Toyota's most powerful and efficient RAV4 ever, the new $38,100 Prime plug-in hybrid, is coming this summer

• Toyota announced on Monday its upcoming 2021 RAV4 Prime will start at $38,100 and arrive at dealers later in the summer.
• The Prime is the company's first plug-in electric version of the popular compact SUV.
• It has 302 horsepower and a manufacturer-estimated 42 miles of battery-only driving range.

Toyota finally released pricing information for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime. The plug-in hybrid version of its most popular and best-selling car will have a starting MSRP of $38,100.

The Toyota RAV4 Prime was first announced last November and boasts very impressive figures: The car will have 302 horsepower, be able to do zero to 60 in 5.7 seconds, and have a manufacturer-estimated 42 miles of driving range on battery power alone from a single charge, according to an official press release. Compared to other comparable plug-in hybrids, 42 miles is high.

There will also be electronic on-demand all-wheel drive.

The SE trim will indicate the base model RAV4 Prime models. That's the one that'll start at $38,100. You'll get 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, red stitching, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, and a powered trunk door.

For those looking for a few more options, Toyota will also offer the car in XSE trim, which starts at $41,425. The XSE will offer 19-inch wheels, paddle shifters, a moonroof, ambient interior lighting, a bigger touchscreen, and two-tone exterior paint. The attractive Supersonic Red that you see in the header photo above will also be an option.

Toyota notes that these prices exclude the delivery, processing, and handling fee of $1,120.

Seeing as the RAV4 is Toyota's best-selling car of both 2018 and 2019, it's likely the plug-in hybrid version of it will also be extremely popular.

As of right now, the only other plug-in hybrid Toyota offers is the Prius Prime. The Prius Prime, despite finally getting a fifth seat for its 2020 model year, is also smaller, produces less power, and has an EPA-estimated, EV-only range of up to 25 miles.

As a bigger and taller vehicle, the RAV4 offers additional cargo room, a bigger back seat, and easier ingress and egress for passengers. True, the RAV4 Prime will be about $10,000 more expensive than the regular hybrid RAV4, but Toyota claims the Prime will have a far superior, manufacturer-estimated combined MPGe of up to 94 miles.

Toyota says the RAV4 Prime will hit dealerships this summer.

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