<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="9623641" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2021-toyota-venza">2021 Toyota Venza</keyword> is back as a hybrid-only, all-wheel drive, two-row crossover.</li><li>It's actually quite fun to drive with very agile handling, which isn't commonplace among crossovers.</li><li>But the car isn't without its faults, like disappointing cargo space and visibility paired with too few physical buttons on the interior.</li><li>Prices start at $32,470 and it will be available in early September.</li></ul><p>In the realm of hybrid crossovers, there are a lot to choose from. But the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-toyota-venza-back-as-hybrid-price-specs-release-date-2020-5">2021 Toyota Venza</a> is one that deserves your attention.</p><p>Having a plethora of hybrid crossovers on the market — and hybrids in general — is a good thing. It wasn't too long ago that driving a hybrid car was erroneously seen as something only lame, tree-hugging environmentalists did. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_9" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110805" hostid="261"></div></p><p>But as we're living through a generation-defining climate crisis, it's great that there are suddenly so many hybrid options out there. It normalizes the idea of electrification and, hopefully one day, will pave the way for a complete break from our reliance on fossil fuels.</p><p>But I digress.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_6" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110808" hostid="261"></div></p><p>The Venza is anything but lame. It's sharply styled and outfitted with contemporary technology that makes it feel like it's fully embraced the new decade — and fully embraced buyers who normally wouldn't go for this whole "electrification" thing. </p><h2><strong>The 2021 <keyword id="9244368" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Toyota-Venza">Toyota Venza</keyword>: It's not the one you remember</strong></h2><p>Those familiar with <keyword id="6374528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="toyota">Toyota</keyword>'s lineup from the late 2000s to the mid-2010s will know it also featured a Venza: an SUV-ish thing that wasn't quite tall enough to be an SUV but was also a bit too big to be a sedan. Perhaps it was most accurately described as a tall station wagon. Regardless, it was difficult to classify. </p><p><div type="image" title="Toyota Venza 2014" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110813" hostid="261"></div></p><p>After a successful 2009, <a href="https://www.motortrend.com/news/toyota-venza-calling-it-quits-after-2015-model-year/">sales figures started dropping</a> — to the point where the Venza was finally discontinued after the 2015 model year. </p><p>But now the Venza is back and classified firmly by Toyota as a two-row crossover. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_32" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110821" hostid="261"></div></p><p>From the outside, the new Venza is a "Venza" in name only. It looks nothing like the previous one. In fact, it has rather <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jaguar-f-pace-review-2017-7">Jaguar F-Pace</a>-esque lines to its sculpted rear end. Toyota's designers really pulled back on the beltline here, creating a silhouette that conveys sportiness.</p><p>The 2021 Venza is the United States-import version of the Japanese-market Toyota Harrier. It will be sold here exclusively as a hybrid model. The crossover is, as Toyota puts it, part of the automaker's goal of electrification advancement. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_16" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110823" hostid="261"></div></p><p>And seeing as Toyota paved the wave for mass-market <keyword id="163386" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="hybrid-cars">hybrid cars</keyword> with the Prius, I could only expect a top-notch hybrid experience from the new Venza. Toyota's had long enough to perfect it, after all.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: All-electric driving and standard all-wheel drive</strong></h2><p>The 2021 Venza rides on Toyota's TNGA-K platform, which also underpins the Camry, Avalon, RAV4, Highlander, and Sienna. The hybrid system's battery pack is stored beneath the rear seats so trunk space isn't compromised. All-wheel drive comes as standard through the use of a separate, rear-mounted electric motor that powers the rear wheels as necessary.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_12" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77110827" hostid="261"></div></p><p>Toyota rates the new Venza at 219 horsepower, which comes from both its 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and a system with three electric motors. Torque has not been announced at this time. </p><p>Although the EPA estimates haven't yet been finalized, Toyota said its own estimates put the total driving range at just under 500 miles. It also estimates fuel-economy return to be 40 mpg in the city, 37 mpg on the highway, and 39 mpg combined. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_8" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110830" hostid="261"></div></p><p>In the single weekend I had to test out the Venza, I found it returned about 36 mpg with both city and highway driving. </p><p>All-electric driving is possible for short distances, though in a recent Q&amp;A session, Toyota's engineers declined to disclose the range and speed limitations, if any. Rather, they said the main purpose of the all-electric driving is for coming home at night and not having the noise of the engine disturbing the neighbors, which seemed like a weirdly specific example to use. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_21" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110833" hostid="261"></div></p><p>Anyway, I was unable to determine the all-electric range in my own testing, but I did discover that the car would go into electric-only driving when it was traveling at 25 mph or below. The gasoline motor would kick to life if I surpassed 25 mph or if I leaned on the accelerator too aggressively. It wound up being most useful during stop-and-go traffic.