«Parquet» SUV (recreational vehicle) with a load-bearing body Toyota RAV4 appeared on the market in 1994 and immediately became popular due to the combination of consumer qualities.
The first cars were produced only in a three-door version with a short base. A year later, a long-wheelbase five-door version appeared. The striking appearance and cramped driver's seat with a small steering wheel and recessed instrument dials create an image of a sports-type SUV.
In the extended version, by increasing the center distance and the rear overhang, the comfort in the rear seats has increased and the luggage compartment has increased.
Options RAV4 is highly dependent on the market. In particular, a sliding roof panel was offered as an option. If on five-door cars the roof panel is glass with an electric drive, then on three-door cars two metal removable roof panels were installed. They can be removed and attached to the inside of the tailgate, making the car almost a convertible.
The factory upholstery is fabric only.
Minor restyling carried out in 1997. As a result, the design of the front end has changed. Bumpers and plastic lining on the sides began to be painted with enamel, and the front direction indicators, instead of orange, became white.
The second restyling was carried out in 2001, as a result of which serious changes were made to the design of the car, such as changing the appearance, instrument panels, installing a completely new engine, upgrading the front and rear suspension with an anti-roll bar installed on the rear suspension.
Toyota RAV4 was produced only with a 2.0 liter gasoline engine and four valves per cylinder. Until 2001, the 3S-FE engine was installed, which was developed on the basis of the Toyota Carina E engine. The cylinder block is made of cast iron, and the block head is made of aluminum alloy. The camshafts are driven by a toothed belt.
The RAV4 was produced with both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Front-wheel drive cars were mainly supplied to the American market. Cars with permanent all-wheel drive have an even distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels. On vehicles with a manual transmission, the center differential has a forced lock with a button on the instrument panel, while on vehicles with an automatic transmission, an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch works. Some vehicles have a limited slip rear axle differential.