Toyota RAV4 vs. other hybrid crossovers

Toyota Motor Philippines updated the RAV4 nameplate and gave it a hybrid powertrain sometime in 2022 — dropping the full internal combustion setup. Since then, many other hybrid crossovers came out in the market offering some level of sustainability while packing enough “oomph” to provide would-be owners an exciting time behind the wheel. 

On that note, we’re looking at some raised electrified five-seaters and see how tough of a competition they are to the Toyota RAV4. To set things in motion, here’s a quick look at some of the crossover’s notable features. 

Toyota RAV4 

Dimensions 

L x W x H (in millimeters [mm>)	4,600 x 1,855 x 1,685
Wheelbase (in mm)	2,690

 

Exterior 

The Toyota RAV4 packs an aggressive-looking fascia with sharp headlamps and a dynamic meshwork. The upper grille appears to have a modern honeycomb design while the lower portion gets horizontal slats. Flanking the wirework are two projector-type LED lights accompanied by LED fog lamps. 

A sturdy-looking skid plate rounds up its appointments at the fore. 

Reinforcing its active and athletic look are blacked-out claddings found on the crossover’s wheel wells as well as on some portions of its lower windows and side sills. 

Providing some design continuity are dark trims on its side mirrors, black pillars, a strip of dark accent on its shoulders, and a pair of black roof rails. 

It also rides on 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 225/60 and 225/65 tires, respectively. 

At the back, the Toyota RAV4 has a roof-mounted spoiler with an integrated third brake lamp, a decent-sized rear glass, LED rear combination lamps, a chrome tailgate garnish, and chunky bumpers with reflectors on each side. 

Interior 

Looking the part of a modern crossover, the Toyota RAV4 gets updated cabin amenities such as fabric or leather upholstery on the seats and a leather steering wheel. 

In addition, those looking to drive home the hybrid hauler can get either a 4.2- or a seven-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) instrument panel — depending on the variant — paired with a standard eight-inch infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. 

Below are some of its notable interior appointments: 

• Dual-zone automatic air conditioning system
• Six speakers 
• Smart entry with remote open trunk 
• Push start ignition system 
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• illuminated entry system 

Powertrain, chassis 

Under the Toyota RAV4’s hood is a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with hybrid technology. It is mated to a continuously variable transmission and produces the below numbers: 

Engine maximum power output (in horsepower [hp>)	175
Motor generator maximum power output (in hp)	118
Maximum torque (in Newton-meters [Nm>)	221

In total, the Toyota RAV4 generates a maximum combined output of 215 horses. 

When it comes to deceleration, the crossover relies on disc brakes on all four wheels. The front wheel axle gets ventilated discs while the rear gets solid ones. 

In terms of support, the Toyota RAV4 uses a MacPherson strut setup at the fore and a double wishbone setup at the back. 

Safety 

Below is a list of the Toyota RAV4’s safety features: 

• Seatbelts 
• Airbags 
• Blind spot monitoring 
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Anti-lock braking 
• Vehicle stability control 
• Hill-start assist control 
• Pre-collision system 
• Automatic high beam 
• Lane tracing assist 
• Lane departure alert 
• Dynamic radar cruise control
• Clearance and back sonars 
• Panoramic view monitor 

Should other buyers want to check out more electrified options, below are some nameplates that are worth giving a try. 

BYD Sealion 5 DM-i 

BYD Cars Philippines just launched the Sealion 5 DM-i not too long ago, promising would-be owners a sustainable means of mobility while still enjoying an exciting time behind the wheel. 

Here’s how it measures against the Toyota RAV4: 

Dimensions 

L x W x H (in mm)	4,738 x 1,860 x 1,710
Wheelbase (in mm)	2,712

 

Exterior 

Its front end wears a large, modern-looking grille with a chrome garnish at the top where the BYD emblem proudly sits. It is flanked by LED headlamps with integrated daytime running lights (DRL). 

A robust-looking chin enhances its overall appeal while maintaining a cohesive appearance due to the presence of silvery trims. 

To its sides are protective plastic coverings on common exterior touch points, such as the wheel arches and the side sills. They are complemented by dark-colored pillars and side mirrors (with integrated turn signals) with black accents. 

The BYD Sealion 5 DM-i rides on 18-inch wheels shod in 226/60 radial tires. 

Its rear packs a sporty spoiler with a mounted stop lamp, LED taillamps (with sequential turn signals) bridged together by a horizontal light bar, a beefy bumper with reflectors on each side, and a hydraulically-assisted tailgate. 

Interior 

The BYD Sealion 5 DM-i aims to please tech-savvy car buyers with a suite of cabin specifications that the brand has become known for in the Philippines. 

Facing the driver is a leather-wrapped steering wheel with multi-functional controls. Past it is an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster partnered with a 10.1-inch infotainment system with a rotating function. 

Smartphone connectivity is achieved via Apple Carplay and Android Auto. 

Here are some of its impressive interior features: 

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• PM 2.5 air filter 
• Six speakers 
• With intelligent voice assistant 
• Keyless entry system 
• Push button ignition 
• NFC card compatible 
• BYD App compatible 

Powertrain, chassis 

Providing propulsion for the BYD Sealion 5 DM-i is a hybrid system with an electric vehicle (EV)-first approach. A permanent magnet synchronous motor sends power to the front wheels while a 1.5-liter gasoline engine serves as the powertrain’s generator, or what the brand likes to call a range extender. 

