Best Selling SUV in Canada: Why the Great White North Loves the Toyota RAV4

August 11th, 2023 by

Should You Buy A RAV4 and How Much is it?

A 2023 RAV4 Hybrid in Calvary Blue

The day has come, you’ve decided you need a new SUV. What’s your first step? Most likely, you hop on the internet to begin your research about what’s the best in the market. What do you see appearing again and again? The Toyota RAV4. But why is that? 

According to Driving.ca, 2022 was the RAV4’s seventh year in a row as Canada’s top-selling SUV. With RAV4 sales falling just shy of 56,000, the two next best-selling SUVs were trumped by over 20,000 and 30,000 sales respectively. It’s also worth noting that aside from pick-up trucks, the next best-selling vehicle on the Canadian market was the Toyota Corolla. It’s clear to see how Canadians feel about the brand. 

Arriving in Canada in 1963, Toyota is long established and widely known for its durable and long-lasting products. Several of their original models have remained in or recently reappeared in production. While of course, Toyota is a Japanese brand, manufacturing plants have been in Canada since 1988, where nearly half of all Canadian-sold Toyotas are made, including the RAV4! Buying Canadian is one of many reasons this SUV prevails in the North. 

Being the world’s second-largest country, Canada has massive variations in terrain and lifestyle from coast to coast; and the RAV4 has a trim level to match all of them. With MSRP prices ranging from $35,645 to $48,905 across 13 trims, it’s easy for consumers to find one that also fits their budget. This is echoed by hotcars.com, saying “The RAV4 became a market favorite due to its proven dependability and wide range of offerings for various budgets.”

 

What Does Each RAV4 Trim Include?

An interior shot of a 2023 RAV4

Even the base model, the LE, does not leave the driver feeling forgotten. It Comes with features such as blind spot monitoring with RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert), a backup camera, 5 USB charging ports, all-wheel drive with active torque, multi-terrain select, full-speed range adaptive cruise control, and heated front seats. The 2.5L, 4-cylinder gas engine comes as an 8-speed automatic getting up to 203 horsepower. 

Moving up a level to the XLE, in addition to the previous features, you get a heated leather steering wheel, power adjustable driver seat, power moonroof, a power liftgate, dual-zone air conditioning, and smart key fob with push-start ignition. This is also available as an XLE Premium, granting you 19″ alloy wheels, memory seat settings, Toyota’s SoftTex ‘leatherette’ upholstery, anti-theft engine immobilizer, and a cargo net. 

Next trim up for gas engine RAV4s is the Trail, previously known as the Adventure. The Trail, as alluded to by its name, is geared especially for those with an appetite for exploring Canada’s offroad scene. With the Trail, you now get 19″ trail alloy wheels, roof rails, a rear driveline disconnect with the dynamic torque vectoring all-wheel drive, and a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs.

The final gas-only trim level is the Limited. This trim increases the infotainment display screen from 8″ to 10.5″, and the sound system is upgraded to 11 JBL speakers. There is now power-adjustable seating for the front passenger in addition to the driver, plus added ventilation to the heated front seats; and the gift of toasty buns given to the second-row passenger seats. The backup camera is upgraded to a full surround-view camera system. Even the rear-view mirror gets a touch of technology by having an option for a “Digital Display”, meaning that if you shift the tab down the mirror’s reflective surface changes to show a raised camera view out the rear windshield. This can be very helpful if your view is obstructed by objects or people inside the cab, you can surpass them and see directly outside. The Limited retains the all-wheel drive features of the Trail, adding Intelligence Clear Sonar and elevating the RCTA to have RCTB (Rear Cross Traffic Braking), meaning no unnecessary curb-bumping. 

 

How Does a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Work?

The energy monitor display of a RAV4

Toyota’s Hybrid RAV4 engine is a 2.5L four-cylinder matched with two self-charging electric motors; all trims are equipped with all-wheel drive. This is achieved by having one electric motor dedicated to powering the rear wheels, and the other working with the gas engine to power the front end. However, the electric motors are designed to shift their torque to where it’s needed, meaning they can go from 50:50 to 100% focused on the rear or front wheels, ensuring traction when and where needed. With the wide variety of terrain and weather conditions faced by Canadians, this brings comfort, knowing your vehicle has your back no matter what the road throws at you. The hybrid engine prefers to use the electric motors whenever possible, achieving 5.8L/100km in the city and 6.3L/100km on the highway, and giving the driver longer breaks between visiting the fuel pump. The end result is a peppy and powerful SUV, getting up to 219 horsepower, more than its gas-only alternative! 

 

What’s Included in each RAV4 Hybrid Trim?

