Toyota Prius and Rav4 are no longer Prime

Toyota Prius and Rav4 are no longer Prime

Toyota's Prius has been completely redesigned for 2023, and now the automaker is changing its name as well. The 2025 Prius Prime will now go by a more straightforward name: Prius Plug-in Hybrid. The same applies to the Rav4 Prime, which is now called the Rav4 Plug-in Hybrid.

Toyota says the name change is intended to "make it easier for consumers to identify powertrain options" between the Prius and Rav4 models. 2025 versions of the Prius Plug-in will also have an updated "PHEV" (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) badge on the rear. Meanwhile, the Rav4 will no longer have the blue halo in the Toyota logo on both the front and rear.

There are no changes to the specifications of the new 2025 Prius model — the plug-in version still has a 13.6 kWh battery with a maximum range of 44 miles for electric-only driving on the SE trim.

The Rav4 has an 18.5kWh battery with an EV range of 42 miles, plus it supports 6.6kW charging speeds that take about two hours to charge on a Level 2 charger. (The Prius takes about four hours.)

Toyota has been pushing a hybrid-first agenda lately and taking a wait-and-see approach with EVs. The automaker has only launched one ho-hum EV model in the bZ4x, but could soon change its path with the promise of a three-row electric SUV for the US.