First unveiled in 1989, the Toyota RAV FOUR would go on to dominate sales decades after its initial launch. We detail the original concept.
Image: Toyota
To many, the Toyota RAV4 is considered the car that essentially kicked off the trendy crossover/SUV craze when it first hit the global market back in 1994, but its progenitor can be traced back to a concept unveiled at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. Back then, SUVs weren’t the versatile creatures that they are today. Size-wise, they tended to be considerably larger than the hatchbacks, sedans and station wagons that were the daily drivers of choice at that time. They also tended to favour utility and off-road capability over any semblance of town-friendliness or comfort – utilising ladder-frame chassis and live-axle suspension setups that, while durable, served up a decidedly uncomfortable ride and handling that could only be described as clumsy.
Furthermore, in markets such as Japan, these vehicles often attracted additional costs in terms of registration, insurance and, obviously, fuel. Toyota’s engineers were enamoured with the idea of an outdoor lifestyle-oriented vehicle that could venture off-road and shoulder camping and lifestyle gear, but also prove just at much at home running around town. Described by its designers as a “neo-urban 4WD car that caters to the lifestyles of young city dwellers”, the resultant concept would wear the ‘RAV FOUR’ moniker, which stood for ‘Recreational Active Vehicle 4-Wheel Drive’.
Unlike its body-on-chassis SUV contemporaries, the RAV FOUR featured a monocoque construction with a transverse-mounted engine to keep its proportions city-friendly. Its styling, incorporating curves, contrasting lower body cladding, and door panel strakes (the latter finding their way onto the first-generation RAV4) was a departure from utilitarian SUVs of the time. But despite its playful appearance, the RAV FOUR featured some neat off- roader touches. The underbody was protected by a robust skid plate, the roof and rear cab panels were removable, á la Jeep Wrangler, the rear seats could be stowed to free up room for camping gear, and that offset box on the bumper contained an integrated winch.
The cabin also played host to some suitably outdoorsy touches such as bright upholstery inspired by sports clothing, cargo netting in lieu of storage compartments, and a dashboard-mounted clock that looks like a diver’s watch. Although primarily intended as a design and feasibility study, the RAV FOUR concept was fitted with a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine coupled with a permanent AWD drivetrain – an arrangement that would carry over to the production version.
While the idea behind the RAV FOUR was simple enough, Toyota’s decision to bring the concept to production reality would prove to be a veritable masterstroke. The RAV4’s ability to neatly blend outdoor and round-town usability in a playful, manageable, and affordable package would make it one of Toyota’s bestselling products of all time, accounting for a staggering 15 million units as of 2025.
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The post Cool concepts: 1989 Toyota RAV FOUR appeared first on CAR Magazine.
