Weird RAV 4 in the desert

Last Updated:


Someone just sent me this.
Supposedly taken in the California desert a few days ago.
It does look like a RAV4 but iis it a revised one or a mule for the next one?

I was told the car had a michigan license in the back, and no external spare tire. (But they already have that in most markets outside of the US).
I guess the RAV 4 is due for a “refresh” pretty soon anyway.

Who knows…

Conversation 13 comments

  1. i dont get it…how can you tell that its a test rav4? it looks like every other rav4 i’ve seen

  2. Glad to see the rear quarter windows now fully extend to the back for better visability. The 4 speed automatic and the cheap plastic hupcaps are now deleted from the base model as well. With the 5 speed automatic mated to the 4 cylinder engine, mileage has improved by 3 miles per gallon for the highway rating. The revised front end now makes it look more like the last generation Highlander too.

  3. no one cares, the rogue is eating this sucker up in canada, and rightfully so, nissan doesn’t recall anywhere near as many cars as toyota. for that matter , no one does, toyota owns the recall crown, eat that toyo lovers, google toyota recalls and enjoy. hey toyotas ex boss, jimmy press said he knows about toyota and jap government making hybrid deals, anyhoo, it landed him in hot water. toyo slide, that is what you are witnessing

  4. Toyota’s new Rav4 assembly facility in Woodstock, Ontario (Canada) is scheduled to open later this year. The current generation of the Rav4 has been around since 2006. With the opening of the new factory (and the corresponding investment in tooling) it is likely that Toyota would at the very least tweak the design of the existing Rav4 (ie, rather than open the new factory and have it switch to a new design a year or two later).

  5. 2.7L with 6-speed A.T.
    isn’t that a new powetran promised in Toyota Vensa (or whatever it’s called)
    New RAV4 should had same setup…?

  6. Just a slight bump up in horsepower and torque for both the 4 and 6 cylinder engines. 10 more horses and 8 lb. more torque for the 4 and 12 more horses and 10 lb. more torque for the 6 banger. 5 speed automatics across the board no more 4 speed and no 6 speed yet. And yes, no more ugly spare tire on the tailgate, just a temporary size spare inside. Expect to see new design and bigger size wheels too.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *