If you want to spend less at the pump the answer is simple—go hybrid. While some would urge folks to go fully electric, long distances can lead to worrying about when you're going to charge or not having the infrastructure in your home for home charging, you spend more money on supercharging costs than filling up with gasoline.
One Toyota Rav4 XSE driver seems very happy with her purchase of the car's hybrid model. While other manufacturers, like Hyundai, receive praise for their hybrid technology, Toyota has long been loved by car geeks. Not only is the brand the "OG" when it comes to popularizing hybrid models, but it creates some of the most dependable and fuel-efficient models on the market.
Praise for the XSE
A TikToker named Karla (@karla_x_13) certainly seems to agree with the latter part of that statement, as she reveals the vehicle's money-saving potential for her: "First time pumping gas I got this car two weeks ago, it's also the first time I own a hybrid and this is not too bad. It's cutting my gas in half, so $56 every two weeks gives me...586," she says in the video.
"That is a win," she concludes, referring to the fact that she's able to drive around 568 miles of range for around $56.29.
For a crossover SUV, the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid has a combined EPA rating of 39 miles per gallon with 41 mpg in city driving conditions and 38 mpg on the highway—which is pretty darn good when you consider it packs all-wheel drive. These are nearly identical figures to the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, and if you opt for the Rav4 Prime plug-in hybrid model you could potentially get even more bang for your driving buck.
While many believe fully electric vehicles are the greenest of the green when it comes to ecological impact, that's just not the case. Lithium mining creates a lot of C02 emissions and the size of the batteries needed to power full EVs, like the new Hyundai Ioniq line, Chevy's Bolt, or any of Tesla's vehicles. It not only causes a lot of waste (along with human rights violations) but can have a fairly detrimental impact on the environment.
@karla_x_13 Loving everything about this car! #Rav4Hybrid #XSE #Toyota
♬ original sound - Karla
Some supercharging stations meant to help electric cars charge more quickly and get on the road are also powered partly by coal, which also further calls into question the practice of EV manufacturing and if it's really the best way to go about limiting our carbon footprint and ushering our species into a whole new world of eco-friendly longevity.
This is why "stop-gap" cars that blend fuel consumption and ICE engines with relatively smaller electric-powered batteries, like the Toyota Prius Prime, are considered much more eco-friendly solutions than full-on electric vehicles.
In fact, the new Prius Prime was actually labeled the greenest car in America due to the Japanese auto manufacturer's approach in blending pure EV driving for short distances (39-44 miles estimated, which folks can replenish with Level 2, 240-volt chargers) combined with gasoline consumption. It gives drivers who regularly charge their car an estimated combined gas and EV range of 127 MPGe.
Viewers weigh in
Other users who responded to Karla's video said that they, too, were happy Toyota hybrid owners.
One person penned, "My Corolla hybrid is usually around $35-45 for about 600 miles. I love it."
Someone who owned what is effectively Honda's version of the Rav4 said that they, too, were loving the money they saved on gas: "2024 hybrid crv. I drive 70 miles a day. and fill up every 3.5 weeks."
One person wrote that they regretted their car choice after seeing Karla's video: "I need to trade the silverado asap now."
This seemed to be a common sentiment among users who replied to her video, like one who said, "I want that mileage is I should of got a Toyota then my jeep I had a Toyota before."
Another commented, "I love my 2019 RAV4 hybrid! I get about 460 miles before I need to refill."
The Daily Dot has reached out to Toyota via email and Karla via TikTok comment.
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