</p><p>The Venza, in terms of size, is about six inches longer and slightly shorter in height than the RAV4. They're about the same width, and the RAV4 also has more ground clearance: It can have between 8.4 inches and 8.6 inches of clearance, depending on the trim, while the Venza claims 7.8 inches. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_17" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110836" hostid="261"></div></p><p>The Venza's weight comes to 3,847 pounds in the LE trim, 3,891 pounds in the XLE trim, and 3,913 pounds in the Limited trim, meaning it's a few hundred pounds heavier than the RAV4.</p><p>As of this writing, the Venza has yet to be rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_3" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110838" hostid="261"></div></p><h2><strong>What stands out: A crossover with luxury features and sports-car urges</strong></h2><p>Hybrid crossovers suffer from an image problem. </p><p>Too often, they are dismissed as boring, unenthusiastic cars, reserved solely for people who care not a bit about having any spark of excitement in their lives. The Venza takes this notion and turns it completely on its head.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_4" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77110842" hostid="261"></div></p><p>It doesn't take long behind the wheel before the Venza suddenly feels like it's shrunk around you. You're left feeling like you're driving something much smaller — and lighter — than you are. Likely, this is accomplished through communicative steering, a well-balanced chassis, and good throttle response. </p><p>The Venza drives with far more agility and maneuverability than anything its size has any right to. The electric motor supplies instantaneous low-end power, zipping the car ahead of slow-moving traffic with a sort of casual athleticism I've come to expect from sports cars — but certainly not from hybrid, two-row crossovers.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_15" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110846" hostid="261"></div></p><p>I returned the press loaner Venza over a week ago and the feeling that's stuck with me when I think back about how it drove is its chuckability. This is a car that feels light enough on its feet that you can throw it into corners and between lanes and it won't punish you with terrifying, body-roll wobbliness. ("Body roll" is just a fancy term for the sensation of a car leaning toward the outside of a turn. The less, the better.)</p><p>This is not to say that the Venza is a sports car, of course. It is not. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shocked at how a car that big and weighing that much could feel completely elfin once it got moving. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_7" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110849" hostid="261"></div></p><p>During the rest of the driving experience, the Venza is quiet. The only time you really hear the engine at all is when you accelerate. Toyota said it wanted to create a cabin that fostered a very muted atmosphere, and the automaker has done that.<strong> </strong></p><p>The TNGA-K platform apparently blocks out vibration and noise through the floor, structure, and steering. Insulation placed in key locations cuts down on tire noise. The windshield is made from "acoustic glass" that helps reduce wind noise. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_23" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110851" hostid="261"></div></p><p>The switch between electric driving and hybrid driving — meaning when the gasoline engine turns on — was incredibly seamless. With the extra sound-deadening, the only hint you got that the car was suddenly using its gasoline engine was a very slight vibration in the steering wheel. That was it; completely unnoticeable otherwise if you weren't looking for it.</p><p>Because of its height, the Venza's ingress and egress were also very intuitive. I felt like Goldilocks when getting in and out of this car: didn't have to climb up too high, didn't have to get down too low in order to slide into the seat.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_26" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110855" hostid="261"></div></p><p>The rear seats can theoretically fit three, but that might be a bit cramped. With two, there's good arm and shoulder room, as well as decent legroom. </p><p>My favorite part of the car was the panoramic Star Gaze roof. A $1,400 option on the top-tier Limited trim, the roof is a big piece of seemingly frosted glass that flicks from transparent to to semi-transparent at the push of a button. Toyota said it uses something called "electrochromic glass technology" to pull off the effect.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_28" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110859" hostid="261"></div></p><p>When it's transparent, the Star Gaze roof acts like a regular, clear moonroof. It lets in sunlight and adds to the airiness of the cabin. When it's semi-transparent, the roof cuts down on the heat coming into the cabin and also diffuses the light in a very pleasant way, sort of like sitting beneath a white tarp.</p><p>Of course, if you want nothing to come through at all, you can also slide the roof covering shut. That's just less fancy.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_29" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110862" hostid="261"></div></p><h2><strong>What falls short: Sleek styling comes at a price </strong></h2><p>Even the Venza was unable to escape the cheap-looking, <a href="https://jalopnik.com/this-is-the-worst-new-trend-in-car-interior-design-1564314503">tacked-on-as-an-afterthought screen</a> and eventual <a href="https://jalopnik.com/future-audi-interiors-will-be-a-button-less-screen-fil-1840457095">buttonless</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-mercedes-user-experience-system-offers-up-to-five-screens-2020-7">hellscape</a> that awaits us all. Although its infotainment and climate were not completely controlled via a touchscreen, the "buttons" had zero haptic feedback, so you still needed to glance at the screen to check your climate adjustment anyway. </p><p>I hate that. I drive a lot of cars, and I still hate having to look at a screen while I drive. It's distracting.