From Toyota this week, a new generation RAV 4 SUV, the fifth generation of a small SUV that been a perennial favourite. The new model on first impression with a more stylish and purposeful body, diesel power has been dropped, it now comes only in petrol, but also introducing a petrol/electric hybrid variant, the hybrid expected to gain 40 percent of RAV4 sales this year and to grow that going forward. Only one manual model, the entry front drive only GX, now $1190 dearer at $30,640, the continuously variable automatic GX now listed at $32,640. There are now 11 models in the RAV4 range, a mix of front and all-wheel-drives, running up to $47,140 for the top line Edge AWD petrol. The pure petrol engine is a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated 127kW four said to be 12 per cent more fuel efficient from 6.5L/100 – the hybrid model utilizes a 2.5-litre 131kW petrol engine linked to either one or two electric motors. I’m David Berthon

 

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