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AUTO REVIEW: 2019 Toyota RAV4

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Not only was the RAV4 the first crossover, it is now the best-selling non-pickup truck in the country. In 2017, Toyota sold 408,000 RAV4s. What they’re trying to do with the new RAV4 is make it an all-round vehicle that can handle urban, suburban and the great outdoors driving.

Published

7 years ago

May 26, 2019

Oakland Post

By Frank S. Washington, AboutThatCar.com, NNPA Newswire Contributor

CARMEL, Calif., — It was 22 years ago that Toyota’s RAV4 first hit these shores. Now comes the fifth generation of the compact sport utility. It was the first such vehicle and it created the market we now know as crossover utility vehicles because if its uni-body construction.

Not only was the RAV4 the first crossover, it is now the best-selling non-pickup truck in the country. In 2017, Toyota sold 408,000 RAV4s. What they’re trying to do with the new RAV4 is make it an all-round vehicle that can handle urban, suburban and the great outdoors driving.

Another way of looking at it is that they want the 2019 RAV4 to be more utility like rather than car like.

To make the 2019 RAV4 look tougher, designers have picked up some design cues from Toyota’s pickup trucks, especially the Tacoma. The front end and grille design was meant to give it an athletic look.

Black cladding around the wheel arches appeared to lift the tires into a higher position much like a pickup truck. The lifted-up body was supposed to make the 2019 RAV4 look more capable. That was the idea.

We were in a convenience store getting our lotto on the drive and an older RAV4 parked next to our test vehicle. The difference was visible immediately. Our RAV4 had a higher hood and a more muscular face. It was just huskier.

Ground clearance was upped by more than a half inch over the model that it replaced. Even though it was higher Toyota said the step-in height remained comfortable. It was easy to get into and out of and the new RAV4 was comfortable.

The front seats were restful; there was plenty of lumbar support. Sight lines were really good especially since Toyota lowered the window belt line, dropped the sideview mirrors farther down on the doors, lowered the dash and added a small triangular window were the side view mirror housing would have been.

The new RAV4’s TNG-K global platform made body rigidity 57 percent stronger. They said the front strut and rear multi-link suspensions enhanced agility. That’s hard to argue with since we did several tight U-turns on the two lane parts of the Pacific Coast Highway near the iconic Bixby Bridge to take photos. It is not a place you want to back up to complete a U-turn.

The new platform was supposed to make the ride smoother and quieter. Indeed, the new RAV4 rode like a typical Toyota. It was smooth and quiet. However, from time to time it did seem like the engine ran like a four-banger of old: a little rough and a little loud. Engineers would do well to add a little more soundproofing to the fire wall and perhaps floorboard.

The global platform allowed engineers to place the powertrain lower in the engine bay and thus, lowered the center of gravity. Of course, high strength steel helped to reduced weight; a new saddle style fuel tank distributed the weight of the fuel evenly sized to side. The previous model had the entire fuel tank on one side of what is now the old RAV4.

Toyota has always been conservative with its engine technology in terms of horsepower. But Toyota power-plants have always been highly reliable and quiet, for the most part. In fact, the Toyota brand was built on the quietness and reliability of its engines.

The 2019 RAV4 gas model, which goes on sale in December, will be powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It made 203 horsepower.

The hybrid goes on sale in March and it will be powered by a similar 2.5 liter four cylinder engine but in total it will be tuned for 219 horsepower. It will use an electric CVT and a nickel metal-hydride battery provides electric power. It will have an EPA rating of 41 mpg in the city, 37 mpg on the highway and 39 mpg combined.

Mileage for the gasoline engine depends on whether the trim line is all wheel drive or front wheel drive. For the Adventure grade AWD it is 24 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway and 27 mpg combine. For the XLE FWD it is 27 mpg in the city, 34 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg combined.

The gas model has five grades: LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure and Limited. The hybrid gets four grades: LE HV, XLE HV, XSE HV and Limited HV. All models are available in either front-wheel or all-wheel-drive

The 2019 RAV4 has a new all-wheel-drive system on the gasoline and hybrid models. On the gas models it can send up to 50 percent of its torque to the rear wheels. On the hybrid the system can send up to 80 percent of its torque to the rear wheels.

What’s more, this AWD system has torque vectoring, the ability to send torque from side-to-side. When all-wheel-drive is not needed, say on long dry highway drives, the rear axle driveshaft’s rotation can be stopped. It reduces energy loss and improves fuel efficiency.

Standard on all wheel drive equipped RAV4 is multi drive modes. Toyota said the modes maximize traction in mud, sand, rocks, dirt and snow. The display screen will show torque allocation and slip control.

For on road and off-road performance, the 2019 RAV4 has hill start assist, trailer sway control and downhill assist control. Depending on trim and powertrain, the new RAV4 can tow up to 3,500 lbs.

On the RAV4 Hybrid models, the AWD system employed a separate rear mounted electric motor to power the rear wheels when needed. It increases total torque to the rear wheels by 30 percent compared to the previous system.

We tried out the system on a moderate off-road course set up here. The RAV4 did well. We selected trail mode and the RAV4 climbed through soft dry road beds with a bit of slippage but nothing serious, it traversed close-set rises lifting the rear right wheel off the ground and hill descent is always impressive to me. More so was that I discovered hill descent worked in reverse as well.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 has what is called a Predictive Efficient Drive system that reads the road and learns driver patterns to optimize hybrid charging.

I don’t know about learning from driver patterns, but the vehicle climbed over hills and went through mountain passes relatively easy.

Driving all around this area, in hybrids and gas-powered models, we found both responsive, they were relatively quiet, and handling was good, so was braking.

The instrument panel was a horizontal layout. It was minimalist and the floating infotainment navigation screen dominated. There were not a lot of buttons, switches or dials and there were soft touch points on the dash and the doors.

The passenger compartment had an open and airy feeling. And it would have been a more airy feel had we opened the screen covering the panoramic roof.

The front seats were supportive. The back seats looked like they could hold two adults comfortably, I didn’t get back there. The center console was about 1.5 inches wider and it was a bit higher than in the old model, matching the height of the door armrests. I didn’t notice and that was a good thing, armrests, center consoles or anything else should not distract the driver from driving.

There were heated front seats, the electric parking brake was standard, there was an optional wireless charger and the 2019 RAV4 had embedded storage trays under the dash to hold mobile phones and other travel stuff that were illuminated at night by a blue light.

The rear doors were bigger for easier access, the cargo area had a bit more room, when folded the rear seats formed an almost flat floor, headroom on the new model increased by almost 2-inches and the deck board was reversible. Flip it over and you get a plastic surface for wet or dirty objects or both.

The new RAV4 has three audio systems to choose from. The premium option has 11 speakers and 800 watts. No matter which one you chose they all have Apple CarPlay, WiFi Connect, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Toyota has been pushing its safety technology of late and the 2019 RAV4 is no different. It has the next generation of Toyota Safety Sense or TSS 2.0. That’s a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, lane tracing assist and road sign assist.

Base prices start at $25,500 for the LE FWD to $34,900 for the Limited AWD on the gasoline models. The hybrid starts at $27,700 and tops out at $35,700. A $1,045 freight charge is added to all prices and there are 13 different models.

An initial impression is that the new 2019 Toyota RAV4 is a worthy successor to the old model.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com

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Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

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Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

admin

Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,