Reliable Auto DB

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) over 6 years — 20 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 RAV4 Prime (PHEV) years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including DC/DC converter, Hybrid power control unit, and Control module, software.

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime
Photo by TTTNIS, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC0
Complaints

99

Per year

20

Recalls

4

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (37 of 99), then Fuel and propulsion system (18) and Service brakes (16). Those filings include 12 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2022

The 2022 RAV4 Prime (PHEV) has 21 complaints, 5 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV). How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall DC/DC converter 2023-07-12 · NHTSA campaign 23V478000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RAV4 Prime and 2022 Lexus NX450h+ plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles. The electric current rectifying module contained within the DC-DC converter may have been damaged during production, which can result in an electrical short-circuit.
Remedy Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles when the ambient air temperature is below or expected to drop below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). Dealers will replace the DC-DC converter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB07/23LB01.
Recall electrical system, propulsion system, hybrid management, hybrid power control unit 2023-02-02 · NHTSA campaign 23V041000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. During certain cold weather driving conditions, while driving in EV Mode, the hybrid vehicle control engine control unit (HEV ECU) software may cause the hybrid system to shut down if the accelerator is rapidly pressed to further accelerate the vehicle, resulting in a stall.
Remedy Dealers will update the HEV ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 27, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA01.
Recall electronic stability control, control module, software 2022-04-13 · NHTSA campaign 22V239000
Summary Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Remedy Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.
Recall exterior lighting, headlights 2020-11-12 · NHTSA campaign 20V698000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime vehicles. The headlight aiming caps may have been improperly closed, allowing for horizontal adjustment of the headlight beam. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will close the aiming caps on the headlights, free of charge. The recall began January 6, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA15.

Complaints by component (99 total)

Electrical system
37
Fuel and propulsion system
18
Service brakes
16
Forward collision avoidance
10
Air bags
5
Powertrain
5
Speed control
4
Engine
3
Visibility and wipers
3
Lane departure
2
Back-over prevention
1
Carry handle, shell, and base
1
Chest clip, buckle, and harness
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Seat belts
1
Steering
1
Structure
1
Tires
1
Show 10 more Show less
Crash-flagged

12

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

1120212820222220232620244202582026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Rear glass broken all of sudden when the vehicle is parked outside"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-10
  • "Observed arcing noises and strong electrical fire smell upon plugging in L2 EVSE charging cable. MIL lit, Hybrid Vehicle Charging System codes active; vehicle refused to charge afterwards. Self-diagnosed and repaired…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-06-07
  • "Something needs to be done because Toyota is stalling on sending out a critical safety component that has been recalled in thousands of vehicles. It is the HV floor wire connector, when the corrosion is beyond repair,…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-05-22
  • "Random windshield crack that appeared out of no where when leaving work. 4 hour time span of video shows no foul play, nobody was mowing the yard. No way anything hit it - I confirmed. Crack started to expand up and out…"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-05-05
  • "Front Driver side and front passenger side door actuator has failed. Locks are non responsive to key fob or interior master switch. The door locks have to be manually unlocked with the key or by the individual in the…"
    Latches, locks, and linkages · filed 2026-05-04

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Toyota RAV4 PRIME SUV AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
RAV4 Prime four-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S6) All-wheel drive 40 36 38 MPG / 600 mi range $1700

Specs and fitment

Fifth-generation RAV4 plug-in (XA50), 2021–2025
Body styles Crossover SUV
Oil 0W-16 (API SN/RC); 0W-20 temporary if 0W-16 unavailable , 4.8 qt capacity
Tire size 225/60R18, 235/55R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 23V-041 covers certain 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. While driving in EV Mode in certain cold weather conditions, if the accelerator is rapidly pressed to further accelerate, the hybrid vehicle control ECU software may cause the hybrid system to shut down, resulting in a stall. Recall 23V-478 covers certain 2021-2022 RAV4 Prime and Lexus NX450h+ plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: the electric current rectifying module in the DC-DC converter may have been damaged during production, which can result in an electrical short-circuit. Recall 20V-698 covers certain 2021 RAV4 Prime vehicles whose headlight aiming caps may have been improperly closed, allowing horizontal headlight adjustment and failing FMVSS 108.

Compare

Next year 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) See every Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) reliable?

Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) over 6 years — 20 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 RAV4 Prime (PHEV) years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including DC/DC converter, Hybrid power control unit, and Control module, software.

What are common problems with a 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV)?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (37 of 99), then Fuel and propulsion system (18) and Service brakes (16). Those filings include 12 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2022 RAV4 Prime (PHEV) has 21 complaints, 5 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) been recalled?

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV)?

Owners have filed 99 complaints about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime (PHEV) is 38 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Toyota RAV4 Prime take?

XA50 (2021-2025) lists SAE 0W-16 (API SN/RC); SAE 0W-20 may be used temporarily if 0W-16 is unavailable. Confirm the filler-cap grade for newer years.

What does recall 23V-041 cover on the RAV4 Prime?

Certain 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid vehicles: while driving in EV Mode in certain cold weather, rapidly pressing the accelerator may cause hybrid control ECU software to shut down the hybrid system and result in loss of motive power.

What tire sizes does the XA50 RAV4 Prime use?

225/60R18 and 235/55R19 depending on trim.