♠ Posted by Admin in Toyota,Toyota Rav4 2013 at 02:11
Toyota's designers have modernized
the looks of the popular on both sides of the Atlantic RAV4, applying
familiar styling cues from their more recent models like the Auris
hatchback and estate giving the SUV a sharper appearance.The new compact
crossover looks like it also features a larger footprint, which if
true, should improve passenger and possibly luggage space, while the
interior boasts more upscale materials, such as the leather trim on the
dashboard of the display vehicle.
We
have nothing official yet on the 2013 RAV4's specifications, but it has
been rumored for a while now that the North American model may drop the
V6 option and follow the example of the rivaling Honda CR-V offering a
single four-cylinder engine. In other regions like Europe, the new RAV4
will be available with diesel units as well, possibly sourced from the
BMW Group as part of an agreement signed between the two automakers.
Stay
tuned for more as the 2013 RAV4 will make its global debut later today
at the Los Angeles Auto Show. RAV4 was a two-time comparison-test champ,
so you know we liked it, but it had exactly one thrilling
characteristic: The totally bitchin’, un-crossover-like gusto provided
by the optional V-6. (Seriously. Zero to 60 in 6.4 seconds.) But now
that’s gone, as the new, fourth-generation 2013 Toyota RAV4 will amble
through suburbia exclusively on four-cylinder power.
The
rest of the formula all the sorta boring stuff that made it great
carries over, though, with some key additions to bring it up to modern
spec. The four-cylinder is again a 2.5-liter unit, this time making 176
hp versus the previous model’s 179. (Torque stays pat at 172 lb-ft.)
Both front- and all-wheel-drive models will be offered, the latter
gaining the ability to shunt torque fore and aft and a locking mode that
forces more power rearward in low-speed, low-traction situations such
as when digging through mud or sand.
This
time around, the RAV4 gets a six-speed automatic transmission, which
replaces a crusty four-speed unit and incorporates an S mode that blips
the throttle on downshifts. The swap improves fuel economy by about five
to ten percent, to 24/31 for FWD models and 22/29 for
all-wheel-drivers, but we think those trading in their old RAV4s will
most enjoy the lower levels of engine noise while on the freeway.
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