Photo: Kuhl Racing
The Toyota RAV4 may be a practical family SUV in America, but you'd never call it cool. However, over in Japan, Toyota is such a household brand that it's not uncommon for average models to get lots of attention from aftermarket companies.
Every GT-R fan knows about Kuhl racing, thanks to their metal-engraved golden projects. However, the company didn't buy into the Supra hype and instead focused on "vanilla" car projects. Three months ago, they slapped massive exhaust tips on the Suzuki Swift Sport, and now their RAV4 is ready.
The body kit focuses on adding more elements to the vehicle instead of completely redesigning the bumpers. That's why the RAV4 looks familiar yet different.
Now, the video below may be in Japanese, but through the universal language of pointing at stuff, we understand where changes have been made. The front end sports a new chin which bolts under the stock bumper. Meanwhile, the grille has been changed completely without draining the functionality of the sensors.
Another nice touch is trim around the fog lights, which adds a geometric, admittedly fake layer of sportiness. The side skirts have been redesigned to look sporty and match those oversized 3-spoke wheels. Obviously, this is made by Kuhl and you can go for any design you want.
Finally, we arrive at the rear of the crossover utility vehicle, which now borrows from the world of VIP tuning. A quad exhaust system seems a little pointless on a four-cylinder model, but you get one of those on a factory Camry too. Next to the Heat Blue tips, we see white diffuser inserts, while the top of the trunk now proudly boasts a big wing.
Sadly, the RAV4 is one of those SUVs that doesn't have an engine that you can easily tune for more power. Toyota has the know-how but saves that kind of treatment for its halo projects.
[YOUTUBE=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtnWOnOen0I
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