Over the past decade, compact SUVs have grown in popularity to replace sedans and minivans as the everyday choice for drivers who want a balance of practicality, style, and versatility. Their roomy interiors and car-like drivability have made them a natural fit for families who need something that can handle commuting, errands, and extended road trips. This universal appeal has fueled demand, even though compact SUVs aren’t the least expensive or, traditionally, the most fuel-efficient choice.
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.5L Inline-4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
-
Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT)
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
All-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
219 hp
- Base Trim Torque
-
163 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
The latter has pushed manufacturers to fit the popular vehicles with hybrid powertrains, to ease the impact of fuel costs on the monthly budget, and the former has led many buyers to the used-car market, where many current-generation, three-year-old models are succumbing to depreciation and providing buyers with new-to-them compact SUV bargains. But one vehicle, from a Japanese company that thrives on hybrids, retains its value at a level near that of its original MSRP.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources, including Kelley Blue Book, the EPA, and Edmunds.
Why The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Leads Its Model-Year Class
Depreciates 6-15 Percent Over Three Model Years, Depending On Trim Level
From its debut in the mid-1990s, the Toyota RAV4 struck a balance of affordability and attractiveness that continues to resonate with buyers. It offers the practicality of a well-proportioned compact SUV—large enough for families, yet manageable in daily driving—without tipping into the higher running costs and compromises of larger crossovers. The debut of a fuel-frugal hybrid powertrain in 2016 further elevated its desirability.
Add in Toyota’s reputation for long-term reliability and hybrid superiority, and you begin to understand why the RAV4 Hybrid is one of the most desirable vehicles in the marketplace, even one that is three years old and is ready to introduce a new generation (for 2026). The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XLE Premium shows a loss in value of just 6.1 percent, according to KBB’s current Fair Purchase Price, while the top-tier Limited loses just 14.5 percent of its value (validated by iSeeCars.com’s 14.8 percent estimation).
How Toyota’s Reputation Works To The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid’s Advantage
Toyota’s reputation for reliability is one of the strongest forces behind the 2022 RAV4 Hybrid’s value retention. Toyota builds vehicles known to serve their owners with minimal issues and moderate outlays for maintenance and repairs for countless miles, and the company’s hybrids, both under the Toyota and Lexus banners, have demonstrated exemplary durability. The RAV4 and the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive were born at about the same time and grew up together, making them virtually inseparable.
That consumer confidence translates directly into stronger resale values. Used Toyota RAV4 Hybrid buyers know they’re not just getting better fuel economy, but also a vehicle with proven components that won’t saddle them with unexpected and potentially expensive repairs. When combined with the RAV4’s broad appeal as a family-friendly SUV, Toyota’s hard-earned reputation translates into slower depreciation than its competitors, and by extension, higher resale values.
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid V.s. Its Contemporaries
|
2022 Hybrids |
Toyota RAV4 |
Ford Escape |
Honda CR-V |
Hyundai Tucson |
|
Original MSRP |
$30,790–$39,290 |
$31,660–$36,515 |
$33,255–$39,045 |
$30,995–$39,295 |
|
KBB Fair Price |
$28,121–$33,578 |
$18,620–$21,377 |
$26,159–$28,443 |
$20,317–$22,661 |
|
Powertrain |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
2.0-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
1.6-liter turbo I-4 + 1 motor |
|
Transmission |
Continuously variable |
Continuously variable |
Continuously variable |
6-speed automatic |
|
Power |
219 hp |
200 hp |
212 hp |
226 hp |
|
Torque |
163 lb-ft |
155 lb-ft |
232 lb-ft |
258 lb-ft |
|
Driveline |
All-wheel drive |
Four-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
|
Range |
580 miles |
568 miles |
532 miles |
507–521 miles |
|
Efficiency City |
41 mpg |
43 mpg |
40 mpg |
37–38 mpg |
|
Efficiency Highway |
38 mpg |
37 mpg |
35 mpg |
36–38 mpg |
|
Efficiency Combined |
40 mpg |
40 mpg |
38 mpg |
37–38 mpg |
|
Overall Length |
180.9 inches |
180.5 inches |
182.1 inches |
182.3 inches |
|
Wheelbase |
105.9 inches |
106.7 inches |
104.7 inches |
108.5 inches |
|
Width |
73 inches |
74.1 inches |
73 inches |
73.4 inches |
|
Height |
67 inches |
65.9 inches |
66.5 inches |
65.6 inches |
|
Passenger Volume |
98.9 cubic feet |
102.2 cubic feet |
102.9 cubic feet |
108.2 cubic feet |
|
Cargo Volume (Min–Max) |
37.5–69.8 cubic feet |
34.4–60.8 cubic feet |
33.2–68.7 cubic feet |
38.7–73.3 cubic feet |
|
Seating Capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid hits a sweet spot in size and efficiency compared with its key, and often long-term rivals. It matches up most closely with the 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, offers more interior space and cargo versatility than the 2022 Ford Escape Hybrid, matches the 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid’s family-friendly proportions, and delivers better economy numbers than the others, according to EPA estimates, playing second fiddle only to the Escape Hybrid in city driving.
