- [Narrator] What's new with RAV4?
In short, everything.
Toyota's fifth-generation small SUV
boasts a bold exterior and interior design,
a meticulously assembled engine under the hood,
and a long list of safety, convenience and comfort features
that help solidify its no-compromise mentality.
And because so much has changed
with the fifth-generation RAV4,
many of the manufacturing processes
that go into making RAV4 are also new as a result.
And naturally, like all Toyota models,
a lot of hard work and dedication goes into building RAV4.
So let's take a few minutes to explore how quality,
durability and reliability are not only manufactured
into every aspect of RAV4,
but the entire Toyota vehicle lineup
right from where they are assembled and built.
In North America, RAV4 is assembled at three facilities,
one in Kentucky and two in Ontario
the last of which is dedicated solely to RAV4.
The team in Woodstock, Ontario prides itself
in being responsible for putting hundreds
of thousands of RAV4s on the road each year.
So where does it all begin?
The manufacturing process starts with sheets of metal,
which are stamped into body panels,
like the hood, the roof and liftgate.
These three panels are specifically constructed
using high-strength aluminum.
Since it's lighter than traditional steel,
this adds to RAV4's fuel efficiency.
The body panels are then welded together
to make up RAV4's Toyota New Global Architecture
or TNGA-based chassis.
Within a matter of minutes, thousands of intricate welds
are performed by hundreds of robots.
- The body shop is the birthplace of a car.
That's somebody's car.
And that's somebody's independence,
it's somebody's freedom, it's somebody's everything.
And that's important to that person
so we gotta make sure we do a good job on that car.
- [Narrator] Once completed,
the underbody is carefully checked
by a team member using a Toyota certified chisel
and hammer and ultrasound technology
in order to confirm weld integrity.
Weld integrity checks are a global Toyota process
to ensure built-in quality and safety across all models.
While this process itself isn't new,
one aspect of it certainly is,
team members now wear an advanced exoskeleton
while performing these checks.
- The exoskeleton is something that we introduced
at this model change.
We have a process that requires team members
to be checking underneath the car
for about 20 minutes at a time
with their arms over their heads.
So what the exoskeleton does is
it allows some support for their arms
to hold overhead so those muscles
that they would normally use to have to hold up their arms
don't get fatigued.
- [Narrator] After this quality check is performed,
RAV4 heads over to the paint shop.
For proper paint adhesion,
paint shops across Toyota facilities are tightly regulated
to ensure every vehicle has a vibrant exterior color.
Once that's done, the RAV4 emblem is placed on the body,
while RAV4 Hybrid also gets its unique badging
applied to the front fenders and liftgate.
Now it's time to get started on the interior.
But to do that, all four doors must first be removed
in order to put together the cabin efficiently.
Like all Toyota models, safety is a key aspect
found throughout RAV4, and that includes its interior.
So to that end, each RAV4 features eight airbags
throughout its cabin.
After that, the headliner,
which is stitched robotically, slides right in,
along with the front and rear seats.
And for the fifth generation,
the dash assembly is now hand-stitched,
requiring hours of training for each team member to master.
- With the RAV4, the one word that pops into my mind,
especially with the stitching, is just pride.
I know when I get in a vehicle
that's the first thing I look at,
especially since it's kind of right in front of you
every time you're in that vehicle.
So for me, the biggest thing is pride
knowing that I stitched these
or some of my colleagues stitched these.
And you know they're going in every vehicle,
every RAV4 and it's gonna be something
that the general public sees every single day.
- [Narrator] Next up, RAV4's glass gets installed,
which includes the windshield and rear window
and, if equipped, the available power tilt/slide moonroof.
RAV4's available digital rearview mirror,
a first for Toyota's U.S. lineup, is also installed here.
Now, let's get back to those doors.
Having already been painted,
they now head over to the door line,
where components like the speakers, wiring,
interior door panels, and side windows are installed.
Needless to say,
each door assembly is dependent upon RAV4's grade
as interior trim, speaker count and more can vary.
Lastly, the doors are then reattached to the body,
making it whole once again.
So now that RAV4's exterior and interior are complete,
it's time to assemble and install
its beating heart, the engine.
RAV4's engine is assembled at two of Toyota's facilities
right here in America, located in Huntsville, Alabama,
and Buffalo, West Virginia,
and both are responsible for producing several engines
for Toyota's U.S. lineup,
including the 2.5 liter Dynamic Force
four-cylinder engine inside RAV4.
So let's take a look at how it comes together.
The engine block comes in and is slowly transformed
into a recognizable motor by skilled team members
as it makes its way down the assembly line.
Throughout this entire build process,
each engine undergoes a significant number
of quality checks, which is a standard process
that occurs across Toyota facilities.
- The quality for this RAV4 engine is exceptional.
Every 60 engines which is the equivalent
of one hour of production,
we stop all the lines for one minute,
we do quantitative checks.
- Quality is a major focus at Toyota in general.
We check every nook, bolt, stud we put on.
We have visual checks throughout
and then we have a gate control at each line
to make sure we're keeping quality in mind is consistent.
- [Narrator] It's clear that there's no shortage
of touch points with the engines.
And even before they get started,
team members across all Toyota facilities
are required to safely and successfully
complete thousands of build repetitions
and must be able to perform multiple rotational processes
in order to be officially certified to build Toyota engines.
This means the human element during the entire process
plays a very important role,
which helps ensure each engine is a high-quality build.
Once the engines are done being tested,
they're shipped out to join the chassis.
So to finish up, let's head back to the factory
in Woodstock, Ontario.
To install the powertrain,
RAV4 goes up on a lift to make it easier to maneuver under.
The front and rear suspension are put in place first,
followed by the engine,
which is connected to the transmission.
And because RAV4 now has three available
all-wheel drive options,
in addition to its standard front-wheel drive,
the drivetrain can vary depending on trim,
while on the lift, RAV4's dual exhaust is installed as well.
Once the assembly is finished, RAV4 is ready
for one final quality check before leaving the factory.
RAV4's final quality check is done
under special LED lighting.
This bright lighting helps team members
spot any imperfections both on the outside and the inside.
A process duplicated at Toyota facilities
in North America and abroad.
Once it passes this final check,
RAV4 is driven off the assembly line
with some vehicles even heading onto the test track,
where they undergo noise, vibration and harshness testing
and more driving tests to ensure quality,
durability and reliability, just like all Toyota models.
Once everything checks out,
RAV4 leaves the factory to begin its journey
to your local Toyota dealership.
- People are excited about this model of the RAV4,
they enjoy building it, they like seeing it on the road,
they like talking about it,
they like being part of a company
that builds such a successful vehicle.
- [Narrator] At Toyota Canada,
a RAV4 model comes off the assembly line every 60 seconds
and takes 26 hours from steel to rail.
This tight production schedule lets Toyota
keep supply on par with RAV4's serious demand.
So now that we've gone over
what makes the fifth-generation RAV4 so special,
it's time to get behind the wheel
and experience it firsthand.
(light upbeat music)