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HomeFarming NewsNew RAV4’s ‘Hey Toyota’ and remote services features are ‘class-leading’
Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
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New RAV4’s ‘Hey Toyota’ and remote services features are ‘class-leading’

Toyota has taken the wraps off its new 2023 RAV4, which has a series of upgrades and a raft of enhancements to deliver “class-leading power and efficiency”.

It says these changes make the “world’s original and best-selling recreational SUV an even more desirable proposition”.

It has rolled out the changes across the full range of hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric models to deliver both “class-leading” power and efficiency.

Key information:

  • 5-litre Hybrid Dynamic Force engine built on the GA-K platform offering 218 DIN hp in front-wheel-drive form and 222 DIN hp with the electric Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD-i);
  • 306 DIN hp;
  • Fuel consumption of 1.0 l/100km and 22 g/km of CO2.

In summary, new key features include:

  • New multimedia system;
  • Remote services;
  • New digital combimeter;
  • Enhanced Toyota Safety Sense;
  • New exterior colour.
Enhanced Toyota Safety Sense

Toyota claims that its new RAV4 gains enhanced safety sense functions that can warn the driver and help avoid a wider range of common road accident risks.

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The Pre-Collision System (PCS) gains intersection support that can help with safer turns at junctions.

It will detect if:

  • The car is about to cross the path of any oncoming traffic;
  • There are any pedestrians crossing the road into which the vehicle is moving, alerting the driver necessary, initiating braking control to help avoid an impact.

Emergency Steering Assist is also new, helping the driver avoid a pedestrian who has stepped into the road while keeping the car under control and within its traffic lane.

Moreover, on the RAV4 Plug-in, the system will also recognise and react to bicycles and parked vehicles.

Toyota claims that the RAV4 Plug-in’s PCS also gains the ability to detect oncoming vehicles in the car’s traffic lane and reduce the risk of a head-to-head collision.

Remote services

Furthermore, the new RAV4 comes with more remote functions the driver can make use of without having to be in or near their vehicle.

You can address the familiar worries about whether you have left a window open, the doors unlocked or the lights on after you have walked away from your car with remote notifications to confirm the vehicle is secure.

According to Toyota, this feature is standard on all new RAV4 models.

You can also lock and unlock the doors – a helpful feature if someone without a key needs access, for example, to drop off a parcel or to clean the vehicle.

You can also flash the hazard lights, making the vehicle easier to spot in a big or busy car park.

New multimedia system

The new RAV4 adopts Toyota’s latest multimedia system which features a larger, 10.5-inch screen with a high-definition colour display.

The standard system provides cloud-based navigation that allows for accurate journey planning with information that’s constantly updated, plus live details of traffic and road events and how easy or hard it might be to find a parking place near your destination.

Through its four-year over-the-air ‘Smart Service’ data package, customers can access its latest multimedia and navigation systems without having to pair their smartphones to the vehicle.

The user experience is “seamless” with the accompanying MyT smartphone app, so customers can keep track of various vehicle information. This includes driving analytics, fuel levels, warnings and ‘find my car’ function

You can also utilise the app to book service and maintenance appointments at Toyota centres.

Smartphone integration with Android Auto® is available and for added convenience, wireless smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay® is featured as standard.

Onboard voice agent

Furthermore, there are more ways to communicate with your car using the new onboard voice agent that will respond to spoken requests.

It can adjust the climate control, choose multimedia options, make a phone call, or open and close windows.

‘Hey Toyota’ is designed to understand conversational speech, so if you say ‘I’m cold’ it will respond by closing the windows or raising the air conditioning temperature.

A further, optional multimedia system is also available, offering additional functions.

It introduces an embedded navigation system that will operate when no data connection is available.

It also recognises highway signs and can provide local weather alerts and notify the driver of restricted LEZs (low emission zones).

New exterior colour

Lastly, Toyota is introducing a new Platinum White Pearl exterior colour for all grades of the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid and Hybrid.

Dynamic grade will see the introduction of a Platinum White Pearl bi-tone with Midnight Black Metallic for both variants.

Toyota confirmed that the production of the 2023 Toyota RAV4 for Europe and the UK will begin during the third quarter of this year.

Digital combimeter

This is a feature of all-new Toyota models that the driver can view and take in key vehicle data at-a-glance, so there is the least distraction from their focus on driving and the road ahead.

The new RAV4 introduces a new digital combimeter in the instrument binnacle that comes with flexible display settings.

There is a choice of four styles and three layouts and personalisation options for the large, 12.3-inch TFT display.

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