5 Reasons I'd Buy the XSE Trim of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Over the Limited

5 Reasons I'd Buy the XSE Trim of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Over the Limited originally appeared on Autoblog.

The top trim level isn't always the best

Like most cars of this model year, the 2025 Toyota RAV4 hybrid comes in a wide variety of choices—nine in total. You can get it in front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, gas-only (next year they’ll be hybrid-only), a hybrid, or a plug-in hybrid. Having so many options for a wider array of buyers helps keep the RAV4 in the top five charts of best-selling Toyotas, and after driving one for a week, I now understand why every other car I see in Bend, Oregon, is an AWD RAV4. They’re not too big, not too small, can fit the family and everyday gear, have decent power, and achieve incredible mileage. It was a great car for my two toddlers, too.

The model I drove for a week was the XSE, which is a step below the oh-so-fancy Limited trim. The Limited is the top-shelf model before we get into PHEV territory, with a starting price of $42,355. The XSE’s starting price is $39,710. There’s an almost $3,000 difference between the two models, and after discussing stats, features, and styling differences with my father-in-law, who just bought a Limited a few months ago, I’d pick the XSE AWD hybrid over the Limited any day. Here are five reasons I feel that way.

1. Styling-wise, I prefer the XSE’s black accenting

From the outside, the XSE and the Limited look very similar. But what I noticed right away was the black, glossy 18-inch wheels on the XSE and the silver wheels on the Limited. I’m a black wheel girl through and through, and subscribe to the idea that black wheels look good on any car in any color. Black wheels aren’t as “classy” as silver wheels, but they’re charming, and they make a car feel sleeker and less mom-like.

The mirrors on the XSE are black, no matter what paint color you have, and this follows along with my previous point. Black accenting rules. My father-in-law thought the black mirrors, grille, black roof lining instead of paint-matching, and black accenting decals on the fog lights made the RAV4 look cheap, but I disagree. The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the large, silver plastic piece on the bumper. It distracted from the blacked-out theme and seemed out of place. In my opinion, it made it look a bit cheap. However, the Limited trim has that silver bumper piece, too, but it looked a little more cohesive with the Limited’s silver wheels and grille.

Side note, the shocks and springs on the XSE were painted the same color as the outside, and I liked being able to see that peeking over the glossy black wheels. Is it necessary? No–but I felt like it was a nice touch. Sort of like when you complete an outfit with a pair of shoes that bring out the quieter color.

2. The interior layout was the same, but I preferred the theme in the XSE

The Limited offers more options for interior color, available in black, tan, or ash. I do have to say, the Limited is charming with the tan color as it comes with a slightly darker contrast stitching, but I don’t think it’s worth paying extra for (unless, of course, you were looking for a more expensive feel out of your RAV4). In the XSE, the seats were leather, but they had a cloth center on the back and bottom. The seats in the Limited were full leather. Unlike the Limited, the only interior color choice for the XSE is black.

Normally, I despise black interiors, but the XSE I drove was Calvalry blue with the midnight black metallic roof that had a subtle but beautiful sparkle in the sun. The seats were black, but came with bright blue contrast stitching that complemented the color on the outside. And, dare I say it, lent it an almost sporty look. The blue stitching was on the dashboard and doors, too, and it helped break up all the black and give it a bit of personality.

3. With the powertrain and MPG figures being the same, I had a hard time justifying the price difference

Both the Limited and the XSE have the same proven powerplant: the 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine paired with an 18.1-kWh battery pack and a CVT. During my week-long test, I was getting an astonishing average of 36.2 mpg. When I switched it from “Normal” to “Eco,” it went up to 36.3. Granted, that was halfway through my loan, so I can say that the Eco mode works. If you spent all of your driving time in Eco mode, I would bet you’d see 40 mpg, if not very close to it. The XSE was smooth, had a decent amount of pull under the pedal, and I was very grateful to have it when traffic from Bend to La Pine hit.

Since there are no differences between the two power-wise, the main difference was the full-leather seats and the exterior accenting being silver and chrome instead of black. I would understand the price difference being that high if there were a separation in performance, but there isn’t. Not even in the suspension or braking setup.

