Review: 2025 Toyota RAV4 PHEV
If you listen carefully, you can almost hear it: the faint sound of a new generation warming up in the distance. But before the next-gen RAV4 swaggers in with its bigger batteries and fancier screens, we’ve still got one of Toyota’s most sensible SUVs ever built - the outgoing RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid. And honestly? As final acts go, it’s a solid mic drop.
This is Toyota doing what it does best, building a family SUV you can use daily, abuse seasonally, and load to the roof with camping tat, muddy dogs, and supermarket bags without ever having to apologise to it. The PHEV element simply adds a bit of electric seasoning. Is it essential? Not really. Do you regret it? Not a chance.
On-Road Ride
The RAV4 PHEV on the road is wonderfully honest. It’s not sporty, nor does it pretend to be, yet it’s surprisingly quick. The electric shove at low speeds blends with the 2.5-litre petrol engine to provide a very healthy burst of acceleration, the kind that catches you off guard the first time you join a roundabout a little too enthusiastically. Of course, this is followed by the familiar CVT “whaaaaarp” noise which, while never musical, is now an expected part of the Toyota hybrid experience. It’s like an affectionate grumble.
The ride itself is cushioned, calm, and very Toyota. It soaks up potholes, broken tarmac, and council patchwork repairs like a seasoned veteran. The suspension never gets flustered, even when the road looks like it’s been surfaced by a toddler with a spade.
Steering is light and a bit numb, but visibility is good, the driving position feels commanding, and the whole experience is surprisingly relaxing.
Off-Road Capability
Let’s get this out of the way: the RAV4 PHEV is not a Land Cruiser, nor does it pretend to be. However, it’s much more capable than many give it credit for. Thanks to Toyota’s clever AWD-i system, with the rear axle powered by its own electric motor, the PHEV is more sure-footed than you might expect when the going gets sloppy.
Wet grass on a slope, muddy fields at a campsite, a lightly rutted farm track or forest trail all are well within its comfort zone. The low-slung battery even helps keep its centre of gravity sensible, so it feels planted and stable on off-camber surfaces. You’re not going rock crawling or green laning anything serious, but for real-world outdoorsy, adventurous family life, it’s spot-on. It’ll even get you on a soft sandy beach so you can enjoy an evening in front of a fire pit with a good mate and your hound.
Interior Spec and Tech
Toyota interiors have a certain vibe, and it’s one of practicality over poshness. Everything is laid out sensibly, with physical buttons and big chunky knobs for the heater - a design choice that deserves a medal these days. The seats are supportive and built to withstand abuse from dogs, kids, and muddy coats. There’s space everywhere: the cabin feels airy, the dash is solid and unfussy, and you get loads of cubbies for all the outdoor gubbins you inevitably bring along.
The infotainment has improved a lot over the years. The screen is sharper, quicker, and slicker than before, though you’ll likely just use your phone via wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Toyota still focuses on reliability over gimmicks, and it shows. It’s a cabin that doesn’t try to impress - it simply works.
Comfort
Comfort is the RAV4 PHEV’s home turf. The suspension tuning favours a soft, pleasant ride rather than anything firm or sporty. Long motorway journeys are easy, quiet, and unbothered, especially when you’re cruising along in EV mode. Wind and road noise are impressively muted for a mid-sized SUV, and passengers will have little to complain about apart from the usual “are we nearly there yet?” nonsense.
The seats remain comfortable even on long trips, and the slightly elevated seating position helps visibility and reduces fatigue. It’s the kind of car you get out of after a three-hour stint and think, “Yeah, that was fine.”
Practicality
In true Toyota fashion, the RAV4 PHEV is deeply practical. The boot is large, square, and easy to load, making it ideal for dog crates, camping gear, coolers, fire pits, folding chairs, and whatever else you treat as ‘essential’ for a weekend away. The load floor is slightly higher than the regular hybrid due to the battery, but not enough to ruin the packaging. Toyota even sneaks in useful underfloor storage for your charging cables, so they’re not left rolling around or lost under a bag of kindling.
Rear-seat space is equally generous. Adults fit comfortably, kids have more than enough room, and the dog will love the elevated view out of the back. If towing is part of your life, the RAV4 PHEV will happily haul up to 1,500kg, which covers small caravans, camping trailers, bike haulers, and garden-centre-induced financial mistakes.
Fuel Efficiency
If you can plug the RAV4 PHEV in at home or work, the efficiency gains are massive. The EV range usually covers day-to-day stuff like the school run, shopping trips, or commuting in town. Real-world range usually sits around the 30–40 miles mark depending on weather and driving style, which is genuinely useful.
Run the battery flat and it slips back into Toyota’s trademark hybrid mode, sipping petrol like a responsible adult. You’ll still get better fuel economy than a purely petrol-powered SUV of the same size. On motorway runs, the petrol engine takes charge, but the hybrid boost means it’s never wasteful.
Positives and Negatives
For all its common sense, the RAV4 PHEV is not perfect. It’s not cheap, especially compared to the standard hybrid, and its EV range isn’t enough for long electric-only road trips. The CVT can get vocal when pushed, and while the handling is safe and secure, it is never what you’d call exciting. With the new generation looming, resale might take a slight knock too.
But the positives outweigh those niggles by a country mile. It’s quiet, comfortable, properly efficient, spacious, capable in the rough stuff, and built with Toyota’s renowned reliability. It’s also refreshingly easy to live with - a rare compliment in an age where SUVs seem determined to reinvent the heater controls every six months.
Driving Feel on All Roads and Surfaces
Whether you’re gliding through town in EV silence, cruising down the motorway, or exploring a single-track lane to a hidden campsite, the RAV4 PHEV feels impressively predictable and confident. There’s no drama, no twitchiness, no odd quirks to work around. It’s a car that just gets on with the job.
There’s something especially charming about using EV mode on rural roads. The serene quietness as you disturb wildlife is a lovely touch, right up until a pheasant dives in front of you like it’s doing a stunt audition.
Final Verdict
As this generation prepares to bow out, it remains one of the most well-rounded, sensible, dependable SUVs you can buy. It’s not flashy and it’s not trying to be trendy, but it excels in the areas that matter: comfort, practicality, usability, low running costs, and real-world capability.
For families, dog owners, campers, outdoorsy adventurers, or anyone who wants a reliable everyday car with a genuinely useful electric side, the RAV4 PHEV makes enormous sense.
The new version may be just around the corner, but that doesn’t stop this outgoing model from being a cracking bit of kit.