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Toyota Readies Plug-In Hybrid RAV4

Toyota Motor Corp. will add a plug-in hybrid variant of its redesigned RAV4 compact crossover vehicle next year.
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Toyota Motor Corp. will add a plug-in hybrid variant of its redesigned RAV4 compact crossover vehicle in 2020.

The carmaker has released photos of the plug-in model—which gets a slightly modified front end—ahead of its official unveiling at next month’s Los Angeles auto show. Toyota launched the fifth-generation RAV4, including a conventional hybrid model, earlier this year.

The plug-in version will be the most powerful RAV4 to date, according to Toyota, which provided no technical information about the powertrain. The base RAV4, which is equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, makes 203 hp. The standard hybrid, which adds an electric motor and continuously variable transmission, makes 219 hp.

The current base hybrid has a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rating of 40 mpg.

Earlier this week, Toyota said it is extending the battery warranty for all 2020 hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles to 10 years or 150,000 miles. Previous models had 8-year/100,000-mile coverage.

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