Gas Vehicle MPG

The Toyota RAV4 has numerous trim levels that feature a conventional gas engine—a 2.5L 4-cylinder that can produce up to 203 horsepower. Paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, this engine either sports Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) or All-Wheel Drive (AWD). These trim levels are:

• LE
• XLE
• XLE Premium
• Adventure
• TRD Off-Road
• Limited

On the FWD configurations, the base trim, the LE, and the Limited trim will get you an EPA-estimated 27 MPG in the city and 35 MPG on the highway.¹

As you move to the other options, the XLE and XLE Premium with FWD, you’ll see a slight improvement on city mileage and the same amount on the highway with an EPA-estimated 28 MPG in the city and 35 MPG on the highway.¹

The Adventure trim will get you an EPA-estimated mileage of 25 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway.¹

Similarly, the TRD Off-Road will get you 25 MPG in the city and 32 MPG on the highway.¹

Hybrid Vehicle MPG

If you really want to step up that fuel economy, then you’ll want to check out the hybrid options. Each one comes equipped with a 2.5L 4-cylinder hybrid engine that produces 219 combined horsepower. These hybrid trims of the 2021 RAV4 are known by the following names:

• LE Hybrid
• XLE Hybrid
• XLE Premium Hybrid
• XSE Hybrid
• Limited Hybrid

The miles per gallon of the hybrid vehicles is the same across the board. You will be able to travel with an EPA-estimated 41 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway.¹ This impressive amount will be able to get you through all of those winding roads as you set out on your adventures.

The hybrid engine, paired with an Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission, offers different modes to choose from. These modes include the following:

• SPORT
• ECO
• NORMAL
• EV
• TRAIL

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

How to Maximize Fuel Economy

You’ll want to make the most out of those miles per gallon on your Toyota RAV4, regardless of whether you opt for the gas engine or the hybrid one.

As noted above, the hybrid engine has different modes for you to choose from. Selecting the ECO Mode can typically help improve the mileage on your vehicle and allow you to travel farther. This ECO Mode is also standard on the gas engine and works in a similar way.

To further improve a hybrid’s mileage, consider smoother braking. When you brake at a smooth pace, the energy is converted into electricity. Conversely, hard braking motions engage the conventional brakes and energy is instead lost.

The same can be said for gas vehicles—slower, controlled braking ultimately saves you on fuel.

Read More Toyota RAV4 Reviews