MiniAutoHobby: Toyota RAV4

Sunday 13 September 2009
The Toyota RAV4 ,pronounced "rav-four" outside of Japan, is a compact crossover SUV built and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. It was the first compact crossover SUV introduced in Japan and Europe in 1994 and sales began in North America in 1996 to cater to consumers wanting a vehicle that had most of the benefits of SUVs, such as increased cargo room, higher visibility, and the option of full-time four-wheel drive, along with the maneuverability and fuel economy of a smaller car. Its name stands for "Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive," although not all RAV4s have four wheel drive, which is optional in some countries. In most countries, the RAV4 is the only compact SUV from Toyota. The early success of the RAV4 paved the way for other compact SUVs such as the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute, Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Kuga, JDM Nissan Rasheen, and the Subaru Forester. In other markets, it is the crossover counterpart of the FJ Cruiser.
The 3rd generation model is manufactured by Minichamps. The 2nd generation is a Hongwell product.