Is The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime BETTER Than The Tesla Model Y? It's Closer Than You Might Think! 

My family always drives Toyotas . I don’t want to spend my life dealing with car issues. I want to actually drive my car and get to places and not have to sit on the phone with repair people.

13:22 tons of leg room, while he’s leg hangs out the car 😂😂😂

This may sound corny but I love seeing the 2 of you getting along so great, father and son! I have a 5 yr old son and I hope to share something like that with him one day! Its also good that you guys know about cars! 😁👍🏾

We just purchased a Rav 4 Prime SE weather package, cloth seats MSRP: $41,667 Purchase Price: $41,000 -$7,500 Federal Tax Credit = $33,500 10 year 150,000 battery warranty 4.5 hours charging from empty level 2 Toyota quality and reliability No brainer $16,500 less than the cheapest model Y Yes, Tesla is faster 0-60 mph but 5.7 seconds 0-60 mph in Prime will more than merge quickly enough on the freeway and beat out 95% of cars on the freeway. Prime tows 2,500 lbs.

Why is dad spreading his legs in the Tesla back seat and saying "there is tons of leg room", (otherwise his knees would hit the front seat) 😄

I just really like the relationship this guy has with his son. It's competitive mixed with love and respect of one anothers opinion. Now that is real relationship goals. Love.

Don’t be so sure a Tesla guy wouldn’t buy this RAV4. I am a Tesla guy and I think this RAV4 Prime has some useful advantages...in the cold, in mild off-road situations, and in cases where long range is favored. A 42 mile all electric range is enough to cover my daily commute. I think your summary about Toyota becoming a technology company and Tesla becoming a manufacturing company is spot on. And this is good for EV adoption in general.

Toyota : A respected car company. Tesla : A car company ran by a lunatic. No thanks, I'd take the Toyota. I know if I get a rear ding in the Toyota, it won't take months and tens of thousands of dollars to fix.

The 42 mile battery range is sufficient for most people. I can go back and fourth to work and charge at night and go a long time before I use up all the gas in the tank. I really think hybrids are more technologically advanced than all electric vehicles. The engine charges the battery the battery runs the car and switches back and fourth as needed.

Tesla is a better 2nd car for homeowners, Toyota is a better only car that does everything.

idk why toyota plugin hybrids are not more popular, they really are the best of both worlds

10:20 - Someone at Toyota would have to commit seppuku if Toyota had that type of body gap.

I currently own my first Toyota, I feel like it is invincible

2 words . Ground clearance. I really like both but the RAV4 seems to be more flexible to real world demands.

I have had the base mode RAV4 prime since late August and LOVE it. Commute to work every day all electric and have been off road and on long camping trips. Have filled gas tank 4 times since I bought it. One thing to keep in mind, Toyota base model ~39K, with some upgrades and dealer add ons mine was closer to 44k BUT it qualifies for the full $7500 tax credit whereas Tesla = no tax credit. That and the off road capabilities clinched it for me.

Camera person needs to decide on a shot...giving me motion sickness

A new Tesla Model 3 lost 5% of its value in the last three years. The RAV-4 lost over 40%. No comparison in cost of ownership.

I’d definitely reject my delivery if I saw that misalignment! 🤦🏽‍♂️

RAV4 will last and reliable 10x more than Tesla

And both brand starts with a “T” 🙌🏻

I love the son-dad car battle in this video 😂 Fun to listen to you guys thanks.

I already see the Toyota Winning just from the way tfl are speaking

Too bad Toyota can’t make enough RAV4 primes for us to even purchase outside of the west coast....

Take a trip from Pennsylvania to Florida and see who gets there first

The Toyota makes way more sense for people that travel in their cars. You can use your Prime day to day without using a drop of gas, then have no issues with taking a trip to anywhere. No sitting around charging stations or planning your trip based around plug ins. It's a brilliant product that will help bridge the gap as we transition to EVs.

It's funny because you think, 50k for a Rav4, that's laughable. But 50k for a Model Y seems like a bargain.

Toyota has quality control from the factory, Tesla waits for the bits to fall off and ignores panel gaps.

There world needs more plug in hybrids. That way people can drive around town in a clean vehicle, but wont be afraid to use that same vehicle for a road trip.

