7 Issues that Ruin the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid and Other Toyota’s.

[@bobvillani4997]

Most of the issue mentioned are personal preference. They certainly arent enough to look elsewhere. Friend hasvone & loves it. Put on 2700 miles so far with no complaints. He has 2 kids & no complaints about door width. We're waiting on our pre-order and can't wait. BTW the engine shutoff is a theft prevention feature. Don't understand why folks complain about this feature. We have a Tacoma and can leave it running on driveway warming up without concern. Nice video but doesn't do much for me.

[@2504499]

This is one of the best and most truthful reviews. The other channels seem to all say the same things. Your channel actually covers content in greater detail. Nice work!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m so glad you enjoy my videos!

[@amaroandresm]

Keep these videos coming ..I traded in my forester wilderness for a RAV4 woodland and man I feel the same way you do..forester has dope features that the RAV4 offers but is not as good..

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks for sharing this! I think the various Wilderness and RAV4s are great, but it was nice to experience a change, especially with how many Subarus I now drive and film haha.

[@wildbill23c]

Toyota is typically quite a bit behind in a lot of features, and gadgets, they always have been. Sometimes its good, sometimes its bad....especially if you go from a new car of another brand to a Toyota, you quickly find the Toyota is a downgrade in some areas....then there's the older tech in Toyota that some people actually prefer, unfortunately Toyota jumped on the tablet glued to the dash bandwagon too in everything, and then downgraded the Tundra and other vehicles with smaller engines with turbo charged engines....its kind of a tossup anymore, but hey at least if you buy a brand new vehicle you get a cool factory warranty to fix all the problems for a couple years at least...and anymore it might pay to buy an extended warranty that'll take you out to 5-10 years and 100,000 miles if you keep a vehicle longer than your shoes. There's so many electronic gadgets in today's vehicles that'll start failing and empty your wallet real quick....usually its the electronics that kill a vehicle before any major mechanical items....but anymore that's kind of up in the air with all these undersized turbo charged engines and the electrical messes all these systems have created along with the hybrid stuff too.... I think the farthest I'd go to going electric would be a hybrid vehicle, I don't think I'd want anything fully electric....I'd be kind of curious though how much a person's electric bill goes up from charging an EV...That's the only way I'd be able to charge an EV because the closest charger is about 45 miles away and at an airport in a direction I never go LOL.

[@whoareyou310]

So what i learned from this video is there is nothing wrong with this rav4. You clearly are a subaru fan boy. As am I after purchasing my first outback this year. I'll argue anyday in favor of the many toyotas I've owned over the years. I can nit pick subaru just like you do toyota. At the end of the day there isn't anything more safe and reliable than toyota and subaru right there in 2nd place maybe now even tied for 1st place depending on the source.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Haha, thanks for sharing this! I never thought I’d become a Subaru fan boy, but I kind of have. The reasonable side of me just really loves the value that they offer. I do think this Toyota’s powertrain is probably as reliable as any car these days, and with the tires that will be on soon I can live with the other concerns for a while. I go through phases of wanting something new and reliable and then something more exciting, and right now for the next year I want boring and reliable. 🤪

[@RaytheonNublinski]

Oof. Toyota is falling off in reliability. Consumer reports has Subaru as the most reliable brand now. As for safety, isn’t that what Subaru is known for?

[@dclinton100]

@@RaytheonNublinski Toyota isn't falling, Subaru has gotten better.

[@angusmacdonald5300]

He’s struggling for content!

[@jamesh.2015]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I have a very simple question for you. If you are such a Subaru Stan, why didn't you just buy a Subaru? No Tea no Shade.

[@howardparker6342]

The best thing about the RAV 4 is that there is choice out there. I have the PHEV RAV and for me it’s brilliant. It’s not perfect-very little is, but it is very reassuring.

[@moorefacts6605]

The hybrid and PHEV engineering is in the top of its class. The car is not promoted as a luxury vehicle. For that you buy a Lexus. I have a 2024 Prime.

[@maximuscomfort]

I wanted the Corolla Cross hybrid but the Rav4 hybrid was more for buck. Love it.

[@jamaicajamaica1723]

Thanks for the info. Will wait till they up the game

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

These are great cars, and every car has its less desirable attributes. Soon I’ll share a video of the things I love about the current gen RAV4.

[@johnmartin7158]

For constant high speeds at 80mph, this is not a sweet spot for CVT or ECVT. 6 speed torque converter or a DCT is more beneficial for high speeds cruising.

[@johnmartin7158]

NZ Toyota RAV4 Adventure Hybrid comes stock with Yokohama tyres. They’re very good.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Nice!!