The Interior of a 2023 RAV4 Hybrid

If you’re keeping count, there are 13 trim levels, five of which are listed above. That means the remaining eight are all hybrid! Toyota knows that the car market is shifting towards more environmentally friendly vehicles, so they made sure that a hybrid option is not left as a luxury-only good. Engine aside, when comparing the hybrid to the non-hybrid trim equivalents you may notice the compromising of some of the gas-only trim’s features. There are correlating hybrid options for the LE, XLE, XLE Premium, and Limited; the Trail being the only trim available as a  gas-only engine. However, there are a handful of hybrid-only options. 

The first of the hybrid-only trims is the SE, which hosts 18″ black alloy wheels, push-start ignition, power rear liftgate, Smart Key, and an 8″ infotainment display. There are also heated premium cloth seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, rain-sensing wipers, and a heated leather steering wheel. Additionally, the SE has a sport-tuned suspension, a powered moonroof, color-keyed door handles, and black roof rails. 

Next is the XSE Hybrid. Building upon the previous trim’s features you now have the anti-theft engine immobilizer, 11 JBL speakers, SofTex leatherette seats, rearview mirror digital display, cargo net, cargo liner, and exterior LED accent lights. 

The XSE can be bumped up to an XSE Technology Package, which boasts driver’s memory seat settings, 10.5″ infotainment display, kick sensor for the rear liftgate, and a wireless charging pad. There are also surround view cameras, intelligence clearance sonar, and blind spot monitoring with RCTA and RCTB. 

Lastly is the RAV4 Hybrid Woodland. Technically this is part of the XLE line, but there is no gas-only Woodland available. In addition to the obvious engine differences, the Woodland Hybrid comes with unique Woodland emblazed rubber mats and cargo tray, 18″ bronze alloy wheels, and TRD-tuned Off Road suspension, as well as an assortment of Woodland Edition badges. There are also roof rails and roof cross bars, plus a 120V/100-watt power outlet. One thing for sure is the Woodland Hybrid has a notably unique style.

 

What is a RAV4 Prime and What Does it Come With?

A 2023 RAV4 Prime in Supersonic Red

The final stage of the RAV4’s electric evolution is the plug-in hybrid: the RAV4 Prime. The two major differences in this line of RAV4s versus the self-charging hybrids are a further range on electric-only, getting up to 68km on electric power before even kicking in the gas system; and also, being considerably more power, reaching up to 302 horsepower versus the 219 horsepower of the Hybrid. The RAV4 Prime is all-wheel drive, like its Hybrid counterpart. It has a combined fuel economy of 2.5L/100km, can travel a distance of up to 979km on a full charge and full tank, and can fully charge in as little as 2.5 hours. 

There are three trim levels for the Prime, starting with the SE. The ‘base’ Prime trim comes with much of the expected RAV4 comforts, such as blind spot monitoring with RCTA, back-up camera, dual-zone climate control, fully adaptive cruise control, 6 speakers, 18″ alloy wheels, and sport tuned front suspension. It also has heated front seats, cloth upholstery, a power adjustable driver’s seat, push start ignition with smart key, rain sensing wipers, a heated leather steering wheel, illuminated entry, chrome roof rails, and a powered moonroof. 

We move up from there to the XSE, which has wireless charging, anti-theft engine immobilizer, SofTex leatherette seats, and heated seats for both the front and the back. The alloy wheels have also increased to 19″. 

The final RAV4 Prime trim is the XSE Technology Package. Adding to the XSE features, we now have a kick sensor for the rear liftgate and a 120V/1500W outlet. The blind spot monitor is elevated to include an RCTB, and the backup camera is now surround view. The drivers now have full control with optional paddle shifters for a hands-on manual experience, the previous 6 speakers have become an 11-speaker JBL audio system, the front seats now add a ventilated setting, the rearview mirror has the digital display control, and the driver has a projected head-up display. Finally, everyone gets to enjoy the fully panoramic moonroof. 

 

Is The RAV4 a Good SUV?

A shot of two 2023 RAV4s

If including the RAV4 Prime in the count, the trim level options for a 2023 Toyota RAV4 come in at 16, and range from comfy yet basic gas-power options, to fully loaded, tech-packed plug-in hybrids, and everywhere in between. There is no shortage of options and variants depending on the goals and needs of the consumer, both in terms of lifestyle and finances. 

This sentiment is reflected by ratehub.ca, saying “Canadians love mid-sized crossovers, and the one they love most is the Toyota Rav4. This 2-row family hauler is a picture of practicality with plenty of room and good fuel economy for its size”

It’s hard to find a single make and model with such diversity available. The Toyota name has also been known to reliably hold up against the extremes of Canadian weather and provide transportation in any setting, from the paved roads of major cities to the rugged trails of the wilderness. It’s easy to see why Canadians love their Toyota RAV4.

Are you in the market for a reliable and efficient SUV? View our latest inventory of new or used RAV4 SUVs. Or contact us below.

 

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Posted in Models, RAV4