New Toyota RAV4 debuts in Frankfurt

Previous RAV4s have been seen as a little soft, but the new car, making its debut in Frankfurt, is tasked with rectifying this situation. The external design is aimed at making the new model tougher and more utilitarian, in line with the car's competition in the compact SUV market - a sector the original RAV4 helped to define.

The new RAV4 offers a range of three engines, two of which are diesel. The 2.2-litre four-cylinder (D-4D in Toyota speak) is now available in two versions, producing 136 and 177bhp respectively and maximum torque of 295lb.ft. This new power unit has been greeted with acclaim in other Toyotas, and will be used in the Lexus IS200, so should suit the needs of the RAV4, endowing the SUV with decent performance (0-60mph in 9.5 seconds and a 126mph maximum) as well as the torque needed for towing. The new diesels also offer claimed class-leading levels of refinement, economy, along with emissions to Euro 4 standards. The only petrol unit is a 2-litre four-cylinder VVT-i unit rated at 152bhp. This also offers good performance but it is the diesels that are expected to take the majority of sales.

The interior has been improved with the layout of the dash having been specifically restructured to give the feel of a premium saloon. All of the ergonomics have been revised and improved, as have material quality and equipment levels. The RAV4 also becomes the latest Toyota to feature the company's Easy Flat seating system offering versatile and flexible seating arrangements and a generous load space. Thanks to this range of improvements Toyota claims that the RAV4 offers the best of all worlds with the feel of a conventional saloon, MPV style flexibility and estate load space.