Well at least we're getting to see just how much has changed in the production version of the Rav4. Will be a good indication of what to expect for the TJ, should they ever talk about it again aha. Looks like the FT-4X is a few years away from coming to market
Please at least show off the FJ cruiser inspired Rav4 to the world! Maybe hint towards a trim like that or show off a rendering at the Rav 4 debut. I'm not expecting the small CUV at all, but the Rav 4 could give us design hints.
When the FT-AC (the new RAV4) was unveiled, no specs were given, so the answer is we don't know. Observers at the time thought it looked larger than the current RAV4.
Did you guys see all the upset over Toyota teasing the new Rav4? Apparently some people think that if its not a high end performance/super car, that it's not worth advertising. Imo more cars like this should get media attention, because there are far more people who will actually be interested in buying it. https://jalopnik.com/does-the-2019-toyota-rav4-really-need-a-fucking-teaser-1823728732
He doesn't seem very informed since he doesn't mention that the FT-AC is essentially the new RAV4. He doesn't need to give us his guesses as to what it will look like. The only thing he got right is that it doesn't need a teaser.
He just hates the RAV4 to begin with, so that is the whole story with him.
Jalopnik is where I go for entertainment pieces and not much else. They don't try to hide their bias for or against models so I take their articles with a grain of salt.
Speaking of the teaser, its overall proportions doesn't seem to have been changed much aside from the front end nip. Even adjusting the picture's brightness doesn't reveal much.
Just look at the FT-AC and you will already see it....except for changes like door handles, that big roof rack and those stand away black wheel flares. That was the best "teaser" we needed.
I forgot to share this rendering I saw a few weeks ago, of what Autoguide thinks the new Rav4 could look like. Lets just say that I hope they are wrong.
I thought about bringing this photo over here earlier, but it is so far off from what the RAV4 will look like, I passed.
I wish I had the guys job that drew this.....easy money for incompetence. Especially since it was already KNOWN, with a few trim changes, that the FT-AC was the next RAV4.
So you can relax Pathmaker....the new RAV4 will not look like this in the slightest. :smile:
There are so many things wrong with that front facia it shorted out my brain for a second. They need a new rendering artist...
Everything else past the A-pillar looks great especially the beefy wheel arches. But that face is the stuff of nightmares, like that smiling clown from the movie "IT".
Lol I knew there were bound to be changes to the FT-AC concept, but that rendering was not the direction I thought someone would take. Has there been any mention of what powertrain the new Rav4 is suppose to have? I really hope we don't see another CVT.
I haven't heard anything about powertrains on the new RAV4. There has been talk of a much improved CVT on it's way. It is supposed to have more pickup on the lower "gears", addressing a problem CVTs have of bogging down.
Sheesh....Here is another stupid article. How is it possible that I know more than these writers do? They don't even do research before releasing their articles.
Get this line......"The current model is one of the few compact crossovers still available with a V6. While it would be great for that engine to carry over, we're not getting our hopes up."
Hmm....the RAV4 hasn't come with a V6 since 2012. A basic fact that any professional car writer should know.
I'm liking those engine specs and I hope that is indeed what we see in the new Rav4. Wouldn't be surprising to see a hybrid powertrain option, as that should provide some boosts to offroad performance. Don't know how likely it is that we get a 6 spd manual here in the U.S, but I would welcome it.
Jeep and Subaru seem to be the only companies that have a continued interest in offering manuals. And I recently saw that even Subaru is considering phasing them out for "safety reasons". I've driven some of these newer crossovers with CVT's and lets just say...no thanks.
I remember a few years ago, I rented a small Chevy with a CVT. I pulled into traffic and punched it to get up to speed. It scared the heck out of me because it just bogged down and hung at slow speed.
Toyota promises a new CVT with more punch getting under way. Good to see a company address this issue with CVTs.
Subaru is discontinuing manuals on the Crosstrek. Apparently they were slow sellers.
I saw that Subaru may be moving away from manuals altogether...for 'safety reasons' which I think is a load of bull. And yeah I've seen some articles around Toyota's new CVT that supposed to a have a launch gear, which helps with the lag seen at low speeds.
I have had to manual trans WRXs and in snow and on icy roads gearing down is much, much safer than applying your brakes. Too bad how fast manuals are disappearing such an engaging, fun way to drive. Nice to see Tacomas, Wranglers, BMW and VW are still offering them.
I think that manuals still have a place in performance and off road oriented vehicles, regardless of the way the segments are moving. I never would have thought that the even the new Supra would be limited to a DCT, a real indication of how driver preferences are changing.
I for one would never buy a Wrangler without a stick shift. I think that Jeep's will be among the last models that are available standard, regardless of how uncommon they become. I can understand why the Supra has been set up with a DCT, as that car is all about performance.
Eventually you will have to get used to having only an automatic and just maybe the basemodel with a manual. So far that's what Toyota has done and globally they are the biggest player in the off-road game. Over time as Jeep introduces more self-driving tech, Wranglers will see further changes to its transmissions.
Self driving tech in an off road vehicle sounds so redundant, but I know that the Raptor already offers some similar drive assist tech. Imo that eliminates all the fun, but I'm sure its only a matter of time before we see it implemented in entry level models.
You really got to get up into the premium levels of trucks before you start to see those sort of drive assist features. So long as the Wrangler doesn't continue to increase in base price, we should be a ways off from seeing them implemented there.
I don't think there is any harm in offering terrain selection, or having the vehicle do that automatically. I think the more premium features will likely be reserved for the upcoming "luxury" Wagoneer, which is rumored to have a trim that's more than $100k
A somewhat active suspension setup would be great. For a while the Lexus LX had active dampers, if we can get that on a high trim TJ then that can add greatly to the other terrain tech.
Unless the active dampers are standard in the lowest trim Lexus models, I doubt it'll make its way into Toyota's more budget friendly lineup as a standard feature.
But if it does, then there's no better model to have active dampers than the Rav4 Adventure.
I think Toyota can justify it depending on what the production TJ is like unless they plan for a lexus model with an trim similar to the E-Class all road which has been tailored to go off road.
Doubt that because Lexus is more of a premium version of Toyota will all those city drivers. Toyota is like the new Scion, or rebirth of it with quirky concepts and production models like the new Rav 4 adventure.
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