How The Toyota RAV4 Became A Leader In Its Class
The Toyota RAV4 got the compact SUV snowball rolling when it first rolled onto roads in the mid-1990s. It not only made SUVs smaller, it also made them more comfortable and easier to drive, with its unibody construction and smaller footprint. Its mix of style, utility, and comfort struck a chord with buyers, and over the years, it has grown in size, refinement, and capability. And in 2016, it acquired a hybrid powertrain to also boost its fuel economy.
The move to a hybrid not only boosted the Toyota RAV4’s fuel efficiency but gave it a further advantage because hybrid compacts were relatively rare at the time, with companies still concentrating on hybridizing larger vehicles that needed the economy boost more. The hybrid quickly became a mainstay in Toyota’s stable, and the RAV4 hybrid became one of the most appealing vehicles to families who wanted both savings at the pump and the flexibility of an SUV.
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Is About Five Percent More Efficient Than The 2025 Model
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is virtually identical, physically, to the 2025 model (the last of this generation, with a new RAV4 coming in 2026), with many of the changes happening in supporting roles—improved infotainment, updated technology, and safety systems—which accounts for its slow depreciation (compared to its rivals). It improves, though, in range and efficiency, which are about 5 percent better than the current model.
2022 RAV4 Hybrid V.s. 2025 RAV4 Hybrid
|
RAV4 Hybrid |
2022 |
2025 |
|
Original MSRP |
$30,790–$39,290 |
$33,695–$42,000 |
|
KBB Fair Price |
$28,121–$33,578 |
Not applicable |
|
Powertrain |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
|
Transmission |
Continuously variable |
Continuously variable |
|
Power |
219 hp |
219 hp |
|
Torque |
163 lb-ft |
163 lb-ft |
|
Driveline |
All-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
|
Range |
580 miles |
536–566 miles |
|
Efficiency City |
41 mpg |
38–41 mpg |
|
Efficiency Highway |
38 mpg |
35–38 mpg |
|
Efficiency Combined |
40 mpg |
37–39 mpg |
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Is About 30 Percent More Efficient Than The Regular Model
Without looking at badges, you’re going to have a hard time telling the difference between the 2022 Toyota RAV4 and its hybrid sibling, even if you open up the hood. Both are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, with the hybrid’s supplemented by two electric motors. The difference is in the driving, with the RAV4 Hybrid able to drive on electric power alone at easy-throttle, low speeds, sail more efficiently at highway speeds, and stretch the 14.5-gallon fuel tank almost 200 extra miles.
2022 RAV4 Hybrid V.s. ICE RAV4
|
2022 |
RAV4 Hybrid |
RAV4 |
|
Original MSRP |
$30,790–$39,290 |
$29,550–$38,090 |
|
KBB Fair Price |
$28,121–$33,578 |
$25,837–$33,840 |
|
Depreciation |
6.1%–14.5% |
8.5%–17.1% |
|
Powertrain |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
2.5-liter inline-4 |
|
Transmission |
Continuously variable |
8-speed automatic |
|
Power |
219 hp |
203 hp |
|
Torque |
163 lb-ft |
184 lb-ft |
|
Driveline |
All-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
|
Range |
580 miles |
406 miles |
|
Efficiency City |
41 mpg |
25 mpg |
|
Efficiency Highway |
38 mpg |
33 mpg |
|
Efficiency Combined |
40 mpg |
28 mpg |
Toyota Leads The Field Of Japanese Hybrids
In 2022, the field of Japanese hybrid SUVs was dominated almost unanimously by Toyota and Lexus products, which filled seven of the eight starting lineup spots (the only outsider was the Honda CR-V Hybrid), and all of them depreciated less than 25 percent in the three years since. Climbing up the ladder behind the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid were the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the Lexus NX 350h, and the RX 450h.