You guys missed some key tech that really drives the average Tesla buyer: 1) built in dash cam. 2) sentry mode. 3) autonomous driving capability that beats anything else out there, hands down, and 4) you touched on the Tesla app but really that’s a game changer for how you interact with your vehicle and 5) the Tesla will get better and smarter while you own it, the Toyota won’t. 6) Tesla has a nationwide supercharger network. 7) all electric means basically no maintenance. 8) what happens to gas that sits in the RAV4’s tank for a year? I’d still take a RAV4, but those are important points.

So the Tesla does 3 or 4 seconds to 60... lets be honest if you're buying a crossover does this really matter. I would want a vehicle with around 6 to 7 sec's to 60 but the range is the real king here and for me the Toyota is the best real world solution.

Hey Tommy I am a Tesla guy and currently own two of them and I cannot find a rav4 prime And I want one more than anything

You can daily the rav4 and then go camping and make use of the battery as your off-grid power source.

Model Y is ten grand more and doesn't have the Rav's heated steering wheel, Android Auto, sun shade, kick sensor, cooled seats, AC inverter, heads up display, spare tire, blind spot monitor or even garage door opener. Model Y also struggles to get 200 miles in the winter on the highway.

Hybrids are dead end tech. EV is clearly the future. Maybe you could make a case for a small gas generator for emergency charge.

If you can’t buy the Toyota because of low supply- the question of which to buy is effectively pointless.

Toyota aims to build the perfect crossover You get good ground clearance, AWD, plenty of cargo space, a gas motor, a hybrid motor, and an EV motor, over 300 HP, 38 MPG combined on gas, over 40 miles on EV, enough for a days worth of local driving, plus Toyota's dependability and resale for under $40k, plus a massive rebate

This question is irrelevant since Toyota refuses to make the Rav4 Prime in any significant volume. Almost impossible to find a Rav4.

I can’t justify a Tesla with such poor build quality in 2020.

10:20 misaligned panels.. Once you've seen it, you can't unsee it. For me, it will bother me for as long as i own that car. If tesla's build quality is that poor on the outside, imagine the numbers of poorly built things that is hidden to the buyers eyes.

😂Sonic the hedgehog , angry birds, Tommy’s reaction. Priceless.

Tesla vs Toyota which need more services and will last longer? Rav4 would my choice.

Take that Model Y in a snowy mountain off roading. Will probably fall apart. lol. RAV-4 is un-beatable and it starts every time even after 300k miles.

Sounds like it has a button for EV, a button for hybrid, and a button for gas only [ charges battery]. I'd use the charge mode for my camping trips to make sure the battery is full to use the outlets :D

Giving the people what they want.Thank's dudes.

"this one has a motor and an engine".-TFL Dad "The best part is no part" -Elon Musk

I really wanted the Prime but couldn't find it anywhere, Ordered the Model Y long range instead.

Toyota is gonna be very good in cold climate and for people who can drive electric in workdays and in weekend take longer road trips without supercharging

“Tons is bold, dad.” 😂

Even just the paint on the Toyota looks infinitely better.

the toyota is boring compared to the Tesla.. I can't imagine buying another ICE car. Still waiting for a serious effort on the part of legacy auto makers.

The Toyota Rav4 starts at a hell of a lot less money for the lower trims.

10:20 LMAO, I'm dead. what a rip off. hahaha

I’ve inquired all over my area to buy a RAV4 and the cheapest I’ve been quoted is $68,500 for an XSE Premium in Blueprint - the exact one I want. But we’re not going to pay $20k over sticker so my wife and I are looking to buy a Tesla Model Y now. This video came out at quite literally the perfect time for us

5:06 "good old fashion dino juice" 🤣 🤣

Simple price comparison: for the difference between Tesla and Toyota prices, you can buy Toyota (or almost any comparable car) and drive it for 26 years! Don't thank me!

Towing capacity of the Model Y is 3500lb. There's a $1k Tesla towing package available right from the Tesla configurator. Towing capacity of the RAV4 Prime is 2500lb, same as the RAV4 Hybrid.

5000 - what’s the point. Cost of ownership? Still buying fuel. Seems to me that a hybrid, no matter which one has twice the potential to break because there are double the power sources.

