Toyota RAV4 Test Mule Spied Undisguised – Launch Expected In 2022

Upon its launch, Toyota RAV4 will be offered at a price of around Rs 55-60 lakh (ex-showroom) since it will be full import under the CBU route

Toyota’s lineup in India looks like a replica of Maruti Suzuki with rebadged models such as Urban Cruiser and Glanza generating half their total sales. In the coming few months, the lineup could also witness the addition of Rumion and Belta which are rebadged versions of Maruti Ertiga and Ciaz respectively.

While the Japanese carmaker retails popular models like Innova Crysta and Fortuner from its international portfolio, the Indian market is largely deprived of the most critically acclaimed cars from Toyota. To give a glimpse of Toyota’s prowess in carmaking, the company is expected to launch the RAV4 SUV in India.

Fifth-gen RAV4 Spied in India

The premium mid-size SUV has been spied testing in the country on a few occasions some months ago. While it was initially expected to be launched in India by the end of 2021, it is most likely to be deferred to sometime next year. Meanwhile, the SUV continues to be spotted in the country, the latest set of spy shots are credited to enthusiast Dhanush which shows an undisguised prototype of RAV4.

The latest spy pics of RAV4 reveal intricate exterior and interior details of the SUV. Currently in its fifth generation internationally, the new RAV4 is underpinned by the Toyota New Global Architecture-K (TNGA-K) platform. This architecture also underpins the Camry luxury sedan which is brought to India as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit and locally assembled at the company’s Bidadi plant in Karnataka.

If Toyota bring the RAV4 in India as full import under the CBU (Completely Built Unit) route, it could be a very premium offering in terms of pricing. In comparison, the CKD variant will be priced at a lot more aggressive price tag. CKD or CBU, the SUV is expected to cater only to a niche segment of buyers rather than the general car-buying masses to generate volume.

Exterior & Interior Highlights

Coming to its design, RAV4 gets a relatively low, car-like stance with angular and edgy styling. Some notable design highlights include a roof-mounted spoiler, shark-fin antenna, 18-inch alloy wheels and twin exhaust pipes. The fifth-gen RAV4 measures 4,600mm in length, 1,855mm in width and stands tall at 1,685mm. It offers a wheelbase of 2,690mm which should translate into a spacious cabin.

Speaking of cabin, Toyota has adopted a minimalist layout for the interiors with a clean dashboard housing a freestanding 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display and soft-touch materials. The cabin gets an all-black theme with a wide range of features including automatic climate control, a digital driver’s display, a panoramic sunroof and wireless charging to name a few.

Powertrain Specs

Under the hood, the fifth-gen RAV4 is powered by a hybrid powertrain which comprises a 2.5-litre, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder, Atkinson cycle petrol engine which is paired to an electric motor pushing out 215 bhp. The engine is paired with a CVT automatic gearbox as standard. The electric motor is mounted on the rear axle which sends up to 80 percent of the torque to the rear wheels, thus offering e4WD.