2019 Toyota RAV4

The 2019 RAV4 Hybrid (first year of the fifth-gen XA50) pairs the new 2.5L Dynamic Force Atkinson four (176 hp) with front and rear motors for 219 hp net, the most powerful RAV4 since the V6 left in 2012. The gas 2.5L makes 203 hp.

Toyota publishes no net combined torque for the hybrid; 163 lb-ft is the hybrid 2.5L engine's peak, the figure spec sites list. Electric motors add instant torque off the line.

Two instrumented magazine tests of 2019 RAV4 Hybrids landed at 7.4 and 7.5 s; the hybrid is meaningfully quicker than the 8.0–8.8 s gas models.

The hybrid's motor assist gives prompt, smooth around-town response and seamless engine restarts, but the new 2.5L is noticeably coarse and loud under hard acceleration — a common 2019 review complaint aimed at the whole fifth-gen lineup.

The hybrid's planetary eCVT is smooth with no gear hunting, though it brings rubber-band revving when floored. The gas models' new 8-speed automatic drew criticism for busy, sometimes clumsy shifting, which the hybrid avoids.

The model's maximum rating is 3,500 lbs on the gas Adventure trim; the scored hybrid is rated 1,750 lbs, which is modest but above most hybrids in the class.

AWD is standard on every 2019 RAV4 Hybrid (electric rear-motor AWD with Trail Mode) and available or standard across gas trims, with the gas Adventure and Limited getting Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD with rear driveline disconnect and Multi-Terrain Select. No low range or lockers.

The Adventure trim brings 8.6-in ground clearance, torque-vectoring AWD and terrain modes — credible for gravel, snow and light trails; the hybrid has about 8.1 in of clearance and Trail Mode. No skid plates, low range or lockers.

2019 offered two powertrains: the 203-hp gas 2.5L with 8-speed automatic (FWD or AWD) and the 219-hp AWD hybrid. The RAV4 Prime PHEV did not arrive until the 2021 model year, and there was no turbo or EV option.

EPA rates the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid AWD (the only hybrid configuration) at 40 MPG combined, a big jump over the 2018 hybrid.

EPA city rating for the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid AWD.

EPA highway rating for the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid AWD.

Computed from the EPA combined rating and the 14.5-gallon fuel tank; EPA publishes no range figure for non-plug-in vehicles.

EPA's published annual fuel cost for the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid AWD at its current regular-gas price assumption.

Runs on regular 87-octane unleaded with no plug-in or premium requirement; a self-charging hybrid that needs nothing beyond an ordinary gas station.

2019 is the launch year of the fifth-generation (XA50) RAV4, which earned a 5-star NHTSA overall rating.

2019 Top Safety Pick+ (only with the Hybrid Limited's adaptive headlights) with Good small-overlap driver/passenger, moderate overlap, original side and roof results; the later updated side test was only Acceptable.

Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is standard on every 2019 trim (AEB with pedestrian/cyclist detection, full-speed DRCC, Lane Tracing Assist, LDA with steering assist, auto high beams, road sign assist); blind-spot monitor/RCTA is standard on the volume Hybrid XLE but optional on the Hybrid LE.

IIHS rates the standard system Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle (avoided collisions at 12 and 25 mph) and daytime pedestrian crash prevention; no nighttime pedestrian evaluation existed for 2019.

BSM and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on the volume Hybrid XLE and above but optional on the LE; alert-only on the volume trim, with rear cross-traffic braking limited to the Limited's parking-assist package.

Standard Lane Tracing Assist (new for the 2019 redesign) centers with ACC engaged, but reviewers found it needs clear lane lines and tends to wander on curves versus the best systems of the era.

Full-speed-range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with stop-and-go is standard on every trim and pairs with LTA as a basic highway assist; smooth but conservative with slow resume.

No hands-free driving system was offered on the 2019 RAV4; Lane Tracing Assist requires hands on the wheel.

Only the Hybrid Limited's adaptive headlights rate Good; the standard LED reflectors are Marginal and the volume Hybrid XLE/XSE/Limited lamps rate Poor, though auto high beams are standard.

Upright greenhouse and large mirrors give decent forward and side sightlines, but thick rear pillars and a small rear window create rear-quarter blind zones; the 360 camera is Limited-only.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Good with an extra position available, and the wide rear doors and roomy second row accommodate multiple child seats.

The fifth-generation (XA50) RAV4 launched for 2019 as a two-row, five-passenger compact SUV in every gas and hybrid grade.

Front headroom is 39.5 in without the moonroof, mid-pack for the compact SUV class; the moonroof fitted to most XLE-and-up trims trims that by about 2 in.