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_25" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77110868" hostid="261"></div></p><p>It's also almost a rule at this point that the sleeker and more raked a car's rear window is, the worse its rearward visibility is. The Venza, with its sporty looks, is a nightmare for over-the-shoulder glances. The fat D-pillars and small window make for a big blind spot. You'll rely on your mirrors a bit more here, as well as on the lane-departure warning system.</p><p>But call me old-fashioned: I like physically being able to see where I'm about to go. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_20" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110872" hostid="261"></div></p><p>And despite being longer than the RAV4, the Venza actually offers less cargo room. I suppose it's not surprising when you look at their exterior profiles — a box is always going to have more volume than something with a shorter, sleeker, and tapered roofline. </p><p>But just so you have them, the numbers: <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Toyota-RAV4-Product-Information_FINAL_1.24.20.pdf">The RAV4 has</a> 37.5 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the second row, the Venza has 28.8 cubic feet without the Star Gaze roof and 28.7 cubic feet with it. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_14" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110876" hostid="261"></div></p><h2><strong>How the Venza compares to its competitors: The only one of its kind </strong></h2><p>The Venza, being exclusively a hybrid-only, all-wheel drive model, is interesting. Typically, hybrid and all-wheel drive options are the most expensive way you can outfit a model. The Venza, through its singular offering, removes the other options entirely.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza." height="460" width="1186" msid="77110878" hostid="261"></div></p><p>The base LE trim starts at an MSRP of $32,470. The mid-tier XLE trim starts at $36,000. The top-tier Limited trim starts at $39,800. The delivery, processing, and handling fee is an additional $1,175. Toyota says the Venza will see an on-sale date of early September. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_27" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77110881" hostid="261"></div></p><p>Toyota has said the Venza will compete with the likes of the Nissan Murano, Ford Edge, Honda Passport, and Chevrolet Blazer. None of these offer hybrid configurations or standard all-wheel drive, so when you consider the Venza's starting price to be just a couple of thousand dollars more, it makes for a serious contender. </p><p>Yes, the Venza's official EPA fuel-economy figures haven't yet been released. But <a href="https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2021-toyota-venza-hybrid-vs-chevy-blazer-honda-passport-comparison/">Roadshow</a> also points out that the Toyota's estimated combined fuel economy of about 40 mpg will likely be much better than the competition, which comparatively has mpg ranges in the low- to mid-20s. </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_24" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110885" hostid="261"></div></p><h2><strong>Market musings: The Venza walks a fine line</strong></h2><p>The new Toyota Venza is designed to sit right in between the RAV4 and the Highlander. But while both of those are offered as non-hybrid and hybrid models, the Venza will have no such option. Hybrid is the only way you can get it. Why?</p><p>I have my suspicions. I suspect Toyota knows buyers will flock more heavily toward the RAV4 and the Highlander. Last year, the RAV4 and the Highlander were Toyota's <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2019-year-end-sales/">two best-selling cars</a> in the US.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_30" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110888" hostid="261"></div></p><p>But to fill the existing gap between the two, and to cover any potential customers a competitor might steal, Toyota simply federalized the Japanese-market Harrier and stamped a name on it that US buyers would recognize. </p><p>Another reason for only federalizing the hybrid-only Venza: It offers protection against potential market cannibalization.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_11" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110892" hostid="261"></div></p><p>Pricing for the Venza slots right in between the hybrid versions of the RAV4 ($28,350 starting) and Highlander ($38,200 starting). As a result, the Venza both offers a middle choice for hybrid crossover buyers while simultaneously pricing itself out of the way of the non-hybrid RAV4 ($25,950 starting) and Highlander ($34,600 starting). It'd be logical to think that perhaps hybrid buyers and non-hybrid buyers are distinct enough not to clash over the Venza.</p><p>But maybe you don't care about all the market stuff. Maybe you just want to know if this sleek-looking hybrid crossover is any good to drive. It is! </p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_31" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110899" hostid="261"></div></p><p>The 2021 Venza can just about do it all — and then some. Come for the quiet and smooth ride, enjoy the seamless shift between all-electric driving to hybrid driving, and stay for the surprisingly spirited and light-footed nature. </p><p>Let the new Venza breathe some life into hybrid crossovers. Their current reputation could use the help.</p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_22" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110902" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_19" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77110904" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_13" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77110909" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_10" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77110915" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_5" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110919" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Venza_1" height="1333" width="2000" msid="77110921" hostid="261"></div></p>

