New Toyota RAV4 family SUV to be packed with standard safety kit

Australia’s favourite brand ups the pressure on rivals with a longer warranty in a move that is sure to win over families.

The new Toyota RAV4 is launching with safety firmly in mind.

Toyota Australia has announced that it will pack the coming RAV4 mid-size SUV full of standard safety gear.

Every grade gets the brand’s Safety Sense suite, which includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection (the latter works only during daylight hours), lane departure warning, automatic high-beam and road sign detection.

Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions also get active cruise control coupled with lane keep assist.

The RAV4 arrives in Australia in the second quarter of 2019.

All versions have standard blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors.

Toyota Australia sales and marketing Sean Hanley hails the RAV4’s level of safety equipment as unprecedented in the mid-size SUV segment.

“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,” says Hanley.

“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 grades.

“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 says.

The RAV4 has bolder, more American styling.

Toyota is expanding the RAV4 range dramatically to 11 versions — there are six hybrids in front- and all-wheel drive in GX, GXL and Cruiser grades.

Hybrid versions combine a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for 155kW — Toyota has yet to announce torque figures but the petrol engine alone makes 221Nm.

A new Edge version, with feature tougher exterior styling, will join the line-up.

The new RAV4 lands in Australia in the second quarter. Prices are expected to start from about $31,000 and reach $50,000.

The RAV4’s interior now matches the standard of the competition (US model shown).

Toyota recently extended its warranty from a three-year/100,00km guarantee to five-year/unlimited kilometres for all models.