A Buffed up 2020 Toyota RAV4 Was Built on the Pillars of a Rally SUV

Who would have thought two or three years ago that Toyota will reveal the 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-road at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show? Well, I did, a bit, as back in 2016 Toyota decided it needed more young people (preferably males) in its showrooms that make deals on the RAV4. Toyota even entered a FWD rally competition with the cool RAV4 with Ryan Millen behind the wheel. And that was the start of the major revamp of the entire RAV4 character that has finally come to fruition with the reveal of the new Toyota RAV4. The RAV4 TRD Off-road, however, is a proper concoction spruced from the seats laid down by that Millen RAV4 rally SUV.

I freaking like it!

Important Equipment Increased the Off-road Capability Of The 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-road

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD does have a similar vibe I felt with the RAV4 Adventure, but this one is all what the Adventure is and then some more. Like a lot more thanks to a rather fine Toyota Racing Development rework.

In fact, the suspension was inspired by that Ryan Millen car I wrote about a bit earlier. Now with twin-tube dampers and springs and the standard Dynamic Torque Vectoring All-Wheel Drive, the RAV4 TRD will definitely be more capable off-road. The tuneup went so far that Toyota actually garnished its 18-inch wheels (FYI, lighter than before) with the Falken Wildpeak Trail tires with specially designed treads for mud and dirt.

As the TRD is based on top of the Adventure, the ground clearance has been increased to 8.6 inches. That’s a bit more than what you’d get on the RAV4 LE or the RAV4 XLE.

As a final touch to the suspension, the TRD installed new bump stops that can handle more suspension travel.

Couple all this with the AWD and smart torque distribution system between the rear wheels and the city lovin’ Toyota RAV4 transforms into a rebel. Sure, it’s not a Land Cruiser, but it’s better than the previous gen RAV4 by a large margin. And this goes for the engine as well. The Dynamic Force, 2.5-liter engine develops 203 horsepower and it is exactly the same as in all other 2020 RAV4s.

Unique Style Touches On the 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-road

The heavy off-road-inspired guise definitely differentiates the new 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-road from the rest of the lineup. Not so much from the RAV4 Adventure though. The two-tone finish definitely looks cool on it. Mainly thanks to beefed up black fenders, darkened features on the grille, bumpers, and standard LED fog lights. That’s a small touch, granted, but LED fog lights are really cool.

If you find the Midnight Black a bit, well, dark, you can go for the Lunar Rock, Super White or Ruby Flare Pearl. I don't know about you, but I can actually imagine all these colors just by reading their names.

The Off-road focused features inside are really noticeable. Red is the color of choice for stitching, the TRD embroiderment on the headrests, plastic touches between the seats, and even for the virtual “skin” on the infotainment system. It looks kinda cool. Especially with all the leather on the seats.

Conclusion

Considering that the 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-road is based on top of the RAV4 Adventure, Toyota loaded it up with all kind of gizmos as the: Hill Start Assist Control (HAC), Trailer Sway Control (TSC), and Downhill Assist Control (DAC). On the other hand, and as you probably know if you read my article on the top facts about the 2020 Toyota RAV4, the RAV4 TRD Off-road comes with a comprehensive safety suit. Unlike other versions, however, the 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-road safety suite includes Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and Rear Cross Traffic Braking (RCTB).

In Chicago, the Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-road joins the Toyota Land Cruiser Heritage Edition, the Sequoia TRD Pro, and the stunning 2020 Tacoma under the spotlights. I can safely say that Toyota has one of the most impressive lineups of new cars in Chicago.

2019 Toyota RAV4 Drivetrain And Performance

Fuel Capacity	14.5 gallons
Drivetrain Layout (gas-only)	Front-engine, FWD, AWD optional
Engine (gas only)	naturally aspirated 2.5-liter Dynamic Force four-cylinder
Horsepower (gas only)	203 horsepower at 6,600 rpm
Torque (gas only)	184 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm
Transmission (gas only)	Direct Shift eight-speed automatic
Drivetrain Layout (hybrid)	Front-engine, AWD
Engine (hybrid)	naturally aspirated 2.5-liter Dynamic Force four-cylinder
Horsepower (hybrid combined net)	219 horsepower
Horsepower (hybrid gas engine)	176 horsepower at 5,700 rpm
Torque (hybrid gas engine)	163 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm
Horsepower (electric motor)	118 horsepower (front), 54 horsepower (rear)
Torque (electric motor)	149 lb-ft (front), 89 lb-ft (rear)
Battery Type (hybrid)	Sealed nickel-metal hydride
Transmission (hybrid)	Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (ECVT)
0-to-60 mph (gas only)	8.2 seconds
0-to-60 mph (hybrid)	7.8 seconds
Top Speed	130 mph (est.)