Toyota celebrated the European premiere of the RAV4 at the Paris Auto Show, showcasing the latest generation of its compact SUV after its world debut at the New York Auto Show earlier this year.
The new generation RAV4 benefits greatly from the adoption of the TNGA-K platform, making also Toyota’s first SUV to use the architecture.
Thanks to the TNGA, the center of gravity is much lower, the body rigidity is increased by 57 percent and the weight distribution is now 51 to 49 front to rear. The rear suspension is a double wishbone design, which offers better ride quality, agile handling and more precision.
Powering the new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is a new electrified powertrain that combines a 2.5-liter Dynamic Force petrol engine with two electric motors. Their combined output is rated at 219hp (222PS), compared to the outgoing model’s 194hp.
The fourth-generation self-charging hybrid powertrain features many improvements over the past, including a power control unit and a Nickel metal-hydride battery pack that are smaller and lighter than before and offer reduced electrical and mechanical losses.
The CVT gearbox is still present but Toyota claims there are now improvements to its operation, without going into detail. The Hybrid version of the new Toyota RAV4 is also getting a “significantly enhanced” electric all-wheel drive system, which according to the company comes with no penalties. The level of torque that can be directed to the rear axle is also increased by 30 percent, with the front-rear split now ranging from 100:0 to 20:80, making the RAV4 more capable in different driving conditions.
Toyota expects the new RAV4 Hybrid to continue the successful career of its predecessor, which accounted for 85 percent of the RAV4’s total sales in Western Europe. Customers in the region will also be offered a 2.0-liter petrol version as well, with either a manual or an automatic transmission.
The 2.0-liter petrol version of the new RAV4 will feature a mechanical all-wheel drive system, which on CVT-equipped models will come with torque vectoring on the rear axle.
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