[@Doc1855]

I just found out from The Car Care Nut that the 25 Mazda CX-50 has the RAV4 power train, in both the hybrid and non hybrid models. He also said that the CX-50 handles and drives better, is a Lot quieter and the interior is much more Upscale.

[@kenfrank2730]

I was interested in the CX-50 hybrid. The Premium trim was around $4k less than the Rav4 XSE hybrid that I eventually bought. Some drawbacks of the Mazda...doesn't have a digital rear view mirror, no 360 degree pano camera, smaller gauge cluster that displays less information. The 10" display looks squished down. And the mpg is less. So I paid the extra money a bought the Toyota.

[@dclinton100]

The CX50 (gas) uses a Mazda drivetrain, not the Toyota. Only the CX50 (Hybrid) uses the Toyota's drivetrain.

[@hope6739]

@@dclinton100 Exactly. The gas non-turbo model has the Skyactive GDI engine. You can watch AMD's video on the CX-50 (gas model), just search his library.

[@scottbronson7902]

I seriously doubt that. Mazda is famous for making everything themselves

[@Doc1855]

@ check it out for yourself before you judge

[@danielroberto9183-w8j]

Very thoughtful analysis of your Rav 4 AA. Thank you! HopefullyToyota will solve the seven issues you refer to in their new gen next year. Since I don't have a heated steering wheel in my Subie, I point the vents toward the wheel, turn on the heat and warm my hands quickly. Perhaps not having a heated steering wheel is a blessing in desguise as I can't possible burn them through getting heat form the vents. You never know what the heating element can cause to the steering wheel and your hands. As for other observations you cite, are surprising in aToyota and I wonder if they reflect a decline in factory's quality control. Happy holidays AA.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!! Happy Holidays!

[@louisstennes3]

We bought a new '18 (last generation) RAV4 hybrid XLE with upgraded stereo and nav system. BEST vehicle ever! I like the last generation (had a chance to buy the redesigned '19 model but chose a new '18). I love the "indent" shifter and manual emergency brake lever, and the fact that it has the simple port injected engine. Maybe a little less power but I am ok with that. I especially like the built in screen display instead of the UGLY screen sticking up from the dash. G.D I hate those damn things! Anyway, if you want a RAV4 I would definitely go with a previous generation with decent miles and a good carfax.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you for sharing all that you have!! I’m glad you’re enjoying your 18!

[@louisstennes3]

A lot of folks don't know that you don't start getting payback from a hybrid for the extra cost until you are into about 5 years of ownership so if you don't keep a vehicle that amount of time don't waste your money on a hybrid.

[@802asher]

The depreciation curve on the Toyota hybrids is no different than the standard gas Toyotas- might even be less depreciation per mile, so it is not like you are going to lose that extra money you put into the hybrid or plug in hybrid if you only own if for 3 years, especially taking advantage of MASSIVE discounts on the Rav4 Prime like $6500 off a lease and buying out the car immediately from lease. I saved $10k off MSRP on a fully loaded Rav4 Prime XSE doing this earlier this year, and deal is still going on. You also start saving on fuel immediately. I have saved about $800 this year alone on gasoline (150 gallons of fuel burned on plug in vs 400 gallons on a former Subaru Outback). If you have expensive electricity, your savings would be less; we have solar power so plug ins a huge bonus in savings. Rav4 Prime (now plug-in hybrid) also has 100 more horsepower than the gas Rav4, so fundamentally a different beast!

[@louisstennes3]

@@802asher Good points. I didn't consider the Prime in my comments. I have never ever seen one. Your comments are just looking at my point through a different lens. Both have merit, maybe yours a little more so. Happy New Year!

[@thierrybonnaire2442]

Michelin Crossclimate tires avoid the need to purchase winter dedicated tires. They ride beautifully in all conditions and also last a long time.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks for sharing this!! Those were one of my top 3 picks, I’ve also heard they’re great.

[@Doc1855]

We Agree 💯. When our factory tires wore out on our Outback we bought a set of the Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires . We live in the mountains, 5 miles from town on a private road that we have to plow and maintain ourselves. We get 5-7 feet of snow every winter. The CC2 tires are Awesome for ALL driving conditions. They’re not designed for off roading but they’re great on Service or Forest roads and they’re Awesome on paved roads. When they wear out we’ll replace them with another set.

[@michaelptm2269]

@@Doc1855 how do they do I the rain?

[@NJMike67]

I have a set on my Model 3 Tesla. No problems in rain, snow, dry, hot, cold. Solid choice for tires.

