What MPG Does Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Really Get? Owners Speak out

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Submitted by Jeff Teague on December 13, 2020 - 6:17PM

Learn from the people who own them. What real gas mileage does a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid get?

There are several reasons people choose to buy a RAV4 Hybrid. Some enjoy having an environmentally friendly vehicle. In fact, I have spoken with many people who will only buy hybrids for this specific reason.

Others appreciate the increase in power. For example, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid utilizes a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and electric motors to produce 219 horsepower. Gasoline RAV4 vehicles have 203 horsepower, in comparison.

However, perhaps the main reason someone would select a 2021 RAV4 Hybrid or anything 2019 and newer is for fuel efficiency.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid MPG

Take a look at the window sticker for a 2019 or 2020 or 2021 RAV4 Hybrid and see fuel estimates of 41 city / 38 highway / 40 combined.

Very impressive stats and this is 10 miles per gallon better than gasoline equivalent RAV4s.

But is this the real mileage people see in “the real world?” After all, a big factor in actual mpg is how people actually drive their cars. A conservative driver might see higher than posted. A lead foot will see lower results more often than not.

I decided to ask those who know best. The Facebook group “Toyota RAV4 Club” is an online forum of 51,000 RAV4 owners and fans. If anyone would know, it would be their members. I also polled my “Toyotajeff” YouTube channel viewers.

Their answers were quite surprising.

People speak on RAV4 Hybrid MPG

Grant found success on a recent road trip. “Did a four-hour road trip (8 hours total) to the NC mountains. Reset my trip before I left home and got 39.7 for an average. This includes all my riding around while in the mountains and some parkway driving.”

Mirela reported in. “2021 XLE Hybrid, about 43.1 lately.”

“2020 RAV4 XSE. 42mpg mixed driving.” Said Aaron.

TJ commented. “Best tank average for my wife is 43mpg. Her highway commute in the summer tank average is 39mpg.”

Karen is seeing really strong fuel efficiency with her non-hybrid. “I average 36mpg with a 2019 RAV4 LE and it’s not a hybrid!”

Robert gets “36-37 in city here and 44 on freeway.”

Tisha is a new RAV4 Hybrid owner. “I have owned my 2021 RAV4 Limited Hybrid for 3 months now. I am averaging between 42mpg-44mpg. I couldn’t be happier!”

Time for your thoughts on Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

I would love to know if you are also a RAV4 Hybrid owner, and if so, what type of gas mileage you and your family are seeing.

What has your experience been so far driving one?

Thanks for reading everyone. See you next story when I reveal if your 2021 Toyota Venza has remote engine start.

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Submitted by Rv (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 11:27AM

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I have a limited hybrid, but am currently running with 18" blizzak winter tires and I'm running 7.7L/100KM which is about 30 MPG. Seems like a big hit for winter tires? I've only had it 1000km so I want to give it more time.

Submitted by Bill G (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 3:11PM

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I have a 2019 RAV4 hybrid with 55,000 miles on it ,and my average is 43.9 miles per imperial gallon (37 miles per US gallon).

37 mpg(us) 80 percent highway(75 mph) and I drive like I stole it. 2019 RAV4 and I have over 50,000 miles on it. Drive the car harder and use the electric motors to get off the line and not the gasoline engine by itself.

Submitted by James T. Kirk (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 4:23PM

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I have a '17 Rav4 Hybrid Limited. I get 36 regardless of how and where I drive.

Submitted by Andy (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 5:28PM

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Our 2019 Hybrid has averaged 42.5 mpg (US) over 7,000 miles since we purchased it. Basically half highway and half city driving.

Submitted by AM (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 6:36PM

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I don't believe any of these numbers (one guy says 44 highway???) - and now because of Toyota, I'll be much more suspicious and critical of all manufacturer's claims. I have a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid XLE (the one with the 3 year old gas tank issue that toyota won't fix). I get about 37.5 MPG mixed driving but primarily city. Car is supposed to get 38 highway / 41 city. If I drive so slowly that I piss off every other driver I encounter, I *might* be able to average 40 mpg, but that's not realistic. I'm glad I get 37 mpg, but I was hoping for much better given the price premium for a hybrid.

So I've been averaging 34.8mpg on my 2020 RAV4 Hybrid XSE. I drive a mic of city and highway, I drive in Eco mode exclusively AND I've been driving conservatively to increase fuel efficiency. I just got the fuel tank and sending unit replaced at my local dealer this past weekend. I'm hoping this resolves the issue and I'll be able to fill the tank more than 10 gallons and get the advertised mpgs. Have though received a letter from Toyota about fixing the fuel tank?

I have to agree with this. I bought a 2021 Rav4 XLE Hybrid and I am getting only about 32 mpg in the city - driving the speed limit. I like the vehicle, but am very disappointed with the gas mileage. I miss my Prius!

I’ve been experiencing low MPGs since I bought a 2021 RAV4 Hybrid Limited last week. Never above 34. Oddly, in my last trip of 75 miles at 65/mph the car’s MPG display slowly went up from 26 mpg (wife’s daily city commute) to 36.4. I would have expected better in the city.
Dissatisfied in the mpg but love the car.

Have had our 2020 RAV4 Hybrid XLE for 11 months. Never worse than 42 mpg; averaging 44 mpg - mostly city. We drive the speed limit - never over. If that “pisses people off”, it doesn’t bother us at all.

