Does The Toyota Rav4 Have Wireless Phone Charging?

We carry our phones everywhere. Don’t even try to deny it, we know you do it too. If by chance you’re one of the rare people that doesn’t believe in carrying your phone everywhere, we’ve never met anyone like you. For the rest of us, wireless phone charging in cars could be the most convenient technology feature ever installed in a vehicle. What do you think?

The Toyota Rav4 has wireless phone charging in some of its upper trim levels but is only offered as an additional or optional package. Wireless smartphone charging is not a standard feature in any of the Toyota Rav4 trims but there are numerous multimedia upgrades available for purchase.

Is wireless smartphone charging something you ever thought would be a good idea in a car? I have on so many occasions found that the charging cord can get caught or in the way while I’m setting up my phone to be charged. Is it just me?

Continue reading below to find out which Toyota Rav4 trim has this convenient and easy-to-charge feature.

Does the Rav4 Have Wireless Charging?

Depending on the Toyota Rav4 trim you purchase it may come with the option to upgrade to a multimedia system that includes wireless smartphone charging.

Toyota does not offer wireless smartphone charging as a standard option in any of the Rav4 models and trims.

Along with the optional wireless smartphone charging, these upgraded packages also include some other relatively useful technology features like front and rear cameras and 360 degree overhead views to name a few.

Which Rav4 Models Have Wireless Charging?

These are the models that do not come with the option to upgrade to an audio multimedia package that includes wireless smartphone charging:

• Rav4 LE
• Rav4 LE Hybrid
• Rav4 XLE
• Rav4 XLE Hybrid
• Rav4 Adventure

The lower-trim models still have some pretty advanced technology features as far as multimedia packages go, and their 7-inch touchscreen media systems can be upgraded for Toyota’s Audio Plus System for an extra cost.

The following 2021 trim levels of the Toyota Rav4 can be upgraded for a top-media package for around US$2,000 which also includes numerous advanced tech features for practicality, safety, and convenience. 

Toyota Rav4 2021 XLE Premium AWD and FWD

Even Toyota’s lower audio multimedia system is futuristically advanced compared with some other competitors.

The Rav4 XLE premium comes standard with the audio 7.0-inch touchscreen and four USB charging ports as well as Bluetooth wireless technology that does not include wireless smartphone charging unless you opt-in for one of the available upgrades.

Out of the two upgrades available for the Rav4 XLE Premium, one includes wireless charging.

You can upgrade your XLE Premium with the XLE premium technology package which also has the following:

• Front and rear parking assist
• Automatic breaking
• Digital rearview mirror
• Wireless smartphone charging with indicator light

Toyota Rav4 2021 XLE Premium Hybrid Electronic AWD

The Rav4 XLE Premium hybrid also comes standard with the audio 7.0-inch touch screen which includes 4 USB charging ports and wireless technology again not including wireless smartphone charging.

It is possible to upgrade to Toyota’s Audio Plus 8-inch touchscreen for some additional features, but this also does not include wireless charging.

Owners of the XLE Premium Hybrid also have the option to upgrade their multimedia package to the XLE Premium technology package which, as above, includes the following:

• Front and rear parking assist
• Automatic breaking
• Digital rearview mirror
• Wireless smartphone charging with indicator light

Toyota Rav4 2021 Adventure AWD

Toyota introduced the Toyota Rav4 Adventure series in 2021 and although it has many advanced and sought-after features in technology and safety, the adventure trim does not have the option to upgrade its media technology package and does not come with wireless smartphone charging.

The standard audio multimedia package in the adventure trim of the Rav4 is Toyota’s audio plus with an 8-inch touchscreen and four USB charging ports.

Toyota Rav4 2021 TRD Off-Road AWD

The standard incorporated technology for the TRD Off-Road is Toyota’s Audio Plus which does not include wireless charging. There are two additional upgrades to choose between.

The Premium Audio, Dynamic Navigation with a 3-year trial which comes with an additional 4 USB charging points but no wireless charging options, and the TRD Off-Road Technology Package.

The TRD off-Road Technology package comes with the following features:

• Front and rear parking assist
• Automatic braking
• Bird’s eye view camera
• Overhead 360-degree view
• Digital rearview mirror
• Wireless smartphone charging with indicator light

Toyota Rav4 2021 XSE Hybrid Electronic AWD

The standard technology feature in the XSE Hybrid is Toyota’s Audio Plus but you can choose between two technology upgrades for the XSE Electronic AWD Hybrid.

The first choice is the Premium Audio, Dynamic Navigation with three years trial and the second is the XSE Technology Package.

The Premium Audio Dynamic Navigation system does not have wireless charging, but the XSE specific Technology Package has the following:

• Front and rear parking assist
• Automatic braking
• Wireless smartphone charging with indicator light

Toyota Rav4 2021 Limited AWD and FWD and Toyota Rav4 2021 Limited Hybrid

Both the Rav4 Limited and the Limited Hybrid have the option to upgrade to a more advanced technology package for an additional fee.

Here is what the Grade Advance Technology Package offers in the Limited and the Limited Hybrid:

• Smart key system for all doors and liftgate
• Foot activated power liftgate
• Birds eye view camera
• Overhead 360-degree view
• Wireless smartphone charging with light indicator

How Does Wireless Charging Work?

If you have the wireless smartphone charging feature, you simply place your phone down on the charging tray/pad, face-up, and it charges while the phone is laying there.

There are no cords or external wires to get in your way or to distract you while you’re driving.

If your Toyota vehicle does not come with wireless charging and this is a feature you want in your car, (we don’t blame you), you can purchase and install this yourself!

Check out this YouTube video by Morozov Automotive who shows us how to install a wireless smartphone charger in a 2019 Rav4 Hybrid to look exactly as Toyota would install in their upgrades.

If you’re after a more technical rundown of how the wireless smartphone charging works in your car, It mostly has something to do with magnetic fields that transfer energy from a charger to a battery. Business Insider provides more of an in-depth description of how wireless charging works and you can check it out in their article here.

Do People Want Wireless Smartphone Charging in Their Car?

New technology in cars is always exciting, but are people as excited about wireless phone charging as we are?

Wireless smartphone charges in cars are currently not a favorite technology feature compared with other features like heated seats, front and rear parking cameras, blind-spot monitoring, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

We do think that wireless smartphone charging will be an ideal feature in the future for people who love the convenience and the ease of simply being able to place your phone in the center dash tray and have it charge wirelessly while you drive.

Conclusion

Wireless smartphone charging is a practical feature in a vehicle especially when it means fewer loose cords to get in the way of the driver. It’s fast and it’s easy and it’s as simple as placing your phone in the center dash tray to charge wirelessly while you drive.

While this feature might not be a standard feature in the Rav4 trims it can be purchased with an additional multimedia package for an extra cost or you can buy the wireless charger from a third-party Toyota source and install it yourself. We highly recommend wireless smartphone charging.