The 2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure Is No Niche Market Special Edition - It'll Be More Popular Than Most SUVs
In late 2015, Toyota revealed that the automaker’s increasingly popular RAV4 would be increasingly leaned upon for major U.S. sales volume.
As of five years ago, Toyota USA had never sold more than 200,000 RAV4s on an annual basis. Toyota didn’t touch the 300,000 marker until 2015.
But the goal set in 2015 was loftier: 400,000 U.S. sales of the RAV4 in 2018. An SE trim level helped. Then the RAV4 Hybrid became a real success. Toyota sold 352,154 RAV4s in 2016 and is on track for 380,000 sales in 2017.
What will put the Toyota RAV4 over the hump?
If all goes according to plan, the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure that goes on sale in September won’t be a mere oddball offshoot.
According to Automotive News, the elevated, fender-flared, tow-package-equipped RAV4 that Toyota revealed at the Chicago Auto Show last February is targeted for 40,000 annual U.S. sales.
Toyota is watching while passenger car buyers flee the midsize arena during the 2018 Camry’s launch year. Boosting the volume of the vehicle most likely to take over — the vehicle that’s already taken over — from the Camry as Toyota’s best-selling vehicle is a surefire way to reduce the sting.
Granted, some of those 40,000 RAV4 Adventure (aka RAV4 Trail) sales will siphon away sales of conventional RAV4s. But the goal for 40,000 RAV4 Adventures still means roughly 10 percent of RAV4 volume heading the Adventure’s way.
On its own, Toyota’s goal of 40,000 RAV4 Adventure sales means this one, unique RAV4 trim level will be more common than roughly half of all SUV/crossover nameplates on sale in America. For perspective, Volkswagen sold nearly 44,000 Tiguans in 2016, its best year ever. Mitsubishi sold 26,576 Outlanders. Mazda sold fewer than 19,000 CX-3s. Mini sold fewer than 13,000 Countrymans.
Laugh at the RAV4 Adventure if you must. But Toyota’s going to laugh all the way to the bank.
Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars.
More by Timothy Cain
Latest Car Reviews
Read moreLatest Product Reviews
Read moreRecent Comments
- SCE to AUX I am generally anti-union.To win over the workers, the UAW has to convince them that:[list][*]The court of public opinion (internet, social media, local/national news) is insufficient to air their gripes (it's not).[/*][*]The Company is in sustained violation of established workplace regulations for comfort, safety, and well-being (unlikely).[/*][*]Paying union dues is worth the artificial bump in pay and benefits (it's not).[/*][*]The UAW can actually protect their jobs (they can't).[/*][*]Adding labor contention via unionization is worth the risk of the company relocating the plant to a more friendly location (it's not).[/*][*]Strike pay over the holidays is great compensation for all the free time you get (it's not).[/*][*]The UAW leadership won't put themselves first (they will).[/*][/list]
- ToolGuy You say V8, but I only see 3 spark plug wires? Pretty sure this is a V3.
- ToolGuy The Supercharger in the last picture: Is it 2B, or not 2B?
- 1995 SC "But your author does wonder what the maintenance routine is going to be like on an Italian-German supercar that plays host to a high-revving engine, battery pack, and several electric motors."If you have to ask...
- Loser I love these MN12 vehicles. We had a 92 Cougar, my dad had an 89, mom and brother both had T-birds. Wife and I still talk about that car and wish they still made cars like these. It was a very good car for us, 130,000 miles of trouble free and comfortable driving. Sold it to a guy that totaled it a month after purchase. Almost bought a 97 T-bird the 4.6 when I found out it was the last of them but the Cougar was paid for and hard to justify starting payments all over.
Comments
Join the conversation
Toyota needs to become more competitive in that they cannot afford to rest on their past. Better interiors and more attractive designs would be a start. The crossover market is a growing market with growing competition. It is too important to just make a few changes and call it a new model. Honda introduced a new redesigned CRV and even Chevrolet has a new Equinox. Toyota cannot afford to rest on their past accomplishments and not all customers buy a vehicle without looking at the competition.
Don't understand your comment, the new CRV is selling well. The RAV4 is selling well but as stated above it has some competition and should not rest on the past.