Submitted by Winthrop Bissell (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 6:55PM

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Given the problems this generation of RAV4 Hybrid has had with it's fuel tank
and it's auxiliary batteries going dead due to parasitic drain, I would not touch this model until Toyota has figured out how to better engineer and build vehicles. No indication at this point of long term fixes. Those owners who have not had these issues are lucky. Check the internet for stories about these problems.;

Submitted by warren trout (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 7:52PM

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It's about HOW you drive more than anything. I typically get 20-40% better than EPA estimates no matter what car I drive.

If you get bad gas mileage, it's probably your fault.

Bingo! I don’t have one but I have a 2016 VW Jetta that religiously gets 44 on the Highway, FAR better than the EPA 40 mpg and it’s a plain Jane 1.4L turbo gasoline engine non- hybrid! I drive at 70 in the right lane and I don’t go by the mpg gauge. I fill up when the car and tank are cold and fill it to the neck, then drive and then refill the next day when it’s cold again, then I manually compute the mpg. It’s the only way to do it. So…..It’s how you drive!!! High mpg and eco engines are super sensitive to “herking and jerking” and lane changes at varying speeds. Beating epa mpg is a no brainer.

Submitted by PATRICK FLANIGAN (not verified) on December 14, 2020 - 10:57PM

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I've had my Rav4 Hybrid since they came out in 2019. Since that time as long as I've had it, my average has been 44.0 mpg. Needless to say I'm pleased.

Submitted by Pxn (not verified) on December 15, 2020 - 2:00AM

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It does depend how you drive. When I'm lead footed the average is around 38mpg and when more economical without being an annoying slow poke it's around 45mpg. The hybrid energy monitor and economy display are real handy when looking to be economical, you can tell when a minor lift off the accelerator makes a big difference

Submitted by Bill Mccormick (not verified) on December 15, 2020 - 8:06AM

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My 2020 RAV4 hybrid limited gets about 34 highway at aprox 70 - 72 mph with some hills. You have to let it speed up to 75 - 80 down hills and slow down to 65 uphill. If you use cruise control it drops to 28 - 30. Around rural town 38 - 40.

Submitted by Bill G (not verified) on December 15, 2020 - 6:44PM

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I do 80 percent highway, cruise set for 75 mph and I get 36 mpg (us) . I drive in normal mode and I am an aggressive driver. Petal to the metal and yes the RAV4 hybrid will do 0 to 62 in under 7.8 seconds uphill. This only the second non sports car that I have had. How I miss a stick.

Submitted by Bill G (not verified) on December 15, 2020 - 6:53PM

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I do 80 percent highway, cruise set for 75 mph and I get 36 mpg (us) . I drive in normal mode and I am an aggressive driver. Petal to the metal and yes the RAV4 hybrid will do 0 to 62 in under 7.8 seconds uphill. This only the second non sports car that I have had. How I miss a stick.

Submitted by David Lefavour (not verified) on December 16, 2020 - 8:00AM

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My over all mixed average of my RAV 4 limited hybrid is currently at 43.2 miles per gallon indicated This is the average since last March. The peak mileage was at 44.8 this fall. Average started dropping with the cold weather.

Submitted by Doug (not verified) on December 16, 2020 - 3:05PM

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If you do the math on the data available from Fuelly, the average fuel economy is about 37.4 MPG. This represents millions of miles in all driving conditions, weathers, and climates across the US. (Theoretically, the EPA estimate should match this average, but the EPA's methods still consistently overestimate by 5% for most vehicles).

Personally, I get 42-43 MPG in the summer and 37-38 MPG in the winter.

Submitted by Thomas W. Armstrong (not verified) on December 16, 2020 - 5:37PM

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My average over about the last 10 tank fills for my 2019 Rav4 Limited Hybrid is 42 MPG. This is mixed driving, rural suburbia and highway at 70 MPH. It amazes me.
Granted, I am a careful hybrid driver, and avoid hard braking and hard accelerations.

Submitted by Walter Manuel (not verified) on December 16, 2020 - 6:24PM

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My 2018 hybrid sucks. The brakes in colder weather give me aninternitant groaning noise. Toyota is aware of the problem but because not enough people complain they brush it aside, Do newer models have the same problem?

Submitted by shahbaz ahmed (not verified) on January 6, 2021 - 11:05AM

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I had a Camry 2012 Hybrid which is still giving around 38 PMG AVG. So I bought Rav4 2021 XLE PRI, which is only giving 32 PMG AVG, I am driving nicely, I am very surprised, it broke my trust, and have no Idea what to do with this gas drinker.

Submitted by Aladino Mandoli (not verified) on January 16, 2021 - 4:43PM

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Bought the 2021 XSE hybrid about six weeks ago. Put Blizzak winter tires on as we are in snow country, Michigan’s Keweenaw. We’re averaging 30mpg with about 1500 miles on. Snowflake indicator is on so I’m assuming it’s always in AWD mode. Hoping for better results in the summer.

I have a 2019 XSE. Got it late last summer with only 23k miles. Average right around 40mpg in mixed driving. Once cold weather hit it dropped to 32-36mpg. Could be the winter gas mix here in New Hampshire… hoping it goes back up in the spring!

Submitted by Incognito (not verified) on January 18, 2021 - 6:50PM

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2021 Rav 4 Hybrid XLE, getting about 31 mpg, mostly highway. Very disappointed.......

Submitted by benny (not verified) on January 22, 2021 - 4:24PM

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i have a 2020 rav4 limited. i’m getting around 36.5 mixed driving and i’m not an aggressive driver. i’m very disappointed so far and i only have 5,200 miles on it