Whew! If you’ve always loved Toyota’s RAV 4 SUV and you’re wondering what the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 is like, then you’re rather spoilt for choice. Yes, the new 2013 Toyota RAV 4 has put a modern twist on the good old reliable SUV we’ve come to know and love for quite a few years, but once you’ve made up your mind that the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 is likely to be the right car for you, there’s quite an impressive lineup to choose from.

OK, the first question to ask is whether the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 actually is the right car for you. Well, if you have an averaged size family (the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 has five seats), need a bit of luggage space in the back, like to do a little off roading and want a decent dollop of pulling power, then this SUV has what it takes.

The body has had quite a facelift for the twenty-tens (what do you call this decade?), looking a lot punchier and more assertive than the originals. It’s the line of the grille and the lights that give it that bull-terrier dynamism, to say nothing of the chunky modern styling.

Standard features on all variants of the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 include roof rails (for surfboards or skis), LED daytime running lights, lots of storage space that includes 506 litres in the back (with a full-sized spare tyre rather than a piddling little space-saver job), cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, power steering, traction control, hill start assist control, a six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth connectivity, ABS brakes with EBD and brake assist, rear parking assist and tons of airbags.

And now the fun of choosing your exact 2013 Toyota RAV 4 can start, as there are eight possibilities. The eight combinations are made up from three variant levels and three engine types (well done, maths whizzes – you have guessed that one of the possible combinations of engine and variant type aren’t used!).

So let’s start the choosing process. First question: do you want something with 4WD capability or are you just going to be getting about town and are happy enough with two-wheel-drive? There are two engines that link up with 4×4 ability, but only one that goes with the 2WD: the 2.0 L petrol engine, which is available in the GX and the GXL trim but not the Cruiser (that’s the one that’s missing from the Punnet Square showing the 2013 Toyota RAV 4’s “genetics”). Four-wheel-drive ability comes with either petrol (2.5 L) or diesel (2.2 L), and both of these come with all subspecies of 2013 Toyota RAV 4: GX, GXL and Cruiser. The 2.0 petrol engine can go with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed CVT transmission. Both 4x4s give you the choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. A quick calculation has just made me realise that there are 16 options to choose from if you add transmission type into the mix.

While we’re on the topic of the engines in the 2013 Toyota RAV 4, and if engine performance and/or economy are the clinchers for you rather than the luxury level, here’s a quick run-down of the specs:

• 2.0 L Petrol: Max power, 107 kW at 6200; Max torque, 187 Nm at 3600; Combined fuel economy: 7.7 L/100 km (manual) and 7.4 L/100 km (auto).
• 2.2 L Diesel: Max power, 110 kW at 3600; Max torque, 340 Nm at 2800; Combined fuel economy, 5.6 L/100 km (manual) and 6.5 L/100 km (auto).
• 2.5 L Petrol: Max power, 132 kW at 6000; Max torque, 233 Nm at 4100; Combined fuel economy, 8.6 L/100 km (manual) and 8.5 L/100 km (auto).

Now for the different trim levels in the various variants of the 2013 Toyota RAV 4. As you have probably guessed, the GX is the humblest of the subspecies with what the manufacturers call the basic level of bells and whistles, although they sound all right to me (see the list above for things that are common to all variants of 2013 Toyota RAV 4 to get the list). The GXL adds in fog lamps on the outside, a 6.1-inch touch-screen display unit and a reversing camera. The Cruiser has all that and leather-trimmed seats, audio controls on the steering wheel, a blind spot monitor, a tilt & slide moonroof and satellite navigation.

If I were considering buying a 2013 Toyota RAV 4 for my next new car, I’d be writing myself a list of priorities to help me decide which sort of 2013 Toyota RAV 4 would be the right one. I guess the only real way to tell which one fits you and your needs best is to go and book the test drive!

The current Toyota RAV 4 model series includes the:

• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GX 2.0 2WD Petrol Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GX 2.0 2WD Petrol Auto
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GX 2.2 AWD Diesel Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GX 2.2 AWD Diesel Auto
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GX 2.5 AWD Petrol Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GX 2.5 AWD Petrol Auto
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GXL 2.0 2WD Petrol Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GXL 2.0 2WD Petrol Auto
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GXL 2.2 AWD Diesel Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GXL 2.2 AWD Diesel Auto
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GXL 2.5 AWD Petrol Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 GXL 2.5 AWD Petrol Auto
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 Cruiser2.2 AWD Diesel Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 Cruiser 2.2 AWD Diesel Auto
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 Cruiser 2.5 AWD Petrol Manual
• 2013 Toyota RAV 4 Cruiser 2.5 AWD Petrol Auto

For any more information on the 2013 Toyota RAV 4, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Toyota dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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