2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road revealed: Crossover SUV with off-road potential

The butch, new-look Toyota RAV4 is getting some hardware to help match.

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road that was revealed Thursday at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show is the automaker’s first TRD treatment for the popular, small crossover SUV. When it goes on sale in the fall, the RAV4 TRD Off-Road will slot above the RAV4 Adventure in the lineup.

Toyota didn’t say how much the RAV4 TRD Off-Road would cost, although it’s likely to be $34,000 or more.

2020 Toyota RAV4

With the RAV4 TRD Off-Road, Toyota has added a few trail-ready features to the mega-selling crossover’s repertoire. The 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road sports the Adventure’s 8.6 inches of ground clearance, but also adds revised shocks and spring and chunky 18-inch Falken all-terrain tires. The TRD Off-Road also features a roof rail, bigger fenders, and revised bumpers from the Adventure trim level, too.

MORE: Read our 2019 Toyota RAV4 full review

Inside, the TRD Off-Road sports black synthetic leather upholstery with red stitching, and washable vinyl floor and cargo mats. The TRD Off-Road sports Toyota’s latest suite of active safety gear that includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors.

Under the hood, the TRD Off-Road gets the same treatment as the rest of the RAV4 lineup: a 2.5-liter inline-4 that makes 203 horsepower and 8-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on the TRD Off-Road version, and the system can direct up to 50 percent of its power toward the rear wheels for better traction. It’s unlikely that the TRD Off-Road RAV4 will be available as a hybrid.

The RAV4 TRD Off-Road could be the first step for the small crossover down the TRD familial line. Toyota offers TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and TRD Pro versions of the Tacoma and Tundra trucks, although reps for the automaker didn’t comment on the RAV4’s future plans.

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