Call it a boom within a boom. Small crossovers like the RAV4 are a hot segment, and there's new activity in more "outdoorsy" versions of those.
The origins are with Subaru, already the most lifestyle-oriented of the manufacturers, who has had great success doubling down on its image with Wilderness Editions of all its SUVs, but especially the Forester, with which the RAV4 competes most directly.
Mazda has responded this year with the Meridian Edition of the CX-50, and Honda is rumored to be ready to add a TrailSport spec of the CR-V any day now.
So it made tons of sense for Toyota to get in the game last year with its Woodland Edition trim, and far more convincingly than it has with the only other vehicle on which it's available---the Sienna minivan.
Toyota's move also made it the only hybrid choice in this sub-segment (until and unless Honda arrives). Under the hood is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor. 219 combined net horsepower, with an electronic continuously variable transmission (CVT), and electronic on-demand all-wheel-drive. Zero to 60 happens in a respectable 7.3 seconds and the EPA fuel economy estimate is a solid 37 mpg combined city/highway.
The Woodland Edition RAV4 Hybrid also features a TRD-tuned suspension, a one and one-quarter inch activity mount for extra cargo or a bike rack, standard roof rails and crossbars and a 120-volt inverter for powering household items on a camping trip.
It's available in three colors, solid black, or in two extra-cost optional two-tone paint jobs, Ice Cap (white)/Black or (as seen on our tester) Army Green/Black. The 18-inch bronze-colored alloy wheels are standard.
Base price of the 2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition is $36,045. That includes Toyota's comprehensive active safety suite, LED projector headlights, LED daytime running lights, front and rear mud guards, an eight-inch touchscreen with a six-speaker audio system including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, a 3-month trial of SiriusXM Platinum, five USB ports, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, fabric-trimmed seats, a power driver's seat, all-weather floor and cargo mats and smart key with pushbutton start.
The only extra-cost option on our tester was the Army Green/Black two-tone paint ($500), so the bottom line on the window sticker reads $36,545.
That's about $7,500 less than the CX-50 Meridian I reviewed in November, and competitive with the Forester Wilderness Edition. What the RAV4 offers that they don't is the significant fuel economy advantage of the hybrid---making this RAV4 green in more ways than one.
