Toyota RAV4

By making the car as versatile as possible! Toyota can afford that because it offers several SUVs in the same segment. The electric-powered "bZ4X" targets the progressive buyer who uses the car intensively and therefore values low costs and low emissions. In contrast, the RAV4 is aimed at the more traditional customer looking for a leisure car. That is why the bZ4X is futuristically lined and the RAV4, on the contrary, has an adventurous look with features of an off-road vehicle such as a high raised nose.

Dimensions

The new RAV4 has exactly the same exterior dimensions as the previous generation and that's because Toyota used it to strike a successful balance between interior space, manoeuvrability and deployability. By the latter is meant that the RAV4 fits into different markets in different countries. The RAV4 is considered a small car in America, while in Europe it is considered a mid-size SUV. The clever sizing allows Toyota to serve two markets with one model. Although the exterior dimensions have not changed, the new RAV4 sits on a completely new platform that allows for petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid propulsion. In the latter case, the battery is part of the load-bearing structure for the sake of safety and interior space.

Front and rear space is good. Because the dashboard is 4 cm lower than in the previous generation, forward visibility is improved, giving a noticeably greater sense of freedom. The dashboard consists of a mix of plastics, with a little too much hard plastic used for a car in this price range. However, soft fabric has always been used on the door panels and other parts that are frequently touched. The GR Sport version driven here has a sporty touch thanks to red stitching and GR Sport logos in the seats.

Equipment

With the new RAV4, new software also makes its appearance. "Arene" is Toyota's own operating system with which Toyota aims to make cars ever smarter. The ultimate goal is to use one computer and one operating system to control all parts of the car ("software defined vehicle"). Through software updates, the car can then gradually be further improved. However, it is not that far yet, as the RAV4 is equipped with several computers. These do have more computing power, more memory (16 GB) and more storage capacity (256 GB) than before. Some functions work in the "cloud" (Toyota's servers), so this does not require its own computing power (but a subscription!). Arene debuts in the RAV4 because the car is seen as small and cheap in America and often driven by young people. They appreciate it when a car can be operated like a tablet or phone.

The latter is absolutely delivered: the menus are laid out like on a phone or tablet, including the familiar sliders, buttons and other controls. As a rule, Arene responds smoothly, but the built-in Spotify app was agonisingly slow to respond when entering the name of an artist during the test drive. The sat nav works smoothly and this is partly due to the collaboration with Google and TomTom. The former makes entering addresses easier. The latter provides accurate information on speed checks and traffic jams. The audio system comes from JBL and has a clear but not very dynamic sound.

Driver assistance will also be handled by Arene from now on. As with other brands, the system sees traffic signs that are irrelevant (for a turn or parallel road) and a lot of false alarms sound in the absence of traffic insight. For now, therefore, the biggest gain is that these unwanted safety features are easy to disable.

Plug-in hybrid

As indicated earlier, the RAV4 will be produced with petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines. The focus is on the plug-in hybrid (also known as "PHEV" for plug-in hybrid electric vehcile). Thanks to a large-capacity battery, the RAV4 does behave like an electric car in most cases. And to ensure electric driving as often and as much as possible, fast charging (up to 50 kW) is now possible. Moreover, the RAV4 PHEV now charges faster at a public charging point (11 kW).

Following this, 137 km (front-wheel drive) or 133 km (all-wheel drive) can be fully covered with the smoothness and calmness that comes with it. Only when the accelerator is pressed to the metal does the petrol engine temporarily jump in for extra sprinting power. Then performance is very good. Although the difference between the two- and four-wheel-drive variants is big on paper (268 hp versus 304 hp), it is minor in daily practice. Both perform with ease and only when going is already fast and things needs to go even faster (on the German Autobahn, for example), then the power of the all-wheel-drive variant comes in handy.

When the battery is exhausted, the roles are reversed. Then the electric motor briefly jumps in for extra smoothness or better performance from the petrol engine. The petrol engine is audible, but never distracting. Moreover, regardless of the active power source, the electronics ensure that the RAV4 always has the same character and responds to the accelerator in the same way (something the competition sometimes forgets). A purely electric drive yielded a test consumption of 19 kWh / 100 km, which is very high. This is due to the fact that the driver has no influence on how much energy is recovered when coasting or braking. In view of the wide target group, Toyota does this fully automatically, but as long as a car cannot read minds, only a driver can brake on the engine at the right time.

Toyota reports that 50% of the previous generation of the RAV4 was ordered with a towbar. Therefore, a lot of work has been done on towing capacity. The all-wheel-drive RAV4 is therefore allowed to tow trailers weighing up to 2 tonnes (braked).

Driving characteristics

A new platform is being developed not only to accommodate new powertrains, but also to improve rigidity and thus driving characteristics. For instance, this "TNGA-k" platform is 10% stiffer than the previous one. This also makes it possible to offer the RAV4 in a so-called "GR-Sport" version from now on. In this, the suspension and steering have been modified to achieve a slightly sportier character. In addition, moving parts have been better damped, making the car slightly quieter.

For this test, both variants were tested and unlike other models from Toyota, the difference between the regular version and the GR-Sport is slight. Only when driving fast and steering very dynamically is the GR-Sport at an advantage. In daily traffic, the standard version has good suspension that is stable, comfortable and safe. The RAV4 has also been allowed to prove itself in light terrain and feels right at home there. Ground clearance is enough to leave the beaten track without a care in the world and the electronics make (light) off-road driving easy.

Conclusion

How does Toyota ensure that the RAV4 appeals to a large audience around the world? By perfecting the car and then making it as versatile as possible. Everything the RAV4 does, the car does very well. Next, Toyota provides much-needed character by presenting the car as a companion for adventure and faraway journeys. The RAV4 exudes that with its design and is lived up to with its capabilities. These are tailored to tarmac, but also make the RAV4 suitable for sporadic off-road use.

Choosing plug-in hybrid propulsion, the RAV4 is more expensive in Western Europe than similar electric cars. The rest of the world often still lags behind in charging infrastructure, and there a PHEV is just the logical stepping stone to electric driving. To make up for this, Toyota provides a high towing weight and the possibility of fast charging makes it easy to drive electric as much as possible.

With the arrival of the new RAV4, Toyota is also introducing new software. "Arene" is the collective name for a new development platform and operating system that Toyota uses to control infotainment, security and external communication (app and digital key). Although this is only a first version and Arene is intended for much more advanced applications, it is already perceived as a major step forward. The systems work more accurately, are easier to operate and are also future-ready.