REVIEW: The $32,000 Toyota Venza hybrid crossover proves electrification doesn't have to be boring

Toyota is finally bringing back the Venza as a hybrid-only crossover after 5 years by importing a Japan-market model — take a closer look

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1055033" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Toyota-Rav4">Toyota RAV4</keyword> is the automaker's most popular vehicle, selling nearly half a million last year alone.</li><li>The 2021 RAV4 Prime is the plug-in hybrid version, which boasts an impressive 42 estimated miles of EV-only range.</li><li>The RAV4 Prime has a starting price of $38,100, but my loaner in the top-tier XSE AWD trim started at $41,425 MSRP. After options, it came out to $49,831.</li></ul><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/toyota-rav4-prime">2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime</a> is what you get when you take the best-selling passenger car in the US, make it a plug-in hybrid, and give it great all-electric range. To those still waiting on the so-called EV revolution, I say it's already here — here in the form of highly capable <keyword id="2158849" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="plug-in-hybrids">plug-in hybrids</keyword> like the RAV4 Prime. </p><p>I already know the regular RAV4 <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-toyota-rav4-can-almost-do-it-all-1834282110">is a champion at almost everything it does</a>, so it was unsurprising that when I made a list of cars I was most excited to drive this year, the RAV4 Prime was near the top. It was time to see if the 302-horsepower, plug-in hybrid version of an already great car would be any better.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_16" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590824" hostid="261"></div><p>Spoiler alert: It is.</p><h2><strong>The 2021 <keyword id="6374528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="toyota">Toyota</keyword> RAV4 Optimus Prime: Plug-in <keyword id="6557668" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hybrids">hybrids</keyword>, roll out</strong></h2><p>The RAV4 is Toyota's most popular vehicle in the US, with <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2019-year-end-sales/">448,071</a> sold last year alone. It was the <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g27041933/best-selling-cars-2019/">fourth best-selling vehicle in the US overall</a> behind the Ford F-Series, Ram Pickup, and the Chevrolet Silverado — all pickup trucks.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_56" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590827" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 is not a pickup truck, but it's not a small car, either. It's a two-row, five-seater SUV that's now in its boxy-faced fifth generation. Length comes to 15 feet, width comes to nearly 6.1 feet, and height comes to 5.6 feet. There are 8.3 inches of ground clearance.</p><p>Partway through the current RAV4's life cycle, Toyota unveiled the RAV4 Prime — the plug-in hybrid version of the SUV — at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_26" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590832" hostid="261"></div><p>To be clear, Toyota already had a hybrid RAV4, just not a plug-in one. The RAV4 Prime became the second plug-in hybrid offering from Toyota, following the Prius Prime.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: The most powerful RAV4 ever </strong></h2><p>A plug-in hybrid is different from a conventional hybrid because, as its name suggests, you can plug it in and charge the battery that way. Conventional hybrids have much shorter EV-only ranges, if they offer any at all. A plug-in hybrid's batteries tend to be bigger and EV-only range is greater, but this also makes them more expensive. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_2" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590834" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 Prime uses a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces a claimed 177 horsepower. When combined with the electric motors, total system output comes to a claimed 302 horsepower. </p><p>That means the RAV4 Prime is part of a growing camp of Toyota cars and crossovers with more than 300 horsepower, with Toyota proclaiming it the "<a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/vehicle/2021-toyota-rav4-prime/">most powerful RAV4 ever</a>." Others include the <a href="https://www.automobilemag.com/news/top-10-cheapest-cars-with-300-horsepower-193181/">Toyota Camry TRD, Toyota Avalon XLE</a>, and the <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2021-Toyota-Supra-Product-Info.pdf">six-cylinder Supra</a>. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_35" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590837" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 Prime has something <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-revs-up-lineup-with-new-302-horsepower-rav4-prime/">Toyota calls</a> "Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive," which involves a separate, rear-mounted electric motor powering the back wheels when necessary, such as during acceleration and in low-traction situations. </p><p>Toyota <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-rav4-prime-plug-in-hybrid-specs-pricing-release-date-2020-6">quotes</a> the RAV4 Prime's EV-only driving range to be 42 miles, which is <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15377500/plug-in-hybrid-car-suv-vehicles/">impressively high</a>. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates it to return 94 mpge (<a href="https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/what-is-mpge">miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent</a>) and 38 mpg in hybrid mode on city and highway combined driving.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_24" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590841" hostid="261"></div><p>Comparatively, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-vehicles-best-gas-mileage-2019-11#:~:text=The%20average%20car%20sold%20in,miles%20per%20gallon%20(MPG).">the average car sold in the US gets about 25 mpg</a>.</p><p>At the time of this writing, the <keyword id="10085628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2021-toyota-rav4-prime">2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime</keyword> has not yet been rated for crash safety by <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/TOYOTA/RAV4%252520PRIME">the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a> or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: An estimated 42 miles of EV-only driving </strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_4" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590843" hostid="261"></div><p>Compared to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lotus-evora-gt-review-price-specs-horsepower-sports-car-2020-9">the last car I drove</a>, the RAV4 Prime was a breeze to climb in and out of. And there was so much room for everything. The back seats were roomy and the trunk offered 33.4 cubic feet of storage space, or <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-toyota-rav4-can-almost-do-it-all-1834282110">slightly less</a> than the non-plug-in RAV4. </p><p>There was plenty of headroom and, owing to the square design of the rear, visibility was great all around. For front passengers, there were even little rubber-lined cubbies for your loose items. So thoughtful! </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_1" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590844" hostid="261"></div><p>I awarded additional interior points to the RAV4's extensive button, dial, and switch offerings. True, there was no escaping the slapped-on-screen look, but crucial functions such as the climate and radio volume were still controlled via hard switches. </p><p>The infotainment's user interface looked and felt a little older than some of the other new cars I've reviewed, but it didn't bother me much. I was too busy appreciating the buttons.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_10" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590847" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 Prime starts up by default in EV mode, but the gas engine will kick in under hard acceleration. In my own testing, which involved city driving and a stint on the highway, the car returned about 35 miles of EV-only driving before the battery depleted. </p><p>Two buttons on the center console let a driver: keep the car in pure EV-only mode; keep the car in pure gasoline-only mode; utilize charge mode to replenish the battery; or put it in either Auto EV/HV mode, where the car switches between EV-only driving and using the gasoline engine depending on driving conditions.