These are the first official pictures of the all-new 2013 Toyota RAV4, which made its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
There’s new exterior styling and a new-design cabin that’s significantly more spacious and comfortable. There’s more load space, too – 547 litres with the seats in place and 100 litres in the boot’s larger undertray.
The new RAV4 is also easier to load with a move from a side to a top-hinged tailgate, with a wider opening and lower lip height. On higher-grade models (the UK range and specifications will be announced soon) the tailgate will be power-operated.
There’s no mistaking the new 2013 Toyota RAV4 as being part of the modern Toyota “family” with its stronger front-end treatment complete with keen-edged headlights and daytime running lights. The side-on view emphasises its muscular quality with a rising belt line, extended glass area, blacked-out centre and rear pillars and distinctive profile shape. At the rear, the new light clusters wrap around the car’s strong rear quarters.
Inside, the new dashboard is formed from two horizontal beams, intersected by a curving metal spar that frames the driver’s cockpit. With a focus on a better driving experience, RAV4 follows the example of the new Auris with its lower overall height and driving position, and sharper steering wheel angle. Excellent ergonomics, a wealth of soft-touch materials, extra leather around the instrument panel and new cool blue illumination for all the switchgear raise the interior quality and comfort.
While the driver sits lower in the car, there’s more legroom and more comfortable seats for those in the rear. The 60:40 rear seats retain their quick and simple Easy Flat folding mechanism that provides a flat load floor in one simple action.
The new 2013 Toyota RAV4 will again be available with a choice of two (front) or all-wheel drive, with an engine line-up that offers a 149bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine, a new 122bhp 2.0-litre diesel and a 148bhp 2.2-litre diesel. Each one gives improved carbon dioxide emissions performance, on average better by 12 per cent across the range compared to the current model.
Look out for the 2.0 diesel in the front-wheel drive RAV4 – equipped with Toyota’s Stop & Start technology it produces just 127g/km of CO2.
Being comfortable and fun to drive have been key RAV4 qualities since the original took to the road, together with manoeuvrability and confident performance when the going gets tough. As well as providing a more comfortable and focused driving position, the new RAV4 builds on its SUV attributes with retuned suspension, revised electric power steering and an Integrated Dynamic Drive System that comes with a new Sport mode.
Integrated Dynamic Drive uses Dynamic Torque Control to make sure the most suitable amount of power is distributed between the front and rear axles in the AWD models. This means RAV4 will run with front-wheel drive in normal conditions, but introduce rear-wheel drive as soon as the system detects any slip or understeer.
When you switch to Sport mode, the system adapts the front/rear drive distribution to give a better lateral grip. At the same time throttle response is sharpened and, where fitted, the automatic transmission or CVT operates to higher revs to give a sportier drive.
More high-tech features are also being introduced for RAV4, with an emphasis on safety. These include Toyota’s Lane Departure Alert and Blind Spot Monitor.
We’ll be bringing you more details about the full UK line-up and prices soon, so keep checking our blog for news.
All information is correct at the time of publishing.
Does the rav4 2013 come with automatic high beam as mentioned on Internet?
Hi Jonathan,
The New RAV4 won’t have the Automatic High Beam as a spec in the UK. Take a look at the full spec on the website: http://ow.ly/jEUQF.
Many thanks.
As much as the manual states how to operate the Auto High Beam, the feature isn’t available. However, the official specs state the “Follow me home” is standard, and I can’t make that work either …
Hi
I have just taken delivery of my new Rav4 Invincible. One of the issues for me is that of the spare wheel which I note from the blog should be available from July. I assume that this will fit into my new Rav in the underfloor section?
In addition, can you tell me how to remove spurious phone numbers from the phone book? I have tried refreshing/deleting the pairing and repairing the phone but the numbers reappear in the phonebook even though they have been removed from the phone. The dealership do not have an answer.
Hello Richard,
Thank you for your message, great news to hear you’ve got your new RAV4!
With regard to the alternative to the TRK, your Dealer will take care of discussing options and fitting for you. Please speak directly with them.
You may be seeing these numbers on your system due to having numbers stored on your SIM card, rather than your phone. We’ll happily take a further look for you, if this doesn’t help, just let us know.
Many thanks and kind regards.
Hi Oliwer
Further to my post about the phone book. There are no numbers in the sim card with the only numbers being in the phone itself. What I have found is that the duplicates are current listings but in some cases back to front. For example showing Richard Morrison and also showing a truncated Morrison, Rich.
I have tried remove the phone from the list, de-pairing it, reparing it and the same list comes back. It appears that the system is holding the list in memory when the phone is removed and when the phone is paired again it says I know that phone and returns the previously held list not a refreshed list from just the phone.
