The 2019 Toyota RAV4 has been officially announced for the 2018 New York Auto Show. The show in Big Apple starts on March 28th and the compact crossover will stand side by side with a big rival from Subaru, which has prepared its all-new Forester for the same event. Just as the rival from Subaru, the next-gen RAV4 has been previewed with a single teaser. However, in contrast to Forester’s teaser that shows just a right taillight, the silhouette of Toyota’s popular small SUV gives more opportunity for speculations.

We are not sure whether you see what we see here, but it seems that the new-gen RAV4 shares a lot with the FT-AC concept. The brave move will definitely pay off because the small SUV looks somehow more muscular than before, and yet dynamic enough to fit in into the latest trends. The redesigned front end appears to be pretty massive and mated with a large bumper. The rear bumper appears to be the most dominant part around back, though we are sure that the carmaker added some interesting taillight design as well.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 will ride on the TNGA platform. The modular architecture underpins plenty of new models, including Prius, Camry, C-HR and the new Lexus UX, and will support the new Corolla, so we know pretty much everything about it already. By using the TNGA, the new generation RAV4 will improve driving dynamics and handling and will shed some weight. In addition, the platform can be coupled with a range of engines, including hybrids. The amazing crossover will definitely get one of the kinds, though we still have no idea which one. What we do know for sure is that the carmaker has no intention to offer any V6 engine. Instead, the awesome high-riding vehicle is going to rely on inline-4 engines. Toyota will not miss the chance to add a 2.5-liter unit from the new Camry that delivers 203 horsepower. Also, today’s 6-speed auto will be replaced with an eight-speed automatic transmission.