[ibm]

hi!

I write from italy and I just order the new rav4.

Is there anyone that has ordered/received their?

I have ordered 177cv luxury.

 

[spwolfx]

they should start deliveries in March in all european countries...

 

[NLRAV]

I'm in the Netherlands and I picked up my new RAV4.3 last Wednesday. The dealers here have had demo's for about two weeks now. I haven't driven mine much, it still has less than 200 km on it.

So far, I'm impressed wth the car. A huge improvement over the last one. If I have time, I will take some pics over the weekend. But I expect I'll be driving a lot.

 

[SilverVision]

My first RAV4

I just ordered my first RAV4 yesterday.

It's going to be one with the "Executive" trim, a 2.0L petrol engine and full-map navigation system, the color is Charcoal Grey (1E0). According to the dealership it’s going to take about 4 to 5 months before they can deliver the car.

 

[NLRAV]

So here are the pics of my 2.0 VVT-I petrol Linea Sol in Charcoal Grey (a.k.a. Flint Mica). I picked it up Wednesday and it's already dirty as you can see in the pics. One item is still missing: silver roofrails. They're on back order.

These pictures were taken near the beach and I tried the car out in an area with a lot of sand on the road. The car didn't even notice, nor did the traction control or rear wheels kick in noticeably. Next week: snow and mountains! :twisted:

I will take more pics when I get a chance to wash the car. My old 4.2 was silver and the dirt didn't show as much.

 

[zaitcev]

NLRAV's car looks nice and the long license plate seems in place (they are on the rear door in the U.S.). It would be interesting to know how it works in the snow, though I suspect it needs different tyres to show its potential.

Since two people mentioned 2.0L engine, I figure that it was not a mistake, but it seems somewhat small. I have a 2.4L gasoline (petrol) engine, and it's the smallest option we get...

 

[SilverVision]

@NL RAV, Nice car!! The Charcoal Grey (a.k.a. Flint Mica) color works great for the RAV4. First I wanted a Black one but luckily enough the dealer had two RAV4’s with both colors, Black and Charcoal Grey, and so I decided for the Charcoal Grey one. After seeing photos of your RAV4 I’m convinced that it was the right choice. I can’t wait to get my own RAV4.

@ZAITCEV, The 2.0L petrol engine is the only petrol engine available in Europe; it has 152BHP and 194Nm of torque. Besides the petrol engine there are two diesel engines available. Both are 2.2L engines, one with 136BHP / 300Nm and one with 177BHP / 400Nm. In the Netherlands we have to pay more road-tax for cars with a diesel engine, 2 or sometimes 3 times more than for a car with a petrol engine. So unless you drive a lot of kilometers (I believe the turning point is 20,000 kilometers yearly) it’s not very economical.

 

[flyingn]

looks great! Love the side marker lights on the Euro ones too

 

[The G Man]

looks great! Love the side marker lights on the Euro ones too

Yes, and they get the projector headlights and the roof top antenna too.

 

[Rav4WD]

From those pics above, it is confirmed that Europe gets the SWB version while North America and Australia get the LWB version. Probably that's why Europe gets the 2.0L (and what ever other reasons) while NA and Aust get the 2.4L for 4 cylinders.

 

[NLRAV]

I believe the 'US' wheelbase is about 4 inches longer than the 'Euro' version, whereas overall length is 8 inches more for the 'US' version. No prizes for guessing which one handles better.

 

[Rav4WD]

I am not sure which one handles better. But I am sure which one has better ride quality.

 

[flyingn]

the base and Limited ride better, have less expensive replacement tires BUT Sports has better looking wheels (in my opinion) and handles better, Its up to you what you want in an SUV. I CAN tell ya that the Limited handles wayyyyyy better then any other SUV that I have ever drove..

 

[Rav4WD]

Trims aside, the LWB version rides better than the SWB version.

 

[NLRAV]

I think RAV4WD is right, the longer the wheelbase, the better the ride quality. Which is fine, because my journey doesn't take as long since the SWB corners better. I'm just kidding of course.

Personally, I think the proportions look better on the US version. But the SWB version is what we get and that's fine bacause it's better than anything else on the market here for the same price. The 2.0L engine (with the 5MT transmission) is adequate and gets decent fuel economy (mileage).

Having owned a RAV4.2 for over 4 years buying this car was a no brainer anyway. The depreciation on my 4.2 was incredibly low (it was a base 4x2 with a few options).

My only concerns with the car at the moment are the clutch, which I hope will tighten up, and the parking sensors which bleep randomly when reversing. I will have those two things looked at. I'm afraid the clutch is something I may have to get used to.

I have to say this car is better than I imagined it would be. It feels solid, luxurious and the extra weight seems to have gone into sound insulation.

And I was also happy to see that it came with Yokohama Geolanders. They seems to have tons more grip and traction than the Bridgestone Duellers on my old RAV4 (especially in wet conditions). Of course, traction control etc. helps as well but under hard braking I clearly felt the difference.

 

[zaitcev]

I looked at NLRAV's pictures carefuly and compared it with my own car, and it seems that the difference in the wheelbase cannot be more than 15cm, maybe even 10cm. Also, it appears that the whole front is exactly the same, from the bumper to the B pillar. The rear door looks very similar, too.