4. The XSE can come with the same options as the Limited, for noticeably less

When we look at both models at the base, there’s not much to them. Both have a 10.5-inch center screen, but things like a sunroof, digital rearview mirror, an all-weather package, and “advanced technology package” are all add-ons for either trim level. If either model doesn’t have any of the add-ons, the only difference between them is the exterior accenting colors, seat materials, and color options for the interior and exterior. And, of course, the starting price. The XSE starts at $37,560 while the Limited starts at $42,355.

For the Limited, the advanced technology goodies, which include a bigger multi-information display (12.3 inches), 360-degree panoramic view while parking or low-speed driving, curb view, parking assistance with automatic braking, smart key functionality for all doors and the liftgate, and a wireless phone charger, are a $1,025 add-on. For the XSE, the same technology costs $2,010. The Limited comes with the 11-speaker JBL sound system (with a dedicated subwoofer), while it’s a $580 add-on for the XSE. At the base, neither trim comes with the large panoramic sunroof that my daughters adored. For both models, that’s an extra $500.

Neither comes with an all-weather package from the factory, either. A windshield wiper warmer, all-weather mats for the footwells and cargo area, a better defroster function, rain-sensing wipers, a heated steering wheel, and heated mirrors are expensive add-ons. For the XSE, it’s $375, while the Limited’s package is a whopping $815. However, it’s more expensive because it includes seat heaters for the rear seats, while the XSE doesn’t offer that.

Here’s where it gets interesting: when you add all the possible options for the XSE, including the optional fog light accent decals, protection package (which includes wheel locks), cargo liner, and door sill protectors that came with my tester, the total MSRP came to $43,728. For the Limited, adding the same extras brought the total to $46,667. You might be thinking, “That’s not too bad, I’ll take the leather, chrome, and heated rear seats.” And that’s fine–but that’s MSRP. When you look up how much dealerships are trying to get for these models, though, the price difference is glaring. The average cost of a 2025 Toyota RAV4 Limited with all the add-ons was $51,825. For the XSE with all the extras, though, the average cost is, oddly, $44,648.

5. The XSE’s Calgary Blue color was enough to convince me

This one is picky, I acknowledge that. However, that Calgary Blue color is truly a showstopper. It’s such a nice break away from the boring silver, white, black, or candy apple red colors. The Limited doesn’t offer that pastel blue color, and I think that’s a shame. Instead, your choices are Blueprint Blue, which is such a dark blue it almost looks black, Midnight Black Metallic, Ruby Flame Pearl (an extra $425, by the way), white, grey, or a gunmetal gray color. Boring. The XSE can come in the same lighter gray as the Limited, silver, gunmetal gray, and white. And, of course, Calgary Blue (which doesn’t cost extra). It’s my favorite color on a Toyota I’ve seen, aside from Mud Bath on the 4Runner and that forest green that comes on the Woodland trim of the RAV4.

That exterior color paired with the blue accent stitching helped it stand out from the crowd, and I liked that, especially since most people who own RAV4s look at them as an appliance rather than as an extension of themselves. If I owned the XSE in that color, I would be proud to say I own a robin egg RAV4.

Final thoughts

The beautiful thing about car buying is that you can buy whatever you want. My father-in-law loves his Ruby Flame Peal Limited hybrid, even though he spent almost $52,000 on it. He enjoys the chrome and silver accenting, as it gives it a “touch of luxury.” He bought his with the tan interior, and I do have to say, it makes it look premium and posh. He didn’t like the XSE’s styling and black interior, as it made it look cheap. I felt the opposite—I thought the Limited was too much money for what it offered over the XSE, and I preferred the black wheels and accenting. The beautiful thing is, both of us could drive away with a car that makes us happy. Toyota’s wise to offer two different trims that appeal to different generations. There’s no wonder they’re so popular.

However, I have a hard time looking at the specs, options, and pricing and justifying how much the Limited is. But if you’re the kind of person who enjoys getting in a car that looks like a $65,000 car on the inside, the Limited is a no-brainer. If you’re like me, who tries to get the most out of every dollar, enjoys personality and bright colors, the XSE is a fantastic choice.

5 Reasons I'd Buy the XSE Trim of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Over the Limited first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 11, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.