Has Toyota lost the plot with the Rav4?

[Targarama]

I see shedloads of Nissan Qashqais around these days. They seem like a nice car. This model seems to be taken over the Toyota Rav4's position in the market? What has happened to the Rav4? I drove a 2007 model rental in the US which was OKish but felt much bigger than the MK1 Rav4. Honda seems to be selling plenty of new model CRVs in comparison (analysis done by looking at local traffic, not necessarily accurate ). Also, I'm sure the new, better looking, Kia/Hyundai soft roaders will be hot sellers too.

Has Toyota dropped a clanger in this market segment?

[StuartMcKay]

Erm......Wrong place for this chap!!

[Targarama]

Oops, can a mod move it? Mean't to post in General Gassing.

[XG332]

[HellDiver]

RAV4 used to be small, now it's about the size of a Land Cruiser.

[EDLT]

HellDiver said:

RAV4 used to be small, now it's about the size of a Land Cruiser.

Its all relative, the Land Cruiser is now the size of a bungalow.

[Blue Meanie]

Nothing has happened. They are just a little bit more 'serious' if that's the word. They are larger, and are getting into a mini SUV rather than the soft roader it used to be.

[redtwin]

Qashqai starts at £16K, Rav4 starts at £24K

That will have much more to do with seeing more Qashqais on the road than the Rav4 being too big or whatever.

So, yes, Toyota have lost the plot pricing what is essentially a family car (cue Rav4 owners posting pics of their cars rock climbing) that high.

[cptsideways]

EDLT said:

HellDiver said:

RAV4 used to be small, now it's about the size of a Land Cruiser.

Its all relative, the Land Cruiser is now the size of a bungalow.

Well not really, they don't really sell the "big proper" Landcruisers in the UK (maybe 50 of twin turbo TD's sold?) instead they sell the downsized version Prado 70 series which really isnt the same thing at all. Still a good bit of kit but its not the same as the 100/120/150 series.

[Jeffmaniac]

If you really want a smaller new RAV4, the current Daihatsu Terios is actually a rebranded Toyota. Half the price of a new RAV4 and meant to be a good small 4x4.

[Jeffmaniac]

If you really want a smaller new RAV4, the current Daihatsu Terios is actually a rebranded Toyota. Half the price of a new RAV4 and meant to be a good small 4x4.

[jbi]

RAV 4 IS small... It's roughly the length of a BMW 3 series in LWB form and 10 inches shorter in SWB form.

It's an entry level SUV popular with teenage girls/young women.

Considering it's the best selling small SUV I would say toyota have got it bang on.

Edited by jbi on Thursday 18th November 08:04

[Targarama]

jbi said:

RAV 4 IS small... It's roughly the length of a BMW 3 series in LWB form and 10 inches shorter in SWB form.

It's an entry level SUV popular with teenage girls/young women.

Considering it's the best selling small SUV I would say toyota have got it bang on.

Edited by jbi on Thursday 18th November 08:04

Where did you get the best selling data from? It probably was in mk1/mk2 guises. But surely not the 2007 onwards model, which is what I'm talking about.

[excel monkey]

Toyota is selling healthy numbers of RAV4s in the US, so no I don't think they've lost the plot.

http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autos...

Not really fair to compare base prices with the Qashqai. The entry level RAV4 is a 2.2 diesel with a decent spec level, and a comparable Qashqai would probably be more like £18-19k.

[redtwin]

I was not attempting to do a direct comparison. My post was more to do with why there seems to be more Qashqais on the ground vs the Rav4.

Considering their target market, £16K is easier to part with than £24K.

[Targarama]

excel monkey said:

Toyota is selling healthy numbers of RAV4s in the US, so no I don't think they've lost the plot.

http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autos...

Not really fair to compare base prices with the Qashqai. The entry level RAV4 is a 2.2 diesel with a decent spec level, and a comparable Qashqai would probably be more like £18-19k.

I understand the price differential, but using price alone then why are there gazillions more CRVs on the road in the UK than Rav4s?

Working on the price point, I accept that the Rav4 has been moved up a market segment. Toyota doesn't have a car to replace the Rav4 in the £16-20k market - the Qashqai has filed the gap (soon to be accompanied by the Korean offerings). They have also lost the fight to the CRV in the higher price UK market. Thus lost the plot.

[frosted]

The rav4 has never really sold in the uk in big numbers , do you think that they care when it sells all over the world ? Think YOU lost the plot

Edited by frosted on Thursday 18th November 10:16

[durbster]

Jeffmaniac said:

If you really want a smaller new RAV4, the current Daihatsu Terios is actually a rebranded Toyota. Half the price of a new RAV4 and meant to be a good small 4x4.

Erm is it? Which Toyota is underneath?

Daihatsu have made their own decent 4x4s for years so I'd be surprised if they need to rebadge somebody elses.

[Chris_w666]

redtwin said:

Qashqai starts at £16K, Rav4 starts at £24K

The Nissan is also very cheap to lease making it an attractive company car, and their second hand values are very high compared to the cars they are taking sales from. The Qashqai is priced to compete in the Focus, Astra, Golf market but takes soft roader sales too, effectively giving it 2 bites at the market not the one most models have.

[excel monkey]

Targarama said:

I understand the price differential, but using price alone then why are there gazillions more CRVs on the road in the UK than Rav4s?

Working on the price point, I accept that the Rav4 has been moved up a market segment. Toyota doesn't have a car to replace the Rav4 in the £16-20k market - the Qashqai has filed the gap (soon to be accompanied by the Korean offerings). They have also lost the fight to the CRV in the higher price UK market. Thus lost the plot.

You answered your own question, the RAV4 has moved up a segment, and Toyota now has the Urban Cruiser to fit underneath it.

I honestly don't think they've "lost the plot". Sales in the US are up 17% on last year, and it's a much bigger market, allowing Toyota to sell the RAV4 with a 3.5 V6 vaguely related to the engine in the Lotus Evora. They just don't see the UK market as a high priority for their 4x4s, with our weak pound and high fuel prices. Far easier for them to concentrate on selling small cars in the UK.