TOYOTA RAV4 2019

Body and cabin

The redesigned, sharply sculptured 2019 Toyota RAV4 looks larger than its predecessor but the numbers indicate otherwise: it is just 1 cm wider, height is unchanged and it is actually half a centimetre shorter. However, the new Trail version looks taller and is, by 4 cm, mostly because of a more massive roof rack.

The wheelbase also gained 3 cm, which ensures the RAV4 a spot among the roomiest vehicles of the segment. Certain testers over 1.82 m/6ft. tall found that headroom was tight, in front, with the sunroof. Otherwise, the airy cabin comfortably accommodates four adults. The rear middle seat is mainly suited to children. In this respect, narrow rear door openings make it difficult to install a child safety seat and to strap in a toddler; most of Toyota RAV4’s rivals do better.

The driving position suited most of our testers, notably thanks to the range of the telescoping steering wheel, finally longer. Some would have liked longer front-seat cushions as well, but the side bolsters provide good support in turns without making hefty occupants feeling hemmed in. Though the rear bench is much too low for good thigh support, the seatbacks recline and are well shaped.

The redesigned cabin follows current trends with its centre touchscreen perched on the dash. Like it or loath it, it positions the right side of the screen a bit too far from the driver. However, it is intuitive, with buttons on either side and on the steering wheel for easier access to the main functions. The other controls are much better positioned than before, and easier to access.

However, some elements still look shortchanged, like the door switches, all unlighted except the driver’s side window lift. And the driving position memory system is one of the only ones on the market that does not include the rearview mirrors.

Other highlights

Cargo space: wide and very roomy with a relatively low floor (though not as low as the Honda CR‑V’s). The sides and some floor sections are made of very cheap plastic that will easily scratch. Luggage cover stows handily under the floor. The 60/40-split rear bench does not fold completely flat; a centre section that folds independently would add versatility. A power liftgate is standard starting on the XLE, hands-free on Limited only.

Audio: JBL system on Limited model is very powerful and relatively well balanced.

Finish: good-quality soft-touch materials top the dash and doors, with chic contrasting stitching. Limited trim has nice contrast of colours. An abundance of hard plastics elsewhere in the cabin. Door armrests insufficiently padded. Body paint thin and easy to scratch.

Safety features

Toyota is one of the rare auto makers to already include standard driving assistance features in nearly its entire lineup. All RAV4s come notably with automated emergency braking and blind spot monitoring, two of the most important advanced safety features.

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill-hold assist
• Front airbags
• Front driver knee airbag
• Passenger seat airbag (to avoid sliding out from under the seatbelt in a frontal crash)
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Five adjustable head restraints (fixed in front of Trail and XSE without Tech package)
• Front seats with whiplash mitigation
• Tire pressure monitor
• Rearview camera
• Forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection
• Lane departure warning with automatic steering assist
• Automatic high beams
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert
• Automatic rear braking if rear cross-traffic is detected (standard, Limited gas and XSE with Techn package; not available, other trims)
• Back-up sensors (standard, Limited gas and Hybrid, and XSE with Tech package; not available, other trims)
• Active park assist (standard, Limited Hybrid and XSE with Tech package; not available, other trims)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Visibility

Wide B-pillars impinge on the view when changing lanes. It is the only major hic in terms of visibility; Toyota says it has increased the glass surface, lowered the belt line and repositioned the door mirrors to improve the view, and it shows.

Headlights: standard on all versions, LED headlights provide a long, wide, bright beam. High beams are particularly bright. Standard: automatic on/off and automatic high-beams.

Mechanical overview

The RAV4 moves onto Toyota’s New Global Architecture platform for 2019. Evidently, it is more rigid and lighter than the one it replaces. Most models also shed a few kilograms despite adding equipment this year.

The independent suspension setup is unchanged, but Toyota says nearly every part has been replaced. Modified tunings smooth out the ride without compromising handling, as is usually possible with a more solid chassis.

Though the steering assist is still electric, the motor is now mounted on the rack-and-pinion instead of the steering column. The setup is said to provide better road feedback and quicker steering response.

Gas-engine models get a new version of the 2.5L four-cylinder used since 2009. Equipped with direct cylinder injection and port injection, this engine outputs 203 horsepower, 27 more than last year. That makes it one of the most powerful base engines in the segment.

The very low internal friction of this engine pairs with an automatic stop-start system and other clever techniques to reduce the fuel consumption ratings by 14 percent on all-wheel-drive models.

Also figuring prominently is a new, eight-speed automatic transmission. The two extra gears, compared to the former RAV4, allow the engine to run at lower rpm’s at stable speeds while delivering more linear torque.

The all-wheel drive on LE and XLE models transmits power to the rear wheels mainly when front-wheel slippage is detected. With Trail and Limited models, the system can also vary torque distribution between the rear wheels, or disengage them completely to reduce consumption. Snow, Mud/Sand and Rock/Dirt modes modulate the system depending on road conditions.

In more good news for drivers aiming for maximum fuel economy, the catalogue once again lists an updated hybrid version. It continues to call on an electric motor and a 2.5L four-cylinder to generate a combined net total of 219 horsepower. That’s 25 more than in 2018, and 16 more than the current combustion-engine RAV4.

All Toyota RAV4 hybrids come with a four-wheel-drive system that is quite different from that of the gas models. A rear-mounted electric motor drives the rear wheels, both at launch and when the front wheels begin to slip. The hybrid gas engine/electric motor combo still powers the front wheels, via a continuously variable transmission.

The official ratings posted by Natural Resources Canada for the RAV4 hybrid indicate a combined fuel consumption of 6 L/100 km. That’s nearly a third less than an equivalent gasoline model. We’ll have to see if those previsions hold up on the road; it was not at always the case with the former generation.

Driving impressions

The outgoing Toyota RAV4 was rather unsettled on the road, especially model-years 2013 to 2015. A partial remake in 2016 calmed things down somewhat.

Several changes to the current iteration have civilized this “small” SUV even more. The suspension absorbs impacts better than before, before they reach the cabin. The ride can therefore quality as relatively compliant, even with the 19 in. wheels equipping the high-end trims.

That said the body still weaves slightly over a series of bumps and depressions. Several competing vehicles control such small body motions at highway speed more successfully.

Fortunately, that leftover agitation has no negative effect on handling. The Toyota RAV4 maintains its straight-line trajectory without hesitation and corners with aplomb. Body lean is reasonable in turns, and understeer (the tendency to plow straight ahead in a turn) is late to appear. The steering is precise and quick but rather uncommunicative; both the Mazda CX‑5 and Ford Escape deliver better road feedback.

Several RAV4 rivals also overshadow the Toyota in terms of noise suppression, at least as concerns the engine. The engine in the gas versions accelerates vigorously, but it is one of the noisiest of the segment and its exhaust note is anything but harmonious.

Engine noise becomes irritating even at 70 or 80 km/h on a hilly road. There is a welcome respite at highway speed on flat roads, but the lack of refinement is a letdown compared to the progress made by the other manufacturers.

Other highlights

Braking: nicely firm, easily modulated pedal despite slight play at the beginning. Good power and stability.

Driving assistance: the very pro-active adaptive cruise control slows the pace far back of a preceding vehicle, even with distance is set at a minimum. The regular cruise control can be selected at any time. Lane-departure warning is quick to intervene; drivers are quick to switch it off it on secondary roads.