41.0 in of front legroom is adequate but on the short side of the class (CR-V 41.3, Rogue 43.0), and tall drivers note limited seat travel.

Generous second-row headroom of 39.5 in, near the top of the compact segment, helped by the boxier fifth-gen roofline.

The 105.9-in wheelbase (up 1.2 in over the XA40) yields 37.8 in of rear legroom — comfortable for adults, though a step behind the CR-V's 40.4 in.

No third row is offered on the 2019 RAV4 in any configuration; the RAV4 is a strict two-row five-seater.

37.6 cu ft behind the rear seats is competitive for a compact SUV and the hybrid loses nothing to the gas model, but it trails the CR-V's 39.2 cu ft and is small against the wide SUV band that includes three-row models.

69.8 cu ft with the 60/40 seat folded is typical of the compact class (CR-V 75.8, Rogue 70.0) and the cargo floor is more than 2.5 in longer than the prior generation's.

Practical everyday storage: dash-shelf trays (illuminated on upper grades), a wider center console, overhead sunglass holder, large door pockets and a reversible cargo liner with side nets. Nothing class-leading, and no onboard 120V on the volume hybrid XLE.

Toyota reworked the seats for more support and better cushioning, and reviewers found them supportive on long drives; the volume XLE has a manual driver seat (power on upper trims) and some testers found the lower cushions firm and short.

The stiffer TNGA-K body keeps the ride composed and controlled, but the 2019 RAV4 rides firmer than the CR-V and transmits sharp impacts over broken pavement — a common review note on the redesign.

Wind noise is well contained, but the 2.5L four is loud and coarse under acceleration and road roar on coarse surfaces is noticeable; the hybrid is quiet around town on electric assist but drones on hills and merges.

Dual-zone automatic climate with rear vents is standard on every hybrid; heated front seats arrive via package on XLE and standard from XLE Premium/XSE, while ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a heated wheel are limited to Limited/XSE packages. Remote climate is app-subscription dependent.

In 2019, the first year of the fifth generation, the cheapest way into the scored hybrid class was the LE Hybrid. Every hybrid trim came with electronic on-demand AWD as standard, and the LE Hybrid cost $2,200 more than the gas LE FWD ($25,500).

The XLE Hybrid was the volume hybrid trim, $1,800 above the LE. It added dual-zone climate, Smart Key keyless entry and alloy wheels. The 2019 hybrid lineup had only four grades: LE, XLE, XSE and Limited.

Industry estimates for the fifth-generation RAV4 Hybrid vary a lot. Edmunds' True Cost to Own is near the high end, while CarEdge and dealer service analyses put five-year upkeep at $4,000–$6,000. A blended ~$6,000 is used here, and ToyotaCare covers scheduled service for the first two years.

The RAV4 Hybrid holds its value better than any other compact SUV, and 2019 models reached the five-year mark during the 2020s used-car price surge. That kept observed values well above the residuals originally projected. A conservative ~70% is used here.

Toyota's 36-month/36,000-mile basic warranty was the segment minimum. Hyundai and Kia offered 5 yr / 60,000 mi.

The headline powertrain warranty was the class minimum, 5 yr / 60,000 mi. Hybrid components, including the battery pack, had longer cover at 8 yr / 100,000 mi. The 10 yr / 150,000 mi battery warranty only started with the 2020 model year, so 2019 owners don't get it.

ToyotaCare covered 2 years / 25,000 miles of scheduled maintenance plus 24-hour roadside assistance for the same period. That beat the CR-V and Escape, which had no free scheduled maintenance, but fell short of multi-year plans. Connected-service trials (Safety Connect, Entune) were short.

$30,545 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (70% retained, or about $21,382) leaves about $9,164 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,164 in total.

2019 is the launch year of the fifth-generation (XA50) RAV4, and the hybrid still rates above average with Consumer Reports and J.D. Power. First-year teething problems keep it below the later carry-over years: high-voltage rear-motor cable corrosion, 12V battery drain and the fuel-tank under-fill defect.

Around the 2019 model year Toyota ranked among the top few brands in both Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, and it has held that position for many years.

As the generation's launch year, the 2019 carries more campaigns than later years. They include safety-relevant ones (cracked front lower control arms, water intrusion causing loss of power steering, rear camera not activating, a hybrid VSC fault), and the hybrid also needed customer support programs for high-voltage cable corrosion and fuel-tank under-fill.

