Toyota will rename its plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) to…well… plug-in hybrids. The company announced this week that it will drop the names “Prius Prime” and “RAV4 Prime” for the 2025 model year and rename those models to their descriptions: Prius Plug-in Hybrid and RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid.
When an idea is new, no one knows exactly what to call it. Americans are just getting familiar with the idea of PHEVs.
PHEVs, like more conventional hybrids, have both an electric motor and a gasoline engine. Unlike traditional hybrids, they can use that electric motor by itself all the way up to (and past) highway speed. They travel a certain distance (42 miles for the RAV4 PHEV, 44 for the Prius PHEV) on electricity thanks to a larger battery pack. When the battery is drained, they use their gasoline engine to go farther. As the name suggests, plug-in hybrid vehicles recharge their battery from a wall outlet, though many can plug into public electric vehicle (EV) chargers, too.
So, owning one is a bit like owning an EV for in-town driving and a gas-powered car for road trips. Many Americans might get through the average week in a PHEV without ever buying gasoline, but they have the option of taking road trips without long EV charging breaks.
But now that the concept of a PHEV has entered public consciousness, Toyota is in a strange position. Many Americans know what a PHEV is. Few know what a “Prime” is, So the company has done the logical thing.
2025 Toyota RAV4 PHEV Pricing
Aside from the name change, the RAV4 Prime remains essentially unchanged for 2025. Prices include a mandatory $1,395 destination charge.
Toyota has not yet specified pricing for the 2025 Prius PHEV. But it, too, enters the 2025 model year with a new badge and no other significant changes.
| Trim Level | MSRP + Destination Charge |
| SE | $45,260 |
| XSE | $49,130 |
