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2019 Toyota RAV4 – pressroom.toyota.com | Shop 2019 Toyota RAV4 on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2019 Toyota RAV4?
The 2019 Toyota RAV4 has an all-new and ruggedly handsome design. And we like the return of the similar body on frame look of the pickups. Even though the consumer may never get off-road, they will look like they can. Although the RAV4 officially has nine new trims, we’re going to be looking at the gas versions of the wider, more rigid, and more capable all-new 2019 Toyota RAV4.
The Breakdown
We like the exterior design
We like the ride and handling
We like the interior room
We don’t like the rough and noisy engine
2019 RAV4 Specs
- 203 horsepower from base engine
- 184 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 37.5 cu-ft. of cargo capacity
- 69.8 cu-ft. of cargo capacity with seats down
- Towing capacity of 1,500 lbs
2019 Toyota RAV4 Powertrain
Under the hood, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder might surprise you with its 184 lb-ft of torque and 203 horsepower. The relatively heavy RAV 4 saps a bit of that power, so it does a slow 8.4 sec 0-60. However, that’s in line with most of the non-hybrid competitors.
On the road, the 2019 RAV4 reminded us of our recent Toyota Highlander test SUV. Like its big brother Highlander, Toyota’s RAV4 engine makes a lot of noise and vibration on acceleration but doesn’t seem to be getting much out of it. However, once we got up to speed, everything quieted down and sounded more refined. Even the road manners were smooth and well isolated, but wind noise was noticeable. Although we are fans of how the all-wheel-drive plus torque vectoring felt when cornering, we don’t expect the FWD to be any different in everyday driving. Toyota’s new Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission replaces last year’s six-speed automatic, and it’s an excellent addition. Shifts were smooth and quick in our test car.
2019 Toyota RAV4 Fuel Economy and MPG
The 2019 Toyota RAV 4 is EPA rated at 27 mpg in the city, 34 on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. You should expect the hybrid versions of the RAV 4 to get 40 mpg combined, 41 city, and 38 highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Inside, Toyota has done an excellent job with the new dash design. The design work is let down a bit by the textures of its plastics. But, get past that, and everything is solid, put together, and well within reach. We love the larger screen and find Toyota’s Entune Infotainment system quick to respond to our touch.
The driver’s seat was very comfortable and held us in place. We felt that the seats had the perfect level of firmness, and the synthetic leather was an ideal alternative to the real thing. The rear seat room was very generous, too. Legroom wasn’t an issue for a six-footer, and the overall blocky design gave the impression of some great interior space. The Adventure trim gets unique orange interior accents that add some zing to the dash, seats, and door panels if you like that sort of thing.
There are more than enough cubbies and storage bins in the front to corral all passenger and driver paraphernalia for cargo. Surprisingly, when it comes to storage behind the rear seat, the RAV4 cannot keep up with a CR-V. Yes, it’ll still hold groceries or baby strollers, but if you fold the seats down, the Honda has over six cubic feet more storage than the RAV4. Like the Honda, the rear seats fold down and up very quickly.
Entertainment & Technology
From the driver’s seat, you have your choice of displays to view. In front of you is a 7-inch color display that gives you normal things like speed, economy, phone numbers, and such. It’s nice looking and not so bright as to cause problems in night driving. You also get the beautiful 8-inch touchscreen with Toyota’s Entune infotainment system. The Entune system is responsive, and you even have actual buttons to use for audio and mode selection. Thanks for that, Toyota. Apple CarPlay worked well, but Android Auto isn’t available. However, Toyota should have an upgrade for that by now.
If you haven’t mastered Google or Apple Maps and Waze, you can upgrade to the Navi-loaded 11-speaker JBL audio system. It sounds excellent but is pricey as a $1670 option.
Safety Features
Every RAV4 has Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0. Toyota says it includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane-Departure warnings with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beam, Lane Tracing Assist, and Road Sign Assist. All trim levels except LE get standard Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alerts. Depending on your trim, you’ll get other standard driver assists.
2019 Toyota RAV4 Trims & Pricing
LE -$25,500
The RAV4 LE is the base trim that includes an Entune infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, a USB port, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, a six-speaker audio system, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. You also get standard Toyota Sense 2.0 driver assistance features on the RAV4 LE that adds a rearview camera, driver drowsiness monitoring and adaptive cruise control. Pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, forward collision mitigation, and lane-keeping assist are all standard.
XLE -$27,300
The Toyota RAV4 XLE offers you all the same features as the LE, but adds dual-zone automatic climate control, a moonroof, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
XLE Premium-$29,500
The XLE Premium trim gives you extra features like synthetic leather upholstery and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.
Adventure-$32,900
Only the RAV4 Adventure trim has standard all-wheel-drive, including rock and dirt, mud and sand, and snow modes. The Adventure also comes with downhill assist control in helping to navigate rough terrain. The Adventure trim infotainment system upgrades to the 8-inch touchscreen Entune audio system.
Limited-$33,500
The highest trim option for the 2019 Toyota RAV4 adds heated front seats, a navigation system, rear cross-traffic braking, and a low-speed collision warning.
Warranties
Toyota offers a basic warranty of 3 yr./36,000 mi basic and 5 yr./60,000 mi powertrain. Toyota’s significant benefit here is the 2-year or 25,000 miles free basic maintenance. Bravo for Toyota.
What we think
2019 Toyota RAV4 – pressroom.toyota.com | Shop 2019 Toyota RAV4 on Carsforsale.com
Although the Toyota gives up some refinement to the class-leading Honda CR-V, it provides you a very rugged and high-quality choice. If you can accept the engine’s rough corners, the 2019 Toyota RAV4 is a fun-to-drive, handsome and competent crossover.
