Autoblog

2013 Toyota RAV4

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, New Car Reviews

A Nicer View Than Ever Of Middle Of The Road

When we had our first shot behind the wheel of the 2013 Toyota RAV4, the overall judgment from Managing Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski could be summed up in a sentence along the lines of, "Eh, not bad." The truth is that the compact crossover segment, now filled with not-so-compact offerings, is as cutthroat as any in the industry these days. When a heavyweight player like the RAV4 comes to market with a new generation, it is not at liberty to start from a clean sheet, lest it throw cold water on a vehicle that sells tens of thousands of units globally every month. Like De La Soul says, "Stakes is high."

If the choices in the marketplace were still largely limited to the Honda CR-V, as was the case when this market niche was green, the Toyota offering might actually seem like the exciting choice. But with new players offering better dynamic thrills (Mazda CX-5), cool turbo motors and fancy technology (Ford Escape), or even crunchy cred (Subaru Forester), the small crossover shopper is really spoiled for choice in 2013.

With Mr. Korzeniewski's excellent First Drive review covering the granularity of the RAV4 specification so well, we chose to focus our notes this time around on living with the Toyota in its natural suburban habitat for a longer stretch. What's more, we'll try to mark out where the CUV wins, loses or draws with the rest of the strident segment.

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2013 Toyota RAV4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota RAV4 "Adventure" brings the butch

Chris Paukert — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Toyota, Design/Style

Just last week, your humble author had a 2013 Toyota RAV4 in his garage, and he couldn't help noting that even in mid-level XLE trim, its aesthetics lacked oomph, due in large part to its cheap-looking black bumpers and airy-looking wheel wells. Judging by the RAV4 "Adventure" on display at the Geneva Motor Show, someone at Toyota must've been thinking the same thing.

With Japan's biggest automaker understandably focused on bigger reveals, information on this butched-up softroader has proven to be hard to come by, with no press materials whatsoever. We don't even know if this is a pure concept or if it's actually being considered for production. Either way, we approve. The 20-inch dark-finish alloys probably don't do much for ride quality, but they certainly look nicely aggressive, as does the new lower fascia with its prominent lower lip. Other changes include beefier wheel arches, side rails, headlamps with integrated LEDs, twin-element fog lamps and mesh grille inserts. All of the changes are quite well integrated - enough so that the Adventure largely avoids looking like a SEMA refugee in person.

Toyota RAV4 "Adventure" brings the butch originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota, Kaley Cuoco grant wishes in Super Bowl XLVII ad

Jeffrey N. Ross — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:33:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Toyota, Celebrities, Humor

For viewers who plan on watching the Super Bowl only for the commercials, here's one for you to enjoy ahead of time. As we saw in the teaser video that Toyota released last week, will be making the transition from Big Bang to The Big Game as a wish-granting genie in a commercial for the 2013 Toyota RAV4.

Though not as entertaining as the actual teaser for this commercial, it still garnered a couple chuckles from the Autoblog crew. We won't spoil it for you, but a word of advice: if Cuoco ever shows up in your driveway granting you wishes, we'd suggest you be very clear what you want... and enunciate.

If you want to see the commercial before this Sunday's game, we have the video (and an accompanying press release) posted after the jump.

Continue reading Toyota, Kaley Cuoco grant wishes in Super Bowl XLVII ad

Toyota, Kaley Cuoco grant wishes in Super Bowl XLVII ad originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota releases teaser for Kaley Cuoco Super Bowl ad

John Neff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:18:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Toyota

Toyota has released a 35-second teaser video for its upcoming Super Bowl spot staring Kaley Cuoco, the actress best known for her role as object-of-nerd-affection Penny on The Big Bang Theory. The real star of the ad, however, is its soundtrack, the 1995 hit "I Wish" by rapper Skee-Lo that will have your mind cashing nostalgia checks the moment it hits your ears.

We still don't know much about the content, plot or story of this Super Bowl commercial, though we can say that its object of promotion is likely the new RAV4 we see Ms. Cuoco driving in this teaser. The rest of the time she's walking the street in a purple getup granting wishes like Robin Williams on a Disney sound stage. And then the Easter Bunny and a chihuahua enter the picture and we get lost. Clint Eastwood under a bridge this is not.