[@MauroToneatti]

Looking fwd on taking delivery of my 2025 Rav4 LE non-hybrid. All the issues you brought up are not deal breakers. Being from Canada, I always swap out for winter tires (Blizzaks). The one thing with today's cars I dislike is all the Tech like lane keep assist, adaptive cruise, engine on/off etc.... More things to break and erodes the driver's abilities (become way too dependent on Tech). Yes I'll likely spend more on fuel but I won't need to worry about the extra complexities that the hybrid model brings (I keep my vehicles +12 years). Hopefully I made the right choice! I also have a 2018 Forester 2.5 CVT and it's been fine so far (base model so no Tech to worry about).

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That sounds like a great plan! If you wouldn’t mind someday I’d love it for you to comment again and share how the FWD/blizzak set up does on your RAV4 once you experience it!? 😊

[@lmstefanini1]

I could understand your disappointment about the lane centering and the lack of luxury of the interior. I am a former RAV4 hybrid and now having a Forester, I could not be happier. Regarding your question in the middle of the video about what would happen in case of failure of battery or cable. I would say the effects would not only be in the back electric motor, but all hybrid system die and only a dealer can restart it. Regarding the fuel economy one should understand the two pillars of a hybrid system: 1. Improve the efficiency in regimes that the traditional ICE are inefficient. ICE are very inefficient in accelerating and stops and go, and in low speed roads. Hybrids bridges these gaps magnificently and save a lot of fuel in city. 2. Run the engine in the highest thermal efficient rotation. You may noticed the motor runs in a higher RPM than required in many times. In fact it is targeting the higher thermal efficiency for that condition and putting the excess on the battery. However in cold weather the motor cannot reach the thermal efficiency claimed by the manufacturer, that was achieved in a laboratory. Therefore you can see a higher fuel consumption. In other words, Hybrids are excellent for those that use in a mix of city and roads and in mild to warmer climate zones. For those that live in cold zones or mostly drives on highways, I could not see the benefit , but the drawbacks of carrying more weight and complexity.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you for sharing all of this, I’m definitely in the group of people who may not receive the full benefits of driving a hybrid based off of climate and driving uses. I’m glad you’re enjoying your Forester, and thanks for watching!!

[@dclinton100]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 It will be interesting to see how much your f/e increases once the warm weather returns. Winter driving impacts all cars but I feel that hybrids get impacted more as the hybrid system assists less thanks to the cold. IE: My EV ratio in the summer is between 25-50% but plummets down to 5-15% around 40F . I don't even want to talk about 15F and worse.

[@iko3]

Hmm I've been split over a Forrester and RAV4 Hybrid and the highway MPG being marginally better is a great point. It may be obvious to some but sometimes you get brain fog when considering the many aspects of the vehicle. Subarus are generally cheaper so that gas savings from the higher priced RAV4 Hybrid may not pay off for a few years longer than most think, if they drive mostly on the highway. RAV4 Hybrid is great for car camping though. You be comfy in extreme cold and extreme heat because you can leave the HVAC on! Not a consideration for most people though.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Absolutely agree about the brain fog, it’s been a few weeks into ownership that I finally grasped the way I drive the vehicle doesn’t get much better MPG than what a regular RAV4 probably would have. If I only drove around town that would be sweet though. But the opportunity cost of $3k for 1 MPG better in my case will never break even, but it’s still a more fun experience lol. And overall with my driving I average like 36, which is 8-10 better than I averaged in the OBW, so that’s a fun upgrade! It’s cool to be able to go 500 miles on a tank.

[@wildbill23c]

I'd rather have the Subaru for the much better AWD system, and I think the Subaru is a little less expensive too.

[@beerster]

@@iko3 I keep buying hybrids for the option of having a ready light control the cabin temps if car camping. You can set the temp you want then go to sleep.

[@patriciarivera9346]

I have the Camry XSE for two years now. I have the same issue with remote start. You open the door it turns off. Also that adaptive lane thing is useless in the Camry too. I was planning on getting a RAV4 this year, butI’ll look around.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sorry to hear that but thanks for sharing this experience!!

[@patriciarivera9346]

I have the Camry XSE for two years now. I have the same issue with remote start. You open the door it turns off. Also that adaptive lane thing is useless in the Camry too. I was planning on getting a RAV4 this year, butI’ll look around. Before I had my Camry I had a 2017 Honda CRV everything worked perfectly. I don’t know what to do what to buy what to think.

[@louisstennes3]

I have heated seats in my RAV4 but never used them. Grew up in upstate NY. Think about it, the human body is 98 degrees and you have clothes on so when you sit in the seat on a cold day you warm your "toosh" up pretty quickly. After all you don't wear shorts on a 20 degree day. I don't have a heated steering wheel but think there pretty useless too. Oh, one other thing, I never opened the sunroof. When I bought the vehicle I slid the cover back and the glass was so hot I could hardly touch it. I closed the cover and it has been that way ever since. The sunroof may work but I don't have a clue and don't care.

