In the current automotive market, major brands have their own urban SUV models. Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan, Nissan X-Trail, Great Wall Haval H6... These high-volume SUVs have built a huge SUV market and enriched the choice of global consumers.
But did you know that the originator of the global SUV is the RAV4 from Toyota!
Born in the 1990s, this urban SUV is still active on the global stage today. And even now, more than twenty years later, the charm of this "elderly" model has not faded. So, how exactly does RAV4 lead the SUV market? Perhaps we can find the reason from the development process of this car series.
The first generation of RAV4: pioneering a new concept for urban vehicles
In 1994, Toyota built its first urban SUV, the first generation of the RAV4.
However, at that time, Toyota did not have a dedicated SUV platform, and the first generation of RAV4 was built on the platform of Corolla. Even the engine was not specially developed, but the second-generation Camry 2.0L engine was used, with a maximum output of 119 horsepower, which can cover the daily car needs, but it cannot bring a powerful driving experience.
In terms of body size, it is not spacious enough, the three-door body design makes this SUV look more "mini", with a length/width/height of 3740/1695/1655mm and a wheelbase of only 2200mm.
Although the first generation of RAV4 has many shortcomings, this model that combines the passing ability of off-road vehicles with the comfort of cars has created a dual model of urban transportation and suburban travel, which is refreshing; therefore, as soon as it is listed, it has obtained a relatively good market response.
The second generation of RAV4: diversified power to meet different needs
The success of the first generation of RAV4 led Toyota to pay attention to the development of this model, and the body size of the vehicle was extended to improve the loading capacity of the vehicle.
Compared with the first generation of models, in terms of appearance, the body lines of this generation of RAV4 have become simple and smooth, which is more in line with the aesthetic needs of consumers. And, surprisingly, this generation of RAV4's high-end models already have cruise control, ABS, six speakers and other configurations that still seem to be more mainstream.
More importantly, in addition to a new 2.0L four-cylinder 16-valve DOHC engine, the second-generation RAV4 also provides a diesel version of a total of four power combinations, the power performance has become more powerful, and the vehicle's road passing ability has also been improved to a certain extent, which has been well received by European and American users.
It can be seen that from the second generation of RAV4, this car series began to create a diversified competitiveness.
The third generation OF RAV4: Diversified and advanced coexistence leads the market
In September 2005, Toyota officially launched the third generation of RAV4: this generation of RAV4 is based on a new platform, and provides consumers with two versions of long-axle and short-axis; among them, the short-axis version of the model focuses on the Japanese and European markets, and the long-axis version is mainly focused on the North American market.
At the same time, as consumers pay more and more attention to vehicle space, Toyota has also lengthened this generation of RAV4, such as the length/width/height of the long-shaft version of the model has reached 4600/1855/1720mm, and the wheelbase has reached 2660mm.
In addition to further body size, the third generation of RAV4 has also improved in the level of configuration, and the entry-level model is equipped with ESP body stabilization system, cruise control system, tire pressure monitoring system, four-way adjustable steering wheel, smart key and other functions. For car owners, these configurations can improve the safety of driving and the convenience of using the car to a certain extent.
This generation of RAV4 has also begun to enter the Chinese market on a large scale: at the 2006 Guangzhou Auto Show, Toyota introduced the third-generation long-wheelbase version of the RAV4 to the Chinese market for the first time in the form of imported cars; then in 2009, FAW Toyota made the RAV4 domestically.
It was also from this time that domestic consumers began to pay attention to this car and began to use FAW Toyota RAV4 as one of the preferred SUV models.
Fourth Generation RAV4: Redefining SUVs with a more modern design
After three generations of 18 years of change and development, Toyota RAV4 has been more fully integrated into the lives of many people, in the urban compact SUV segment, this car has gradually occupied a more important position.
In 2012, the fourth generation of RAV4 met with the majority of consumers, consumers found that this generation of models eliminated the external spare tire, no longer provide a third row of seats, the trunk tailgate opened the way also changed to the lift type. To put it bluntly, the RAV4 is more and more in line with the positioning of urban SUVs.
In China, the fourth-generation RAV4 is also produced by FAW Toyota and provides two powertrains, 2.0L and 2.5L. Moreover, this generation of RAV4 has also become a frequent winner of the SUV sales list, and the competition with the Honda CR-V, which is also a Japanese SUV, is quite fierce.
In 2016, while the appearance of the fourth-generation RAV4 was greatly changed, it finally had a formal Chinese name: "Rongfang"; at this time, FAW Toyota RAV4 Rongfang has firmly established itself in the Chinese SUV market.
Fifth Generation RAV4: The epitome of SUV evolution
After experiencing the word-of-mouth accumulation and technical precipitation of the first four generations of models, FAW Toyota's new fifth-generation RAV4, which was born under the TNGA architecture, won the attention of many consumers as soon as it was unveiled.
In terms of appearance, the urbanization style of this generation of RAV4 has been weakened a little, the line design is more angular, and even has a hint of "hard" feeling, in the original urban shape, Toyota's designers have integrated more sporty and youthful elements into this car.
In the space part, the length/width/height of the fifth generation RAV4 is 4600/1855/1680mm, and the wheelbase is 2690mm, which is considered to be decent in the same class.
Although the space is relatively modest, but the front and rear seats of this SUV are soft and hard, it is not easy to be tired after sitting for a long time, the head and leg space are relatively generous; the storage slot design is also relatively rich, and most of the personal belongings such as mobile phones, wallets, water bottles, sunglasses, etc., can basically find a suitable placement.
In terms of configuration, in addition to the entry-level model, the fifth-generation RAV4 is equipped with a 10.1-inch central control large screen as standard, and the system fluency is better; in addition, this SUV model is also equipped with TSS 2.0 zhixing active safety system, 7 airbags and other safety configurations as standard, and the safety has been improved to a certain extent.
Power part, the fifth generation RAV4 provides 2.0L + CVT and 2.5L hybrid + E-CVT two power combinations, of which the hybrid version of the model can achieve 80Km pure electric endurance, the maximum cruising range performance of up to 1400Km or more; 0-100km/h acceleration time is 7.4 seconds, although not as good as some performance cars, but in the same class of models, it is still relatively outstanding.
Conclusion:
In summary, the reason why RAV4 has been selling well in the world for nearly three decades is that this SUV has been in a leading position from the beginning, and Toyota is also constantly innovating and optimizing this SUV series according to the development of the market environment. It can be said that in the same period, each generation of RAV4 has a more cutting-edge product force and updated technology than other SUVs, and such forward-looking thinking has also helped RAV4 occupy the market opportunity to a certain extent. The fifth generation of RAV4, which is currently on sale, has a more comprehensive performance in terms of appearance, space, configuration and power, etc., obviously, it also has the strength to bring a more convenient travel life into more families.