My problem is that I cannot remove the list at all not just individual phone numbers.
Hi Richard,
Thank you for checking again but sorry you’ve had to come back as it’s still not sorted.
I’ve just spoken with the technical department. I realise you’ve already seen your Dealer about this however, at this stage they are best placed to help. This is simply due to the fact that they’ll be able to get their hands on the car and, more importantly, can try pairing your phone to another vehicle to help investigate where the issue may lie. It’s difficult to look into this further online, for which I apologise but hope you can understand.
Many thanks and we wish you a good weekend.
Hi Richard,
I too have recently taken delivery of a RAV4 Invincible and in the main I am delighted with the car.
I wish you luck getting a straight answer from Toyota regarding the retrospective supply of the spare wheel. Toyota are pushing the issue back to the dealers and no one will give me a straight answer to the question of whether early purchasers without the spare wheel will be supplied with one FOC when they arrive in July.
I’ve spent £50k with my dealer in the last 6 weeks and have to hope that between them and Toyota I’m not disappointed and left with a ‘lemon’, or expected to find some hundreds of pounds for something that they now admit should have been there in the first place.
My recommendation is that prospective buyers before the new spec arrives should establish.their position in writing before ordering.
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for your post and it’s great to hear that you’ve got your New RAV4 Invincible!
As you will have read, and as you say in your post, the solution is with the Dealer network. That said, the Customer Relations team at Toyota HQ are working with Dealers on this issue and if you have anything you’d like to raise above and beyond your Dealer, we recommend you get in touch with them. Their contact details are here: http://ow.ly/krFNX. They’ll happily help you!
Wishing you a lovely weekend, best wishes.
Hi Oliwer
Do you have any response to my issue with the phone, it is driving me nuts having all the extra numbers in the phonebook.
You did say in your previous post to let you know and you would take a further look into it.
Why oh why does the new RAV4 not have a spare wheel? The aerosol can is useless for 90% of punctures (and all blowouts). In every other way the RAV4 is great, but will not consider another one without a spare wheel
Hello Colin,
Alternatives to the Tyre Repair Kit are available for the New RAV4. Please either contact your Toyota Dealer or our Customer Relations team to discuss your options further. Here are the contact details for Customer Relations: http://ow.ly/kw8EJ.
Many thanks and kind regards.
Hi,
Is there an explanation why an electric drivers seat is fitted but without the memory function? Along with voice control for phones not being standard I find this ludicrous – Based on changing a 6 year old car to a Rav 4 Invincible it seems a lot of compromises and penny pinching has gone on.
Good afternoon,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us regarding the new RAV4 specification.
We put a huge focus on trying to find the balance between specification levels and competitive pricing. Customer feedback is central to this process and in the case of the new RAV we offer three grades to try and best accommodate customer preference and requirements.
There are times however when certain features and specification levels are not in line with some customer expectations. The new RAV4 Invincible grade comes with Smart Entry and Smart Start system, full leather seats, heated front seats, driver’s seat power adjustment, roof rails and rear parking sensors which are over and above the mid Icon grade. Interestingly the RAV4 Invincible has proved to be our top selling grade since the launch so it does appear we have just about got things right.
However, we take your points on board. As such and as we do with all customer feedback, your comments have been passed onto our Product team for consideration in future RAV4 developments.
We appreciate you taking the time to provide this feedback.
Kind regards.
Re Amy’s reply from 17:36 today (29 April).
I hear what you say about the Invincible range, but it is a pity that it does not include a petrol engined version. If it did I would have bought one. I haven’t because diesel engines, with the potential particulate filter problems, are not for me.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for sharing your views here. As we say, customer feedback is vital in model developments and so welcomed.
We’ll be sure to pass this on to our Product team.
Have a lovely week.
I agree the rav 4 should have a spare wheel. I am in the middle of a flat tyre crisis. They are supposed to have tyres that keep going so you can get to a garage. In my case no. Flat as a pancake. Sealant and compressor did not work. Am now awaiting RAC. This should not happen!
All manufacturers please take note. A spare wheel is preferable to extra space. What are you thinking of?
I have just returned from California my hire car happened to be a new RAV 4 almost the same and my own recent purchase. It had a space saver spare and a jack. I called into a dealership and check ed if this was standard. Their showroom model also contained both. So when will I be getting mine , it now June and I was promised them this month when I bought the car.
Hi Colin,
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
We advise speaking with our Customer Relations team as they’ll be able to investigate this further for you. Please find their contact details here: http://bit.ly/bO71f4.
Many thanks.