Montreal Auto Show: 2006 Toyota RAV4

2007 Toyota RAV-4

For 2006, Toyota has decided to nail the competition down. The compact SUV segment is getting tougher every year but this year, the RAV4 is out to conquer all.

To begin with, the truck is 405mm longer, 80mm wider and has a 170mm longer wheelbase. All this extra girth allows for the addition of a 3rd row of seats available in the Limited model. This in fact makes the RAV4 the only compact with a seating capacity of 7.

Carried-over from the previous RAV4 is the 2.4L 4-cylinder that develops 166 hp and 165 lb/ft of torque. The kicker is the addition of the 3.5L V6 shared with the Toyota Avalon. It puts out a range toping 269 hp and 246 lb/ft of torque. Traction and stability control are standard as is an AWD system. The 4-pot gets a 4-speed automatic transmission and the V6, a 5-speed.