Toyota/Lexus Hybrid SUV Specifications
|
2022 Hybrids |
Toyota Highlander |
Lexus NX 350h |
Lexus RX 450h |
|
Original MSRP |
$42,330–$52,985 |
$42,125–$49,575 |
$49,795–$56,595 |
|
KBB Fair Price |
$32,951–$38,644 |
$33,522–$37,295 |
$41,945–$48,618 |
|
Powertrain |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 or 3 motors |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
3.5-liter V-6 + 2 motors |
|
Transmission |
Continuously variable |
Continuously variable |
Continuously variable |
|
Power |
243 hp |
240 hp |
308 hp |
|
Torque |
199 lb-ft |
176 lb-ft |
247 lb-ft |
|
Driveline |
Front- or all-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
All-wheel drive |
|
Range |
598–616 miles |
566 miles |
516 miles |
|
Efficiency City |
35–36 mpg |
41 mpg |
31 mpg |
|
Efficiency Highway |
34–35 mpg |
37 mpg |
28 mpg |
|
Efficiency Combined |
35–36 mpg |
39 mpg |
30 mpg |
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid Is One Of A Couple Three-Row Hybrid SUVs From 2022
The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid stands out as a three-row SUV that balances affordability with strong fuel efficiency, making it especially desirable for families who need the space and like to take extended road trips. Despite the larger size, it offers impressive mileage and range, and is one of the few Japanese hybrids from that year that offers FWD variants. Like the RAV4, its depreciation rate is comparatively low (19 percent – 27 percent, according to KBB data).
The 2022 Lexus NX 350h Wraps Up RAV4 Goodness In A Premium Package
In the compact hybrid SUV space, the 2022 Lexus NX 350h delivers a rare mix of luxury and efficiency, pairing up Toyota’s proven hybrid system with Lexus’s hallmark upscale design, and manages to remain relatively accessible for a premium brand. Though it doesn’t have the high resale value and low depreciation (19 percent – 25 percent) of its Toyota counterpart, its refined interior makes it highly desirable among buyers seeking both comfort and thrift.
The 2022 Lexus RX Hybrid Was Offered In Regular 450h And Long 450hL
One of the longest serving hybrid SUVs in the industry, the Lexus RX 450h is in high demand both as a hybrid and non-hybrid, for its blend of good looks, luxury, comfort, and hybrid efficiency. For 2022, the midsize hybrid SUV was marketed in both regular and extended length (to fit in a third row of seats), with the regular wheelbase model offering a better resale value than the 450hL: 12.5 percent – 14 percent versus 20 percent – 26 percent, respectively.
Why The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Stands Out As A Three-Year-Old Compact Hybrid SUV
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid carved out the compact SUV segment and became its lead player. By 2022, it had become one of the most desirable vehicles in any segment, based on its blend of efficiency and practicality, and backed by Toyota’s hard-earned reputation for dependability. It all works together to slow depreciation and make a used Toyota RAV4 Hybrid a consideration against new hybrid SUVs, and also a suitable investment when it comes time to resell.
Buyers get a three-year-old vehicle that remains current in styling, features, and performance while costing significantly less than its new counterpart, and sellers benefit from that high demand to find a stream of suitors looking for a quality near-current compact hybrid SUV, which also manages to outdo the current model in efficiency and range. More broadly, the Japanese hybrid SUV segment was not large in 2022, and it was, and continues to be, mostly dominated by Toyota and Lexus products. It makes it a two-edged sword, with the lack of competition creating high demand, and commanding high prices, but also making it an ideal sellers’ market, with the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid leading the way, as it always seems to.