Looking back on the growth road of Toyota RAV4
From a concept car pieced together with accessories of other models to an urban leisure SUV that is popular all over the world, RAV4 has created a new history of four-wheel drive, which not only makes the bold idea of "urban leisure SUV" become the development trend of small and medium-sized displacement SUVs at present, but what is more commendable is that it is still the leader in this field after more than ten years of fierce market competition. Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether it was born with Toyota’s unique eye or by mistake. What is important is that it has written a wonderful stroke in the history of automobile development for more than 100 years. Now, let’s go back to 1989, trace its 16-year legendary experience along the growth footprint of RAV4, and expect the upcoming domestic RAV4 to continue its unbeaten legend.
The first generation RAV 4 (1994-October 2000)
After Toyota introduced RAV4 in 1994, the history of the 4×4 vehicle market changed. From the briefing in 1986, we got a glimpse of its "shocking" predecessor. By the time the concept model appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1989, this 4×4 off-road vehicle, which later became the trend benchmark, had gone through a long "gestation period". After a thorough makeover, the concept car of RAV4 appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1993. Finally, at the Geneva Motor Show in 1994, the official production version of RAV4 was finally born. It’s worth the long wait.
Toyota began to sell two versions of RAV4 in Japan in May 1994 (in Britain in June) and soon the sales became very strong. I thought I could sell about 4,500 cars a month, but I received an order for 8,000 cars in the first month, and soon the output doubled.
RAV4 is equipped with a 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder engine, which was previously used on the second generation CaMry/Carina (Camry/Carina), and can be equipped with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission. It is equipped with full-time four-wheel drive system and optional central locking differential.
RAV4′ s compact body, its four-wheel drive, wide track and short front and rear suspension make it have excellent handling performance in any road and weather conditions. All RAV4′ s are designed with safety equipment, which makes them more classified as passenger cars than trucks. Standard safety equipment includes driver’s side airbag, adjustable three-point seat belt and devices to strengthen side collision protection.
By combining the elements of traditional passenger cars with the characteristics of light off-road vehicles, Toyota called RAV4 a "new concept" SUV. With this RAV4, Toyota and its customers have been able to enter the attractive emerging market of sport utility vehicles.
In March 1995, the new four-door model was put on the market. The four-door version is 16 inches longer than the two-door version and can take five people. The front seat belt pretensioner was also introduced into the market with the release of the four-door version, and the RAV4 two-door version was also equipped with the system in September 1995.
RAV4 made its debut in the United States in January 1996, and Toyota also made great improvements to all RAV4 models, including: front double airbags became standard; A high-position rear brake light is introduced; The 2.0-liter 16-valve engine has also been recalibrated to make its emissions cleaner, with less noise and greater torque. Two-wheel drive models were also introduced to the market in 1996, but only front-wheel drive.
In 1997, RAV4 only made some minor modifications on the original basis of this "revolutionary" product, including changing the seat cover of the two-door model, providing an electric sunroof as an option on the four-door model, and also marking a digital clock and a large front speaker on the electric window model.
In 1998, RAV4 underwent several major changes. External changes include a new grille, front bumper fascia, multi-reflector headlights and crystal diamond taillights. Internal changes include: newly added digital odometer, double cup holder, three-spoke steering wheel and sound system, and also changed the door panel. The engine power has increased by 7 horsepower. The seat cloth on the four-door model has also been changed. Two soft-top versions of RAV4 were introduced to the market in mid-1998. Based on the two-door version of RAV4, it combines the front hard top with the rear movable soft top.
In 1999, Toyota provided a perforated leather interior with sports flavor as an option on its RAV4 special edition model, which once again set a good technical standard for small sports utility vehicles. Since that year, the side panels, rearview mirrors and door handles of the same color have been standard on the RAV4 special edition. In addition, three new special edition colors (pearl white, metallic silver and elegant black) have been added as optional.
In 2000, two soft-top models and two hard-top models were discontinued.
The second generation RAV 4 (October 2000-September 2005)
In October 2000, after a thorough redesign, the second generation RAV4 appeared. It is a compact SUV with larger space, stronger off-road performance and wider use. The whole body length, width, height and wheel track of RAV4 have been increased by about one inch or more, respectively, in order to make the interior and exterior space bigger. The shape of the vehicle has been newly designed, which is more aerodynamic and more aggressive. Its power comes from a brand-new 2.0-liter four-cylinder 16-valve DOHC engine, all aluminum, lighter in weight and with intelligent variable valve timing function (VVT-i). With the help of VVT-i function, the vehicle can output 148 horsepower at 6000rpm and 142 fthttps://info.xcar.com.cn/200904/lb. torque at 4000rpm. The second generation RAV4 has been proved to be a low emission vehicle (LEV).
In September 2001, the British version of the four-wheel drive model added a D-4D diesel engine.
The 2002 model comes standard with gray painted bumper, scratch strip on the side of the car body and a new spare tire cover. The four-wheel drive version can also be equipped with an externally expanded wheel arch. The basic body color still follows the previous year’s style, but a cool pearl white is added. The "L" model is equipped with a bumper with the same color as the body and a scratch strip on the side of the body. The four-wheel drive version can be equipped with a flared wheel arch.