As always, great viewpoints,
As always, great viewpoints, Dean. I have made some edits to the second paragraph partly inspired by your comments that will show when the server updates. It's interesting how many folks point to the differences in the RAV4 Prime's performance in different modes. Having driven it, I didn't notice it feeling anything but quick in normal or EV. One thing most don't realize is that in "Normal Mode" the vehicle will always default to EV mode unless you floor it or the vehicle can benefit from a warm engine for heat. So while EV mode may be satisfying, if you head out on a 50 mile trip, you will use up the EV battery anyway, so there is not much sense in locking out the gas engine. Also, the battery always is there to assist you in a hard launch in normal mode. The traction battery never fully depletes, despite the meter being at "0". The RAV4 Prime is AWD all the time in every launch. I confirmed that with Toyota. So, for a quick merge in traffic, or just for fun, unless you lock out the gas engine, the RAV4 Prime is a very quick vehicle. Around town in EV mode, it feels very satisfying, though the full 0-60 MPH sprint time is lower because that involves more power than just launch torque as speeds rise. If you get a chance to drive one, let us know. What struck me most was how different it felt from a RAV4 Hybrid or Venza.