The 2.5L A25A-FXS four and Toyota's planetary e-CVT hybrid transaxle belong to one of the most proven powertrain families in the market. The 2019's rear e-AWD motor HV cable corrosion can leave the car unable to start, a hybrid-system failure mode beyond the usual peripheral complaints, though it is warranty-covered.

The redesigned XA50 cabin is sturdy, with chunky rubberized knobs and soft-touch dash inserts on mid trims. Reviewers note plenty of hard plastic and rate it behind the Mazda CX-5 and Honda CR-V for perceived quality.

Assembly is generally solid, but launch-year build issues (cracked control arms, the load-label legibility campaign, electrical accessory gremlins) put it a step behind the more settled 2021+ builds.

Toyota has one of the densest dealer networks in the US, and every store handles routine hybrid service. Service satisfaction is around the mass-market average.

As the best-selling SUV in America, the RAV4 has abundant OEM, used and aftermarket parts, and its repair costs are below the compact SUV average. Hybrid-specific components are well supported and covered by long warranties.

The volume XLE Hybrid uses the 8-in Entune 3.0 Audio Plus screen; the LE gets a 7-in unit and no grade offered a larger display in 2019.

The tablet-style Entune 3.0 screen keeps physical volume/tuning knobs and climate controls, but reviewers called its graphics dated, its menus clunky and its responses laggy compared with Honda and Hyundai systems of the day.

Wired Apple CarPlay is standard, but Android Auto was not offered on the 2019 RAV4 (added for 2020) and nothing was wireless — a notable gap for half the market.

Basic voice commands are standard and Amazon Alexa works through the Entune app; cloud-based Dynamic Navigation is limited to the Premium Audio package on upper trims, so most owners rely on CarPlay or the phone.

The six-speaker base system is ordinary, but an 800-watt, 11-speaker JBL system is available on upper grades and was well received.

All grades keep analog gauges; most get a 4.2-in multi-information display, with a larger 7-in MID only on the Limited. Hybrids add a power meter, but there is no fully digital cluster.

Only the cloud-based Dynamic Navigation maps on the Premium Audio package update over the air; the head unit and vehicle software require dealer updates.

Toyota's app offered Service Connect, Safety Connect and Remote Connect (remote start, lock/unlock, vehicle locate) on equipped trims, but the remote functions ran on a short trial before a subscription and the app was widely criticized as slow. No digital key.

XLE and above get four extra USB charge ports including rear-seat access (USB-A, not USB-C), a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot is standard and a Qi wireless charger is available; a 120V outlet is limited to select trims.

Smart Key proximity entry with push-button start is standard from XLE up (including the volume XLE Hybrid); power liftgate arrives on XLE Premium/Limited and hands-free kick operation only on Limited. Remote start is app-based and subscription-gated; no phone-as-key.

A backup camera with projected path is standard and Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is on most trims; Bird's Eye View 360 camera and Intelligent Clearance Sonar are reserved for the Limited, with a digital rearview mirror on Limited/XSE.

A color head-up display was available only on the top Limited grade through an option package; volume trims could not get one.

Wide rear doors, 39.5 in of rear headroom and a flat-ish floor make car-seat installs easy; 37.6 cu ft of cargo fits a stroller plus groceries. Rear legroom (37.8 in) is tighter than the CR-V's for rear-facing seats.

Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (AEB with pedestrian detection, full-speed adaptive cruise, lane tracing, auto high beams, road-sign assist) and eight airbags are standard on every grade; the 2019 RAV4 earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a five-star NHTSA overall rating. Blind-spot monitoring is extra on the LE.

Rear vents are standard on hybrids, rear USB ports arrive on XLE, and luggage space is decent; a firm ride, engine drone on grades and no rear entertainment or heated rear seats below the Limited keep it mid-pack for long family trips.

The hybrid's electric assist makes low-speed traffic smooth and quiet, full-speed-range adaptive cruise is standard for stop-and-go, and visibility is good; the firm ride over potholes and an awkwardly high-mounted screen are minor annoyances.

At 41/37/39 mpg the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid was among the most efficient compact SUVs on sale, running on regular fuel with Toyota's low-cost consumables and regenerative braking that spares the pads.

A 180.9-in footprint and ~36-ft turning circle make it easy to park; the volume XLE has only a backup camera plus blind-spot monitoring, with sonar and a 360 camera reserved for the Limited.

A 1,750-lb tow rating on the hybrid and ~70 cu ft of cargo handle a small utility trailer or home-store runs, but it is not a work vehicle.

Toyota's hybrid system has a long durability record in taxi and fleet use, and the RAV4 Hybrid is a common fleet vehicle; the first-year XA50 still had launch issues (fuel-gauge/tank fill, hybrid wiring recalls) and the interior is not designed for abuse.

