These changes paid off as sales of the RAV4 have continued to climb year-on-year ever since. Toyota focused on improving the vehicle's comfort and safety features along with adding a much more stylish exterior. Over the years since this compact crossover SUV was introduced, it has evolved many times to become the popular model it is today.

This led to a relatively cheap to make and easy to maintain a platform for the car - paired with smaller, more economical engines this turned out to be a massive win. To create the original RAV4 the Japanese automaker took the Corolla chassis and strengthened the suspension for the heavier body. Toyota themselves introduced subcompact versions (the Corolla Cross and the C-HR) a mid-size model (the Highlander) as well as a full-size one too ( Land Cruiser). The first RAV4 was produced in 1994, narrowly beating the Honda CR-V to becoming the first of its type.Ĭlassed officially as a compact crossover SUV, eventually (due to popularity) there would be larger and smaller varieties of this body style introduced. It was the first model that used a road-going car chassis with an SUV-like body on top.Īt first, it was a very utilitarian model with limited comfort and safety features with a very simple design. The Toyota RAV4 gave birth to the crossover SUV segment of the automobile industry.

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