2019 Toyota RAV4 Technology & Safety Review

With the all-new RAV4 now in the Philippines, those who have adored the nameplate are in for a treat – aesthetically and in terms of fuel efficiency. I never thought I would mention fuel efficiency about the RAV4, considering its notoriety as a gas guzzler for its previous four preceding generations. But it is what is, and kudos to Toyota for that.

The delight that the RAV4 brings to the table doesn’t end there; it’s filled with convenient and practical tech features that are rampant in its segment rivals these days. However, that’s where the problem lies. At P2,188,000 for the top-of-the-line LTD trim, other compact crossovers at the same price point could offer similar, if not better, tech and safety features.

Here’s a closer look so you would have an idea on what to expect with the 2019 Toyota RAV4.

The RAV4 has pretty much every convenient feature you could think of when you’re in the driver seat. It has power-adjustable seats with memory function, speed-sensing door locks, automatic window up/down on all fours, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and power-adjustable mirrors. All of these function like clockwork. The latter, however, isn’t power-folding, so you would need to stretch your arms a little if needed. The rear-view mirror dims by itself, as well, plus the panoramic moonroof has intuitive controls and the e-parking brake has the heaven-sent hold function. I just wish the tailgate’s automatic and the seat heaters be replaced with ventilation instead, but that’s just me nitpicking.

Probably the crown of the RAV4’s slew of tech features is the wireless charging pad in front of the gear shifter. If you have a smartphone that’s capable of wireless charging, you’ll definitely love this feature since it takes out the need for a charging cable. The pad’s huge, too, and could accommodate most smartphones, including my huge iPhone XS Max. It's covered with a material that won’t scratch the surface of your phone.

Another thing to point out is that since the RAV4’s infotainment system doesn’t have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the better pairing would be via Bluetooth. So yes, wireless charging and wireless smartphone pairing. Younger generations of car buyers would definitely love this feature. The only setback would be when going through rough road patches – a little bump would interfere with the wireless charging. But that’s just about it.

The six-speaker setup of the RAV4 isn’t the best out there, but it’s more than decent and would probably suit the taste of avid music listeners. Once paired with a smartphone, you could source your music via Spotify, Apple Music, or any music streaming services. Handsfree calls are flawless, as well.

For its price, and I repeat, for its P2,188,000 price tag, you might expect the RAV4 to have really cool safety features like adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and blind spot monitors, like its rivals at the same price point do. But nada, the RAV4 doesn’t have that.

To be fair, it comes with seven airbags, ISOFIX child seat tethers, immobilizer, parking cameras with sensors, stability control, and the standard cruise control. The lack of Toyota Active Safety Sense features is a missed opportunity, I must say.