[@billmcmeekin7909]

I'm not sold in the whole hybrid, electric motor reliability and function yet. Thankfully the Rav Limited in Canada is offered in non-hybrid fashion. We just purchased one as we couldn't replace our Touring CRV as Hybrid is only offered. We mainly drive hiway 90% of the time, so the minimal fuel savings is not as relevant as reliability, for our Canadian winters.

[@briandavis8139]

Good information glad we have a Subaru over this platform and your reviews have helped a bunch. Thanks again keep up the great work!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m glad you find my videos helpful!! Thank you so much for continuing to watch them!

[@SiRDOHC]

@ Automotive Anonymous. You are spot on about some of your complaints. The door openings are terrible. One thing you didn’t mention was the high front seats making getting in and out a chore and awkward. It is a great seat height for highway cruising, but that’s about it. There were a lot of features on this model where it feels like Toyota just mailed it in. Those oem tires are notoriously bad tires, I stripped mine off on day one and sold them as new and used the factory wheels for winter tires. Regarding winter tires and winter capabilities, even with a dedicated set of serious Swedish developed winter tires, I find the winter handling capabilities to be FAIR at best. You can’t compare this to a Subaru, so don't even try. If you are holding this vehicle for the long haul and cruise at 80MPH, especially in the summer heat, you really should be upping the engine oil viscosity to something like a 5w30 and keeping the intervals to 5k miles because those are severe conditions for which 0w16 and 10k mile intervals were not intended for. They have to scare you into using 0w16 and long intervals as per CAFE agreements, the stern warnings and language in the owner’s manual surrounding viscosity and under hood 0w16 stickers are not present on Non USA/Canada units with the same engines . And if you haven’t already, dump the factory fill and and change the filter, if you are keeping this for the long haul that is, the early oil changes are worthwhile.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks for sharing all of this!! I haven’t done its first oil change yet, but I should soon. I did already replace my oem tires and I have a lot more peace of mind the with Geolander ATs (severe weather rated), but the MPG definitely did take a larger hit than I was expecting lol. And these ATs are only about 30# a corner, compared to I think 27.3# on the factory cheap oem tires. Thanks for watching!!

[@SiRDOHC]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 No problem. I enjoyed your review of the Rav4. It is one that I have wanted to make myself, even if in writing on reddit but haven’t gotten around to doing yet. I was drawn to Subaru as well (Forester), but settled on Toyota for the same reasons, wanting boring yet reliable and resale value right now. Gas for gas I liked the toyota drivetrain better and it ends about right there! The Rav4 has been a love hate relationship! My parents got the Forester and I get to drive it often so it will be interesting to compare over the years. Form factor, (awesome visibility, door swing, seat height etc) and fun factor is undeniably better on a Subaru of any kind. But when looking at the two closely, and how past Foresters age and hold up, long term, from a perspective of someone that turns wrenches and sees them all, Toyotas just hold up better. A lot of it is the small things that are hard to see that toyota puts extra effort or quite a few extra dollars into. The Subarus you see holding up long term have cost their owners more in preventative maintenance. Subarus are harder on oil and will develop sticky rings sooner, cvts are decent but need early and frequent maintenance, Mechanical AWD needs more fluid changes etc etc. They used to say Subarus have reliable owners and I see that working with them first hand, because the owners that do bare minimum in a Subaru don’t get very far with them!

[@funnyguy8042]

Great video. People should expect lower MPG than advertised in colder climates, especially if the car is parked outdoors. Another detractor for rav4 hybrids is Cablegate. Yes, all cars can have defects. But Toyota ignored it for years until a class action lawsuit forced them to take action. Hopefully the latest design has finally fixed the issue, but be very careful if you buy a used one. And Toyota dealers and the Toyota allocation system make it difficult to find and purchase specific trims. I’m about to give up trying to buy a Camry hybrid because they just don’t make the trim I want (xle w/out pano roof and premium package). This will be my second time passing on a toyota hybrid because they don’t allow me to buy the trim I want without paying thousands for extra features. I look forward to checking out the Mazda and Subaru offerings. But I hear the cx-50 is selling over sticker which is a deal breaker for me.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you for sharing all of this!! You can always reach out to Goode Mazda and ask to speak to the management to reference the KZbin guy to see if they’ll give you a CX-50 deal worth your time and travel. They’re great cars but absolutely not worth a markup, as is any depreciating car lol. Best of luck and thanks for watching!

