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Sienna spec: http://www.toyota.com/sienna/specs.html?s_van=GM_TN_SIENNA_SPECS
Highlander spec: http://www.toyota.com/highlander/specs.html?s_van=GM_TN_HIGHLANDER_SPECS
The pics of the new RAV4 engine compartment shows it's transverse mounted. So that should eliminate the RWD speculation.
4 CYL - http://pressroom.toyota.com/Images/View?id=TYT2005110274323
6 CYL - http://pressroom.toyota.com/Images/View?id=TYT2005110245975
I would be surprised if this doesn't show that it's going to be FWD(4x2).....
(there would be a bunch of swearing at this part of the post, but I would like to remain a member so i'll refrain) :P
killerpiece :shades:
ersen
At present you have ( from memory - it's T'Giving ):
RAV 2WD 4c $21000 range + options
RAV 4WD 4c $23000 range +
RAV 2WD V6 $23500 range +
RAV 4WD V6 $25500 range +
ICE High 2WD 4c $26000 range +
ICE High 2WD V6 $28000 range +
ICE High 4WD V6 $30000 range +
HSD High 2WD $33000 range +
HSD High 4WD $35000 range +
The 4c Highlander is a dog frankly. It generates NO excitement. The HSD V6 Highlander IMO is too expensive for Toyota budgets.
Next year when the Highlander moves to the Sienna platform ( ? ) I wouldnt be surprised if they drop the 4c ICE Highlander and the HSD V6 Highlander replacing them with an HSD 4c Highlander and the new V6 ICE Highlander.
The 'lineup' would look like this:
Leading off and playing 2nd..
RAV 2WD 4c $21000 range + options
RAV 4WD 4c $23000 range +
RAV 2WD V6 $23500 range +
RAV 4WD V6 $25500 range +
HSD High 2WD 4c $29000 range +
HSD High 4WD 4c $31000 range +
ICE High 2WD V6 $28000 range +
ICE High 4WD V6 $30000 range +
HSD High 2WD $33000 range +HSD High 4WD $35000 range +OK designated hitter:
HSD High V6 Limited ~ $43000
Why not give the 2.4L RAV the HSD option in 3 years when it's due for a freshening? It's the same engine as the Camry and Highlander.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef06292
Otherwise if it's FWD why not say so?
They'd better hurry up with the redesign on the HL.
-juice
WOW. There is something in the works if they plan that many vehicles. That's at least 50% more than they are doing now.
To me it seems a natural when the HSD Camry debuts in the spring to then convert the 4c RAV and the new 4c Highlander to hybrid-only if the cost is low enough.
Just Do It. All 4c SUV's are hybrids. Drop the V6 hybrid and leave it for the Rx400h.
Both vehicles would likely be 31-32 mpg combined but with 225 hp.
They will definitely have to discount the old Highlander for the year (and lower production I would presume). However, when the new Highlander bows, Toyota will keep the MSRP close to the old one and offer a Pilot-sized vehicle (if not bigger) for the price of the old V-6 Highlander ($28-35k).
Any way you slice it, the new RAV4 is a great deal for the consumer. The idea of a 269 hp, AWD, (dare I call midsize) SUV with very respectable gas mileage (20/27) for $26k is impressive.
I just wish that rear door was a more traditional design. Guess it wouldn't be a RAV4 then....
The third-row seat will vary from $700 to $950 depending on model and trim level.
~alpha
The present RAV buyer's alternate choices often are an LE Camry or Sonata at ~$21K or less. V6?.. leather?.. NAV?.. why on earth etc. One buyer in 5 years asked me for a Camry with NAV and she was the first buyer back in 2002. Noone since then.
The NAV buyer is relatively well off, technologically savvy and often a frequent traveller. This is not generally the RAV/Camry buyer.
The new V6 RAV with mega features is IMO directed to the Highlander shopper who wants to get more value for their $28K.
I think in offering the V6 option with ~270 HP on the RAV, Toyota will be attracting attention from a different type of buyer - not just young females looking for a "cute" (and cheap) SUV.
I agree wholeheartedly that this new RAV might start to be a mainstream vehicle instead of just a 'cute ute'. Ergo there is a new plant going up in Canada to make upwards of 100K units annually. Presently they only sell abt 70K units annully. 'Yota doesnt usually make moves like this unless they know the vehicle will be in demand by the market. I'm guessing that Navi and other upscale options may be offered in the future as annual enhansements as demand warrants.
As I recall, the old RAV with the 2.0 strained a bit, especially on the highway in passing and on grades. So I do think the 4-cyl will be slightly outmatched once again now with the weight increase of the supersized '06 RAV. The FWD should be OK though. Those wanting AWD might want to think more seriously about that V-6, especially with a paltry two points difference between them in fuel economy (was that really the best you could do, Toyota, or are you really hoping to sell more than the expected 20% of the mix as V-6s?)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I would bet that within 10 years all cars will have navi as standard equipment.