Cargo tie-down hooks, roof rails on most trims and a reversible rubber-backed cargo liner help, but there's no onboard power export on the volume trim and only a light-duty accessory ecosystem.

Around 37 mpg highway from a 14.5-gal tank gives 500+ miles between stops and TSS 2.0's lane tracing plus full-speed adaptive cruise cut fatigue; engine noise on grades and a firm ride keep it from the top tier.

Standard electric AWD with Trail Mode, ~8.1 in of clearance and roof rails make gravel roads, snow and trailheads easy; the hybrid's 1,750-lb tow rating and lack of the gas Adventure's torque-vectoring AWD limit serious toys.

60/40 rear seats fold to a long cargo area (2.5 in longer than before) with a reversible liner, roof rails and an available hitch; there's no 40/20/40 split or pass-through and max space trails the CR-V.

The TNGA-K platform (57% stiffer than before) with strut front and multilink rear suspension gives secure, composed handling with modest body roll; it is competent rather than engaging next to the CX-5.

The new rack-mounted electric power steering is accurate and naturally weighted for the class, but offers little road feel.

Stopping distances are average for the class and the regen-to-friction blend is mostly smooth, though the hybrid's pedal feels slightly soft and artificial.

The hybrid's motor torque gives quick, smooth tip-in and seamless engine stop/start, with no gear hunting from the eCVT; hard acceleration brings rubber-band revving.

The new 2.5L four is notably coarse and loud under load — one of the most consistent complaints about the 2019 RAV4 — and the hybrid's eCVT holds it at high revs on hills and merges.

Toyota quotes an 18.1-ft minimum turning radius for the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid, about a 36.2-ft circle — tight for the segment.

A lower cowl and thinner A-pillars improve forward sightlines, and the chunky physical climate knobs are easy to use with gloves; the screen sits high and a far reach for some, and the volume XLE's manual seat limits adjustability.

The hybrid's 7.4–7.8 s 0–60 is lively for the class, but the noisy engine and numb steering keep it an efficient appliance rather than an enthusiast's choice.

Every 2019 RAV4 came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 as standard: pre-collision with pedestrian detection, full-speed adaptive cruise, lane tracing assist and road-sign assist. Every trim also got Entune 3.0 with Apple CarPlay, and the hybrid added standard AWD. The score is held below the top band because the base 7-inch screen had no Android Auto, and blind-spot monitoring wasn't standard on the LE.

For about $30,500 the XLE Hybrid offered 219 hp, standard AWD and roughly 40 MPG combined. Very few compact SUVs offered a hybrid at all in 2019, and the RAV4's class-leading resale shrank the true cost even further. It misses a standout rating because cabin materials and refinement trailed the CR-V and CX-5, and reviewers noted the engine grew coarse when pushed.

Across the whole range, the 2019 RAV4 offered five gas grades (LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure, Limited) with FWD or AWD, plus four hybrid grades (LE, XLE, XSE, Limited), from $25,500 to $35,700 before fees. That's broad, with distinct sporty (XSE), rugged (Adventure) and luxury (Limited) options. Inside the scored hybrid line there were only four grades, all AWD, with no XLE Premium Hybrid until 2021 and no plug-in until the 2021 Prime.

In its launch year the RAV4 set an all-time US sales record and was America's best-selling non-pickup vehicle. The hybrid nearly doubled to become Toyota's best-selling hybrid, outselling the Prius for the first time.

Toyota's reputation for durability and resale was at its strongest in the late 2010s, and the RAV4 badge carried the strongest halo in the compact segment. It falls short of the ceiling because Toyota's appeal is trust rather than aspiration.

Scored on buyer benefit, the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid offered little: supply couldn't keep up with demand for the redesigned hybrid. Buyers faced wait lists and dealer markups, with transactions at or above MSRP. The gas models saw modest late-year incentives.

2019 was the first year of the all-new fifth generation (XA50), on the TNGA-K platform with a new 2.5L Dynamic Force engine and fourth-generation hybrid system, so a buyer faced no redesign risk. The only caveat is that first-year builds were exposed to launch issues; some 2019 hybrids were affected by fuel-tank fill and fuel-pump campaigns.

The redesign was well received: it was a 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year finalist, and the Hybrid Limited earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. Reviewers praised the hybrid's efficiency, acceleration and rugged styling. It isn't a clean sweep, though. The TSP+ applied only to the Hybrid Limited with its optional projector headlights, and reviewers often faulted engine noise and cabin plastics relative to the CR-V and CX-5, which often won comparison tests.