Toyota is moving away from diesel engines but you can still find a diesel RAV4 crossover on the used car market. We breakdown the basic stats of the previous diesel engine and the new petrol engines.
Toyota RAV4 diesel production comes to an end
Back in 2018, Toyota announced that it would begin to gradually retire its diesel engines. Living up to the promise, last year Toyota axed the four-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbodiesel from the RAV4 range. While you can no longer order a new diesel-powered RAV4, you can still find them on the used car market. Shop used diesel RAV4 now.
2.2-litre Diesel
Used GX grade models can be found with a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that was paired with the 6-speed manual transmission, offering AWD.
Previous VX buyers also had a choice between a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine or the ‘torquey’ 2.2-litre diesel variant – both driven through a 6-speed automatic transmission with driver-selectable AWD.
The 2.2-litre diesel puts out a maximum power of 110 kW and peak torque of 340 Nm.
A 2010 diesel VX owner commented: “It’s an absolute pleasure to drive. Out on the open road I get about 6.6l/100km. In town it goes up to about 9l/100km. I still service at Toyota, and servicing is from about R1800 to R4500 and they charge R600 for a pollen filter at every service.”
5th Generation RAV4
The new RAV4, launched earlier this year, was offered with a choice of two petrol engines, a 2.0-litre and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder unit. The ‘Dynamic Force’ engines, both fitted with intelligent variable valve timing, deliver improved performance and a more responsive and fuel-efficient drive. Now, there is a hybrid version of the 2.5-litre petrol version with an electric motor in the front axle and a rear-mounted electric motor too.
The 2.0-litre engine puts out a maximum power of 127 kW @ 6600 r/min and peak torque of 203 Nm between 4400 and 4800 r/min. Claimed fuel consumption sits between 6.5 – 6.8l/100km, while CO2 emissions were measured at 147 g/km.
The 2.5-litre engine puts out 152 kW of power at 6600 r/min, and peak torque of 243 Nm between 4000 and 5000 r/min. Claimed fuel consumption is rated at 7.3l/100km, and CO2 emissions were measured at 166 g/km.
The 2.5-litre hybrid engine puts out a maximum of 163 kW of power @5700r/min and a peak torque of 221 Nm between 3600-5200 r/min with a claimed fuel consumption of 4.8l/100km. CO2 emissions were measured at 109 g/km.
All RAV4 engines achieve high output and world-class combustion efficiency through the newly introduced Variable Valve Timing-intelligent system (VVT-iE). It controls the intake of fresh air, fuel, combustion gases, and adjusts the timing of the valves to match the operating conditions of the engine, delivering an enhanced driving experience. Now with the addition of a hybrid variant, you have all the power and the fuel savings to boot.
Verdict
We can’t tell you which RAV4 engine is better for you; that’s a decision that comes down to personal preference, driving behaviour and annual mileage/routine usage. Although, here are some things to consider about diesel and petrol engines:
Diesel engines outperform petrol ones on their CO2 emissions but emit high levels of both Nitrogen Oxides and sooty particulates. And it’s these emissions that are detrimental to human health which the effects are especially prevalent in major cities. It’s also widespread knowledge that these vehicle emissions pose a serious threat to the natural world due to their contribution to global warming.
Diesel engines are generally low rev and high torque and provide a lot of thrust from the offset, which suits vehicles that tackle challenging terrain, tow heavy loads and for drivers who require comfort on long motorway journeys. High-distance drivers benefit from a diesel engine over a petrol one and are usually advised to choose a diesel vehicle due to cost savings at the pump.
Whereas a petrol engine is more commonly recognised for its instant throttle response and is, therefore, more suited for short journeys and city driving. Now when you through a hybrid version in the mix, the figures here speak for themselves; the hybrid, in our opinion, would be the best option. You can search for the latest Rav4 offerings here, and you can try out our Instant Offer tool here too.
Keyword: Which Toyota RAV4 is better: diesel or petrol?