[@jamesh.2015]

Are you referring to the cx-50 hybrid selling over MSRP?

[@nikkosantos8347]

what is your daily driver now? how do you like it?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

This is my daily, I like it quite a bit!

[@nthdegree1269]

For sure get yourself dedicated winter tires ahead of any large snowstorms. Michelin X-Ice Snow winter tires work really well. Lots of people in the snowiest part of Canada either use those or the Blizzak's, there's a number of others as well. Since I drive an older vehicle I always wonder if the lane keep assist or lane centering can throw a driver off, especially during extreme weather like blizzards or rain storms. I know for winter weather the Rav4 can be adequate and do quite well but it definitely won't be as capable as the Subaru's. I mean when you think about it Japan's the snowiest country on earth, so it's not surprising that they make some of the best snow vehicles. And RAV4s and Subarus sell well there. Judging by the way they do there bonus features of the heated steering wheel and heated seats It's almost as if they did it as an afterthought or just like a sales gimmick. They could have done better but they decided not to.

[@wildbill23c]

I'm curious about that lane keep assist and stuff like that in bad weather....here in Idaho the weather can go from ok to terrible by just driving across town sometimes....from my understanding the system gets confused once the lines on the road are covered by rain, snow, etc....and here in Idaho the lines are hard to see as it is, so I bet it would be a constant issue with those systems.

[@dclinton100]

Most of the systems need either the lane markings and/or another car to follow to work. Bad weather can quickly shut them down because it can't see the road markings and/or the sensors get covered with snow/ice. Same thing happens with radar cruise. Also, heavy rain can shut these systems down. Toyota (and probably others) allow you to switch to regular cruise control if the sensors stop working.

[@nthdegree1269]

@dclinton100 thanks for the information!

[@Offensively-normal]

Its Christmas Eve!! For those who celebrate. Merry Christmas. Perhaps the best thing about a Toyota RAV4. You can drive it for a time and move on without taking a financial bath.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Merry Christmas Eve! That is one good point with this platform! What’s funny is when I sold my lifted/supercharged FJ Cruiser I took an absolute bath. If I held onto it and sold it today it’s probably worth 2.5x what it had sold for 7-8 years ago. 93k miles and $16,500 haha. It had probably that much just in mods and body armor. 🤪

[@wildbill23c]

Some people have that luxury of getting a new vehicle every few months or every year, many of us can't afford that huge loss of money every time you sign loan documents or lease documents.

[@beerster]

I'm on my 2nd Rav4 Hybrid. I had a 2017 Limited Hybrid and now a 2023 Xle Hybrid Premium. I get 43 Mpg in summer and 40 in winter. They are not overlanders like my 2018 Tacoma TRD Off Road. They are excellent driving through weather cars and lightly going off road. I have the best of both worlds having a Rav4 and a Tacoma. What absolutely sucks on my Rav 4 is the radio. I wish my Rav4 had the 2017 radio or my Tacoma's radio. This pos radio has one knob/button. The rest is touch screen. If I wanted a POS Tesla, I would buy one. I like having buttons and knobs on my radio. This one is nearly impossible to use while you are driving. Now it keeps on popping up with messages about my expired subscriptions. Im not buying any subscriptions from Toyota. I paid them hundreds of thousands of dollars since 1998 for their cars and Im not paying them 25 per month to use the features that are standard in my Tacoma. Im seriously going to look into ripping the radio out of the car and put in an after market system. I am never buying another car that needs a subscription. I don't care if I have to drive a Russian or Chinese built POS.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks for sharing your average MPGs and other thoughts about the RAV4! I also use to own a 3rd gen Taco (2017), I definitely miss it haha but this Toyota is pretty awesome.

[@0to600]

There's a difference between Lane keep assist and Lane centering

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Lane centering helps you stay in the middle of the lane as you go down the road. Lane keep assist is when you’re accidentally moving to the edge of the lane and it bumps the wheel to attempt and recenter you. Neither feature works as well or as quickly as even the 3 year old Subaru I came from.

[@JT-ol5xo]

It's very helpful to hear someone's thoughts on the vehicle after they have had it for awhile. Any new purchase seems great until it's been put through real world challenges of daily use. Thank you for this overview.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

For sure, thank you for watching! Soon I’ll post a video of the things I love about this platform and also how it’s done on a road trip.

[@michaelptm2269]

Looking forward to the snow driving video! If you could only have one vehicle which one would you choose? The Subaru or the Toyota??

