Toyota releases RAV4 Altitude – again

TOYOTA has announced a RAV4 Altitude special-edition two weeks after it released a 200 Series LandCruiser bearing the same name and a year after the same value-added nameplate was made available.

Like last year’s RAV4 Altitude, the 2011 version is based on the entry-level CV model variant and adds five 17-inch alloy wheels (instead of steel), front foglights, silver roof-rails, rear privacy glass, a silver front bumper appliqué and an ‘Altitude’ exterior badge.

Inside, it gains a premium steering wheel and gearshifter, and a six-CD sound system with LCD display, USB connectivity and Bluetooth phone and audio-streaming functionality.

Also like its predecessor, the Altitude will be priced $500 higher than the base CV at $29,490 plus on-road costs (2WD manual), $31,490 plus ORCs (2WD auto) and $34,490 plus ORCs (AWD auto).

While 1500 examples of the 2011 RAV4 Altitude will be made available, Toyota released just 800 examples of the 2010 version last year, when the RAV4 Altitude was said to represent more than $1700 of added value.

Five exterior paint colours will be available – White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Pearl, Graphite, Ebony and Wildfire – with metallic/pearl colours costing a further $350.

Production of the 2011 RAV4 Altitude began in Japan last month and will conclude in September.

Toyota Australia lowered the entry-price of its stalwart compact SUV to $28,990 in April last year, when the Altitude SE moniker also appeared on the mid-size Kluger SUV, when it released the first front-wheel drive RAV4 here.

To July this year, sales of Australia’s one-time segment leader have slumped by 19.5 per cent in a compact SUV sector that is up by 2.1 per cent.

RAV currently holds a 9.5 per cent share of the compact SUV class to place third overall behind Subaru’s dominant Forester (11.2 per cent) and Hyundai’s ix35 (10.0 per cent).