Cute-Ute's Reunited? Toyota's Latest RAV-4 Takes On A Tiguan Like Flavor

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but has Toyota's 2011 RAV-4 refresh paid the ultimate homage to Volkswagen's hot cute-ute the Tiguan?

Our friends over at CarScoop have uncovered the first official shots of the  eurospec RAV-4, and the resemblance is almost as similar as the Jetta tail light refresh few years back that effectively duplicated the rear facade of then current generation Corolla.

Both of these automakers well known for distinctive designs, but those lines seem to be blurring more and more as of late. Are these just great minds thinking alike, or they just running out of unique shapes to give a small crossover?

Either way, both designs are clean and fresh with a remarkable amount of presence.

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WorldofLuxury - 2/15/2010 3:44:36 PM

0 Boost

Tiguan and a bit of Ford Mondeo. It certainly looks like a Toyota, but that's as much as I can say. By this decade, I'm expecting a little more from the automakers' design departments.

A lot of my friends who were traumatized by Pedalgate say that they trust the future Toyota products to be very safe and reliable. If many people begin to think this way, I'm sure Toyota can get back in the game - a few cool and informative advertisements that apologize and introduce new models will probably give the public more confidence.

pepito66 - 2/15/2010 4:12:43 PM

-1 Boost

People sometimes think in a wrong way and is a great percento lol , but not me if any brand has a problem why you need to buy from them if there are more brand in the market. This is not fresh or a new problem they hide a lot of thing but anyway I don't drive a Toyota and I never will.

LuxuryFan - 2/15/2010 8:15:03 PM

+1 Boost

Engrish?

B7FAN - 2/15/2010 3:46:24 PM

-6 Boost

Did Toyota buy the rights to the Tiguan Design????????????????????????

pepito66 - 2/15/2010 4:14:19 PM

-5 Boost

Probably because they copy everything. I am just waiting that BMW or MB put wings in theirs model they just put wings too lol lol .........

B7FAN - 2/15/2010 4:50:49 PM

-5 Boost

What The Hell does this mean.....pepito66..... "I am just waiting that BMW or MB put wings in theirs model they just put wings too lol lol"

I dont get it??????????????????????????

M35MT - 2/16/2010 12:41:45 PM

+4 Boost

I see you figured out how to use punctuation using the "shift" key. Note: you only need (1) question mark at the end of a sentence.

mpls - 2/15/2010 3:53:17 PM

+4 Boost

Did Toyota copy its own Mark X design from 2003-2004 ?

http://www.cars-directory.net/gallery/toyota/mark_x/2005/toyota_mark_x_3259965_p.html

mpls - 2/15/2010 3:58:00 PM

+8 Boost

Sorry, Toyota has been playing around with sloping front lights even from 2001 Uk Spec Avensis whilst VW were still playing with blocks..

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=401

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=12

mpls - 2/15/2010 3:59:43 PM

+9 Boost

Watch, when VW makes its copy of the FT-86

mpls - 2/15/2010 4:06:24 PM

+7 Boost

Is Toyota just borrowing designs from its own Lexus brand ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lexus_LS_600h_front.JPG


Remember Tiguan was launched only in 2007 winter

mpls - 2/15/2010 4:08:42 PM

+10 Boost

In fact the Rav 4 evolved from its own designs with cues borrowed from old Toyota's and Lexus..

pepito66 - 2/15/2010 4:17:55 PM

0 Boost

Buy the way I would like to know whay happens with the Toyoya Lexus issues because now is a great silence. I would like to know the final result.

XYZZ - 2/16/2010 3:21:53 AM

+5 Boost

exactly. california alone has 1000 fatalities a year from DUI.

out of the 7 million recalled toyotas, less than 10 got killed, w/19 injured. ALL THESE were victims of Driving While Stupid, unable to flick that handy shifter just a notch over to N.

Whelan - 2/15/2010 4:24:52 PM

+3 Boost

Once again we are comparing to German cars. I guess this is the twist on not having a BMW article to put in here. Just like the Cayenne article before. The Rav does not resemble the Tiguan in any way. The Rav is a better buy for 90% of the people in this market. The Tiguan is overpriced and you don't get as much for your money other than a few headaches with electronics and dealership run ins.

If anything Toyota is adopting its sloping frontline and big grille from the new Highlander SUV so Tiguan like, I say no. They are trying to move it out of cute ute territory it appears though.

theoptimisticpessimist - 2/15/2010 4:35:43 PM

+5 Boost

Why am I on this page?

0to60 - 2/15/2010 4:50:47 PM

-4 Boost

Finally, an appealing toyota design!

Willis - 2/15/2010 5:32:06 PM

-6 Boost

"Both of these automakers well known for distinctive designs..."

Who wrote this? VW, yes. Toyota? No Toyota has no clear design language. Never had. It's safe to say that design at Toyota is secondary and not considered important. Some of their JDM look good - that's it. All the stuff they export is hideously ugly and bland.

BMWRU - 2/15/2010 5:50:12 PM

-2 Boost

"Ugly and bland" design makes "distinctive designs." Don't you think? Take Merc as an example, early 80 and 90 Mercs were hideous and fugly (may be you call it a genuine Teutonic design), but they were plain and lacking in the design characteristics too. However, beginning in the late 90s, design lines on their craps have actually, and miraculously, begun to flow together - with design cues taken from both BMW and Audi, of course. I guess Teutonic feces just smell and taste better for some of you than Asian ones.

BMWRU - 2/15/2010 5:37:02 PM

+1 Boost

Reading this thread makes me wonder what the OP, a self-proclaimed automotive journalist or paparazzi, is thinking, trying to throw two different things together and call them the same thing. Hate to be rude, but you seemed like incapable of distinguishing apples from oranges, as well the attributes they share. The OP reminds me of another article where the author was incapable of telling the exterior designs of the G37 and the Genesis coupe apart.

009load - 2/15/2010 7:55:50 PM

+5 Boost

What flame bait. It makes me chuckle when I see you guys struggle to write a meaningful blog entry such as this. It is obvious to a fifth grader that the two vehicles are not at all identical. The RAV still maintains its original lines, where as the Tiguan was introduced after the current RAV. If anything the jacked up golf is more similar to the GLK. 009 needs to layoff the ho-ho's and start really writing something of substance.

Agent009 - 2/16/2010 10:29:53 AM

-2 Boost

I like your name. Again imitation is the sincerest for of flattery.

LuxuryFan - 2/15/2010 8:16:59 PM

+1 Boost

The RAV-4 looks like was styled in L-finesse.

wins555 - 2/16/2010 1:20:41 AM

-2 Boost

THe boring and appeals to everyone design language belongs to Toyota. Germans should not copy it.

LuxuryFan - 2/16/2010 1:34:59 AM

+2 Boost

I'm sure that stammering made more sense when it was still swilling around in your head.

XYZZ - 2/16/2010 3:36:20 AM

+6 Boost

009 is only correct in saying "...the Jetta tail light refresh few years back that effectively duplicated the rear facade of then current generation Corolla."

and if there is ANY similarity betw'n the rav4 and tiguan (which one has to squint awful hard to see), it is again in the VW trying to swipe some of the toyota quality reputation (which it SORELY NEEDS) by emulating its front end.

STJ88 - 2/16/2010 7:13:43 AM

+6 Boost

You mean the Tiguan copied the RAV4, Agent 009 could you first do a little research before posting. You would see that the new RAV4 front is 3 years old and has been used on the toyota vanguard. Thats the JDM V6 RAV4.