Toyota Will Give Next-Gen RAV4 Buyers Exactly What They Want

The Toyota RAV4 was the best-selling SUV in America last year, with more than 430,000 units sold. This year, the automaker is on track to sell half a million units, underscoring its unbeatable combo of value for money, reliability, and (for the hybrid guises) excellent gas mileage. But with an update waiting in the wings, is Toyota at risk of messing with its cash cow?

Speaking to Automotive News, Andrew Gilleland, head of automotive operations for Toyota North America, said the RAV4 is a reflection of the market’s requirements. Gilleland said the RAV4 “is just a reminder that that’s where the industry is at in terms of what people want: small SUVs that are fuel-efficient. It’s interesting how RAV4 has turned into our Camry over the last 10 years in terms of total sales, but it’s just hitting the market with the right product at the right time.”

• 2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime

  Base MSRP

  $43,690

  Engine

  2.5L Inline-4 Plug-in Hybrid

  Horsepower

  302 hp

  Fuel Economy

  TBC

• 

• 

  2024 Toyota RAV4

  Base MSRP

  $28,675

  Engine

  2.5L Inline-4 Gas

  Horsepower

  203 hp

  Fuel Economy

  27/35/30 mpg (FWD) | 27/34/30 mpg (LE AWD)

RAV4 Has Become The New Camry

While the Camry is a strong seller, it is less popular than the RAV4. The four-door sedan is still the best-selling non-SUV or truck in the United States, with more than 290,000 delivered to customers last year. The introduction of a hybrid-only new generation will likely improve sales. Whether the next RAV4 will follow suit remains to be seen, but Toyota doesn’t want to mess with a perfect recipe.

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Toyota’s head of product planning, Cooper Ericksen, said the automaker wants to give customers more of what they want. “We have other product segments that are difficult, but the customer has spoken clearly with what they want with the RAV4: The size, the packaging, the level of performance, technology. We could sell 500,000 of those things a year if we could build them, so we do not want to mess up that formula,” said Ericksen.

Hybrids And PHEVs Are Very Popular

It’s possible that Toyota may reach that half-a-million sales target. So far, sales of the RAV4 are up 33% in the second half of 2024, with a total of 248,295 units sold. Impressively, 111,526 of these were hybrids, and 17,074 were Prime PHEVs. This highlights the popularity of electrified Toyotas (and crossovers in general). Whether the RAV4 will go hybrid-only remains to be seen, but it would make sense – especially if Toyota can get pricing right.

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When Is The Updated RAV4 Coming?

There’s no word yet on whether the RAV4 will receive an update next year. But if it does happen, fans of the crossover won’t have to worry about drastic changes. Ericksen added that Toyota wouldn’t want to “mess up that formula” but would modernize the vehicle with reduced emissions and “keeping an eye on our competitors and making sure we’re making the right product improvements,” he added.

The RAV4 is hugely vital to Toyota, and even more so for Toyota dealerships. The chair of the automaker’s National Dealer Advisory Council, Mark Montenero, described the RAV4 as a cornerstone of Toyota dealerships, noting it appeals to diverse customers.

Source:
Automotive News