[@scottyd3138]

For snow, the subaru

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks!! I’m expecting to find some snow this week before my appointment next week to get the Geolanders thrown on. 🤪 I really value safe driving in the winter, I’ve seen vehicles on their roof and watched a truck flipping in the interstate median before during the winter driving I do. With that said if we only had one car, it would have to be a Subaru. But I’ve I lived in an area without snow I’d pick the Toyota, I think long term the RAV4 will likely have a more reliable powertrain. I’ve had 2 trannys and an engine go out in the past so I’m always worried that once a vehicle is out of warranty it’s going to disappoint me haha. 😅

[@michaelptm2269]

@ you’ve had two trannies and an engine go out in Subarus o other car brands??

[@wildbill23c]

The Subaru would be my choice they do much better in snow/ice conditions than other vehicles due to the Subaru AWD system being better designed and its always sending power to all the wheels regardless of speed, temperature, steering angle, etc. Most other vehicles with AWD supply power to the rear wheels only when the vehicle decides to do so, and at certain speeds, and then revert to front wheel drive after a certain speed...which in most driving that's fine, but when you are in snowy climates its a bad thing, making it unpredictable when you are going to have the traction from all 4 wheels or in many cases, not soon enough, if at all. Honestly, I love my older Jeep with the Selec-Trac 4WD system, I pick what mode I'm in, not a computer, and when I choose full time 4WD mode, its powering all 4 wheels all the time regardless of speed...its all mechanical, not computer controlled. I wish vehicles now had it, Subaru's AWD system I think is the closest I've been able to come to getting that full time 4WD mode like my Jeep has, the only downfall is the Subaru of course doesn't have part time mode or low range LOL....but most if not all crossovers don't have either of those options either.

[@Doc1855]

Since your Rav is the last year of this generation, it has the technology such as the Safety Sense of your generation. The redesigned Rav in 26 I’m sure will be much improved.

[@mikej238]

It's winter, cooler ambient temperatures kill mpgs in all cars. Nobody is getting 35mpg in a nonhybrid Rav 4 at the temperatures you are driving at.

[@mikej238]

You're comparing a 6 year old model to newer ones. I have no issue with the doors or HVAc controls. my mpgs at 80mph are still close to 40. People always try to compare the worst mpgs of the hybrid to the absolute best mpgs of the non hybrid. I can guarantee you people who claim 35mpg in the non hybrid on the highway are getting 30mpg more often than not. Honestly, I get 50 mpg driving around north Phoenix all day..45 if im on the freeway. My only issue with LTA is it confuses pavement lines with actual lane markings...but honestly its a non issue for me I leave it on all the time. Yes the interior is kind of spartan but I accepted that as I was also trying to purchase an NX350H when I acquired my 23 Rav Ltd...It took 8 months to get the Rav. I tried for a year to get an NX350H, they couldn't deliver.

[@jamesh.2015]

Exactly, we have the Gas version of the RAv4 as well as the hybrid, both 2024. The gas version does not get the advertised gas mileage that people claim to get. Most manufacturers fudge a bit on the advertised MPG anyway. Of course they all say it depends on driving conditions. I take what folk say on these forums with a grain of salt.

[@bobvillani4997]

Well said. Totally agree with you .

[@dannymcneal]

I’m still watching, but didn’t want to forget to ask: Being that the electric motor in your RAV4 that’s powering the rear wheels during AWD performance burn out quickly, leaving basically a FWD vehicle, how would Toyota’s RAV4 Prime (plug-in) fare in similar circumstances, being that it’s battery is much larger? Is AWD performance superior to your RAV4? Thanks!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’ve never heard of them burning out, but also for my own sanity in not worrying about any potential issues I’ve been staying off the RAV4 forums for the most part, lol. Prime owners who have commented on these videos seem very impressed with their cars and it sounds like on winter tires the electric AWD system is actually very quick to engage. Idk, that’s also opinion. Maybe we should look up some roller slip test and actual winter driving videos soon lol. As soon as I get to drive mine in snow and confirm I need better tires on I’ll have them swapped on and then go back outs I’m sure with decent tires this system is good enough…🫠

[@davidcarlin3850]

My tires came with Firestone, but asking why would you get rid of perfectly good tires ? Waste

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Oh interesting! The minimalist in me is really struggling with this haha. I’ve never replaced factory tires before right of the bat. But since since this primarily a FWD vehicle and most of my driving is 65-80mph and I sometimes am on the interstate before the plows in the winter when speeds are down to 25-40mph with how bad road conditions are. The factory tires just won’t cut it and I value having a “severe weather rated” tire. The tires that will come off have been offered to be used by the place I’m swapping them to be given to a customer who needs that same tire size (as they’ll only have around 2k miles on them) or to be used on a used vehicle associated with the organization. Idk what they’ll do with them, but as much as I don’t want to spend $1k on tires for a new vehicle I don’t feel like I have a choice lol. 🤪

[@susanmeredith4957]

In Canada it comes with Michelin tires.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks for sharing this!!

