Spyshots: 2014 Toyota RAV4

Toyota was a pioneer in its segment with the first generation RAV4, which was considerably smaller than the SUV they currently build. This one was introduced in 2006 and suffered a facelift at the middle of its cycle in 2009.

So presumably, this brand new RAV4 is going to be on the market within the next year or so. This is first time we’ve been able to show you a prototype, and even though it’s heavily camouflaged, we can see it’s changed a lot.

It’s going to be better and more economical than the current generation, the reason being stiff competition coming its way from other Japanese rivals such as the Mazda CX-5 and the Honda CR-V.

The architecture for this car is believed to be derived from the current generation, seeing as the wheelbase seems unchanged.

We can also clearly see this car has done without the tailgate-mounted spare tire. Given where the number plate is installed and the shape of the bumper, it’s reasonable to deduce that this feature has been removed, and the spare is now in the trunk.

The styling of the 2013 RAV4 might differ from market to market, but it will be inspired by the Camry in the US.

❐ Check out the 2014 Toyota RAV4 photo gallery