Sorry, Toyota, but we’re going to start off this story by mentioning the thorn in your side, the Honda CR-V. How can we ignore the elephant in the room? In two recent MotorTrend comparisons, the CR-V took the crown over the RAV4, and we’ve concluded the Honda is the best vehicle in the compact SUV segment. It’s on this note that the 2019 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD enters our long-term fleet. That said, I have been driving it for a few weeks now, and I’m enjoying it. Maybe there are hidden treasures we haven’t yet fully explored?
Although the RAV4 isn’t our top pick, it’s definitely winning the sales race. The RAV4 is the best-selling vehicle in its segment followed by the CR-V. In fact, the RAV4 was the best-selling non-pickup truck vehicle in the U.S. in 2018. Toyota completely overhauled the RAV4 for the 2019 model year, moving it to a new platform that greatly improves the drive experience. The SUV received new engines, a more compelling exterior and interior design, and even a little off-road appeal.
Our XLE tester is one step up from the base RAV4. Standard features are simple: a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, six speakers, fabric seats, a power moonroof, keyless entry and ignition, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Adding some style are standard LED headlights and daytime running lights. It also comes with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, automatic high-beams, and road sign assist. Rounding out the generous standard safety goodies is blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.
On top of these features, we tacked on some carpet floormats and the $1,295 XLE Convenience Package, bringing an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, heated front seats, and a height-adjustable power tailgate. All in all, our RAV4 comes out to a pretty reasonable $31,509.
Android Auto will be standard on the 2020 Toyota RAV4. But if you get a 2019 model, we hope you have an iPhone because Android Auto is not available. We suppose it’s not the end of the world, but using Bluetooth just feels silly now that both CarPlay and Android Auto are so widely available in today’s cars.
Under the hood is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Making 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, it’s far from the most energetic crossover we’ve driven. Over the year, we’ll have to see if it can keep up with our demands, and if it’s fuel efficient. We’ll also report how much it costs to operate during the year.
We’ll tell you a few things we like about our tester right off the bat. It may not be everyone’s first choice, but don’t you think the Lunar Rock paint color is a nice change of pace? The ambiguous hue looks more green, blue, or gray depending on the lighting. The RAV4 also has a tight turning radius and is easy to park. Stay tuned for more in-depth insights, and find out whether I can survive a year without Android Auto, in future updates.
The post We’re Spending a Year With This Handsome 2019 Toyota RAV4 XLE appeared first on MotorTrend.
Source: WORLD NEWS