Here are its power figures: 

Maximum power output (in hp)	194
Maximum torque (in Nm)	300

Since it uses an electric motor with a 12.9 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, it’s only fitting to talk about how far it can go on a single charge. According to BYD Cars Philippines, its all-electric range is about 71 kilometers (km), and with the 1.5-liter generator in play, it can go as far as 1,001 km. 

Like the Toyota RAV4, the BYD Sealion 5 DM-i uses disc brakes all around. It has ventilated disc brakes at the fore and solid disc brakes at the rear. 

Suspension-wise, it has a MacPherson setup at the front and a multi-link arrangement at the back. 

Safety 

When it comes to safety, the tech-heavy BYD Sealion 5 DM-i has the below features to offer: 

• Airbags 
• Seatbelts 
• Traction control system 
• Electronic stability control 
• Anti-lock braking system 
• Electronic brake-force distribution 
• Hill-hold control 
• Hill descent control 
• Tire pressure monitoring 
• Anti-roll-over control system 
• Electronic anti-theft system 
• Vehicle dynamic control system 
• Rear parking camera 
• Rear parking sensors 
• Cruise control 

Nissan Kicks e-Power

While Nissan appears to fade away in the shadows as of late, the Kicks e-Power hybrid crossover can still be considered a strong contender in the electrified five-seater arena. 

Here’s how it stacks up against the competition: 

Dimensions

L x W x H (in mm)	4,300 x 1,760 x 1,615
Wheelbase (in mm)	2,620

 

Exterior 

The Nissan Kicks e-Power has design cues reminiscent of the discontinued Juke, with a tall stance and a sporty chin and rear bumper. To note, the author was able to check out the latter’s Nismo model. You may check our thoughts about the souped-up — but somehow dated crossover — in the video below from Zigwheels Philippines sister platform, Carmudi Philippines. 

Now, back to the Nissan Kicks e-Power. At the helm is the modern iteration of the brand’s V-motion grille flanked by full LED headlamps with LED DRLs. On the corners of its cheeks are LED fog lights, housed in black plastic bezels. Its chin looks strong with claddings that resemble a skid plate. 

Onto its sides are thin plastic protectors, which are also slapped on its wheel wells as well as on the bottom of its doors and side sills. It gets dark-colored side mirrors with repeaters and black pillars all around, which creates an illusion of the hybrid crossover having a floating roof. 

It runs on 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped with 205/55 series tires. 

At the hind, the Nissan Kicks e-Power gets a discreet spoiler with an integrated lamp, a decent-sized rear glass, dynamic-looking taillamps with LED technology, and a large bumper with diffuser effect. 

Interior 

Inside, the Nissak Kicks e-Power gets the brand’s famous Zero Gravity seats for the driver and the front passenger. These — at least for the range-topping model — are wrapped with genuine leather and feature double stitching for added flair. 

Past it is a seven-inch TFT digital instrument cluster accompanied by an eight-inch “advanced” touchscreen display audio. Connectivity features include Apple Carplay and Android Auto. 

Here are some of its notable convenience and comfort components: 

• Single-zone automatic air conditioning system 
• Six speakers 

Powertrain, chassis 

Under the hood of the Nissan Kicks e-Power is an alternating current synchronous motor with a high-voltage battery with a capacity of 2.13 kWh. This can be seen as the earliest iteration of a hybrid powertrain with an EV-first attack on propulsion as the Japanese carmaker touts the system as a unit with an “all-electric drive.” 

Similar to BYD’s approach in hybrid systems, the Nissan Kicks e-Power’s 1.2-liter gasoline engine also serves as a generator to juice up the battery of the powertrain unit. 

Below are its performance characteristics: 

Maximum power output (in hp)	134
Maximum torque (in Nm)	280

 

When it comes to bringing the crossover to a halt, the Nissan Kicks e-Power uses ventilated discs at the front and solid discs at the back. 

Its suspension system consists of a strut-type arrangement at the front and a torsion beam arrangement (with stabilizer) at the rear. 

Safety

In terms of safety, here are the Nissan Kicks e-Power’s available features: 

• Airbags 
• Seatbelts 
• Anti-lock braking system 
• Vehicle dynamic control 
• Rear parking sensors 
• Intelligent around-view monitor 
• Intelligent forward collision warning 
• Intelligent emergency braking 
• Driver attention alert
• Hill-start assist 
• e-pedal step 

Final thoughts 

Listed above are just some of the popular crossovers in the country that run on hybrid technology. Each have their own advantages, allowing them to cater to a wide range of car buyers who have various motoring needs. 

Below are their price tags, along with the available variants: 

Toyota RAV4

Toyota RAV4 2.5L XLE HEV CVT	P2.067 million
Toyota RAV4 2.5L LTD HEV CVT	P2.377 million

 

BYD Sealion 5 DM-i

BYD Sealion 5 DM-i

PP1.248 million (limited introductory price P1.198 million)

 

Nissan Kicks e-Power 

Nissan Kicks e-Power EL	P1.179 million
Nissan Kicks e-Power VE	P1.279 million
Nissan Kicks e-Power VL	P1.479 million

 

Also read: 

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Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid vs Toyota Zenix vs BYD eMAX 7: new-energy MPV scuffle

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