Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the “Drive Car of the Year”

For 2019, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has come up as the winner of the "Car of the Year" award by the automotive publication Drive. With that said, it is for the second time that a petrol-electric car has clinched the trophy. Across 20 categories, there were 89 contenders, among which, 57 models were the finalists. While large family SUVs with impressive fuel mileage have always been a tough combo to be found, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is a pretty good example of the blend, and that's one of the reasons why this Japanese SUV won the "Car of the Year" award by the automotive publication Drive.

Moreover, other factors and elements that helped the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid in clinching on to the award were its advanced safety technology, impressive driving capabilities, and an array of comfort & convenience features. Trent Nikolic, who is the managing editor of Drive, praised the fuel efficiency of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and cited that the SUV significantly less fuel than other SUVs that belong to the same segment.  What makes the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid so fuel-efficient then? The answer rather very simple, the hybrid tech. However, instead of using an exterior charger, the RAV4 Hybrid uses the engine itself while driving to charge its batteries.

"The reason hybrid cars make so much sense for so many people is that they don’t feel weird to drive, and you don’t need to change the way you drive. Whereas a pure electric vehicle requires you to reset the way you use a car", added Nikolic. Along with the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, the Tesla Model X and the Toyota Supra were the other two finalists. While the Tesla Model X made to the finals riding on its long-range and superior driving dynamics, the Toyota Supra, on the other hand, benefited from its sheer performance.

In case you are also planning to get your family a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, the deal might not be as easy to crack as it seems. With almost half of the buyers going for the Hybrid model, there is a huge shortage of supply and the waiting periods are as long as six months. Anyway, the previous winners of the "Car of the Year" award by the automotive publication Drive were - Camry Hybrid in 2018, Hyundai i30 in 2017, VW Tiguan in 2016, Ford Everest in 2015, and the Mercedes C Class in 2014.

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