I like the Toyota better

My friend has a Tesla and the paint is peeling off. The lines are uneven and the quality of the car is poor. For the price they paid you’d expect better. Cool cars but I love the prime Rav4

"...When it's clean it looks really nice" - 99% for the time it won't be clean and you will see fingers or scratches all the time. WHY, just why they use piano black.

Its a no brainer...in 5 years the Toyota will have alot more maintenance and things that can go wrong because its still has a gas engine. The Y has wayyyyy fewer parts. I agree that Toyota will be great once they go full EV but until then, Tesla is clear winner

$50K for a rav 4 is crazy.

I really like this hybrid thingy. Electric if you home and and for the city to drive to work etc. Gas when you need it with 600 true miles unlike tesla which might drop to 200 in winter. Also, Rav4 is much cheaper considering that it is fully loaded while being eligible for the tax credit. Also, 0-60 in 5.4 is beyond enough. Also, it has more ground clearance and is more off read capable It can't get much better. It can't get any better

Electric cars are so nice. No oil change, longer brake life, not much to maintain. Was Wax and Drive.

RAV4 won by having volume knob and climate control knob.

Toyota all day. Not a tough decision. Tesla costs more, take long to fix, quality issues, safety issues. All that just to save the environment ? I am all for saving it, but not at the expense of user familiarity. Hop in a Rav 4 and I know how top drive it. Hop in a Tesla and I have to learn how to drive it. I would prefer something that is similar to what i have been driving, appose to driving something I will have to learn first. It would be similar to the seashell in " Demolition Man ". Look it up.

I'm just concerned about the complexity of the drivetrain on the Toyota. Seems like it has a lot more failure points than an EV or regular ICE

$50k for a RAV4?! Wut?! This feels weird. I mean, RAV4 is the cheap quality crossover. This should have a Lexus badge for that $$$. Is it as quiet as the Y? You didn’t do a driving comparison, how is this even a comparison video?!

RAV 4 is Basically a Chevy Volt in SUV form 10 years later for 54k, no thanks.

Both are leading companies. One from the past and the other from the future. I think I would go for Tesla

My grandma's Toyota Camry had the door release cables snap a couple of times. Tbf she owned it for 10 years before it broke.

10:20 OMG !!! This ends 2022 when your Tesla is produced in Berlin Gigafactory ! no german worker will pass such crap, and the polish workers have to follow ;-)

If the new Teslas were all autopilot full time, I could understand just having a touchscreen as the only interface, but besides that, I think it's dangerous to be having to focus on the screen to look for settings while driving. The RAV4 (I just bought a 2019 XLE) has a few touchscreen functions, but a majority can be done on the steering wheel and with physical knobs and buttons. The Teslas don't even provide a HUD to show your speed, you have to look over to the screen.

Uhh, I'll take the Tesla.

I was a Tesla guy. Was planning to buy a Model Y. But after recurrent build quality issues with my 2018 model 3, I’m now on the waitlist for a RAV4 Prime.

"The Tesla doesn't have paddle shifters" LOL

Toyota doesn't update your software while sitting in the driveway.

Both are awesome vehicles when it’s comes to pick one everyone have different opinion I say which ever suits you...but I’ll take RAV4prime just my opinion ....if can’t get prime probably I’ll take Tesla 😜

I think RAV4 is better. It’s comfortable. Has plenty of power and fuel efficient. And I have a normal gas powered one. So I can only imagine what the prime can be. Yes the Tesla is full electric and a lot of tech but at end of the day which car if cheaper to own AND will last longer. And we all know that the Toyota is built to last over 200k miles even more

Mechanical simplicity, modernized style and no oil change makes the Model Y my choice

With the Rav 4 Prime it still qualifies for the $7500 tax credit - significantly lowering the price of the Toyota. For the Tesla Model Y and other Teslas there are no tax credits available.

only 5000 rav4s??????????? They would sell like hotcakes if they made more. The traditional manufacturer making limited amounts of these electric/hybrids is why Tesla is going to win.

Wow.... look how many parts it takes to create that Toyota. That won't be profitable long term.

