Toyota Storms New York with New Products

After two fairly quiet events in Detroit and Chicago, the 2018 New York International Auto Show features several new, important products from a variety of manufacturers. Toyota in particular has come out swinging with clean sheet redesigns of two of its most popular models.

First up is the all new fifth generation RAV4. Last year, the RAV4 overtook the Camry as Toyota's best selling vehicle in the US, and the best selling non-truck in America full stop. Facing stiff competition from recently redesigned rivals such as the Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5, Toyota couldn't afford to mess things up. The new RAV4 features rugged styling cues evocative of several Jeep products. Ground clearance is up by half an inch, which further separates the new RAV4 from its rivals. Gasoline and hybrid powertrains will be offered as before, and a breadth of trim levels including the well equipped base LE, the luxurious Limited and Platinum, and the sporty Adventure ensures that consumers will be able to find the RAV4 that's right for them. Look for gasoline powered RAV4s to arrive in dealerships later this year, with the hybrid models coming sometime in 2019.

Also making its debut is the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback. When Toyota announced the closure of the Scion brand, the iM hatchback was rechristened a Corolla for the remainder of its product cycle. Now, executives have given the iM another shot, and addressed some of that car's most glaring shortcomings with this redesign. The Corolla Hatchback is 1.5 inches longer than before, and all of that extra length is dedicated to the wheelbase. Ergonomics, fit and finish, and available features are all greatly improved. Every model gets a leather shift knob, an electronic parking brake, keyless ignition, and two USB ports. Other standard features include Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and Siri Eyes Free.

Only SE and XSE trim levels will be offered, suggesting that Toyota sees the Corolla Hatchback as a companion piece to the 86 and upcoming Supra. Aiding the Corolla's performance credentials is the use of Toyota's New Global Architecture (TNGA). TNGA lowers the Corolla's center of gravity by 0.8 inches and improves torsional stiffness by 60 percent. Gone too is the ancient 1.8-liter four cylinder engine. It's been replaced with a new Dynamic Force 2.0-liter unit coupled to either a six speed manual transmission or a CVT with launch gear. Horsepower and performance figures haven't been revealed yet, but it seems safe to say that Toyota has a decent, warm hatch on their hands.

It's pleasing that Toyota is taking serious steps to improve the desirability of its products beyond reliability and value. So far, CEO Akio Toyoda's plan to inject a dose of passion into his products appears to be on track.