But hey, Super Bowl ads cost millions and millions of dollars to produce and air, so we trust that Toyota spent its money wisely and will have us ROFLing on game day. Until then, scroll down and witness for yourself the debut of Kaley Cuoco as a Toyota spokeswoman.

Continue reading Toyota releases teaser for Kaley Cuoco Super Bowl ad

Toyota releases teaser for Kaley Cuoco Super Bowl ad originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Toyota RAV4 [w/video]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, First Drives

Obsessively Maintaining the Status Quo

Genchi Genbutsu and Waku-Doki.

These are Japanese terms we heard quoted by Toyota representatives when describing its 2013 RAV4. Apparently the first one means "go and see for yourself" and the second means "heart pumping, adrenaline racing."

Nice expressions, but not exactly the ones we'd choose. So we'll introduce one of our own: "Same same but different."

The latest version of Toyota's compact crossover follows the same basic outline of models past. As ever, its on-road ride and handling are competent but not sporty, the powertrain is smooth and efficient and the price is reasonable. It's a tried-and-true formula, but over the last few years, new competitors like the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape have stolen the thunder of Toyota's original cute ute, leading the automaker to refine the mix of ingredients that go into the RAV4 in an effort to take back the compact crossover crown. Read on to see what's new.

Continue reading 2013 Toyota RAV4 [w/video]

2013 Toyota RAV4 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota gunning for 200k RAV4 sales per year

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, LA Auto Show, Crossover, Toyota

Toyota just unveiled the 2013 RAV4 at the 2012 LA Auto Show, and according to a report in Ward's Auto, the automaker already has high hopes for strong sales of its new model. Bill Fay, Toyota's vice president of marketing, is expecting sales of 200,000 units in 2013 - a jump over the projected 170,000 RAV4 models expected to be delivered in 2012.

Since 2008, the RAV4 has never sold anything close to 200,000 units; the model's best year in recent times was 2010 when 170,877 models were moved. But with this all-new 2013 model, Toyota is hoping to capture a larger chunk of younger buyers - folks who might normally look at the Ford Escape and Mazda CX-5.

"It has an awful lot of capability for the younger buyer, so we're hoping to get a little more share of that," Fay told Ward's Auto.

In addition to completely new styling and better refinement, the RAV4 loses its V6 option for 2013. The only engine offered will be Toyota's 2.5-liter inline-four, good for 176 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, and able to achieve highway fuel economy as high as 31 miles per gallon when paired with front-wheel drive.

The 2013 RAV4 hits dealerships in January. Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle's on-sale date.

Toyota gunning for 200k RAV4 sales per year originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Toyota RAV4 loses V6, gains technology and utility

Michael Harley — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:48:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Crossover, Toyota

Toyota, after a week of refusing to confirm or deny the validity of leaked RAV4 images, rolled out its all-new compact crossover under the lights of the LA Auto Show today. And, as is often the case in this industry, the real deal looks just like it did in those unconfirmed pictures.

Yet there was more to learn than just confirming its new styling. As many suspected, Toyota will no longer offer six-cylinder power for the RAV4. The automaker announced that the standard powerplant will be a 2.5-liter four-cylinder (rated at 176 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque) mated to a new six-speed automatic. Consumers will again be offered a choice between front- and all-wheel drive. Fuel economy estimates are 24 mpg city/31 highway (FWD) and 22 mpg city/29 mpg (AWD).

Some other notable details include the elimination of the RAV4's side-hinged rear door and signature spare tire. It has been replaced with a rear liftgate (a space-saver spare is now stored beneath the cargo floor) to improve convenience and space. Standard features on all models include a Display Audio with a 6.1-inch LCD touchscreen (with backup camera and Bluetooth connectivity), privacy glass and full power accessories. Pricing, we're told, will be announced at a later date.

Continue reading 2013 Toyota RAV4 loses V6, gains technology and utility

2013 Toyota RAV4 loses V6, gains technology and utility originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Toyota RAV4 teased ahead of LA debut

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Videos, Crossover, Toyota

We'll get our first glimpse of the all-new 2013 Toyota RAV4 at the Los Angeles Auto Show in a couple of weeks (unless the new crossover falls victim to a case of internet leakage), and to keep our interest piqued, Toyota has released this brief teaser video for its new small CUV.

