Toyota Dahle.com

If you are looking for a vehicle to invest in that is compact with the versatility of an SUV, do not go for a cheap Nissan competitor.  Go for a Toyota Rav4.  The Rav4 is actually a crossover SUV developed and manufactured by Toyota and it was introduced into the American market in 1996 in an effort to meet consumer demands.  Consumers at the time were looking for a vehicle that offered them the versatility of an SUV with the fuel economy and maneuverability of a car.  The Rav4 was so popular that it spurred a bunch of other compact SUVs to enter the market, such as the Honda CR-V, the Ford Escape, and the Subaru Forester.

Rav4 actually stands for “Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-Wheel Drive”.  Not all Rav4ﾕs come with four wheel drive and it is optional in some markets as an add on package.  It is the only compact SUV that Toyota sells and it has been on the market long enough that you should be able to find used Toyota Rav4 vehicles at your local used car dealership.  It was built on the same platform as the Corolla and came with a 2.0 liter engine.  In front wheel drive and four wheel drive, the Rav4 came with a four speed automatic transmission or a five speed manual transmission.

In 1998 Toyota changed the style of the Rav4 and introduced it as a soft top two door model solely for the American market.  The front and rear fascias were changed and the horsepower was boosted to about 127.  The following model year the two door hard top was discontinued from the American market and it left consumers the choice of the 4 door hard top model and the 2 door soft top.  There was also an all-electric Rav4 model offered in California on a limited basis.  It was a zero emission version of the vehicle that met the EPA regulations in the state.  They are very hard to find and anyone looking for one of these models will have to do a lot of searching.

If you are going to invest in a Rav4, consider skipping the first generation of the vehicle.  These were underpowered and they did not get the gas mileage that was advertised.  This was because they were equipped with the 3SFE engines designed for the Camry and 1987 to 1989 model year Celicas.  The concern was addressed when the second generation of Rav4s was released by Toyota and the new engine design lasted in to the third generation of the vehicle.

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