that has a lot of standard safety tech features, good looks, and excellent fuel economy. Not too shabby a start in the realm of SUVs if we say so ourselves!