The all-new fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 is now available with a diesel engine for the first time in the SUV’s 20-year history in Australia.
The Toyota RAV4 diesel is powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel that produces 110kW of power and 340Nm of torque. Toyota will offer the diesel paired exclusively with its all-wheel-drive system, coupled to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.
The diesel’s fuel consumption figures headline the three-engine RAV4 range, beating both the 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre petrol engines by sipping just 5.6 litres of diesel per 100km in manual form and 6.5L/100km when coupled to the auto.
The 2AD-FTV engine has seen many uses in overseas markets, including applications in the Toyota Corolla and Lexus IS200d, but the RAV4 diesel represents its first appearance in the Australian market.
The decision to introduce a diesel-powered RAV4 comes amid a strong move towards diesel SUVs from Australian consumers. More than a third of SUV buyers purchased a diesel last year. In 2012, 57,435 private buyers decided on a diesel SUV, a 50.6 per cent increase over 2011 – more than double the growth of petrol SUVs.
The diesel RAV4 starts from $35,490 for the base model GX manual ($2500 more for six-speed auto) – the same starting price as the Subaru Forester diesel, with the mid-range GXL coming in at $38,990 and Cruiser topping the range at $46,490. The premium for the diesel engine over similarly specified 2.5-litre petrol variants is $3500. It’s towing capacity is strangely lower than both petrol variants.
