I Want The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, But Have Hybrid Intimidation
When my father came home late one night in 2016 and brought a weird goofy egg-shaped car with him, we were all in awe. We had traded in our 1997 Nissan Altima which would rattle and cough every time you started it so now it was time to upgrade. We had test-driven the 2013 Toyota Prius a few years ago and my father really liked it. So, there was no hesitation to buy a used Prius when the Altima finally wanted to retire.
At first, we were very skeptical (as kids always are). We didn’t understand why the car didn’t make any noise when you started it or why there was a beeping sound coming every now and then. However, after some time and as I got my license, I started to like the car and like hybrids in general.
I think we Prius owners get a bad rap for being (tree-huggers) or (boring people). But when you really think about it, it's actually a very fun car to drive. The transition to a hybrid car from a conventional ICE car was smooth, and I honestly felt like I couldn’t see myself not driving a Hybrid as I got older. Karla Jones recently shared how she almost wanted to pull the plug on a purchase of a 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid on Facebook's Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Group. Here’s what she said, “I'm wanting to pull the purchase trigger but have a bit of Hybrid intimidation happening! Has anyone else experienced this?”
So first off, before we take a look at what others say, I just want to clarify that the 2022 Toyota RAV4 is a great family hybrid SUV with many high reviews and as far as I am concerned, the best in its class. With that being said, let’s take a look at what other hybrid owners said.
Gina Young wrote, “The second I drove an XSE I had to have one. No question or hesitation. Granted I have a Type A personality and research everything to death, so I knew exactly what I was getting into before I test drove one…but still. No hesitation and zero regrets.” You know, the RAV4 Hybrid tends to have that sort of grabbing feeling because it just feels so good to drive. I personally haven’t driven one yet but from forum talks and discussions, people really like the driving aspect of it.
What’s the first thing you look for in a car when you buy one? Quality. The driving quality of the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is that of a stiff yet soft steering wheel that you can turn with your pinky. Some of the guys on the forums even described it as the Mercedes steering wheel.
Douglas Gitt, another commentator said, “Last winter we were stuck in a massive traffic jam. Other vehicles were either burning fuel to stay warm or shut down to save fuel. We were comfortably listening to music with the heater going on battery power, knowing the engine would recharge the battery if it got low.” This is one of the reasons why I love hybrids, especially Toyota Hybrids like the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The fact that you can still have the heater, radio, and lights on while not using a single drop of gas is very nice.
So, it seems that the stigmatism of switching to hybrid is bad is non-existent. I have been driving my Prius for about 2 years now and I can assure you unless someone paid me, I would not go back to conventional ICE cars. Really it's like a whole new driving experience.
What do you think? If you drive a hybrid, would you ever go back to conventional ICE cars? Let us know in the comments below.
Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun for daily Toyota news.