[@jamesh.2015]

I am in the US state of NC and mine came with Michelin Tires. I am told they are great tired by my neighbor who is a car enthusiast. Not sure if they are a version that works great in snow. They do handle the rainy roads and rain puddles well.

[@802asher]

What is worse for most people, having a super efficient AWD system (eAWD) that kicks in nearly every time you need it, or an all the time AWD system that burns fuel year round in every situation that might last a little longer than the super efficient system? While I agree that it would be nice to be able to lock the AWD (like you can on the Hyundai Tucson and likely Kia Sportage and Sorento plug-ins), the AWD is a huge suck on the fuel economy especially in City driving in the winter. The AWD in the Kia/Hyundai plug ins also has a mechanical connection, but those are inferior plug ins and hybrids by nearly every other measure (efficiency, EV usability, huge depreciation and dealer network being big downsides). If you need AWD every day in a super snowy environment with steep grades or a lot of dirt road driving I would def get a better AWD system. But the Toyota eAWD system is more than adequate for me living in a City environment and going to places like Vermont regularly, especially if you trade up to some snow-rated all seasons or snow tires. I think what Toyota should do is at least make it so the AWD kicks in off the line when it is colder temps rather than kicking on only when a slip is detected, as I have noticed a delay in rear traction with the current setup (have a Rav4 Prime). I also believe the Rav4 Prime lane keep assist might be better than the Rav4 Hybrid. My Prime (2024) stays pretty much in the center of the lane, no real ping ponging between lines.

[@jaysonhugh6690]

wire harness and rear traction motor cable corrosion?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s a good thought. I wonder if something like that were to ever happen if it would put the gas engine in limp mode through the PCM or if it would still run independently.

[@edkurkowski6561]

There are lots of reasons to NOT buy the hybrid. I love my 21 XLE premium non-hybrid. So many of these "issues" are things I've never noticed or had a problem with.

[@mikeodowd100]

Very informative. I find the Mazda CX-60 to have much more features for the money. The interior is much more upscale compared to the Rav 4. I have driven a few here in Finland. Spent a few hours test driving them. Of course it’s a first generation Mazda hybrid system that definitely needs more refinement. And it’s constantly getting recalibrations to the transmission, and revising of the suspension system. However, for the money, the Mazda CX-60 is definitely a much better value. The CX-50 isn’t available in Europe. And honestly, I wouldn’t want a made in Mexico car. The dealership owner stated that several years ago, they got some Mazda 3’s from a plant in Mexico, and that they commonly arrived with scratches on the paint. Unheard of in a Japanese built Mazda. The build quality of a Japanese built car is always superior.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts from across the world!!

[@Doc1855]

Well Man, You’re Already talking yourself out of your new RAV4. You’ll get rid of it in 2-3 years.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Haha, I actually really like it. But I do want to share a list of my biggest gripes about it incase this list is valuable to others considering this platform. I think once the Geolanders are on it’s going to be a lot of fun!

[@jamesh.2015]

I think he is trying to justify another new car. LOL 🤣

[@mohammadnejad104]

Yes, I agree with you. A 400-pound guy definitely will have trouble getting into the car.

[@kenfrank2730]

I strongly disagree with your title. The issues you find surely don't ruin the car. I received my 2025 Rav4 XSE hybrid a few days ago. Although I love the car, I do have some nit-picks with it. I'm 6 feet tall but have to be careful getting into the car or my head will brush against the body. The cargo area has one interior light on the right side. Toyota should have put another light on the left side. Or add lights to the interior of the hatch. I don't have any issues with the buttons or lights as you have. I'm really liking the backup camera and 360 degree pano camera. It makes parking so much easier.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I get that, and thank you for sharing your own experiences with it! This is a great platform. But every once in a while I’ll make this style of video to share the least desirable attributes of a platform that I’m very familiar with (at least my opinion of it). In case that helps shed some potential light on it and items that may be worth knowing for others before the financially commit.

[@Davefromcanada411]

Some really good points about Hybrids in general at highway speeds as well as AWD powered by an electric motor/battery

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks!! I think it’s so easy to get all caught up with the 41/38 ratings that one can lose sight of the fact that the highway is only “rated” 3-4 better than a non hybrid. But around town it’s super fun to be accelerating in EV mode, where engines are the least efficient by having to gain speed.

[@dclinton100]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Sure it is only 3-4 mph better but imagine how much less fuel the country would use if all cars would get at least 10% better f/e on the highway. It all adds up.

