What’s the difference between the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime and RAV4 Hybrid?
If you have been keeping up with the latest Toyota news, chances are good that you’ve heard about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime. It’s an all-new plug-in hybrid variation of the RAV4 that also happens to be the quickest and most powerful RAV4 to date. But the RAV4 Prime joins the existing RAV4 Hybrid as part of the stellar RAV4 lineup, so what’s the difference between the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime and RAV4 Hybrid? Read ahead for a comparison of the two vehicles.
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2021 RAV4 Prime vs 2021 RAV4 Hybrid
2021 RAV4 Prime | vs | 2021 RAV4 Hybrid |
---|---|---|
$38,100 | Starting MSRP | $28,500 |
Two (SE, XSE) | Trims | Five (LE, XLE, XLE Premium, XSE, Limited) |
Hybrid Mode: 40 City MPG / 36 Hwy MPG / 38 Combined MPG Electric: 94 Combined MPGe | Maximum Fuel Economy | 41 City MPG / 38 Hwy MPG / 40 Combined MPG |
302 Net Combined Horsepower | Maximum Horsepower | 219 Net Combined Horsepower |
Standard | Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™ | Standard |


No matter which 2021 Toyota RAV4 you get, you’ll be climbing aboard a real star. The main differences between the 2021 RAV4 Prime and RAV4 Hybrid are the powertrains, which lead to differences in horsepower and fuel economy.
The RAV4 Prime is equipped with a 2.5-liter gasoline engine, a potent electric motor, and a 355.2V battery, which, when working together, can hammer out 302 horsepower. That makes it the most powerful RAV4 yet. The RAV4 Prime can also be driven on pure electric power after a charge. It can be driven using just its electric powertrain for up to 42 miles, and when doing so, it gets the equivalent of 94 combined miles per gallon (MPGe). The RAV4 Hybrid gets a touch higher fuel economy with its hybrid combustion engine and electric motor powertrain, which has a 259V battery to power it up. Either way, these fuel economy and horsepower numbers are impressive in their own right!