What's all this about?
Toyota, proving it's interesting again. With the Supra being revived and various new and upcoming products proving the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform is a real winner - think Prius and C-HR in the current range, and the forthcoming Auris even looks pretty tasty - then here's some more good news. This origami creation is the fifth-generation RAV4, and it can't come soon enough.
Why's that?
Because the current fourth-generation RAV4 is, to put it mildly, an also-ran in the C-segment crossover/SUV class. This one, though, takes the daring appearance of the C-HR and builds upon it. With a plethora of angles, edges and startling design features, it sure ain't pretty nor bound to win universal acclaim, but boy, Toyota is to be highly commended for being brave on the aesthetic front. We happen to really like the look of it.
OK, what else do we know?
That striking bodywork is 4,600mm tip to tail, making it slightly shorter than the current RAV4 Mk4, but there's a 30mm increase in the wheelbase - the length has been reduced by minimising the front and rear overhangs - while the car's width has gone up 10mm to 1,855mm overall; this means the cabin is roomier than what we've got now. And so's the boot, which Toyota says is bigger and more versatile.
Sounds good. What about motive power?
An all-new 2.0-litre petrol, with manual or automatic gearboxes, will be offered, as will one of Toyota's de rigueur hybrids - a 2.5-litre petrol-electric model. Toyota says the driving dynamics of all RAV4 Mk5s have been 'greatly enhanced with significant improvements' to the all-wheel-drive systems.
Can you expand on that?
For the hybrid, Toyota has fitted a new electric drive set-up, with a motor on the rear wheels to bolster torque. That makes 'more efficient use of the car's hybrid system' and thus delivers better fuel economy through lower energy losses. For the automatic 2.0-litre petrol, a system not unlike Audi's quattro ultra is provided, in which a twin coupling allows the RAV4's rear wheels to be disconnected from the drivetrain when they're not required.
Matt Robinson - 5 Apr 2018
