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This is precisely what you want a vehicle to do in extremely slippery conditions. Instead, the hybrid all-wheel drive calmly understeered straight forward to a stop every time. Even when we tried to apply power to “drift” the rear end of RAV4 Hybrid into rotating around a corner, the computer was having none of it. Navigating the slippery course, the aggressive traction control of the hybrid kept us from sliding into the deep snow. The non-hybrid model was much more lenient about spinning its wheels. And once the RAV4 Hybrid’s traction control kicked in, it more aggressively cut the power. The RAV4 Hybrid did require a much lighter touch on the throttle, as the instant torque of its rear electric motor could easily overpower its all-season tires. Neither vehicle had difficulty accelerating up the hill without excessively triggering its traction control system. Spoiler alert: The RAV4 Hybrid acquitted itself quite well. We drove both vehicles on a snow-covered course, including a standing start test on a slippery grade. So how does the hybrid all-wheel drive perform in the real world compared to the torque-vectoring system in the non-hybrid? At a recent event, Toyota allowed us to test the RAV4 Hybrid back-to-back against the RAV4 TRD Off-Road. Putting hybrid all-wheel drive to the test But it’s that ability to send power to just one of the rear wheels, called torque vectoring, that gives this AWD system its greater capability. Two additional clutches, in the transaxle and the rear differential, allow the rear axle to disconnect from the engine. This allows power to be routed to one side or the other or both at the same time. The more sophisticated all-wheel-drive system, which is shared with higher trim levels of the Highlander, has two clutches in its rear differential. In this on-demand system, front wheels do most of the driving. The simplest version of this system employs a single electromagnetic clutch in the transaxle to control whether power is routed to the rear or not. Rather, an 8-speed transaxle sends power to the front wheels, and in AWD versions use a driveshaft connected to the rear axle. Non-hybrid RAV4 models also employ 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engines that make 203 horsepower without the electric motors. The computer also decides when the electric motor should spin in reverse for regeneration during deceleration.
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As a result, wheel slippage is not necessary for the hybrid all-wheel drive system to engage. Above that range, the vehicle’s computer calculates when it should apply power through an electromagnetic clutch. The same system in Highlander makes 243 hp.īelow 15 miles per hour, the rear motor in the RAV4 Hybrid is always engaged to increase low-speed traction, turning a standard mechanical differential connected to the rear axle. All told, the RAV4 Hybrid makes 219 horsepower. There is no driveshaft connecting the front and rear wheels. A third electric motor is mounted under the rear cargo compartment.
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This pack powers the electric motors as well as storing electricity that’s regenerated under braking. A small, nickel-metal-hydride battery resides under the rear seat. It’s mated to a transaxle that contains two electric motors. Giving up the driveshaft in hybrid all-wheel driveĪ 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine sits under the RAV4 Hybrid’s hood. Higher trim levels of the non-hybrid RAV4 have a more sophisticated AWD system that can also do side-to-side torque vectoring for improved performance.
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Non-hybrid models come with a conventional AWD system, in which front and rear axles are connected with a driveshaft.The RAV4 Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, and upcoming 2021 Venza have a unique all-wheel-drive configuration that uses an electric motor to turn the rear wheels.How do these electric systems perform compared to their conventional counterparts? We tested them back-to-back. But the hybrids have radically different all-wheel drive systems than non-hybrid models. Both offer good value for the money, with roomy cabins and long feature lists, including all-wheel drive. Toyota sells hybrid all-wheel drive versions of both its RAV4 and Highlander SUVs.