New 2013 Toyota RAV4 Scheduled For L.A. Show Debut

The new 2013 Toyota RAV4 will make its public debut at the Los Angeles auto show on Wednesday, November 28. While Toyota has yet to official show the new crossover, an included teaser video gives us a few brief glimpses of the new model.

Even without the teaser video, we could guess at the basic design of the new Toyota RAV4 thanks to spy photos both from the U.S. and overseas. The 2013 Toyota RAV4 will adopt a more pointed, curved front end with the skinny chrome grille treatment seen on other new products like the 2012 Camry and 2013 Avalon. We’re told the front end has a three-level grille treatment like the Avalon, and that the silhouette looks very similar to the attractive new 2013 Ford Escape.

The Crossover may shrink a little bit, and we can probably expect a slightly sloped roofline exaggerated by skinny rear windows and a concave, C-shaped pillar. Compared to the current RAV4, expect the 2013 to wear more prominent bodyside creases and lines. On the inside, expect the dashboard to adopt the horizontal arrangement of cars like the new Camry, with bold analog gauges, big buttons, and some sort of optional touchscreen infotainment system.

According to Toyota, “The 2013 RAV4 is a new generation rewriting the rules of style, embodying sophistication and strength.” The car will follow the 2013 Avalon under Toyota’s new “Let’s Go Places” advertising tagline.

Our sources say the 2013 Toyota RAV4 will continue to be based on the Camry platform, but it will ditch its optional third row of seats and only accommodate five passengers — a move that brings the RAV4 more closely in line with its rivals, almost all of which are five-seaters. The 2.5-liter inline-four engine will continue as the standard engine, with the 3.5-liter V-6 most likely still available as an option. Speaking of which, expect the current RAV4′s four- and five-speed transmissions to be ditched in favor of a modern and more fuel efficient six-speed automatic.

Source;
http://rumors.automobilemag.com/new-2013-toyota-rav4-scheduled-for-l-a-show-debut-185185.html