We note the gender change of the Toyota RAV4 crossover

The RAV4 crossover became the third company car to try on the new styling. And this is a reason to talk about the brand's corporate style, which Japanese designers had been seeking for so long. The foundation of the new Toyota face is the headlights in the Keen Look style — "Sharp Look"!

The dynamic design only partially hides the increased dimensions: the rear with broad strokes of taillights looks a bit heavy. Despite the shared platform with the previous generation car, only the rear pillar with its characteristic triangular window reminds of it.

The front panel retained its two-story architecture and is trimmed with higher-quality materials. However, some buttons are from the last century. The instrument cluster, resembling a prompter's box, looks poor but is quite informative. The microclimate control block located on a sloping protrusion is convenient and simple to use.

In terms of driver seating comfort, the new RAV4 is head and shoulders above the previous generation. Front seats with developed lateral support and optimal cushion length. And the seatback with an increased adjustment range can now be set vertically. The steering column adjusts in two directions, but the limited travel adjustment may still cause inconvenience.

In the back row, there is enough space in all directions, but the most pleasing is the legroom reserve. The seatback adjusts in three positions, and by pulling the lever at the base of the cushion, it can be folded with one hand.

The full-size spare wheel ate 41 liters of trunk space and increased the loading height. In Russian RAV4s, the compartment holds 506–1605 liters. In the underfloor, there are two niches for small items. A mesh "hammock" for transporting especially valuable cargo is included in the standard equipment of all versions.

The RAV4 is a pure soft-roader! Under the exhaust pipe of the 180-hp version, there is only 170 mm against the declared 197 mm. And the situation is twofold: steel protection will only reduce ground clearance, and its absence can lead to damage to the part. The rear suspension bristles with protruding ends of stabilizer links, which can anchor the car when driving off curbs. Plastic fender liners appeared in the rear wheel arches, but sound insulation was not there and is not there. The engine compartment is protected from dirt by a thick rubber seal laid along the edge of the hood, but the unprotected wiring going to the "brains" of the power unit is a dubious solution.

The 2.5 gasoline engine from the Camry sedan is also excellent for the crossover. It is quiet, perfectly balanced, and gives the RAV4 quite convincing dynamics: 9.4 s in acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h. And such an engine will be appreciated by those who are partial to the sound of naturally aspirated engines. When accelerating "to the floor," the "four" fills with such overtones that you don't want to release the accelerator!

What the new RAV4 disarmed with is the loss of the usual comfort. The crossover drives over small irregularities in a European, collected manner. On medium ones, the suspension, no longer shy, transmits all the road flaws into the cabin, and when hitting large potholes, a mini-explosion occurs.

Despite the stiffening of the suspension elastic elements, the new RAV4 with a gasoline engine behaves in corners much like the previous one: boring but unobtrusive. However, the connection with the road has become more direct thanks to the recalibrated electric power steering.

Noisy, slow, economical. That's how you can describe a ride in a diesel RAV4 in one sentence. Toyota marketers have dubbed potential buyers of such versions "practical folks," hinting that fuel economy will outweigh other drawbacks for this type of buyer.

Even with a slight speed excess, the diesel RAV4 slides into understeer on any surface, including dry asphalt. Forced locking of the coupling changes the situation to the opposite: torque on the rear axle endows the crossover with rear-wheel-drive habits. However, the coupling itself quickly overheats.

Depending on the engine and drive type, the new RAV4 will offer three types of transmissions: for diesel and 180-horsepower gasoline versions — a six-speed automatic (left), and for two-liter crossovers — a manual or a CVT.

In the most equipped versions "Prestige" and "Prestige Plus," two new systems enhancing passive safety will be available: blind spot monitoring and lane change alert. If necessary, both functions can be turned off.

The new RAV4 is offered in eight trim levels at prices from 998,000 rubles for a front-wheel-drive crossover with a manual to 1,543,000 rubles for the most equipped version with a 180-horsepower engine, automatic, and all-wheel drive.

