Toyota’s RAV4 is now most popular in its compact SUV class. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
Sales aren’t slowing for 2017 either. In fact, if the RAV4 continues at its current pace it’ll easily surpass 50,000 units for another record year. At the close of Q3 2017 the RAV was still in first place with 39,895 sales, beating the runner-up CR-V by 2,181 units and the third-place Ford Escape by 2,718, let alone Nissan’s Rogue that’s a sizeable 6,715 deliveries behind or Hyundai’s Tucson that trails by a whopping 15,650 units. The best of the rest aren’t even half as popular, which goes to show how much Canadians like their Toyota SUVs.
Helping
Styling helps the RAV4 sell well, this Limited Platinum AWD trim especially attractive. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
As part of the Japanese brand’s plan to outfit every new model with the latest active safety features, all new 2017 RAV4s come with the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) P package. The “P” references “person”, which means its autonomous braking tech will automatically stop for pedestrians as well as other vehicles, while TSS-C (“C” being for “cars”) is the simpler of the two systems.
TSS-C, which comes standard with the Yaris Hatchback, Prius C, and the Corolla iM five-door
LED enhanced headlamps add style and safety. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
TSS-P, which gets fitted to the Corolla sedan, the Prius, this RAV4, the RAV4 Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, and Avalon, incorporates all of the above while adding Pedestrian detection for the Pre-Collision System, active steering assist that will turn your front wheels back in the direction you want to go if it detects a car in the adjacent lane when you attempt to change lanes, and dynamic
Classy twinned five-spoke 18-inch alloys improve the design. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
The inclusion of TSS-P results in a best possible IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus rating, the RAV4 being the only SUV in its compact class to achieve such a high standard safety rating. That said I wouldn’t want to be in the front passenger’s seat when undergoing the IIHS’ small overlap front crash test as it gets the lowest possible “Poor” rating, with the rest of its categories achieving best-possible “Good” scores and its front crash avoidance and mitigation protection mark being “Superior”. As you might expect, the NHTSA honoured the 2017 RAV4 with its top 5 Star safety rating too, so it’s mostly positive news when it comes to accident avoidance and survival.
While the aforementioned advanced driver-assistance systems improve safety, it’s also
The RAV’s LED taillights are totally unique. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
The other big news item for the 2017 RAV4 is on the other side of the pricing spectrum, a new top-tier Platinum package added on top of Limited trim. Features include fully painted bumpers, wheel arches and rocker panels, plus proximity keyless access for all four doors as well as the liftgate, with hands-free access to the latter, ambient footwell lighting, more upscale interior detailing, Platinum-embossed metal scuff plates, and special Platinum-branded floor mats.
To
The Limited Platinum’s interior is best in the RAV4 lineup, but it’s still not as refined as some competitors. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
The RAV4 is available in four trims, including the $27,445 LE (with standard FWD and $2,265 optional AWD), $30,800 XLE (also with optional AWD), $36,270 SE (the sportiest version with standard AWD), and Limited (with standard AWD), all of which are motivated by a 176 horsepower 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual mode.
Other
The seats are comfortable, yet ergonomics aren’t ideal for all. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
XLE features that get added to Limited Platinum trim include a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone auto climate control, front sport seats, an eight-way powered driver’s seat, and blindspot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, while items pulled up from the base LE include auto on/off headlamps, power-adjustable heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, variable intermittent wipers, a windshield wiper de-icer, a 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display, sunglasses storage in the overhead console, Bluetooth phone
A large colour multi-info display provides plenty of features. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
While I won’t go so far as to complain, the RAV4 isn’t quite up to the same level of luxury and refinement as some of its more recently redesigned peers. For instance, Toyota doesn’t finish the dash top off with premium-like soft touch synthetics, but instead leaves it hard plastic. Then again, the lower portion of the instrument panel gets an upscale contrast-stitched padded leatherette bolster that dips under the centre stack from the left of the primary instruments, right across the front passenger area. The top of each front
The infotainment touchscreen is impressive, and navigation very accurate. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
I recently tested a mid-grade Jeep Cherokee with the latter, while also featuring a full padded and stitched leatherette dash top, the same luxurious treatment on both front and rear door uppers, and overall a more premium-like interior. Likewise, the new CR-V blew me away in top-tier Touring trim, delivering an entirely new level of interior refinement for this compact SUV segment. So in this respect, Toyota will probably want to improve for its next generation.
Of
The dual-zone auto HVAC interface is less advanced than some, but it’s simple, straightforward and works well. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
Where Toyota has long been a trusted leader is in reliability, the brand rated highest amongst mainstream volume challengers in J.D. Power and Associate’s most recent 2017 Vehicle Dependability Study, while that survey’s top luxury brand is once again Lexus. This success helps its
Toyota’s seats are always good, and the RAV4 Limited Platinum’s perches don’t disappoint. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
I think reliability matters more to the majority of SUV buyers than performance per se, as does comfort. To this end the RAV4 is a more relaxed driver than most peers, providing nicely formed, supportive front seats, a good driver’s position other than a need for more telescopic travel from the steering column, and a very compliant suspension. This isn’t to say its comfort-biased setup is completely devoid
Rear roominess and comfort is a RAV4 high point. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
This is partially due to its very efficient continuously variable transmission, which is more about smooth, linear power delivery than anything enthusiastic. I’m ok with that, because I’m truly more interested in getting as close to my tester’s claimed 10.7 L/100km city, 8.4 highway and 9.7 combined five-cycle fuel economy rating as possible. On that note, less equipped AWD models do slightly better at 10.5 city, 8.3 highway and 9.5 combined, while FWD trims get a 10.0 city, 7.8 highway and 9.0 combined rating, and the new RAV4 Hybrid puts them all to shame at 6.9 city, 7.8 highway and 7.3 combined.
Now
No shortage of cargo space makes the RAV4 extremely versatile. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press) |
It’s not difficult to find reason for the RAV4’s popularity, but I can’t point to one specific attribute or feature. It’s more a sum of the parts equation, the RAV doing everything well enough and looking mighty fine in the process. It’s really for buyers who make good decisions based on sound judgment, so if you happen fall into this camp I’m pretty sure you’ll be more than happy with Toyota’s compact SUV.
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