-
Toyota is moving away from calling its plug-in hybrid models Prime, instead defaulting to simply Plug-In Hybrid.
-
The change is reflected in the 2025 model-year Prius and RAV4 models.
-
Toyota says the ’25 RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid models are scheduled to arrive at dealerships in limited quantities before the end of the year.
If you were ever curious or confused about what Prime meant in the Toyota world, your day has finally come. Toyota is dropping the Prime label from its plug-in hybrid Prius and RAV4 models for 2024.
Once used to separate the standard hybrid models from their plug-in counterparts, Toyota will move to a more straightforward naming convention and is adding “Plug-In Hybrid” to the end of the appropriate models.
Prime launched with the updated Prius in 2016, and according to Toyota, it was meant to help establish that it was the best. Prime came to the RAV4 when it launched its plug-in hybrid powertrain in 2019.
Outside of the name change, the ’25 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid also shakes up its badging conventions, and there’s also a new 25th anniversary Highlander hybrid.
The blue inserts in the Toyota logos are gone, alongside the Prime badges—replaced with traditional Toyota badging, a PHEV badge is now adorning the rear hatch. Other than that, the RAV4 trucks along for ’25 without any major changes underneath the skin.
It’s a similar story for the ’25 Prius Plug-In Hybrid. Riding the wave of its most recent generational shift, you’d almost expect the changes to be light, and it is just badging here, too. The fifth-generation hybrid system still makes 220 hp, and its 13.6-kWh battery pack is still good for around 40 miles on a single charge, according to Toyota.
Joining the list of subtle changes heading to the ’25 RAV4 is a similarly subdued price bump. The current $45,085 base price will rise $175 and now start at $45,260 when it arrives at dealers before the end of the year. There’s no word on a Prius price bump, so we don’t expect too much of a change.
Do you think moving away from the Prime badge for plug-in hybrids is smart? Tell us your thoughts below.
Source Agencies