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_6" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590849" hostid="261"></div><p>When in the appropriate mode, the car switches seamlessly between battery power and gas power. You can get sucked into figuring out your route and toggling around the modes to maximize efficiency, but if you can't be bothered and just want to drive the RAV4 normally, you can easily do that, too. </p><p>On an empty battery, plugging the car into a wall socket (voltage unknown) took about 11 hours to fully charge. Putting it into charge mode and driving on the highway fully charged the battery in about an hour. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_61" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590852" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>What falls short: The driver information cluster has a lot going on</strong></h2><p>My one big gripe with the RAV4 was that it was a little slow. The RAV4 in Prime guise fixed that. It felt much quicker and more urgent off the line thanks to the electric motors, but the four-cylinder drone was still loud in the cabin during hard acceleration.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_7" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590856" hostid="261"></div><p>In fact, I wasn't terribly impressed with the car's overall noise, vibration, and harshness quality — also known as NVH, a measurement of the amount of unwanted noise and tactile input that enters the car during driving. The engine was loud and additional noise coming in from the tires against the road did not make for a quiet ride. </p><p>After being so impressed by the casual athleticism of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-venza-2021-review-price-new-crossover-hybrid-specs-photos-2020-7">new Toyota Venza</a> recently, I also expected better handling. The Venza felt agile and darty. The RAV4 Prime did not. </p><p>Mostly, it felt top heavy. If I took a corner too quickly and didn't brake adequately beforehand, the car tended to lean pretty heavily, which was unpleasant for my passengers. I learned to take corners conservatively.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_65" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590859" hostid="261"></div><p>The driver gauge cluster also included far more information than necessary. There are a lot of gauges for <em>a lot</em> of different things. </p><p>The left-hand gauge displays a sort of efficiency meter, showing how much power you're using and what effect it has on your battery. The right-hand gauge shows fuel and battery amount. </p><p>The center display includes a speedometer, odometer, a check-rear-seat indicator, and projected ranges of both EV and HV (hybrid vehicle?) driving. It also tells you what driving mode you're in, as well as a few other numbers and figures I couldn't quite figure out.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_5" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590868" hostid="261"></div><p>During the first few hours of my loan, I had to remind myself not to get distracted by reading the gauge cluster. </p><p>Eventually, I made the executive decision to ignore them all, except for the speedo and fuel/battery gauges — the only ones that really matter. </p><h2><strong>How the RAV4 Prime compares to its competitors: That EV-only range, though </strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_7" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590872" hostid="261"></div><p>There certainly aren't as many plug-in hybrid SUVs as there should be. </p><p>A few <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15377500/plug-in-hybrid-car-suv-vehicles/">comparable competitors</a> to the RAV4 Prime that come to mind are the Kia Niro PHEV, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeep-wrangler-plug-in-hybrid-coming-in-2020-8">Jeep Wrangler 4xe</a>, Audi Q5 TFSI e, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Ford Escape PHEV, and the plug-in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lincoln-aviator-review-hybrid-specs-three-row-suv-luxury-2020-7">Lincoln Aviator</a>. The RAV4 Prime beats out all of these with either a better EV-only range, cheaper price, or both. </p><p>The RAV4's closest competitor, the Honda CR-V, does not offer a plug-in version. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_43" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590877" hostid="261"></div><p>Within the Toyota family, the Prius Prime admittedly does offer <a href="https://www.toyota.com/priusprime/">a starting price that's $10,000 cheaper</a>, but its estimated EV-only mode is lower and it's a smaller car overall. The regular hybrid RAV4 doesn't offer an EV-only mode whatsoever, but it does have <a href="https://www.toyota.com/rav4hybrid/">a starting price of $28,500</a>.</p><p>The 2021 <keyword id="8366344" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Toyota-RAV4-Prime">Toyota RAV4 Prime</keyword> <a href="https://www.toyota.com/rav4prime/features/mpg/4544/4550">starts at $38,100</a>. My loaner came in the top-tier XSE AWD trim, so starting MSRP was $41,425. With the XSE trim, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-rav4-prime-plug-in-hybrid-specs-pricing-release-date-2020-6">you get</a> bigger wheels, a moon roof, ambient interior lighting, two-tone exterior paint, and a bigger center touchscreen.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_44" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590880" hostid="261"></div><p>After options such as a premium audio system ($1,620), special Supersonic Red exterior paint ($425), the Premium Package ($3,765), and some roof-rack crossbars, the new total came out to $49,831.</p><p>For a RAV4, that's a lot. </p><h2><strong>Our impressions: The solution to range anxiety</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_60" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590881" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_59" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590884" hostid="261"></div>The RAV4 is Toyota's volume seller, so it's an important one to get right. And for the majority of US buyers, it's exactly what they need. <p>It's comfortable, utilitarian, highly practical, well thought out, and incredibly easy to drive and use. When it came down to building a mass-market car, Toyota nailed it. No wonder the automaker sold nearly half a million of them last year.</p><p>Then, Toyota took that package and made it a plug-in hybrid — a good one, at that.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_49" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590886" hostid="261"></div><p>In my own testing, I saw a return of about 42 mpg. Our EV-only stint returned about 35 miles, as mentioned above, and that was mostly on a highway. For someone looking for a fuel-efficient car that can also haul around just about everything, the RAV4 Prime is the perfect solution.</p><p>I don't know what your daily commute looks like, but I could ostensibly see most RAV4 Prime owners relying primarily on the battery to get around town for errands and day-to-day life. Potentially, you could whittle your reliance on gasoline down to zero during daily usage.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_36" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590890" hostid="261"></div><p>There's the gas engine to fall back on for longer commutes, of course. But if your roundtrip commute is less than about 42 miles, you could just charge your RAV4 Prime at home overnight so it's fresh and ready to go the next morning. Treat it like an EV. </p><p>And if there's anything the RAV4 Prime proves, it's that plug-in hybrids like it are a solution for range anxiety. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_41" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590891" hostid="261"></div><p>For those who want an EV but fret about being able to complete long trips, PHEVs are the answer. You don't need to worry about finding a charging station because any old gas station will do, and you can rely on the gasoline engine while your battery is charging. </p><p>You won't get stuck. I can't really see a downside, and buyers probably won't either.</p><p>If the future of the RAV4 Prime is anything like the success of the regular RAV4, then strap in. Toyota just might wind up <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2021-toyota-rav4-plug-in-hybrid-might-become-the-mo-1838968972">selling thousands and thousands of these things</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_52" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590894" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_10" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590895" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_28" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590896" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_39" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590899" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_42" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590903" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_19" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590909" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_23" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590912" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid is perfect for those who want an EV but can't quite commit yet

