Nearly a year ago, the 2019 Toyota RAV4 made its debut in New York, and writers, as well as bloggers everywhere, had their heads turned immediately due to the new styling and abundant off-road capabilities. Now appearing much more aggressive, the crossover no longer seemed anonymous and was much less conservative. The powertrains have also been updated, and the RAV4 is now built on the TNGA platform variant that is shared with the savvy and stately Camry. The staff on duty at Autoblog were anxious to test it up close and personal, to check out and see for themselves if it lived up to the hype.
The Hybrid model is the most powerful, generating 219 horsepower from its 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, and 3 electric motors. One of them takes the duty of powering the rear wheels, giving the Hybrid a unique form of standard all-wheel-drive. Editor-in-chief Greg Migliore thought off the bat that the styling is now a bit akin to what you see on the Jeep Cherokee, and was also impressed heavily by the 39 mpg EPA rating. He thought the interior was definitely solid, organized, and that the hybrid tech provides an identity that shows its right for the current times. Even though it exists in a bit crowded of a category, Greg felt that it was spot-on in terms of delivery and value.
Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale was appreciative of the way in which the exterior had a forward-leaning stance, and the appearance that the two-tone paint schemes give it provide an adventuresome and cutting-edge persona. Some of the interior design details that he enjoys are the way the sound system knobs feel, the toughness of the rubber components, and satisfactory heft of the steering. Within the comments underneath the article, many enthusiasts think that Toyota “has a huge hit on its hands”, and wish that vehicles like the Tacoma were sold with the same hybrid system.
The 2019 Toyota Rav4 is available here at Rick McGill in five trim levels: LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure and Limited. Standard on the LE entry-level you can expect 17-inch steel wheels, LED headlights, automatic high beams, roof rails, rear privacy glass, a backup camera, lane-keeping assist, and keyless entry. Inside you’ll find a 7-inch touchscreen, one USB port, in-car Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay, and a 6-speaker sound system. The Optional AWD system provides the addition of multiple traction settings for Snow, Mud and Sand, as well as Rock and Dirt.
Where things get really unique and exciting is the Limited Trim: swankier styling, heated front seats, blue ambient lighting, various tech upgrades, and an integrated navigation system are all included, as well an optional JBL sound system. As we are situated right now in the season where things get slippery and soggy pretty quick, it’s also great to know that all trim levels offer some version of the Weather Prep package: here you get to enjoy the addition of a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, and automatic wipers with the very useful deicer function.
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