There’s a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine up front making 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Toyota makes its suite of driver-assistance features standard across the lineup, so there's not much reason to go with a pricier trim-unless, of course, you need rugged looks or ventilated seats. It provides plenty of standard equipment that the LE and XLE don't offer as standard or at all, such as fog lights, 19-inch wheels, a power liftgate, a moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, faux-leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and soft-touch armrests. A hybrid and a plug-in-hybrid powertrain are also available, but we review those models separately.Īlthough we’re drawn to the TRD Off-Road, we'd practice restraint and choose the mid-range XLE Premium. Beyond the attractive base price, cargo-friendly interior, and sensible road manners, Toyota also includes a host of driver-assistance tech and desirable infotainment features as standard, two more ways the RAV4 continues to be a challenge for rivals to overcome. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder and eight-speed automatic deliver restrained acceleration in the name of good fuel economy. It offers plenty of features and its wide price range suits shoppers of many budgets. Available all-wheel-drive systems add a little bite to the stylistic bark of an SUV that’s actually best when tackling familiar suburban tasks. It is practical, fuel-efficient, and rugged-looking. There’s nothing flashy here the RAV4’s focus is on getting every job done without a fuss. That said, the RAV4 delivers excellent real-world fuel efficiency: I saw 33 mpg on the highway at a 65-to-70-mph cruise, right in line with EPA projections of 25/33 mpg for the Adventure, 27/34 mpg for other AWD versions, and 26/35 mpg with front-wheel-drive.The Toyota RAV4 turns 30 this year, and it is still obvious why the compact crossover regularly ranks as the best-selling non-pickup in the U.S. But some rivals’ engines, including the Honda’s optional 1.5-liter turbo four, are silkier and more sophisticated. Sure, many RAV4 owners will go years without flooring it, and the engine and transmission are otherwise unobtrusive. But the engine is dutiful at best and bumptious at worst, with much racket and metallic gnashing-of-teeth when you pin the throttle for freeway merges or passes. (It’s actually the most standard horsepower in the small-SUV class.) And the RAV4 will roll to 60 mph in about eight seconds flat, aided by a new eight-speed automatic transmission in place of the old six-speed. Toyota’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine does get a bump to 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, up 27 horses and 12 pound-feet. If only the engine made as big a leap as the rest of the car. And front-wheel-drive versions are still available for owners who prefer to stick to pavement and a budget, including a base RAV4 LE for $26,545. LE and XLE models get a more-basic AWD set-up, while the RAV4 Hybrid powers the rear axle with an electric motor for its own four-wheel traction. Those modes are paired with a cool animation in the 7.0-inch driver’s display that shows which wheels are getting power and traction and which are slipping. A sturdy new AWD system that's standard on the Adventure, and optional on the chrome-laden Limited brings brake-based torque vectoring, an automated rear-driveline disconnect to boost fuel economy, downhill assist control, and rotary-knob settings for Mud/Sand, Rock Crawl, and Snow. (Late this year, a 2020 RAV4 TRD Off Road model will offer more backcountry capability, including twin-tube shocks and knobby off-road tires). The look is more than superficial: My RAV4 Adventure clambered easily over some surprisingly tough terrain north of New York City, including nasty, muddy ruts and gut-check climbs and descents.
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