Looks like Toyota has heard and responded to customer complaints about the RAV's harsh ride and noises cabin. I found the following info about the 2016 Hybrid on the official Toyota Blog UK:
Driving Dynamics
The new RAV4 benefits from numerous measures to improve ride comfort and driver involvement, without sacrificing stability or controllability.
The number of spot welds on the rear cross-member support has been increased from 105 to 138 and patches have been added to the rear suspension member and floor cross-member. The resulting increase in rear bodyshell rigidity not only improves vehicle stability, it also allows for better harshness damping, which in turn gives better ride quality.
The new RAV4 retains a Macpherson strut front and lightweight trailing arm double wishbone rear suspension set-up, but the shock absorbers and springs have been revised to give a flatter, more comfortable ride and better straight-line stability. The steering rack has more rigid fastening points, giving a better steering feel.
A Quieter Cabin
Noise, vibration and harshness levels have been comprehensively improved, with an emphasis on comfort for rear seat passengers.
Detailed measures include increasing the surface area of the floor silencer by 55 per cent; reshaping the rear finish plate; and adding sound absorbing material in locations around the rear deck to reduce road, tyre and exhaust noise.
Extra sound-absorbing material and an outer insulator on the door trim work to cut wind and road noise. The instrument panel silencer has been made larger to reduce the transmission of engine noise into the cabin.
I also remember reading that thicker door seals will be utilized to further reduce noise inside the cabin. (This was announced at the NY Auto Show back in the spring.)
I'm curious enough to test drive one when released in November. No news about seat comfort improvements though.:frown
Driving Dynamics
The new RAV4 benefits from numerous measures to improve ride comfort and driver involvement, without sacrificing stability or controllability.
The number of spot welds on the rear cross-member support has been increased from 105 to 138 and patches have been added to the rear suspension member and floor cross-member. The resulting increase in rear bodyshell rigidity not only improves vehicle stability, it also allows for better harshness damping, which in turn gives better ride quality.
The new RAV4 retains a Macpherson strut front and lightweight trailing arm double wishbone rear suspension set-up, but the shock absorbers and springs have been revised to give a flatter, more comfortable ride and better straight-line stability. The steering rack has more rigid fastening points, giving a better steering feel.
A Quieter Cabin
Noise, vibration and harshness levels have been comprehensively improved, with an emphasis on comfort for rear seat passengers.
Detailed measures include increasing the surface area of the floor silencer by 55 per cent; reshaping the rear finish plate; and adding sound absorbing material in locations around the rear deck to reduce road, tyre and exhaust noise.
Extra sound-absorbing material and an outer insulator on the door trim work to cut wind and road noise. The instrument panel silencer has been made larger to reduce the transmission of engine noise into the cabin.
I also remember reading that thicker door seals will be utilized to further reduce noise inside the cabin. (This was announced at the NY Auto Show back in the spring.)
I'm curious enough to test drive one when released in November. No news about seat comfort improvements though.:frown
