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JASON KAVANAGH: This is the all-new 2019 Toyota RAV4,
and it's the replacement for the best-selling vehicle
in the United States that's not a full-size pickup.
Now, the previous generation had been getting a little bit long
in the tooth, but it's still been a strong seller.
I'm here in Carmel, California to find out
if the new RAV4 can improve upon the attributes of the old one
to maintain its status at the top of the heap.
SPEAKER: To see how the 2018 RAV4 measured up to its rivals,
check out our recent comparison test video.
And while you're at it, click Subscribe.
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JASON KAVANAGH: The RAV4 is on a new platform,
and it's not that much different size-wise
than the outgoing RAV4.
The biggest difference is the wheelbase,
which is just over an inch longer than the old RAV4.
In terms of height and length, it's pretty similar.
It's a little bit wider than the old one.
There is about 2 inches more ground clearance in this car,
so if you're going to go off-road,
this one has you covered better than the old one does.
Speaking of off-road, there are three all-wheel drive systems
available.
There's a standard on-demand all-wheel drive system.
And some trim levels offer what they call a torque vectoring
all-wheel drive system, which has
a fancy rear differential which can portion torque
left and right across the axle.
This is a system that's intended to help handling as much as it
can help off-road as well.
So if you're going to go off-road, look at an Adventure
trim, and you're going to get the torque vectoring
all-wheel drive.
The third all-wheel drive system is
the hybrid, which drives the rear axle strictly
electrically.
It doesn't have a drive shaft from the front
going to the rear differential.
The RAV4 I'm driving right now is an XLE premium trim,
which is sort of in the middle of the range.
You can get a more affordable one, an LE,
or an Adventure trim, which is further up, all the way up
to a Limited, and then there's a hybrid model as well.
The XLE and the XLE Premium is going
to be the heart of RAV4 sales.
This is where most people land when they get a RAV4, at least
that's the expectation.
So what is it like to drive?
It's a new 2.5 liter four-cylinder,
which is the same displacement as the old engine,
but it's a different engine.
It's about 200 horsepower.
And it's not going to blow your hair back.
This is not a super powerful car by any means.
It makes most of its power up high,
and around town if you stand on it down low,
you're going to be waiting a little bit for this thing
to get going.
The eight-speed transmission, however, is quite good.
It's got smooth shifts.
It makes good decisions.
It even holds gears when you're climbing a grade.
So the eight-speed transmission is really good.
The four-cylinder needs high RPM to really feel powerful.
And if you're just kind of cruising around
and you step on the gas, you might be wanting
for a little bit more power.
Which if you do, you're in luck because the hybrid model
is a lot torquier down low.
I mean, just around town, you can feel the hybrid's torque
pushing you around a lot better than the gas engine does.
But it's true that the four cylinder needs revs, really,
if you want to get going anywhere.
And when you give this thing a lot of throttle, if you really
need to make that freeway pass for example,
the engine gets pretty vocal as well.
But once you're cruising around, the engine quiets down
and then the only thing you're really hearing
is a bit of road noise.
Wind noise is pretty well banished in this car.
The Mazda CX-5 is the benchmark in this class when it
comes to steering and handling.
And the new RAV4, while it takes a step closer to the CX-5
it doesn't unseat it from that perch.
The steering's quick and it's a little on the light side,
but overall it turns in nicely, it
feels pretty nimble, pretty agile.
It doesn't roll a lot when you steer it into a bend.
But it's not the most sporty SUV out there.
And to be honest, this is the right way
to go with a vehicle like this.
It does what you want when you want it to do it.
Expectations for ride quality in this segment
are pretty high because you have to satisfy a lot of people,
given how popular this segment is.
And the new RAV4 meets that high expectation.
It's got enough feedback to let you
know the texture of the road that you're on, but not
so much that it's too busy or it gets tiresome.
So it strikes a nice balance, and I'm happy with the ride.
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Like the rest of the RAV4, the interior is all new too.
And one of the features I like about it is the visibility.
It has these slim pillars and the mirrors
are now attached to the door, which
makes a big difference in terms of seeing pedestrians
that are on street corners and things like that.
It's got better materials throughout.
It's definitely an upgrade compared
to the outgoing RAV4, where the interior was
one of its weak points.
This console here is wider than it
was before because the vehicle's a bit wider,
and that leaves more room for cup holders
and a console storage bin.
Toyota has added a whole lot of infotainment capability
to this generation of RAV4.
A 7-inch touchscreen is standard,
as is Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and 4G LTE Wi-Fi.
An 8-inch touchscreen and Qi wireless cell phone charging
is optional.
Like the exterior, there are more aggressive features
even on the interior too-- these big grab handles
with a rubberized coating on the inside, this slim structure
on the dashboard.
It's got a little bit more design appeal
than the outgoing RAV4.
Is it as good as the CX-5?
Mmm, maybe not, but I think that this is a big step up
from the old RAV4.
It's pretty spacious in the back seat.
I'm 6' 1" and I have lots of headroom.
I have a pretty good amount of legroom.
However, the back seat is pretty flat,
and I don't have a lot of thigh support in this seat.
And when you consider that most trim levels have
vents for the back seat passengers,
overall, they are going to be pretty happy on a long trip.
The cargo area has always been a strong point for this vehicle.
However, it is about a cubic foot smaller than the old one.
It's still near the top of the class, though.
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The new RAV4's improved fuel economy, sharper styling,
and improved driving dynamics are only
going to help its chances in this segment.
And while the engine's a bit weak and prices have gone up,
the list of features available is really long
so the value is actually stronger than ever.
And because of that, I think the new RAV4 is poised for success.
SPEAKER: If you'd like to see more videos like this one,
subscribe.
And be sure to visit Edmunds to find your next car, truck,
or SUV.
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