4. A RAV4 for off-roading?
Today’s utility vehicles have little to nothing in common with their 4x4 ancestors built on ladder frames. The advantages of a unibody frame are almost infinite, but on the other hand, vehicles of this type are just not as capable in off-road settings as the Toyota 4Runner, for example.
Toyota’s engineers set out to rectify that deficiency, at least in part, with the Trail edition, as well as the TRD edition that was unveiled in Chicago and should hit the market for 2020. For the RAV4 Trail the company is playing the two-tone card that evokes the FJ Cruiser, all while producing a model that should appeal to real outdoors enthusiasts.
The dynamic torque-modulated all-wheel drive with disconnected rear drive shaft is a bit better suited to off-roading, or even to a long highway trek, during which the system can disconnect the rear axle to save on fuel. Note that this AWD system is also included with Limited versions equipped with the 4-cylinder combustion engine.
All versions powered exclusively by gasoline have a knob on the central console that also lets the driver choose the terrain (Mud and Sand, Rock and Dirt) and so adjust the motricity to suit the surface being driven on.
To add further to the all-terrain character of the RAV4, Toyota has also added hill descent assist (standard only on the Trail and AWD Limited editions) and hill start assist, as well as trailer stabilization.
All of this is not to say that the RAV4 is now the equal of the top off-roaders on the market, but it is noteworthy that manufacturers are focusing increasingly on this aspect to permit occasional forays onto gravel or dirt surfaces. As for that new TRD that’s on the way, its suspension has been reworked to resist more abusive treatment, while the exclusive 18-inch wheels are robed in more-aggressive rubber.
All that’s missing now is a TRD Pro to sit at the top of the RAV4 heap, but it would be frankly shocking if the manufacturer gave the green light to such a specialized version.