[@ronkemperful]

Honest criticisms for sure. An additional possible criticism you may find out in a year when your complementary remote start feature requires a subscription to continue to work. This was an issue mentioned in a news article criticizing auto makers who build in features in their products that may only work during a trial period. Tesla is also notorious for building in technology but then charging extra to activate it… such as heated seats (for the initial model 3), for full navigation and maps, for full self driving, and for acceleration boasts with lower models.

[@davidcarlin3850]

You still can remote start the car with the key fob. No subscription needed.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you, and I appreciate you sharing this extra information! It’s crazy that some companies like BMW make you pay for a subscription to use the heated seat coils you already bought hahaha. 😵

[@JohnHessGA]

Not enough cup holders

[@buncha5651]

You should have done your reserch before buying it.🤔

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

In my opinion every single vehicle has its own list of issues that would in better case scenarios rival these issue. No vehicle is perfect, they all have trade offs. This video is just to be insightful for anyone potentially considering the platform this year who wants to know more in depth information that they’d eventually find out as an owner.

[@sunlover5150]

I see a Subaru Forester Hybrid in your future…

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Haha maybe! I’ve really enjoyed this new car so far though and if I was a normal person I could see keeping it for a long time. But also it might be fun to try to Hybrid Subaru or 2026 RAV4. 😅

[@funnyguy8042]

Same here. I look forward to seeing the subaru variant.

[@johnharris7191]

None of these are a problem for me.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s good! Soon I’ll post a video of the things I love most about this platform!

[@reaality3860]

I traded a regular (ICE) 2022 Rav4 for a 2022 Rav4 Hybrid. I am getting @ 5 mpg more on the highway, and between 10 & 14 more mpg in city.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you for sharing this!! What is your local highway speed limit and what actual MPG does your hybrid get then? 🙂

[@reaality3860]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 , Maximum speed limit on my local limited-access highway, is 70 mph. I'm averaging close to 41 mpg in city & 37 mpg on the highway, according to the Toyota on-board computer

[@johnsmith-gt3po]

What a disappointment to hear that, because the new RAV4 isn't that CHEAP. Maybe next few years will be in better. 🤔

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

These issues are just the unique dislikes I have with this platform. Every platform has issues. Soon I’ll film a video of the things I love about the RAV4. There’s some pretty good points on that list (at least in my opinion).

[@floydestelle6242]

Hybrid is gas a electric. You sound like you are talking about a Prime Rav4

[@stubskututstuy]

Sell it. Then buy a Subaru. It's a good vehicle, but it's not for you. Just follow your heart. You'll be satisfied in the long run

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Haha I hear you. Right now my heart actually wants a boring Toyota reliable daily driver. The Subaru’s I’ve owned have been flawless, but I do start to worry about complexity of the turbo engine and CVT in the Wilderness if I were to keep it for a few more years. It’s just my own concern, I’m sure they would have remained reliable. But I’ve had 2 transmissions fail on me in the past and it’s always in the back of my head. 😅 If I plan to keep this for a few years then my plan is to save up for the best performance vehicle I’ll have owned yet as the new toy to balance out the boring and exciting experiences. 🤩

[@Doc1855]

He just traded in his Outback Wilderness

[@alsheremeta]

In my opinion, about the only tire that that manufacturers could put on at the factory that MAY be good enough for all seasons would be the Michelin Cross Climate 2 or similar, would everyone be happy with that tire, idk.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I think that would be sweet! I almost went that route but decided with the Geolanders I have one less variable when comparing this vehicle driving in Winter to my Outback Wilderness or other Wilderness models I compare this to in future videos.

[@alsheremeta]

@AutomotiveAnonymous208 That makes sense, I was wondering why you selected the Geolanders👍👍

[@rhymeskill]

Toyota is McDonalds. Used to be cheap, now is expensive. If you leave it on a shelf for years, it won’t decompose. Subaru is In N Out.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Hahahaha yeah, basically.

[@kennycarson-c1k]

Free Palestine Stop the Genocide 🇵🇸

[@mickeybrumfield764]

Toyota mediocrity at its best.

[@topofthegreen]

Enjoy that $8000 battery change.

[@MakeoversaustAu]

As a basic car, the new rav 4 is great. However, its technology is terrible. I have 2023 model. I struggle to connect phone half the time, the maps keep stopping, voice control does not work, the front usb I've already has to replace. Sometimes the boot won't open, Sometimes I have to press stop multiple times b4 the car will actually switch off. The mileage is better than my last (petrol) car, but not by much. I prefer my 1998 Rav4 to be honest.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with yours!

[@rchengr8]

They cheat, they lie, they bow😂.