2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – Riding on Reputation

Hybrids, SUVs
March 6, 2025
Dan Gunay

The 2025 Toyota RAV4 Woodland Edition builds on the RAV4’s reputation for reliability and versatility by adding a rugged and adventure-ready twist. Designed for those who want a bit more off-road capability without sacrificing everyday comfort and fuel economy, the Woodland Edition features unique styling elements and all-terrain tires to enhance its go-anywhere appeal.

The 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid continues to blend rugged styling with efficiency, maintaining its bold and aggressive design language. The front fascia is dominated by a wide grille, flanked by sleek LED headlights that give the RAV4 a sharp and modern look. Toyota’s signature sculpted lines and angular shapes add a touch of toughness, reinforcing its adventurous character. Black plastic cladding around the front bumper and wheel arches enhances its rugged appeal and serves a functional purpose by protecting against road debris.

From the side, the RAV4 Hybrid features practical yet stylish proportions, with a slightly sloped roofline that adds a sporty touch without sacrificing interior space. The available two-tone roof option gives it a more distinctive look, the shoulder lines and subtly flared wheel arches add a muscular feel, making it look boxier and more robust than many of its competitors.

At the rear, it features LED taillights and integrated spoiler to enhance its modern and sporty design language. The sculpted tailgate gives it a refined, upscale look, while the lower bumper integrates a rugged skid-plate-like design for more adventurous aesthetic. The power liftgate is available with mid-upper trims. The Hybrid versions don’t get a lot of visual changes other than the blue-illuminated Toyota logo, and the Hybrid badge on the tailgate.

Toyota has designed the RAV4 interior to offer a nice balance between practicality, comfort and the right amount of tech. The dashboard layout remains simple and functional, with a mix of soft-touch materials, textured plastics, and stitched accents that mostly hide the cheap elements in the interior. Compared to its rivals, it feels a little dated and monochromatic, but that’s usually more appealing for traditional Toyota buyers, it’s tried and true interior that feels it will last forever.

Even though the RAV4 feels a little small compared to the latest compact SUVs, its biggest strengths are practicality and storage solutions. There is a deep center console bin, large door pockets, and an open shelf integrated into the dashboard, providing plenty of places to store small items. The rear seats offer a decent amount of space for passengers. Even though it is no longer class leading when it comes to the storage space, it is still plenty enough for taller occupants, thanks to nice features such as reclining rear seats, air vents, and USB ports. The wide-opening rear doors make it much easier to install child seats, reinforcing its family-friendly nature.

The RAV4 Hybrid offers spacious and practical cargo areas in the compact SUV segment, with 37.6 cubic feet (1,064 litres) behind the second row, and 69.8 cubic feet (1,977 litres) with the seats folded down. The load floor is relatively low with a wide tailgate opening, and hands-free power liftgate makes loading and unloading effortless. While there are other rivals with more cargo space, the RAV4 Hybrid does not have any compromises when it comes to the storage space compared to the gas-only variant, and it is more than enough for daily errands, road trips, and outdoor adventures.

What makes the Toyota RAV4 one of the best-selling vehicles is the hybrid drivetrain. It continues to offer a well-balanced combination of efficiency and performance, making it the most compelling choice in its segment. under the hood, it features a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, delivering a combined 219 horsepower. The gasoline engine produces 176 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque without any support from the electric motors. The rear electric motor also adds additional 53 horsepower and 84 lb-ft of torque, but unfortunately Toyota has not specified the combined torque figure.

The RAV4 Hybrid engine is mated to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT), ensuring smooth and predictable power delivery. One of its key strengths is the fuel efficiency, with an estimated 41 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway. However, in our tests, our average was much higher due to cold weather. The eCVT does a terrific job keeping the naturally aspirated engine at the right RPM range for optimal power and fuel economy. The 1.6-kWh battery pack is located under the rear seats, which also means it does not take any storage space or rear seat headroom.

Toyota’s electronic on-demand all-wheel-drive-system (eAWD) is standard on any RAV4 with the hybrid drivetrain, meaning that there is no physical connection between the front and rear axle. It enhances traction by utilizing an independent electric motor to turn the rear wheels when necessary. Unlike traditional mechanical AWD systems, it eliminates the need for a driveshaft, reducing complexity while improving efficiency. Even though it seamlessly distributes power between the front and rear axles based on road conditions, it feels a little bit disconnected between both axles.

Behind the wheel of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition, the driving experience is best described as competent and predictable, with a few pleasant surprises. On paved roads, the ride is generally comfortable, absorbing most bumps and imperfections without issue. The steering is light and easy to maneuver, making it great for city driving and parking tight spaces, but it lacks the feedback and precision that enthusiasts might crave.

Handling is composed with minimal body roll in corners, though it is clear that this isn’t a sporty SUV – prioritizing stability over agility. Noise levels are not class-leading, but well managed thanks to its hybrid system operating quietly in electric mode, though wind and road noise become more noticeable at higher speeds. The gas engine can get buzzy at higher RPMs, especially at highway speeds, but the transition between electric and gas power is seamless, adding to the overall ease of driving.

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid occupies a strong position in the competitive hybrid SUV market, offering a compelling mix of efficiency, all-wheel-drive capability, practicality and reliability. Manufactured in Canada, it caters to growing demand for Canadian-built vehicles, especially for eco-friendly buyers that can handle both urban and rugged driving conditions. While it faces competition from models like the Honda CR-V Hybrid and Ford Escale Hybrid, Toyota’s reputation for durability, along with its seamless integration of hybrid technology and practical design, allows the RAV4 Hybrid to remain a top contender in the market.

Engine	2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4 + 3 AC motors
Transmission & Drivetrain	eCVT & eAWD
Max power (combined)	219 hp
Battery pack	1.6-kWh lithium-ion
0-100 km/h	7.8 sec
Curb Weight	3817 lbs – 1731 kg
Fuel Economy (Combined)	36 MPG – 6.5 L/100 km
Starting at (MSRP)	$51,662 CAD
Website:	www.toyota.ca