Happy Holiday everyone.
Also, the power and torque numbers you are comparing are apples and oranges- the 01-03 figures are non SAE certified (meaning, they are likely inflated) and the 06 numbers ARE SAE certified. The 2.4L also has a much broader torque spread as compared to the 2.0L, more so now thanks to VVTi on both intake and exhaust sides.
In my opinion, despite the weight gain, I dont think the new RAV4 4 cyl AWD will be as slow as the 01-03 model, nor do I think it will quite match the departing model (note that that vehicle likely produced about 154 horses and 160 foot pounds, based on the 06 Camry's rerated 2.4L numbers).
~alpha
By the way, the 2.4 is still single VVT-i.
Does the swinging door still open to the curb side, to block you from loading groceries? They didn't have enough time to fix this? :confuse:
NAV - portable units are fine. Try a Garmin c320, we love ours.
Toyota will fix this. One survey said about half of shoppers are considering NAV for their next car, so in a few years NAV will be mainstream, just like air conditioning or power mirrors.
To be honest, I never use power mirrors. Yet I use NAV all the time.
-juice
~alpha
Sorry for ranting, it just pisses me off when carmakers don't relize that not every tall person wants to drive a full size car because that's all they can fit into.
On a different note, if you read the review carefully you'll notice that they commented about the transmission. All of the comments looked very positive to me, maybe Toyota's revamping of the VCM (is that the right acronym?) had something to do with it?
Looking forward to hearing from the person with the first car. December 19th!
killerpiece :shades:
Looks like yet another winner for Toyota. :shades:
Some items in the review worth mentionining:
- No shock here, the AWD system is FWD-biased, and will send back 45 percent of torque on demand. A locking mode forces torque to the rear.
- Very good braking distance on the pre-production vehicle, 60-0 in a fine 120 feet.
- They claim the vehicle is still nimble. Usual complaints about Toyota's aggressive VSC with no way to turn it off.
Apart from that, it is too bad the manual is gone, but everything else sounds good, if typically Toyota in the sense that you will pay more than comparable models from other manufacturers to get similar equipment levels.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Some cars are more accommodating to legroom than torso height so your mileage may vary.
I have a 36" inseam on pants but am not porpotionately tall in the torso so legroom is more important to me than headroom. I have no idea how this Edmunds editor is proportioned so I will not let his inability to fit dissuade me from giving the car a try.
Everything else looks great - price, mpg, reliability reputation of Toyota.
I am also considering Honda Pilot, Nissan Murano, Acura MDX and Honda Odyssey. This looks to be thousands less.
The rear gate does block the curb side when you pull up to load groceries - DOH! Flip it, guys, this it not Japan!
FWD bias, too bad it's not a 50/50 viscous coupling. I bet they could not get VSC to work with a full-time system.
Nit picks, though. It looks fantastic.
The only big omission is no manual tranny, and most people won't care.
-juice
I dont know, I just see things in perspective, I guess. You can easily option a much less impressive Equinox to 30K, the CR-V SE (lacking rear DVD and a V6, along with several other items) is 26K, heck... the AWD Legacy GT auto is 31K.
~alpha
Be careful what you wish for. The VC in my 2001 AWD RX300 is so flaccid it takes 2-3 minutes before it heats up enough to couple any torque to the rear and even then only 25%.
And the VSC/Trac system on it seems to work very well. But I'm not sure that the "native" torque distribution of 90/10 F/R qualifies as full-time AWD.
It's funny, Toyota seems to be the only company that has a rear power window that rolls down into the liftgate (Landcruiser, 4Runner). Very nice feature. Too bad they couldn't do the same with the RAV4.
Other than that, damn nice vehicle. Is $32k for a Rav4 steep? Think of it as a 2nd generation Highlander for less money. I did think that one could option out a Limited RAV4 AWD V-6 with Leather, sunroof and a few options for about $30k. Guess I was wrong.
I love the one on my Forester, it never feels like FWD, but it's safe and will pull you out of a skid in the snow. Safe and fun.
$32,708 kind of spooked me. Wow.
And remember, it did not have the 3rd row, that would push the price to $33.5k or so. You can get an MDX for that, street price.
If dealers load them up, they won't stay at MSRP for long.
I just think the RAV4 makes a whole heck of a lot more sense in a lightly equipped V6 model. Great power, amazing gas mileage for the size/performance, plenty of room, and you can go a-la-carte with options if you order one.
Get a V6 for mid 20s and IMO it's a deal. Over 30k you should be in something else, wider and more substantial.
-juice
This is good!
"The four-cylinder will still be the most popular engine choice, though; Toyota anticipates that about 70 percent of RAV4s will have the four and 55 percent of all RAVs will be the base "Standard Grade" trim. Initially, 56 percent will be 4WD"
~alpha