FAW Toyota launches RAV4 SUV to market today

Shanghai, April 10 (Gasgoo.com) FAW Toyota launched its RAV4 SUV to the Chinese market this afternoon. The new car comes with 10 models, priced between 189,800 yuan ($27,800) and 264,300 yuan, sina.com said.
 
The Toyota RAV4, which rolled off the production line at FAW Toyota in Tianjin early las week, is a mini SUV which shares the same platform with Corolla. This SUV is powered by 2.0L or 2.4L engine and equipped with a 5-speed transmission. 

Up to now, Toyota has been selling the imported four-door version of RAV4 at a starting price of 310,000 yuan. The imported model is the third-generation RAV4 with standard and luxury versions, both powered by the same 2.4LVVT-I engine as Camry. Now the imported RAV4 SUV model is sold at a discount to make room for the locally made model. 

China's SUV market is booming at a rapid rate. The RAV4 will certainly help Toyota fill a gap in China's low-cost SUV segment that appears to be controlled solely by its rivals. The previous Toyota SUV made in China is the full-sized Toyota Prado, built in the FAW-Sichuan factory, and sold with a very high price tag.

The China-made Toyota RAV4 ("Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive") SUV will compete with Dongfeng Honda's CRV in the Chinese market, where Toyota plans to sell 50,000 units of the RAV4 this year.