New Toyota RAV4: prices, specs and advanced PHEV power
The RAV4 is among the best-selling cars in the world, and the next iteration will be arriving in the UK later this year
The new sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 is set to go on sale in the UK in March, Auto Express has learned, and the next evolution of one of the world’s best-selling cars will be available exclusively with plug-in hybrid power.
Since the RAV4 was introduced in 1994, it’s been a staple of the family SUV class and more than 15 million examples have been sold. Now the new model is set to build on this already enormous popularity.
Key to the RAV4’s success over the decades has been its build quality, genuine off-road capability and, in recent years, the hybrid efficiency that will continue with this new model. The latest car also adds a bold sense of style to stand out from the mid-size SUV crowd and an interior that takes some inspiration from the bigger, tougher Toyota Land Cruiser.
Prices and specifications
Toyota hasn’t confirmed how much the new RAV4 will cost in the UK yet, but we expect the starting price will be somewhere between £40,000 and £45,000. Compared to other mid-size SUVs, the plug-in hybrid version of the Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan are available from just under £40k and £43k, respectively.
Toyota has told us customers will be offered a familiar choice of four trim levels: Icon, Design, Excel and GR Sport. Every model is set to feature a 12.3-inch driver’s display, a 12.9-inch touchscreen, heated steering wheel, powered tailgate and a suite of advanced driver assistance systems.
Icon trim will add 20-inch alloy wheels, premium paint, synthetic leather and suede seats, heated and ventilated front seats, a wireless charging pad and a handsfree tailgate. Excel will pile-on more luxuries, including a head-up display, genuine leather seats, a JBL sound system, heated rear seats and a panoramic sunroof.
Toyota RAV4 GR Sport
Sitting at the top of the RAV4 line-up once again will be the GR Sport model. Not only will it increase the SUV’s track width by 20mm, it adds high-performance dampers and tuned springs, strengthened rear bracing and tweaked power steering for what Toyota claims to be “increased engagement”.
To set the GR Sport apart from the standard RAV4 visually, it also gets unique black 20-inch alloy wheels, an exclusive ‘functional matrix’ grille shape and plenty of GR badging. Meanwhile inside, there’s a set of aluminium pedals, synthetic leather and suede sports seats, red stitching and red accents throughout.
In what could be a tenuous link to Toyota’s dominant World Rally Championship campaign there’s even some knee pads on the centre console, just in case you decide to throw the RAV4 around a rally stage.
Design and development
Having caught the new RAV4 testing multiple times during its development, we can see the overall design in production form is similar to the old car, though it’s clear there’s also a degree of influence from Toyota’s most recent offerings.
The newcomer retains very similar upright proportions to the outgoing RAV4, while the front end features a set of C-shaped LED headlights – similar to the ones found on the new Prius and facelifted bZ4X.
The surfacing of the RAV4 is blocky, too, hinting at its rugged off-road appeal alongside the plastic wheelarch extensions. Around at the rear, we can see the RAV4’s new model logo sitting between its rear lights – themselves embedded in a black piece of trim on the bootlid. Other markets also get an ‘outdoor-inspired’ Woodland trim with a raised ride height, exclusive paints, all-terrain tyres and a reshaped grille and front bumper.
Powertrain and specs
Sitting on a revised version of the previous RAV4’s TNGA G-AK platform, the new car continues with hybrid power and the option of front or four-wheel drive.
Under the bonnet is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, while powering the car’s electric motors is a 22.6kWh battery – up from 18.1kWh in the last model. Toyota claims this will provide up to 85 miles of zero-emissions driving, which is one of the longest EV ranges offered by any plug-in hybrid. Fuel efficiency figures have yet to be confirmed.
The plug-in hybrid system can also accommodate a 50kW charge, meaning it can be replenished from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. There’s also a new 11kW AC charger which is twice as fast as the previous version meaning the battery can be almost fully topped up in around three hours.
To ensure the range figure Toyota quotes is consistent all year round, there’s improved cooling over the old RAV4 PHEV with a revised thermal management system to keep it at an ideal operating temperature for efficiency and charging performance.
Front-wheel drive models produce 264bhp and can do 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, meanwhile four-wheel drive versions have 300bhp on tap that cuts the car’s sprint time down to 5.8 seconds.
A full-hybrid, or ‘self-charging hybrid’ as Toyota calls it, version of the new RAV4 will be available in other markets but it won’t be coming to the UK. That’s no great surprise given that 80 per cent of previous fifth-generation RAV4 sales were of plug-in hybrids. Nevertheless, it’s still something of a shame that Brits won’t have a greater choice of powertrains.
Interior and dimensions
Inside the new RAV4 you’ll find a new 12.9-inch central touchscreen – apparently designed with European customers in mind – giving the driver key information in one view, along with customisable shortcuts and an overall “user-centric experience”, according to Toyota.
In front of the driver, there’s a 12.3-inch screen which can also integrate the car’s sat-nav and a revised head-up display. Functions like the sat-nav, media, climate and vehicle control commands can also be managed via the RAV4’s new voice assistant and there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless connectivity too.
Interestingly, Toyota has worked to improve visibility in the new RAV4, by lowering the dashboard by 40mm and making the rear windscreen more vertical than on the last car.
At just over 4.6 metres long, the new RAV4 is the same size as the previous iteration, and still slightly larger than key rivals like the Tucson or the Kia Sportage. It has more than 500 litres of boot space on offer, plus there’s space under the boot floor to keep the charging cables out of sight.
Tech and safety
Many car firms are now investing in ‘software-defined vehicles’, which enables the car to be updated more easily throughout its life. Toyota says it’s achieved this with the new RAV4 by introducing the Arene software development platform. Essentially, the software allows for Toyota’s Safety Sense features to respond more swiftly and receive over-the-air updates throughout the car’s lifespan to help them stay fresh. There are also new safety systems on the RAV4, including front cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and a rear vehicle approach indicator.
The RAV4’s “more advanced” lane change assist function has been revised too and now works in conjunction with the blind spot monitoring system. The pre-collision system has been upgraded with further scope for collision detection and improved recognition of hazards, along with braking assistance. Finally, there’s the new and improved panoramic view monitor to help with manual parking - just as well because we found the current camera’s image quality to be poor.
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