Toyota celebrated the European premiere of the RAV4
at the Paris Auto Show. The new generation RAV4 benefits greatly
from the adoption of the TNGA 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 219 hp,
compared to the outgoing model’s 194 hp.
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.
