When the Toyota RAV4 (Recreational Active Vehicle with all-wheel drive) came to the market in 1994, it saw a revolution . Until then, cars were offered purely for off-road use or cars purely for the family. However, the Japanese automaker managed to combine these two worlds in the RAV4 and created the first mass-produced SUV .
However, the idea to create a similarly designed car came much earlier. Specifically , in 1986 , when the Toyota development team started working on the RAV4 concept . The first tangible results of their work came three years later, when the RAV Four concept was presented in Tokyo . However, it was still a long way from the future production car and looked more like a scaled-down Land Cruiser than an SUV. It wasn't until 1993, when a greatly revised concept was presented, that the RAV4 received an almost final design.
The final form was presented to the world in 1994 at the Geneva Motor Show and, in addition to a fresh rounded design with a characteristic spare wheel on the back, it also brought proven technology. The platform was donated by Corolla , the engine and some other powertrains were from the Camry and Carina models, and the chassis, along with the transmission, originated in the sporty Celica GT-Four .
RAV4 with a self-supporting body, three doors and four seats was the first to reach car showrooms. The already mentioned engine was a two-liter four- cylinder of the 3S-FE series with an output of 129 hp, which, thanks to the relatively low weight and dimensions of the car, provided dynamics very close to sharper hatchbacks . There was a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions, and all-wheel drive was a matter of course, complete with a lockable center differential.
The RAV4 was a huge sales and press success when it offered compact dimensions (3,740 mm in length, 2,200 mm wheelbase), driving characteristics close to a passenger car, surprising off-road capabilities and rich equipment. Production soon had to be doubled and it was clear that the small three-door body was not enough. Therefore, in March 1995, the RAV4 was introduced with five doors , five seats and a 410 mm longer body, respectively a 210 mm longer wheelbase.
In early 1996, the RAV4 finally made its official US debut , resulting in a large number of minor changes throughout the lineup. Two airbags and a ceiling lamp in the rear appeared in the basic equipment, the power unit was modified to provide less noise and emissions and more torque. Power dropped slightly to 127 hp , and for the first time a front-wheel-drive version was shown.
The year 1997 marked a big turning point, when a purely electric version , designed primarily for the USA, entered the RAV4 range. The 68-horsepower electric motor allowed the RAV4 EV to reach a top speed of 127 km/h and was powered by nickel-metal hybrid batteries (NiMH) with a capacity of 27 kWh, with which the RAV4 could travel 153 km on a single charge lasting 5 hours and was provided with warranty for 97,000 km. Most of the electric RAV4s were sold on lease as a fleet vehicle , only a few dozen private owners were lucky enough to buy a RAV4 EV. Production ended in 2003. The classic RAV4 went through further partial changes, when both models received digital clocks as standard and larger speakers for models with electric windows, the three-door model received new covers, and the five-door model received an additional fabric part of the roof that could be pulled away.
A major upgrade did not come until a year later, and the RAV4 received a new grille , a different front bumper (10 mm longer for both versions) and new front and rear headlights. A new digital odometer , two cup holders and a new audio system appeared in the interior. The door panels were also redesigned, the steering wheel received a new design with three spokes , and the five-door model received the same upholstery as the three-door model the year before. For lovers of open-air off-road driving, a version with a rear canvas retractable roof was introduced. However, it was not a success and was quietly withdrawn from the range in 2000. The beginning of the new century also proved fatal for the three-door model, while the five-door continued until 2001.
That's when the second generation RAV4 hit the market, which already had to deal with growing competition in the form of the Honda CR-V, Land Rover Freelander or the first generation Kie Sportage. The design was more aggressive compared to its predecessor, but the fifth door opening to the right , as well as the spare wheel located on it, remained. The interior was completely new and also offered richer equipment than before. A bench was moved into the back, which was divided and, in addition to folding, could be moved or even removed completely. However, the RAV4 has grown in size – the three-door model is 3750 mm long and has a wheelbase of 2280 mm, the five-door model measures 4145 mm and has a wheelbase of 2490 mm. So, as you know, the RAV4 was once again offered with two types of bodywork (only the longer variant was offered in America). Under the hood appeared a new all-aluminum gasoline four-cylinder VVT-i with variable valve timing with an output of 150 hp, which was supplemented for the first time in 2001 by a two-liter diesel D-4D with an output of 150 hp. Both engines were offered with permanent all-wheel drive , which was derived from the Luxus RX300 and received a viscous clutch. The front axle drive was also preserved, which was reserved for the VVT-i 18-cylinder gasoline engine with a power of 125 hp. The range of transmissions continued to include a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.
A significant facelift came 3 years later, and the RAV4 received a new front bumper with different fog lights, modified front and rear lights, a different grille and a new spare wheel cover. In terms of safety, stability control with traction control and brake assist became standard, front and rear head airbags along with front side airbags were added to the list of extras. The two-liter gasoline engine ended under the hood, which was replaced by a 0.4-liter larger engine with 163 horsepower. The RAV4 entered its last year of production, 2005, with an optional sports package . It is not without interest that the second generation of the Japanese SUV was especially popular with women , so much so that only the VW New Beetle had a higher proportion of female customers in the US.