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The 2021 <keyword id="25952" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mercedes-Benz">Mercedes-Benz</keyword> GLA 250 is all-new for its second generation, and represents the entry-level Mercedes-Benz SUV.</li><li>Despite its increase in size, the new GLA is fun, especially as a front-wheel drive car. Just don't expect to fit a whole lot in the trunk.</li><li>Prices start at $36,230, but my loaner came out to $57,150 after options.</li></ul><p>There are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lincoln-aviator-review-hybrid-specs-three-row-suv-luxury-2020-7">big, hulking, behemoth</a> SUVs — ones that tower over children and loom over adults, competing with buses for space on the roads — and then there are the smaller, bite-sized ones.</p><p>Contrary to what the current car market says, which is that bigger is always better, buying small <em>is</em> allowed. It can be a good thing, even.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_9" height="3750" width="2500" msid="77871938" hostid="261"></div><p>A "compact" SUV is oxymoronic, but they exist, offering heightened ingress and egress and slightly more head and shoulder room than the hatchbacks and sedans they might compete with.</p><p>The brand-new 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is the latest example. It's bigger than the model it replaces, but that just means more room for you to stretch out a bit while taking up less room on the road.</p><h2><strong>The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250: The little one</strong></h2><p>The <keyword id="6357420" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mercedes">Mercedes</keyword> SUV spread is impressive. Sitting at the top of its big-car hierarchy are the boxy G-Wagen and the massive GLS. All the way down — past the GLE, GLC, and GLB, because we go in alphabetical order here — is the diminutive GLA.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_1" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871946" hostid="261"></div><p>There's an SUV for every size requirement: big, medium, small, and even ones for people who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mercedes-glc-coupe-amg-2016-8">willfully ignore how to use the word "coupe" correctly</a>.</p><p>New for its second generation, the GLA represents the entry point for Mercedes SUVs. The squarer GLB is more utilitarian-focused; the GLA is sleeker and more athletic-looking. In a production Q&amp;A, a Mercedes spokesperson said the car is intended for either an empty-nester or early starter. </p><p>Basically, that translates to buyers who don't have a lot of stuff or people to carry regularly, because this trunk is <em>snug</em>.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_17" height="3750" width="2500" msid="77871949" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Very compact, even by 'compact' standards</strong></h2><p>The GLA rides on a platform that's shared across all of Mercedes' compact cars, underpinning the GLB and CLA as well. The new GLA is 3.9 inches higher than the outgoing model, but 0.6 inches shorter from nose to tail. Despite this, Mercedes claims it offers "considerably more legroom" in the back. </p><p>Still, the GLA is small. It's only 1.6 inches longer, 1.7 inches wider, and 6.3 inches taller than the 2021 Toyota Corolla hatchback. That places it solidly within <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/research/a32798948/what-is-a-compact-car/">the compact category</a>. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_31" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871954" hostid="261"></div><p>Once upon a time, a Mercedes model's alphanumeric name dictated the displacement of its engine (an E320 had a 3.2-liter engine) but that practice is no more. The GLA 250 has a 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline-four engine that produces a claimed 221 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. </p><p>Mercedes estimates it to hit 60 mph from a standstill in between 6.6 and 6.8 seconds, as well as achieve an <a href="https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/news/a30737/bugatti-will-remove-your-chirons-speed-limiter-if-you-want-to-do-285-mph/">electronically limited</a> top speed of 130 mph. Power is sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. </p><p>For an extra $2,000, however, you can equip your GLA with Mercedes' 4MATIC all-wheel drive. Curb weight comes to 3,384 pounds for the front-wheel drive version, 3,494 pounds for GLAs equipped with 4MATIC.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_22" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871957" hostid="261"></div><p>At the time of this writing, the 2021 GLA 250 has not yet been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for crash safety. </p><h2><strong>What stands out: Torque steer, it builds character </strong></h2><p>The first thing you'll notice is that the new GLA is quite a nice place to sit. The seats are contoured, yes, but they are roomy. There's plenty of headroom. The cabin isn't claustrophobic. The back seats do indeed offer plenty of legroom. And the big infotainment system — formally called Mercedes-Benz User Experience, or "MBUX" — offers a great display: good viewing angles, a clear and concise picture. I wouldn't mind that kind of resolution on my phone.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_29" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871959" hostid="261"></div><p>The GLA's little engine has plenty of hustle, too. With the windows down, it's a whooshing, whistling thing as the turbocharger spools up. In the standard Comfort driving mode, the car accelerates agreeably, but putting it in Sport mode is the play here. </p><p>Unlike other cars, where Sport mode is perhaps more a sugar pill than a mode that actually does anything, Sport mode in the GLA noticeably changes the car's personality. The steering tightens up and the transmission takes on a tendency to hang out in a gear lower than it normally would. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_7" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871962" hostid="261"></div><p>With this engine, 3,500 rpm is your sweet spot. Keeping the revs there — or at least close to there — guarantees the most immediate response, the most urgency, the most fun. The power is most accessible in this mode. It made a jaunt across Brooklyn's Belt Parkway quite enjoyable, despite the moderate traffic.</p><p>You'll feel a bit of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFGWzUAUisQ">torque steer</a> — a normal phenomenon that predominantly affects front-wheel-drive cars, where accelerating powerfully at low speeds can cause the steering wheel to pull in another direction — but it's totally controllable.</p><p>Actually, it gives the GLA a bit more character. It gives it a bit of a hot-hatch quality — which, to car enthusiasts, is a good thing.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_26" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871964" hostid="261"></div><p>Curiously, the GLA 250 didn't feel as light and tossable as the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-venza-2021-review-price-new-crossover-hybrid-specs-photos-2020-7">Toyota Venza I had a few weeks ago</a>, despite weighing a few hundred pounds less, but I still had fun in it. Its short overhangs made it extremely easy to place and maneuver — and especially easy to park. It was a nice city car.