Rav4 prime qualifies for the full fed tax credit. So 7500 cheap r

When it comes to it, who cares about having a plethora of information on how it is using energy. I only need to know if it is malfunctioning and what my range is. After owning it for a week, how many times are you going to go deep dive into those menus...

Dad and son working really well together ❤ 👏. Thank you for doing this comparison and always honest reviews. I really like what Toyota is doing with all of their vehicles starting 2021. Tesla is very exciting but I will wait 5 to 10 more years.

How does it compare to my VOLT! it looks very similar (plugin/gas) but now in SUV form that really appeals to me, Ok the 302HP!! really appeals to me. Is this my best replacement vehicle?

Honestly these are the exact cars I was debating between, thanks for the review

Urg. All these cars trying too hard with their impractical door handles.

Reminder Toyota still qualifies for full $7500 Fed tax credit, and Tesla doesn’t, which makes RAV4 Prime much more affordable than Model Y

I’m sorry but the Tesla model Y is far from being a luxury car...

I will take the Tesla in a heart beat. ❤

It’s usually other way in families. Fathers like the Toyota and sons like Tesla.

Great video. My problem with both cars simply is monumental cost. I see the RAV4 Prime and the Model Y as rich man playthings that cannot in any reasonable frame of mind be justified because of economy, gas or electric savings; for the purpose of replacing a perfectly functional car that even might be a gas guzzler. Think of how long the pay back would be, especially with a huge loan, and in the case of the Toyota, dealership rip-offs and surcharges not only in buying the vehicle but in maintaining it with outrageous costs for scheduled oil and filter changes, spark plugs and radiator flushes. This is from a cranky ex-Prius owner.

My family owned a Toyota that had a door lock get stuck shut. It was the drivers door meaning to get in and out of the car you had to climb across from the passenger side. It definitely happens to Toyota too.

I think the Toyota RAV4 Prime is amazing. I'm trying to decide between this and the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. I know the Toyota is a better vehicle, but I'm looking for a full offroad vehicle with good mileage and decent range which the RAV4 doesn't quite do like a Jeep. I wish Toyota would come out with a Tacoma prime which would kill not only the Jeep Wrangler 4xe but also possibly a future Jeep Gladiator 4xe. A Tacoma Prime and Tundra Prime could also possibly take over the service fleet market as well.

Everyone seems to fail to mention that NONE of the Tesla “crossovers” offer a Rear Windshield Wiper. A necessity where Winter climates are present, not to mention a lack of a heated steering wheel. Outrageous for a vehicle in that price range...

I would still go with the Tesla

This video definitely needs to be revisited given the multiple price increases on the Model Y. A few things to consider on this video. Full disclaimer, we own a 2018 Model 3 and a 2012 standard Prius (still going strong). 1) The Model 3 and Model Y are not luxury vehicles as stated in the video. Tesla purposefully goes for a minimalist approach to the interior, which sort of conflicts with the standard of being a luxury vehicle. I can tell you as a Model 3 owner of nearly 4 years, the minimalist approach starts to get annoying after a while. Just to open the glove box is more complicated than it needs to be, having to press the car emblem on the screen and then look for the glove box button of a crowded screen full of buttons. And with Tesla's OTA upgrades, sometimes the glove box button can get moved on the screen. Very annoying and unnecessary. We did get to drive a Model X recently as a loaner and it just had a standard button next to the glove box which was great. Why they don't do this in all of their vehicles is beyond me. 2) We have the long range Model 3. Though it is "rated to 315-ish" miles, we have never personally experienced this much distance. The most we have gotten on a full, 100% charge is about 280 miles. The rated miles is typically achieved on a track and not under normal conditions such as uphill driving or needed moments of acceleration to get around drivers. 3) Tesla is Bush league when it comes to delivering a vehicle without issues. Go online and you'll get plenty of stories of people receiving their car with multiple defects. We personally experienced this ourselves. Great car to drive, but only after dealing with the poor execution of delivery and subsequent visits to the service center to fix said defects. 4) Tesla really shined when the rebates were available, which no longer exist accept on a diminished, state-level scale. Again, I really like our Tesla, but this Rav-4 has me considering alternatives. Especially since a Model Y is so expensive now.

Also, just looking at that complicated Toyota engine with a million hoses and tubes puts me in a panic mode. Soooo many parts to brake and service.