2006 Toyota RAV4

Toyota's RAV4 debuted in 1996 as the industry's first car-based sport utility. It was cute but slow and cramped, and not terribly practical in terms of hauling or towing capability. Toyota said "RAV4" stood for "Recreational Activity Vehicle 4-wheel drive," but it could just as easily have meant "4-passenger" or "4-cylinder." It sold surprisingly well and, in the process, created the fast-growing category now known as CUVs for "Crossover Utility Vehicles" and the sub-segment of compact models quickly branded "cute-utes."

All-New Styling

Instead of developing a more rugged small SUV on its then-crude compact pickup chassis, as some competitors did, Toyota chose to gamble on the idea that a lot of buyers in that nascent segment might prefer something nimbler and more civilized on a car-based unibody platform—essentially a compact car with an SUV-like body. Toyota was right.


Fast-forward a decade to this all-new, third-generation RAV4. Larger in all dimensions and improved in every conceivable way over the good but conventional Gen II version, it is stylishly modern, though no longer especially "cute" or compact. Toyota bills it as the first small SUV with an available third-row seat. Truth be told, standing 181.1 inches long on a 104.7-inch wheelbase, it's grown closer to midsize than "small."


All three levels of the 2006 RAV4—Base, Sport and Limited—offer a new, optional 269-hp 3.5-liter "dual variable valve timing with intelligence" (VVT-i) V6 driving through a 5-speed automatic. Boasting a hefty 246 lb.-ft. of torque, it can launch this 3,400-lb. CUV from a standing start to 60 mph in under seven seconds. Standard powertrain is Toyota's upgraded 2.4-liter VVT-i 4-cylinder, now good for 166 hp and 165 lb.-ft. of torque and coupled to a 4-speed automatic.

Amenities

Front-wheel-drive versions get a limited-slip differential, while electronically controlled on-demand 4WD is optional. This new system automatically distributes torque to the rear wheels as needed when the fronts lose traction. Manually locking 4WD disengages the automatic mode to maximize torque to the rear wheels below 25 mph. This lock mode disengages at speeds above 25 mph and also during braking to optimize ABS and stability control. V6-powered and third-row-equipped RAV4s have Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC). The former helps hold the vehicle in place when starting on a steep incline or slippery surface. The latter maintains low speed in low range on steep descents. In addition, uphill/downhill shift logic reduces unwanted transmission shifts off-road.