</p><h2><strong>What falls short: Itty, bitty, little trunk </strong></h2><p>Mercedes-Benz is a luxury brand, but it's still an athletic sort of luxury that's unlike the Lincolns of the road. As such, I found the GLA's suspension to ride a bit on the hard side, which makes me think the eventual performance-focused AMG version will ride even harder. If you live in a place where the road quality is generally alright, you probably won't be bothered by this. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_11" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871967" hostid="261"></div><p>The Mercedes product spokespeople weren't kidding when they said who they envisioned this car was for. I cannot imagine a family with two small children — plus all the gear those two small children require — would have much use for the GLA. Although the passenger cabin is roomy, the trunk is laughably small. </p><p>With the second row upright, there's 15.4 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk. Comparatively, the smaller Toyota Corolla hatchback we discussed above <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2021-Toyota-Corolla-Hatchback-Product-Info.pdf">has 17.8 cubic feet behind its second row</a>.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_10" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871968" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback 036" height="1769" width="2500" msid="77871969" hostid="261"></div><p>No, the GLA is for a two-person household and their luggage and cargo, or a four-person household where those four people don't bring a whole lot to wherever they're going. </p><p>And after having great success with the voice command <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/polestar-2-review-price-ev-volvo-tesla-specs-horsepower-electric-2020-8">in the Polestar 2</a>, I wanted to test out the GLA's system, too. </p><p>"Hey, Mercedes. How do you make a banana split?"</p><p>"Navigating you to Banana Split Inc. on 820 Church Road, Aurora, Illinois," the car said after a moment. </p><p><em>Noooo. </em>"Cancel! Hey, MERCEDES! CANCEL!" </p><p>I tried again. "Hey, Mercedes. Tell me a joke."</p><p>"Sorry," the car responded dryly. "My engineers were German."</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_28" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871974" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>How the GLA 250 compares to its competitors: The sales numbers don't lie </strong></h2><p>Mercedes <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/mercedes-benz-usa-sales-december-2019?firstResultIndex=0&amp;sortOrder=PublishedDescendingding">sold</a> 22,137 GLAs last year out of 316,094 total passenger cars sold. On the other hand, the bigger GLC sold 73,650 examples — which tells me that most people still want more room when they get an SUV. Buyers don't want small things right now, they want big ones.</p><p>The 2021 GLA starts at $36,230. Here's how it stacks up against the competition in terms of starting price and examples sold in 2019:</p><ul><li>BMW X1: $35,400, <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005391/en/BMW-North-America-Reports-December-2019-Year-End#:~:text=WOODCLIFF%20LAKE%2C%20N.J.%2D%2D(BUSINESS,311%2C014%20vehicles%20sold%20in%202018.">17,815 sold in 2019</a></li><li>Volvo XC40: $33,700, <a href="https://www.media.volvocars.com/us/en-us/corporate/sales-volumes?year=2019&amp;month=12h=12">17,654 sold in 2019</a></li><li>Lexus UX: $32,300, <a href="https://pressroom.lexus.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2019-year-end-sales/">16,725 sold in 2019</a></li><li>Audi Q3: $34,700, <a href="https://media.audiusa.com/en-us/releases/375">14,822 sold in 2019</a></li></ul><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_19" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871979" hostid="261"></div><p>The newest GLA is a bit more expensive than the competition. But the numbers don't lie: It handily outsold its competitors by a pretty significant amount, <em>and</em> in a segment that's not the easiest sell.</p><p>The 2021 GLA is available now in dealerships.</p><h2><strong>Our impressions: The new one is bigger, but that means more interior room</strong></h2><p>The first-generation GLA was a funky little thing — basically, a lifted hatchback that shared a platform with the <a href="https://jalopnik.com/2017-infiniti-qx30-badge-engineering-is-still-alive-an-1792281594">Infiniti QX30</a>, which was killed off last year. It reminded me of that weirdo two-door liftback <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a16580444/mercedes-benz-c-class-sport-coupe-auto-shows/">C-Class Sport Coupe</a> from the 2000s — one of the more European-looking Mercedes cars we ever got here in the States.</p><div type="image" title="Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sport Coupe" height="1368" width="2500" msid="77871982" hostid="261"></div><p>I feel like I used to see those tooling around everywhere. Then, all of a sudden, they disappeared. What happened to them? </p><p>I have no way of proving this, but I think everyone traded them in for GLAs. The idea behind them is the same: something smaller than an SUV but with slightly more utility than a sedan. The first-gen GLA satisfied that need.</p><p>The new GLA sacrifices those fun proportions for something that's roomier inside, sure — but that something has now also achieved the approximate shape of a Yeezy sneaker and the face of a pug.</p><div type="image" title="2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA." height="1558" width="2500" msid="77871986" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_12" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77871993" hostid="261"></div><p>It's not the most distinctive or prettiest car, so the GLA is best enjoyed from the inside. Inside, the leathers are nice, there are 64 ambient lighting colors to pick from, and there's plenty of room to be comfortable. Just not a whole lot for your stuff. </p><p>After options, my loaner came out to $57,150 — which is far too much money for a front-wheel-drive compact SUV. The most expensive options were the matte paint ($2,500) and the AMG Line aesthetic additions ($2,240). Those don't at all affect the way the GLA drives.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_6" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77872092" hostid="261"></div><p>Mercedes said it's found that many of its customers enjoy optioning out their cars, so maybe a $60,000 compact SUV is in your wheelhouse. But if it were me? I'd be happy in the most basic GLA. </p><p>I've long suspected the most fun is found in the base model. These typically weigh the least and aren't bogged down with all-wheel drive or unnecessarily extra power.</p><p>The front-wheel-drive GLA proves that. It's a spry little thing, offering more personality, charm, and fun than many of Mercedes' other, bigger cars. </p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_30" height="3750" width="2500" msid="77872097" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_23" height="3750" width="2500" msid="77872102" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_14" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77872106" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_25" height="3750" width="2500" msid="77872112" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_24" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77872114" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_21" height="3750" width="2500" msid="77872119" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_13" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77872121" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz GLA250_8" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77872123" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The new Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 compact SUV packs plenty of hustle into a bite-sized package

