Toyota is proud of the fact it created the compact SUV market with the launch of the original RAV4 back in 1994.
That pioneering three-door model - its name standing for Recreational Active Vehicle 4-wheel drive - was quite different from traditional 4x4s, being conceived as an 'urban' all-wheel drive vehicle with a monocoque chassis rather than body-on-frame construction, and independent suspension. Toyota's vision for a new kind of car proved a big success that other manufacturers were keen to follow. Today there are around 20 different models competing in the segment.





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