There really isn't a whole lot to be seen in the video, save a few quick glimpses of the new car including the headlight/grille shot you see above. To hear Toyota tell it, the 2013 RAV4 is "a new generation rewriting the rules of style, embodying sophistication and strength - a dynamism that adapts to the changing pace of life." Whatever that means.

We've spied the 2013 RAV4 on a couple of occasions now, and even in its heavily camouflaged state, we can see that its design will indeed follow that of the 2012 Camry. As for other details surrounding the new model, we don't have anything concrete. Powertrains are expected to be of the four-cylinder variety (including a possible hybrid), and new technology like Toyota's Entune system will likely be worked into the redesigned interior.

Stay tuned for the full details at the end of November, and scroll down to watch the 40-second teaser video for yourself.

Continue reading 2013 Toyota RAV4 teased ahead of LA debut

2013 Toyota RAV4 teased ahead of LA debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you the 2013 Toyota RAV4?

George Kennedy — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:16:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Toyota, Middle East

This wrapped-up crossover appears to be the next Toyota RAV4. It was first found on a Toyota fan forum in Saudi Arabia, and was later picked up by the automotive gumshoes at CarScoop. All indications point to this being the next RAV4, but obviously nothing has been confirmed.

From what we can tell by these photos, it has a front fascia similar to that of the Toyota Camry, and has more streamlined proportions than the outgoing model. It's hard to determine if the roof has a significant slope to it, or it is just the angle of the camera. If it is the former, than the silhouette seems to ape the Hyundai Tucson, one the RAV4's competitors.

Most of the exterior is covered with white wrapping, save the windows, which allowed for a clean shot of the interior. We can see a smart looking dash, something that once again has a similar look and feel of the Camry. The screen in the center stack is likely home to the latest version of Toyota's Entune, and we can also see clever cubby spaces above the glovebox and in the center console.

CarScoop has asserted that because the wrapping is the same type used to cover a new car on its way to a dealer that this is the real thing, and an actual production RAV4. Only time will tell if its the real deal, and not a overseas-only Toyota model. In the meantime, click on the gallery above to see what may be the next Toyota compact crossover.

Are you the 2013 Toyota RAV4? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Camry-inspired Toyota RAV4 prototype caught

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Toyota

Aside from its shiny new EV counterpart, there hasn't been much happening in the world of the Toyota RAV4. That's set to change, though, as these spy shots indicate that a refreshed model isn't too far down the pipeline.

Just how refreshed will it be? Well, considering the fact that the RAV4's last major redesign took place six years ago, we hope that there are some significant changes under all of that camouflage. We can already see some new design elements, including a front fascia that reminds us of what we see on the new Camry. Arguably, the current RAV4 is a pretty handsome little thing, but with more and more crossovers adding curvy lines, we wouldn't be shocked if this new model gained a dose of rakishness. Well, as much as Toyota can muster, anyway.

Other details remain slim, but expect the interior to get a much-needed update, likely incorporating features like Toyota's Entune infotainment system. Under the hood, four-cylinder engines are likely going to be the driving force, including a rumored hybrid variant, but we won't rule out the inclusion of the automaker's 3.5-liter V6, as well.

The new RAV4 will likely debut later this year in time for the 2013 model year.

Camry-inspired Toyota RAV4 prototype caught originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you the next Toyota RAV4?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Toyota

The Toyota RAV4 is due for a major update, having last been redesigned for the 2006 model year. Yes, it's gotten some tweaks since that time, but the compact crossover market is an ever-evolving place filled with tough competition from around the globe, and Toyota needs the RAV4 to maintain its hard-fought market share.

According to our spy photographers, the RAV4's next redesign is right around the corner. Judging from these photos, it would appear that Toyota is keeping its little 'ute to the confines of pavement - a wise decision, as vehicles of this ilk never venture very far off the beaten path. That said, the sharply angular lines of this new model's head and taillamps bring its styling more in line with the latest Camry and Avalon sedans while still putting its occupants over the heads of shorter machinery.

Rumors suggest that the 2013 RAV4 will enter production in the fall of '12, powered by a range of four-cylinder engines and possibly a hybrid. We'd be a bit surprised if the automaker's 3.5-liter V6 weren't available, as well. See the spy shots for yourself in our high-res image gallery above.

Are you the next Toyota RAV4? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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