2021 Toyota RAV4 Starts at $26,050 with New Features
The 2021 Toyota RAV4 is now offered at 15 trim levels, starting at $26,050 with the base LE and at $37,030 with the range-topping Hybrid Limited. New for 2021 is a Hybrid XLE Premium model that comes with a leather-trimmed steering wheel and 7-inch touch screen.
The RAV4 is currently the bestselling model in the Toyota lineup as well as the bestselling SUV in America. It’s in its fifth generation and with 15 different starting models spanning a price range of just under $12,000, there are plenty of options for budget-conscious and premium feature-seeking consumers alike.
Toyota SUVs: Explore the lineup, from the RAV4 to the Highlander
All Toyota RAV4 models finally get both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, as well as Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which you can read more about in this in-depth article. Built on the Toyota New Global Architecture, the fifth-gen RAV4’s chassis is about 57 percent more rigid than the previous generation, contributing to more dynamic handling.
Under the hood, the RAV4 is available with your choice of gas or gas/electric hybrid powertrains. The gas-only 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes 203 horsepower and boasts an impressive 40 percent thermal efficiency, enabling it to get 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. The RAV4 Hybrid throws in two electric motors to boost fuel economy up to 41/38 mpg city/highway, which is quite impressive.
But also new for 2021 is the RAV4 Prime, a plug-in hybrid variant that can go 39 miles on battery power alone — more than any other PHEV SUV — and gets an estimated 90 combined MPGe. Along with the hybrid models, the RAV4 Prime features an eAWD drivetrain, and to make matters more impressive, both the hybrid and the plug-in hybrid are significantly faster than the gas-only RAV4. Yes, the fastest RAV4s are also the most efficient.
Shopping Help: Find the right Toyota vehicle for you
Top available multimedia features for the RAV4 include a JBL audio system, 8-inch touch screen, five total USB ports in the front and rear rows, a mobile 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, and a wireless charging tray integrated in the center console. Notably, every model comes with Scout GPS Link, allowing compatible smartphones to display a map and turn-by-turn direction on the touch-screen display. Combined with CarPlay and Android Auto, it makes the built-in navigation on upper trims somewhat redundant.
As it follows in the footsteps of Toyota’s bestselling model, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 has its work cut out for it. But as long as customers continue to value safety, efficiency, and Toyota’s reputation for reliability, the RAV4 will undoubtedly continue to be popular.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.