2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid review

Color options

Exterior colors:

• Blizzard Pearl

• Blue Flame

• Blueprint

• Lunar Rock

• Magnetic Gray Metallic

• Midnight Black Metallic

• Ruby Flare Pearl

• Silver Sky Metallic

• Super White

Interior colors:

• Ash

• Black

• Nutmeg

Interior details

Slide into the driver's seat of the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and you'll notice the thoroughly modern interior with an angle toward truck-inspired utility. The comfortable seats deliver an upright seating position for a commanding view of the road and all-day comfort for the longest road trips or commutes. A bright and sharp digital driver information display sits behind the steering wheel, while the center infotainment screen and AC vents have swapped their traditional places. This is smart, as you'll notice the touchscreen is now in your line of sight, while the vents are more effective at directing air to you. Silver accents highlight the modern design, and there's plenty of storage within easy reach for water bottles, umbrellas, sunglasses, and more. The Hybrid SE and higher trims have soft-touch surfaces and stitched accents for a touch of class. 

Front passengers will appreciate the headroom, at 37.7 inches. Your rear passengers get even more (39.5 inches), so go ahead and rideshare for basketball players. If you get restless legs while driving for long spans, you'll love the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid's impressive 41 inches of legroom, and 37.8 inches in the rear. Drivers and passengers up to 6'5" should be comfortable. Behind those rear seats, check out the 37.5 cu-ft of cargo space. Put the split-folding rear seats down, and the cargo space jumps to 69.8 cu-ft. That's the same size as an average back porch storage shed, which is plenty of room for car camping. 

Child seat details

The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid seats four adults comfortably, or five if the drive is short. The rear seats can easily adapt to children's car seats, with the 2022 RAV4 Hybrid able to take three across the rear seats. The rear seat belt buckle stalks are quite flexible, with minimum overlap for the center seat. Back seat recline levers are large and easy to manipulate one-handed, and LATCH tethers are clearly visible on the back of all three seats. Booster seats, front-facing seats, and rear-facing seats all fit rather easily, making the RAV4 Hybrid an excellent choice for growing families. 

Performance

It's been a long time since hybrids were the slow cars on the road. The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has a 2.5L gas engine making 176 hp. Add the two electric motors, and you get 219 total hp. You'll notice this around town, as the gas engine and electric motors work together to push the SUV from zero to 60 in 7.4 seconds (according to the manufacturer, when new). That's over a half-second faster than the non-hybrid RAV4. Top speed is an estimated 112 mph. The standard electronic AWD is plenty capable in snow, slush, sand, or dirt and gravel roads. Keep your foot out of the throttle, and the hybrid drivetrain will reward you with an EPA-estimated 40 combined mpg.

Year comparison

2016-2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (fourth generation)

While the fourth-generation RAV4 had been on sale since 2013, Toyota launched the RAV4 Hybrid in 2016, using the extra time to get it just right. This is technically the RAV4 Hybrid's first generation, but the 2016 model shares many similarities with the 2022 model, including a 2.5L engine with two electric motors, and a focus on cargo and passenger space. Differences include the angular contemporary exterior design, a smaller touchscreen centered in the dash, 197 total system hp, and an EPA-estimated 32 combined mpg.

2019-present Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (fifth generation)

Launched with the 2019 model, the fifth-generation 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has a clean design and marks a clear break from the previous version. This is the same body style and generation detailed above for 2022, but with some differences. The 2019 RAV4 Hybrid offers slightly more cargo room (69.8 cu-ft total) from a redesigned battery pack, more power (219 hp) and mileage (up to an EPA-estimated 40 combined mpg), and more tech options.

 For 2023, the only real news is the rugged-looking Woodlands Edition, with bronze-painted wheels and a roof rack for all your cargo needs.