2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: The one and only hybrid compact SUV

It used to be that you would buy a sport utility vehicle if you needed space, a car if you wanted to have fun driving to work, and a hybrid if you wanted fuel economy. The times have changed, and we need not look any further than the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for proof.

The new 2019 RAV4 Hybrid has been completely redesigned from the wheels up this year. As the only compact hybrid sport utility vehicle offered on the market right now (the only similar model is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV which is a plug-in hybrid and a lot more expensive), the RAV4 Hybrid continues a tradition that began a couple of years ago of offering the very best efficiency combined with plenty of cargo space.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is kind of a total package where little compromise is needed. Despite having a fuel economy rating of just 5.8 liters per 100 kilometers in the city and 6.3 liters per 100 kilometers on the highway (a major improvement over the average 7.3 liter per 100 kilometers of the previous RAV4 Hybrid), the new model has a more powerful engine than the “regular RAV4”.

Indeed, the powertrain combines a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with an Atkinson Cycle with an electric motor for a total output of 219 horsepower. That’s 16 horsepower more than the traditional RAV4 engine, and a fair bit more powerful than any other compact SUV available today.

Starting at just over $32,000, the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is one of the most powerful and at the same time fuel-efficient compact sport utility vehicles available today. Standard features include 7” Display Audio system enhanced with Entune 3.0 Audio including Entune App Suite Connect and Scout GPS, Apple CarPlay. Other features include dual zone automatic climate control, a 4.2” multi-information display, LED daytime running lights, and more. Standard safety systems include Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 – the second generation of Toyota’s bundle of active safety technologies that enhance driver capabilities – plus the Star Safety System, eight airbags, a vehicle proximity notification system (active when a hybrid operates in EV mode), and Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Lastly, the new 2019 Toyota RAV Hybrid has a special all-wheel drive system that was specifically designed for a hybrid powertrain. Capable of sending up to 30 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels if slip is detected, it makes the RAV4 Hybrid as efficient at handling an icy hill or snowy road as it is in terms of fuel economy.

To learn more about the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, contact us today at Laking Motors.