Photo: Toyota UK
Every now and then, an automaker comes along to present the world with a “special edition”. So what was Toyota thinking with this variant of the RAV4? We’re having a hard time finding those details that make it differ from the regular 2015 Toyota RAV4. If anything, “special edition” was used this time only as a better-sounding equivalent to “mid-level spec.”
At the end of the day though, the 2015 Toyota RAV4 Business Edition is good value despite the strange naming strategy. Think about it for a second - entry-level Active, mid-range Business Edition and range-topping Invincible. Why does only the mid-level trim have Edition in its moniker? Marketing, that’s why!
With that little rant of the way, let me tell you about what’s offered for the OTR sticker of £23,995: 2WD, a 2.0 D-4D diesel mated to a six-speed stick shift and an unrealistic combined fuel economy of 57.6 UK mpg (4.9 l/100 km). The Business Edition also secures the lowest insurance group rating in the RAV4 lineup at 25E, which is good on the long run.
But the real marketing strategy behind the Business Edition is that it adds a lot of equipment for £1,500 over the entry-level Active. Touch 2 Go touchscreen infotainment, a rearview parking camera and online entertainment services. Cruise control and dual-zone climate control are featured as standard as well, together with auto headlights and wipers, chrome trim for the front bumper, 17-inch alloys and LEDs.
Other standard bits that make the £23,995 sticker reasonable come in the form of fog lamps, power mirrors, USB connectivity for the audio system, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and black Beaumont fabric-wrapped seats. I know that’s good value for the money, but the compact crossover SUV would be better suited with AWD even though green laning isn’t a dominant characteristic of RAV4 customers.
With that little rant of the way, let me tell you about what’s offered for the OTR sticker of £23,995: 2WD, a 2.0 D-4D diesel mated to a six-speed stick shift and an unrealistic combined fuel economy of 57.6 UK mpg (4.9 l/100 km). The Business Edition also secures the lowest insurance group rating in the RAV4 lineup at 25E, which is good on the long run.
But the real marketing strategy behind the Business Edition is that it adds a lot of equipment for £1,500 over the entry-level Active. Touch 2 Go touchscreen infotainment, a rearview parking camera and online entertainment services. Cruise control and dual-zone climate control are featured as standard as well, together with auto headlights and wipers, chrome trim for the front bumper, 17-inch alloys and LEDs.
Other standard bits that make the £23,995 sticker reasonable come in the form of fog lamps, power mirrors, USB connectivity for the audio system, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and black Beaumont fabric-wrapped seats. I know that’s good value for the money, but the compact crossover SUV would be better suited with AWD even though green laning isn’t a dominant characteristic of RAV4 customers.
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