2018 or 2019 Toyota RAV4: What Are The Differences?
A four or five year-old vehicle is often a smart choice for buyers. Though there is often very little, or nothing left to the original manufacturer's warranty, the strong depreciation of the first years no longer applies.
Looking for a used Toyota RAV4? This comes as no surprise, since it is currently the most popular SUV in Canada. However, in this case, it is important to differentiate the 2018 and 2019 models. Why? Because the 2018 was the last year of production of the previous generation, while the 2019 was the first year of production of the newer generation. So, there might be important changes in terms of design, but the differences go even further.
The 2019 RAV4 benefits from Toyota's new global architecture that makes it more rigid and more stable on the road. As with the 2018 model, you have the choice of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine or a hybrid system, and their power has increased from 176 to 203 horsepower and 194 to 219 horsepower, respectively. The fact that two gears were added to the automatic transmission(for a total of eight) also explains the reduced fuel consumption of 1.2-1.3 L/100 km on average.
The 2018 and 2019 RAV4s each offered a more robust-looking Trail version that was better suited to off-road driving. However, for the new generation, Toyota has upgraded the optional all-wheel drive to incorporate an effective torque modulation system, resulting in a more reassuring ride.
Toyota added about forty litres of cargo space with the redesigned model (from 1,010 to 1,059 litres), but the "old" RAV4 still has the edge once the rear seat is folded with 2,080 litres against 1,977 litres.
Finally, as far as the interior goes, the overall quality, ergonomics and conveniences are not lacking in any of the two. Naturally, the presentation is much more modern in the 2019 RAV4, with a nice touchscreen sitting on top of the dashboard. The Entune 3.0 multimedia system has added Apple CarPlay, and the safety equipment has been improved with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite.
Happy shopping!