A few weeks ago we brought you these renderings of the supposed Toyota RAV4 replacement, due in SA early next year. Now images of what could very well be the real thing have shown up on a Toyota Fan Forum in Saudi Arabia. All indications are that this is the new Toyota RAV4 – we’ll know soon enough, as we already know when we will be seeing this new model for the first time (later this year).
The images show a vehicle that seems to borrow heavily from the design style of the upcoming Auris (especially at the rear). As noted in the previous news story, the new RAV4 will no longer tote its spare wheel on the rear door – instead moving this item either beneath the rear of the vehicle or reverting to a space-saver in the load bay well. It has also been suggested that the two folding rear seats will be dispensed with to make way for a more conventional seating arrangement. As these images show, the facia design is quite radically different.
Given the global trend in downsizing, it’s unlikely that Toyota will continue to offer a V6 engine in the RAV4. The more likely candidates are a 2,5-litre four-cylinder unit and possibly a newly developed 2,0-litre turbodiesel.
