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Japanese automaker Toyota is a pioneer in hybrid technology. The automaker has been working on hybrid vehicles for decades, and we are beginning to see some of the results of years of trial and error. If any automaker can create the perfect hybrid vehicle, it’s Toyota. The Toyota RAV4 Prime may be that perfect hybrid, especially since gas prices are so darn high.

The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime is the solution to America’s expensive gas issue

A red Toyota RAV4 Prime is driving on the road.
A red Toyota RAV4 Prime is driving on the road | Toyota

Gas prices are too darn high, and they just seem to get higher and higher as the year 2021 comes to a close. Inflation seems to be taking hold, and gas prices have hit record numbers in 2021. According to CNBC, gasoline prices are currently the highest they’ve been in seven years.

Some Americans have paid over $5 for a gallon of gas in 2021. If only there were some reputable automaker around that produces vehicles that are exceptionally fuel-efficient. Oh, wait. There’s Toyota. America’s most popular crossover has been available as a hybrid for years.

Now, the RAV4 comes in an even more exciting hybrid option, a plug-in hybrid. The Toyota RAV4 Prime is the first RAV4 plug-in hybrid vehicle. This means that the compact SUV uses a gas engine along with electric motors. It even can be charged and travel on electricity only.

The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime gets an astonishing 40 miles per gallon in the city and 36 miles per gallon on the highway. It has an electric-only range of about 40 miles. The RAV4 Prime is the solution to high gas prices because it is the best hybrid version of America’s favorite compact SUV created thus far.

How does the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime compare to America’s best-selling vehicles?

A red 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime is parked.
The Toyota RAV4 Prime is parked | Toyota

The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime starts at $39,800. It is eligible for a federal electric vehicle tax credit of $7,500, bringing its price down to just $32,300. It uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors to make a massive 302 horsepower. That’s 99 more horses than the average Toyota RAV4 model. It’s 12 more horses than the popular Ford F-150.

The RAV4 Prime has much better fuel efficiency than the most popular vehicles in America. It is also more powerful. It may be more expensive than America’s most popular vehicles like the RAV4 and Ford F-150, but if you think of the lower costs of ownership, it packs in plenty of value for its price.

Should you buy a 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime?

A red 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime is on display.
A red 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime is on display | Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime is an amazing plug-in hybrid crossover model. As gas prices soar, the RAV4 Prime seems like the best option on the market for consumers looking to save money at the pump. Best of all, the RAV4 Prime is exciting to drive, so it subverts the stigma about hybrid vehicles being boring. Does saving hundreds or thousands of dollars a year on fuel sound boring to you?

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