The naturally aspirated gasoline "four" 2AR-FE with a displacement of 2.5 L develops 180 hp and 231 Nm. Valve timing is changed on both camshafts (Dual VVT-i). The valve cover is designed to reduce noise from the timing mechanism. The effective length of the intake tract is determined by the position of a valve installed between the halves of the collector. Roller rocker arms, piston rings with improved sliding characteristics, and less viscous 0w-30 oil contribute to fuel economy. The new engine is 24% more economical than the previous 2.4-liter "four."

The diesel turbo unit D-4D with a displacement of 2.2 liters was also installed on the previous generation car. However, such crossovers were not supplied to Russia. And now, with the fourth generation RAV4, the "four" with factory index 2AD-FTV has reached us. Engine features: turbocharger with variable nozzle geometry, Common Rail injection system with operating pressure over 1000 bar, and a 32-bit processor responsible for preparing and injecting the fuel mixture.

The upgraded six-speed automatic, familiar from the previous Camry 3.5, provides sport (activated by a button on the center console) and manual modes. For the sake of economy, the final drive was made longer, the torque converter lock-up range was expanded, and the clutch operates more smoothly and handles loads better. The automatics of diesel versions are supplemented with a full torque converter lock-up system starting from second gear.

The crossover is built on an optimized platform of its predecessor, but with increased dimensions: 4570 x 1845, the wheelbase increased by 10 mm (was 2560). The share of high-strength steel grades in the body structure has increased, and the connection points of the hood, front pillars, and upper rear suspension mounts are additionally reinforced. The number of weld points in door openings has been increased. In addition, the steering column angle is now increased by one degree, which should improve driver seating comfort. The suspension design remains unchanged: MacPherson struts in front — multi-link in the rear. However, engineers revised the stiffness of springs, shock absorbers, and bushings. The front and rear stabilizer bars have become thicker. The all-wheel-drive transmission has undergone more significant changes. Thus, the multi-plate clutch in the rear wheel drive is reinforced, and in the case of forced locking (active up to 40 km/h), the torque is distributed between the axles in a 50:50 ratio. Particularly noteworthy is the new Dynamic Torque Control 4WD system, which works in conjunction with other electronic systems of the vehicle. For example, if sensors detect understeer during steering, up to 50% of traction can be directed to the rear axle. And in Sport mode, an additional 10% of torque is constantly present on the rear wheels.

As before, even in the base version of the RAV4, there is a full set of passive safety features. This includes seven airbags, including a driver's knee airbag. This was the case before, but the side airbags are now dual-chamber, capable of simultaneously protecting the torso and pelvis of front occupants. The stability control system and traction control are included in the standard equipment list.

In 1994, the appearance of this little one caused a sensation! Toyota bosses simply wanted to make a youth car for active leisure (hence the abbreviation — RAV4: Recreational Active Vehicle, the "four" indicated permanent all-wheel drive), for which they used the platform of the all-wheel-drive Celica coupe, but in fact created an entire car class, interest in which has not waned to this day. Initially, the RAV4 was produced in a three-door body, but just a year and a half after its debut, a five-door modification appeared. The only two-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine, depending on the level of tuning, developed 128, 135, or 178 hp. There were two transmissions: a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic. Drive: permanent all-wheel or front-wheel. The pioneer of the compact crossover class remained in the production lineup until 2000.

The matured second-generation RAV4 grew in size and comfort, but the car's ideology remained the same: a crossover for active leisure with a three- or five-door body, front- or all-wheel drive. Initially, there were two engines. The gasoline 1.6 (100 hp) was assigned to base three-door models, while more advanced versions were equipped with a new two-liter naturally aspirated engine with variable valve timing, producing 150 hp. A turbodiesel with 113 hp also appeared under the hood of the "Ravik," and the most powerful engine (2.4, 163 hp) was shared with the compact crossover by the flagship sedan Camry already at the end of its career in 2004.

In 2005, the third-generation RAV4 saw the light of day. The crossover lost its three-door versions and permanent all-wheel drive. A multi-plate clutch was responsible for engaging the rear wheels. And overall, it was already a different RAV4. The larger body of 4395 x 1815 x 1685 mm required powerful engines. Thus, in place of the previous turbodiesel, a new D-4D unit with 136 hp appeared. And at the top of the range was a crossover with a V-shaped "six" of 3.5 liters producing 270 hp. Such a diverse engine lineup implied a wide choice of transmissions: there were six types!