A more aggressive facia is the highlight of the redesigned 2013 Toyota RAV4.
Staff photo by Mark KennedyFAST FACTSModel: RAV4 XLEExterior color: Barcelona Red MetallicInterior color: BlackEngine: 2.5 liter, four-cylinderHorsepower: 176Transmission: six-speed automaticFuel economy: 24 mpg city, 31 mpg highwayDealer: Capital ToyotaPrice (as tested): $26,723
The Wall Street Journal this week flashed a greed light to auto-buyers. The auto industry is expected to move 15.5 million vehicles this year, according to the newspaper, a level not reached since before the financial crisis in 2008.
That means there is pent-up demand in the market, and value-conscious buyers are streaming back into showrooms. Toyota, the prototypical value brand, expects to post a 5 percent sales increase this year.
Nothing screams value in the Toyota line like the RAV4, a compact SUV that virtually invented the small crossover segment back in 1996. Redesigned for the 2013 model year, a new fourth-generation RAV4 is just beginning to show up in area car stores.
We snagged a Barcelona Red copy at Capital Toyota on Lee Highway earlier this week, and took it on a spin on I-75 in mid-afternoon traffic.