2022 Toyota RAV4
- Eminently practical
- Multiple models, including hybrids
- RAV4 Prime has power, efficiency, EV range of 42 miles
- Excellent reliability and resale
- Pricing starts at about $26,525 (plus $1,215 destination) | Price yours
- On sale in December | See Toyota RAV4 models for sale near you
The competition in the compact SUV segment is intense. And while every major manufacturer now seems to make a compact SUV, a familiar vehicle has once again earned the coveted KBB Best Buy Award in the category — the Toyota RAV4.
That’s right. Toyota’s compact SUV, which essentially created the segment 25 years ago, has again won the KBB Best Buy Award in the compact SUV category. In the process, it fought off hot upstarts like the all-new Hyundai Tucson, and Honda’s CR-V, the latter a proven player with legions of loyal buyers and several Best Buy Awards to its credit.
Toyota’s recipe is refreshingly simple: build a high-quality compact SUV and offer it in over a dozen configurations that range from the front-drive RAV4 LE ($26,525) to the RAV4 Prime XSE, a luxurious plug-in hybrid model with excellent efficiency, good power, and an all-electric range of 42 miles ($43,125).
Continuous Improvements
Even though 2022 is largely a carryover year for the RAV4, several updates keep the lineup fresh for buyers. For 2022, this means mild exterior tweaks that include projector-style headlamps on the XLE and above, and LED foglights on the XLE, Adventure, TRD, and Limited models. Also, the RAV4 XSE Hybrid now gets vertical foglights like those of the RAV4 Prime XSE, while the Limited and XSE RAV4 sport a revised finish on their rear valance panels. Cavalry Blue paint also can now be ordered on the TRD, SE Hybrid, and XSE Hybrid models.
Similar updates have taken place inside the RAV4. Besides a locking glovebox and LED interior lights (LE and above), the latest RAV4 gets illuminated switches (XLE and above) and an 8-way power seat (Limited).
More newsworthy for 2022 is a new trim level for the RAV4 Hybrid. The SE has monotone paint and no LED accent lighting, plus fabric upholstery and a 7-inch touchscreen featuring an audio system with six speakers.
You can get the new RAV4 SE Hybrid with a 9-inch touchscreen and a Weather package, which includes a heated, leather-covered steering wheel, a heated front seat, and rain-sensing wipers. There’s also a Convenience package with a smart key, a moonroof, and a height-adjustable power liftgate.
Lastly, Toyota has repositioned the 2022 RAV4 Adventure as more of an entry-level off-roader. That means it has been stripped of some content and lowered in price by about $900. The alarm and optional vented front seats are gone, as are the handy guidelines that appear on the backup screen. And Toyota also has toned down the orange stitching in the Adventure interior.
Taken together, these seemingly small updates reveal just how intent Toyota is on sustaining its RAV4 as one of the company’s best-sellers year after year.
Outstanding Efficiency
Even though it has a healthy 203 horsepower, the standard 2022 Toyota RAV4 is good with fuel, returning up to 35 mpg on the highway. With all-wheel drive (AWD), that figure drops only slightly to 34 mpg.
Looking for better fuel economy? Opt for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. It has 219 total horsepower and impressive EPA ratings of 41 mpg city/38 mpg highway/40 mpg combined.
If budget allows (and you’re not quite ready to go the full EV route), consider the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime, one of our favorite models. In its gasoline/electric hybrid mode, this plug-in RAV4 is rated at an impressive 94 MPGe combined by the EPA. When it’s operating only on gasoline, the Prime is rated by the EPA at 38 mpg combined.
Even more impressive: The RAV4 Prime, with 302 combined horsepower, is the quickest 4-door Toyota sold in the U.S. We’ve called it “an awesome example of both power and efficiency,” and we still feel that way. What’s more, it can be driven up to 42 miles on electricity alone, and charging the battery with a 220-volt charger takes only 2.5 hours. Total range is 600 miles. While the RAV4 Prime’s starting price of about $42,000 seems a bit steep, remember that this PHEV is eligible for a federal tax credit of $7,500.
Family Friendly
Given its easy driving manners and superb practicality, the RAV4 shines as a reliable family hauler that’s ideal for, say, a young couple with infants or toddlers. There’s enough room for a pair of car seats to be secured on the back bench, and the cargo compartment, with 38 cubic feet of room, can swallow a couple of strollers with ease. As such, the RAV4 has earned a spot on KBB’s list of 12 Best Family Cars of 2021.
Parents, understandably, also will find the RAV4’s standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety suite reassuring. It includes a forward-collision warning system (with pedestrian and cyclist detection), steering assist, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert is available on higher trim levels, as is front and rear parking assist. Lastly, we’d be remiss not to mention that the RAV4 has earned a top 5-Star crash rating from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and been named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).
The Two Rs: Reliability and Resale
Thanks to its outstanding reputation for durability, the RAV4 is a vehicle you’ll probably want to keep for a long time. Just think of how many early RAV4s you still see on the road today. At the same time, this laudable reliability works in the RAV4’s favor at resale time, so Toyota’s compact SUV comes out a winner either way.
With its broad lineup and excellent practicality, not to mention its extensive features, solid construction, and good safety suite, the fuel-efficient and durable Toyota RAV4 has earned the KBB Best Buy Award as the top compact SUV for 2022.
Photo Tour: 2022 Toyota RAV4
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