2019 Toyota RAV4 to offer new safety features in Australia

Not long after confirming drivetrains, Toyota Australia has released the initial details of the 2019 Toyota RAV4 lineup and equipment levels before its local on sale date in the second quarter of this year. Offering no less than 11 individual models with three different drivetrains, the new RAV4 will offer more choice than the current model, including a wide range of hybrid offerings.

Most importantly, the full suite of Toyota’s active safety technology suite – Toyota Safety Sense – will be standard across the range, equipping even the base model GX with features such as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control.

Toyota Australia’s vice president sales and marketing Sean Hanley said the new RAV4 will offer unprecedented levels of safety in the mid-sized SUV class to deliver outstanding driver assistance.

“Safety has always been a top priority for Toyota and in the all-new RAV4, we are delivering highly advanced technologies to assist drivers and help protect occupants and other road users,” Mr Hanley said.

“These features will ensure the RAV4 provides our customers with the very highest levels of active and passive safety in its class and they are not just limited to the higher grade models.

“Providing exceptional safety performance is vital for all customers so we have made all of our Toyota Safety Sense features standard across the range from the entry level front-wheel drive GX to the adventure-oriented AWD Edge model,” he said.

In a move following the 2019 Mazda CX-5, which saw the whole range fitted with almost all the available active safety equipment developed by Mazda, the 2019 Toyota RAV4 will be safer and better equipped than the current model. According to the company, features such as forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection and daytime cyclist detection, road sign assist, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control – with lane trace assist on automatic models – automatic high beam, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert will be standard on all models.

In the current RAV4, all models are fitted with AEB and adaptive cruise control, though blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are features limited to the higher models.

Toyota also gave details of the 2019 RAV4’s model lineup and available engines ahead of its launch, with three familiar grades – GX, GXL and Cruiser – joined by a new model called Edge, which features more rugged styling for off-road use. Available drivetrains include a front-wheel drive 127kW/207Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine with either a six-speed manual (on the GX only) or CVT automatic, a 155kW 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid in either front- or all-wheel drive and a new 152kW/243Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Like the new Corolla range, the new RAV4 will offer a hybrid drivetrain in each model, further introducing hybrid technology to the masses. Both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive with a battery-powered rear axle drivetrains will be available on every RAV4 spec locally.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 will go on sale in the second quarter of 2019. Local pricing and data such as fuel economy numbers are yet to be announced.

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