Since many of us never see the underside of our vehicles, below is a photo of the orange protective terminal cover for the high-voltage rear electric motor cable harness of my 2026 RAV4. In the automotive industry, bright orange is strictly reserved to indicate high-voltage wiring, components and connections. This warns emergency first responders and mechanics to use specialized insulated safety gear before touching these areas. The "Cablegate" issue relates to the prior design of this terminal cover. On certain previous AWD hybrid models, the cover was completely enclosed. Moisture and road salt became trapped inside. This resulted in severe galvanic corrosion of the high-voltage cable shielding and wire harness terminals. The current version purportedly allows for proper drainage and resolves this issue.
I had completely forgotten that my new RAV4 came with Tire-Guard and Secure-Guard. This is road hazard warranty by Sym-Tech Dealer Services. It provides for replacement or repair up to a particular dollar value for the tire, and labour charges (and there is a maximum lifetime repair for up to 36 months or 60,000KM). The claim is authorized by the dealer. So, fortunately, the Service Manager was able to submit my claim and get me a partial reimbursement. He authorized the repair being done at a Toyota dealer close to home since it was unsafe to drive on after an irreparable nail puncture. This determination was based on how close the nail was to the sidewall. See photo below. Still, I would much rather have one comprehensive plan. Call Toyota roadside assistance, then make a separate claim for the repair through the original dealer. Also, for those who don't know, the three circles in the photo below are wear indicators.
Annoying day. Got a flat tire. Was fortunate to call Toyota Roadside Assistance (included or 36 months). It was dispatched to a CAA driver who came within 40 minutes. The spare seems tiny. Better than no spare, but wish I had a full-sized spare or that it could fit in the compartment! UPDATE: Despite having a 7-year extended year platinum plan, it does not cover the flat repair. That requires another add-on. Conflicting information exists all over the internet and from the dealer. EPIC Fail Toyota! On another note, I find the overheard camera view and the back camera view to be slightly off from one another. See the photo below. In the overheard simulation, the car is to the left of centre. In the right one, it is dead centre between the yellow lines. Is this a glitch?
After a few days I find I almost always use the 45w fast charger instead of the wireless charging pads. At 15w they are a little too slow. If your phone is almost fully charged, it's not an issue and they worked fine through the case, though pushing the phone further back seemed to allow it to connect faster. I picked up short 240w fast charge cables that work perfectly for this purpose. It allows me to plug in my phone right next to the outlet with having excess cord hanging down. The charge port is on a bit of a strange angle. I also use Apple Car Play and decided not to subscribe to Toyota's Connected Services. More to follow in the next post.
Another small example of what I don't think was well thought out. Piano black finishes look great but are an absolute fail for high touch surfaces. Case in point, the overhead buttons that operate the dome light and panoramic roof, etc. They are extremely difficult to see in regular light as you look directly up. This photo makes them appear much easier to see. They are not. I'll deal with the mechanical button topic another time, but for now...Toyota will do future owners a favour and change this. Also, the sunglasses holder, while greatly appreciated, is too small.
A strange quirk with the collision detection system. It is regularly triggered when turning a corner or around an object. The advanced safety features work well, but this one is a bit annoying. More to come on the cameras as a substitute for a dash cam. I'm not sure we're there yet...
One of the useful features available on all trims is RSA (Road Sign Assist). This notifies the driver of a detected road sign. On that same notification screen, you can also set a speed threshold to notify the driver when the speed limit is exceeded (for example +5 km/h). Both are very useful warnings. These are just two of the Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 features that are very useful.
Standard on all trims is the Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with Steering Assist. I had LDA in my 2013 RAV4 but steering assist is new for me. This is when it senses the vehicle is drifting over a lane marking without the driver using a turn signal, at speeds above approximately 50 km/h (32 mph). The system first provides an audible and visual warning. If you don't take corrective action, steering assist provides gentle, corrective steering inputs to help guide the vehicle back into its lane. This is a bit jarring at first, and can engage when there is roadwork or other things going on around. The technology on this RAV4 is truly remarkable and it will take time to make adjustments. This is part of the Toyota Safety Sense 4.0.
These specific hardware-based safety features are reserved for the Limited (in Canada) and can be added to the XSE with the technology package:
Panoramic View Monitor: The 360-degree camera system.
Traffic Jam Assist: This specific low-speed (under 40 km/h) hands-free capability requires, which requires an active Drive Connect subscription.
Advanced Park: The automated parking system.
Digital Rearview Mirror
Visited the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. (TMMC) facility in Cambridge, Ontario. It is a free and impressive public plant tour where they produce the RAV4 and two Lexus models. Unfortunately, no photography is permitted beyond the Experience Centre, and even the short video that precedes the indoor tram tour cannot be filmed. Visitors must surrender their phones, wear smocks (no synthetic material) and headsets are worn on the tram. The driver guides the tram with precision while another guide narratives and everything follows a strict protocol. Whether walking or riding, or even for the autonomous vehicles, they carefully choreograph movement using designated colours, floor markings signage and brilliant processes. It is impeccably clean.
The organization and complexity is a marvel to behold, though we only get a glimpse into the north and south plants. Access to the painting area is off limits due to tight controls from dust and debris. We don't see an engine drop into a vehicle but we do see Godzilla like machines welding parts and automated machines moving chassis between levels, We watch plenty of skilled employees too. The attention to detail and quality control is impressive. They proudly display their JD Power honours, and it is one of the finest manufacturing plants in the world. Every part is carefully stacked. This is just-in-time process and it is a bit easier to understand why vehicles are so expensive. All of the vehicles we saw were sold. They manufacture vehicles as they are ordered. The on site staff have access to their own Tim Hortons and they are encouraged to innovate, and even apply for patents. There is a company store for Toyota merchandise, but oddly, nothing for sale to the public. The downside is the secrecy. Facts and data are shared, but there is no way to record that information and nothing is handed out. Still, worth the drive if you are in the area. On my tour, most of the other visitors were Toyota employees working elsewhere.
Black is blue. Day 4 of ownership and one of the highlights of the colour I chose (Midnight Black Metallic) are the blue undertones in the sunlight. It looks great.
Day 3 of ownership and it's off to Speedy Auto Glass to get TAGS installed. My insurer covers $100 of the cost and I will pay $299 + HST. This will eliminate the yearly theft premium of $500.
Make it clear that you expect the logo to be aligned perfectly straight. I addressed some of the issues I experienced with the location manager, who was very professional.
Day 2 of ownership and some some quick reviews.
I added illuminated side sills and they look great.
The all-weather mats are cheap and do not protect well. They were included but I would not recommend them as an accessory. I will upgrade using an aftermarket option.
Thumbs down on the weight and "thump" of the doors. Maybe it is lighter material but it doesn't offer the satisfying close of my 2013 RAV4.
I's delivery day! Picked up my RAV4 and Brent (outstanding) at Orangeville, Toyota. He gave me an overview of the tech. The first impression is that I love the front styling. First drive was impressive. Quiet in EV mode, and good pickup at highway speeds. Impressive mileage. Not a huge fan of the suede accent in the front seats. I already love the shift by wire but the piano black is a bad choice, since it scratches easily. Does anyone actually use paddle shifters? Side view mirror on the driver's side seems too high and interferes with the line of sight. Wireless charging pads are great, but only 15W so slow. The digital rearview mirror will be useful when the back seat is full. The digital gauges definitely take some getting used to, along with the screen functionality. So much to explore. Stay tuned for Day 2!
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