Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 151

T

oyota’s RAV4 was one of the
pioneers of the “soft-roader”
genre, arriving in the mid- 1990s
before Australians adopted the
American term “SUV”.
This fi fth generation — the fi rst
completely new model since 2013
— has grown in size to keep pace
with our changing taste in cars.
The previous model was one of
the largest SUVs in its class; this
one is even more suitable as a
family freighter.
Australian prices had not been
announced as we went to press.
Go to carsales.com.au for drive
away prices on the new range.
The 2019 RAV4 is available
with a choice of 127kW/207Nm
2.0-litre petrol/CVT/front-wheel
drive and 152kW/243Nm 2.5-litre
petrol/eight-speed automatic/
all-wheel drivetrains.
For the fi rst time in Australia,
a 155kW 2.5-litre hybrid option
is also available, with a CVT and
front or all-wheel drivetrains.
RAV4 hybrid works the same
as it does in the Prius, Camry

and Corolla hybrids – smoothly,

quietly and with strong, fl exible

performance. There’s no need

to plug it in. The onboard hybrid

battery pack automatically

recharges when you apply the

brakes or drive downhill.

It stores enough energy to

give the electric motor the

power to move the car from

rest up to, say, 40kmh when the

petrol engine takes over. Initial

acceleration is the thirstiest part

of commuter driving.

As always, though, its

remarkably low fuel consumption

numbers are a guide only, based

on laboratory tests.

In our experience you can

expect to use a couple of litres

per 100km more in everyday, real

world driving.

Standard safety tech is

comprehensive and includes

adaptive cruise control with

autonomous emergency

braking, speed sign recognition,

blind spot monitoring,

automatic high beam and rear

cross-traffi c alert.

The interior is a big

improvement, with better quality

materials on the dash and doors,

and the rubber-rimmed audio

and air-conditioning dials have a

more upmarket feel.

Pleasingly, the touchscreen

that controls infotainment

also has knobs for quicker and

easier use.

The centre console is

massive, though the door

pockets are relatively slim.

Sun visors have an extendable

sleeve to block side glare.

RAV4 is underpinned by

Toyota’s all-new platform, or

base structure, that has delivered

signifi cant improvements to the

dynamics of the new Corolla.

However, the RAV I tested left

me underwhelmed rather than

wowed. In a top spec hybrid

with low profi le tyres road noise

was louder than rivals such as

Subaru’s Forester and Honda’s

CRV and the ride over bumps was

less than comfortable.

It was fl oaty and then loud

once it encountered freeway

expansion joins. Given the mixed

reviews my impression could

be unique to the variant and the

roads I drove. Be sure to take it

on a decent test drive, preferably

on roads you travel on every day

or near your home.

Where the Toyota does excel,

however, are ownership costs

and resale value, especially now

that the RAV4 comes with a fi ve-

year warranty and has 12 month

service intervals.

If you have your heart set on the

new RAV4 I wouldn’t discourage

you. But to me it’s less of a slam

dunk than its rivals — and other

new generation Toyotas.

Subaru’s Forester remains

the standout SUV in this very

competitive class.

By Joshua Dowling

Safety

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money

Overall

STARS

THINGS WE LIKE

 Looks good

 Roomy interior

 Better quality cabin materials

 Longer service intervals than

previous Toyotas.

 Option of hybrid power

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Tyre noise at freeway speeds on

certain models.

Floaty suspension that can also be

harsh over certain bumps.

SPEX

Made in Japan

2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol/six-

speed auto/all-wheel drive

132kW of power at 6000rpm/233Nm

of torque at 4100rpm

0–100km/h N/A

6.8L/100km highway; 11.4L/100km

city; CO 2 emissions are 198g/km

Warranty: Five years/unlimited km

Standard: Seven airbags, stability

control, 18-inch alloy wheels,

camera, rain-sensing wipers,

Bluetooth, dual-zone air, power

tailgate, sunroof, lane departure

warning, blind spot monitor,

automatic emergency braking, radar

cruise, lane keeping and departure

warning, rear cross-traffi c alert

Redbook future values: 3yr: 58%;

5yr: 44%

TOYOTA RAV4

compare with ...

Honda CRV, Hyundai Tucson,

Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan

X-Trail, Subaru Forester, VW Tiguan