In 2005, the third generation RAV4 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show, foreshadowed by the concept of the same name. Perhaps only the name was in common with the predecessor – the three-door body was gone, the top version with the 2.2 D-4D diesel had a spare wheel on the fifth door and, after all, permanent all-wheel drive. The body became larger overall, for the first time two five-door body lengths were offered in selected markets (Australia, New Zealand and North America) and a third row of seats was added to the list of optional extras. In total, the shorter RAV4 measured 4395 mm and had a wheelbase of 2560 mm, the extended variant had a length of 4620 mm and a wheelbase of 2660 mm. The United States received a slightly different front end design than the rest of the world. At launch, the RAV4 was available with a 152-horsepower two-liter gasoline engine, a 168-horsepower 2.4 VVT-i four-cylinder gasoline engine , and for the first time ever, a 273-horsepower 3.5 -liter six-cylinder engine (US only). The diesels were represented by the 2.0 D-4D with 116 hp and the 2.2 D-4D with 177 hp. There was a choice of five- and six-speed manual transmissions, along with a four- or five-speed automatic. The body was a massive 76% stiffer than its predecessor and offered not only greater safety, but also a lower level of noise and vibration penetration into the cabin. All wheels were still driven, but now not permanently, but only connectable. The front wheel remained in the offer, but it was not available in all markets. Those who longed for sporty characteristics could admire the RAV4 Sports concept in Geneva in 2006 with a reduced body, an attractive body kit and, above all, a 2.2-liter D-4D diesel engine, boosted to 204 horsepower.
The first major changes came in 2007. Front side airbags as well as head airbags were included in the standard equipment, the additional equipment was expanded with new audio. The range of engines was expanded by a new diesel 2.2 D-4D with a power of 136 hp. At the same time, the two-liter diesel D-4D was no longer available. At the end of 2008, the RAV4 underwent its first facelift (in Europe, Japan and the US), which meant modified front and rear lights, the same goes for the bumpers, and the turn signals moved to the mirrors. Under the hood, a new two-liter Valvematic gasoline engine with a capacity of 158 hp and a 2.2 D-4D diesel engine with a capacity of 150 hp partially replaced the previous version with a capacity of 136 hp. The four-speed automatic was replaced by a stepless CVT, the six-speed manual was introduced in the new generation. In 2009, a new four-cylinder gasoline engine with a volume of 2.5 liters and an output of 181 hp got under the hood, which replaced the original 2.4.
The year 2010 marked another, this time a more significant intervention in the design of the European version of the RAV4 . The front end was completely new with a larger and chrome grille, new headlights and bumper. In contrast, the rear part received only new light optics and a modified bumper. All versions of the RAV4 received a tire repair kit and supercharger, so you wo n't find a spare wheel here. No changes have taken place under the hood.
An interesting episode in the life of the third RAV4 is the second generation electric version , which will be in production by the end of this year. Its concept was already presented in 2010, but it was only two years later that the final product, created in cooperation with the American car company Tesla Motors , could be seen. It supplied the RAV4 EV with a 156-horsepower electric motor that drove the front wheels. The energy of the electric motor is supplied by 41.8 kWh lithium-ion batteries with which the RAV4 EV has a range of about 160 km. Sales began in 2012 in selected American cities, but the basic price was around 950,000 CZK .
The fourth, i.e. the current, generation of RAV4 appeared at the end of 2012, but it had its European premiere only last year at the Geneva exhibition center and has changed again compared to its predecessors. It became a global Toyota , so apart from different engines, you can buy the same car in all markets. The design has become more rounded and adapted to the latest models of the brand , the spare wheel on the fifth door has definitely ended as well as the opening of these doors to the side. In the equipment, you can come across the latest electronic assistants such as monitoring the blind spot or monitoring the traffic behind the car when backing up. The 4×4 drive is equipped with another electronic assistant called Dynamic Torque Control . The fourth RAV4 is 4570 mm long and the wheelbase is 2660 mm long. Currently in the Czech Republic, you will find a trio of units under the hood – a two-liter Valvematic gasoline engine with an output of 151 hp and a four-cylinder 2.0 D-4D with an output of 124 hp and a 2.2 D-4D with an output of 150 hp. The front wheels can be driven (only with the 2.0 D-4D engine) or, of course, all wheels, from the transmissions there is a six-speed manual or automatic or stepless Multidrive S automatic transmission available. The American version is available exclusively with a gasoline 2.5 with a capacity of 176 hp in combination with six-speed automatic. The price currently starts at 659,900 CZK for a front-wheel drive with a weaker diesel. Two concepts were also based on this generation, also presented last year in Geneva – the RAV4 Adventure showed the possibilities of modifications for off-road use, while the RAV4 Premium , on the other hand, showed how luxurious an SUV can look.
Source: Toyota