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> pandemic threatens the future of traditional car shows as attendance dwindles and sponsorship weakens.</li><li>Car shows face competition as automotive manufacturers turn to the internet and off-site media previews to debut new vehicles.</li><li>Experts don't expect traditional car shows to disappear completely but suggested that car shows must innovate if they are to stay relevant.</li></ul><p style="font-weight: 400;">Last week would have been a big week in Motown, the North American International <keyword id="32870" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Auto">Auto</keyword> Show opening its doors to the public for the first time since abandoning its traditional winter timetable in January 2019.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">The move aimed to revitalize what long was considered one of the world's most important car shows, typically drawing over 700,000 visitors through its turnstiles while, in its heyday, as many as 70 new <keyword id="20632" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Cars">cars</keyword>, trucks, crossovers and concepts would make their debut. The last few years saw sharp declines at NAIAS, however. What was once three hectic days of product debuts shrinking to barely five hours. Sponsors had hoped a new spring timetable, allowing the show to spread to surrounding park space, would give it a kick-start. But the pandemic forced cancellation of the debut event.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">The Detroit auto show isn't the only one struggling. Attendance at the Frankfurt Motor Show, once the biggest global events, was so weak last year sponsors called it their last. Now, as the coronavirus scrubs most major public events, the question is whether car shows can survive the pandemic.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">"The auto show was certainly on life support already," said Jeff Schuster, lead auto analyst with consultancy LMC Automotive. "With the rolling cancellation of one show after another, the coronavirus may be speeding up their demise."</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">This year may see only one significant global car show, February's gathering in Chicago. Since the last-minute decision to halt the Geneva Motor Show later that month one event after another has been scrubbed, including big shows in New York and Paris, and smaller gatherings around the world. The Los Angeles Auto Show, still on the books for November, is widely expected to postpone until 2021, say numerous industry planners, though there's been no formal announcement.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">The coronavirus has hit everything from baseball games to amusement parks. But it's coming at a particularly tough time for car shows already struggling with weakening public attendance and declining industry support for much of the past decade.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Attendance at the Frankfurt Auto Show peaked at 931,000 in 2015, when there were so many new models debuts organizers scheduled two simultaneous news conferences every 20 minutes for 10 hours. Last fall, public turnout was 40% lower, while manufacturers including Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Ferrari, Infiniti, Jeep, Nissan, Tesla, and a half-dozen other brands skipped out entirely.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">High costs are a major factor. Even the smallest stands in New York, Paris or Los Angeles "will come in at $1 million, bare minimum," said Schuster, adding it's "easy" to get to $10 million, especially when a carmaker brings in a big name entertainer, as Mercedes-Benz often does.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Today, however, budgets are getting squeezed, and manufacturers want ways to get more for their dollars, said Mark Wakefield, head of AlixPartners' automotive practice. There also is more competition making classic car shows "just not as useful."</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">A major reason for Detroit's move to June was the emergence of January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas as the go-to place for automakers debuting increasingly high-tech products and digital features. This year, more than a dozen staged events at CES.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Automakers are turning to places like the Texas State Fair to reveal new trucks, such as the latest-generation Chevrolet Silverado, and the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance as a backdrop for new luxury products.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Then there's the internet which, this year has seen dozens of web debuts for products like the Honda Civic Type R, the Nissan Rogue, the Toyota Venza, Ford's F-150, and the Mercedes E-Class. </p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Even when they do turn up at for traditional events like last November's Los Angeles Auto Show, many automakers have switched to off-site media previews. That not only can save money but give manufacturers more time with journalists who might otherwise have to run from one event to another every 20 minutes, explained a Volkswagen planner who asked not to be identified by name.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">There's no question "It's time for auto shows to make an adjustment," said Rod Alberts, executive director of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, which sponsors the NAIAS. "If shows learn to adapt, I think they'll stay around."</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">The original plans for the 2020 event called for NAIAS to spread out from the confines of Detroit's TCF Center, setting up exhibits not only on the roof of the convention hall, but in the adjoining riverfront park land, "something we couldn't do in winter," said Alberts.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">The DADA also was setting up an off-site event for luxury brands, like Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, that otherwise saw little value in setting up stands at TCF Center. And, rather than stick with the traditional, static displays, automakers were invited to offer potential buyers short rides in some of their news products.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Auto shows are "becoming more focused on how to get people into dealerships," said David Sloan, the president of the Chicago Auto Trade Association, which sponsors that city's event.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Organizers are wont to quote data showing car shows generate sales.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">"In 2019, 72% of New York Auto Show attendees said they will buy or lease a new vehicle in the next 12 months, and 36% of them added brands to their consideration lists after visiting the Show," stated a May release by organizers of the 120-year-old event.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">But such numbers are being greeted with increasing skepticism, especially as manufacturers experiment with alternatives they feel are proving at least as effective at reaching and motivating potential buyers, said LMC Wakefield.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">And the coronavirus pandemic will add impetus to a shift away from car shows, along with other large public gatherings, he said, adding that, "We're expecting to see, post-coronavirus, a step-level change in people's comfort level with doing things online."</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Car shows won't go away entirely, Wakefield and other experts believe, but those that can't adapt to changing realities might fail, as did Frankfurt. Those that do survive are likely to be smaller, less lavish, and far more focused as they square off against others competing for the attention of potential car buyers.</p>

You Searched For "Toyota Venza" and got 5 results

REVIEW: The $32,000 Toyota Venza hybrid crossover proves electrification doesn't have to be boring

Kristen Lee

Toyota is finally bringing back the Venza as a hybrid-only crossover after 5 years by importing a Japan-market model — take a closer look

Kristen Lee

REVIEW: The Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid is perfect for those who want an EV but can't quite commit yet

Kristen Lee

REVIEW: The new Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 compact SUV packs plenty of hustle into a bite-sized package

Kristen Lee

Major car shows have been struggling for years. But, COVID-19 may mean their ultimate demise.

Paul A. Eisenstein