THE question that has been asked many times since the selling price of the latest Toyota RAV4 was announced by UMW Toyota in June this year.
The stylish and well equipped Toyota RAV4 arrived with a price tag of RM196,436 for the 2.0L and RM215,665 for the high specification 2.5L. Yes, it is priced above all its segment rivals and many Malaysians are not happy about this. Fact, it is fully imported from Japan and there is NO local assembly for Malaysia at the moment. There is also no assembly in the ASEAN region for UMW Toyota to import this SUV in at a lower taxed price. So, for now, the RAV4 remains a high priced fully imported SUV like its popular sibling the Toyota Harrier 2.0 Turbo which sells from RM234,510.
Powered by Toyota’s latest 2.0-litre M20A-FKS naturally aspirated 4-cylinder DOHC engine making 173 PS and 207 Nm of torque, and the A25A-FKS naturally aspirated 4-cylinder DOHC engine kicking out 207 PS and 243 Nm of torque this is right now the most expensive SUV in its segment and the Harrier sits in a segment above it alongside the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC200.
Rivals
Now to better understand the pricing reason for this new RAV4, lets look at its immediate rivals. The Mazda CX-5 Turbo which was launched in September 2019 sells for RM181,770 and the Subaru Forester EyeSight sells for RM169,788. Both the Mazda and Subaru have similar engine and safety features but they are both assembled in the ASEAN region which reduces their government taxes by quite a bit. The Toyota RAV4 unfortunately is fully imported from Japan and enjoys ZERO import tax benefits and this is why its selling price is almost RM32,000 more and counting (please note that the prices mentioned are official selling prices before the current sales tax discount and before any dealer discounts).
So why should you consider this Toyota RAV4 for your garage?
The Drive
This company prides itself for its engineering. With this RAV4 it is all about quality and comfort.
Ignite the 2.5-liter and it is quiet, whisper quiet. The cabin is very well insulated and built to a high standard, almost Lexus standard. Accelerate slowly and the RAV4 just glides along, hammer the accelerator and the Dynamic Force engine returns a buttery smooth progress. The 8-speed gearbox is a smooth operator. With good gear ratios, this gearbox makes the ride energetic and the average fuel consumption meagre. Front passengers will be comfortable with electric seats that are well bolstered and soft and the rear passengers will have enough legroom and shoulder room, even if there are three adults in the rear.
Final Word
It looks great, drives brilliantly and comes with all the necessary bells and whistles that is needed for today’s fast paced executive. Women drivers will be drawn to its easy to live with cabin and drive dynamics and if you need a responsive entertaining SUV, this RAV4 will not disappoint you. Test drive it before dismissing it completely.
Toyota RAV4 2.5L Specification
Engine: 4-cylinder 16-valve, VVT-i
Capacity: 2487cc
Transmission: 8-Speed Shiftmatic, AWD
Max Power: 204hp @ 6600rpm
Max Torque: 243Nm @ 4000-5000rpm
0-100km/h: 8.1secs
Top Speed: 210km/h
Price: From RM215,664.00
This article is powered by DSF.my. For more automotive updates, follow DSF.my on Facebook and Instagram. – The Vibes, September 21, 2020
