Is Toyota's New RAV4 Too Masculine For The Average Soccer Mom?

The Toyota RAV4 helped start the compact cross/utility-vehicle craze in the U.S. with its 1995 introduction.

While there is more than double the competition of 17 years ago, the segment’s oldies-but-goodies still reign supreme.

Honda's CR-V, another early entrant and the RAV4’s No.1 cross-shop, has been dominating the sector in recent years. This year, CR-V sales, driven by a new generation that debuted a year ago, tallied 255,919 units through November, almost 100,000 more than the RAV’s 157,526.

With the next-generation ’13 RAV4, on sale this month in the U.S., Toyota hopes to gain some ground on Honda, targeting 200,000 units annually, above the all-time high of 172,752 RAV4s sold in 2007, WardsAuto data shows.

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vdiv - 1/2/2013 3:57:21 PM

+2 Boost

Uhm, no.

Is the new Pathfinder too feminine? Definitely yes.

HughJass - 1/2/2013 4:37:58 PM

+2 Boost

Typically misleading, maybe the RAV4 isn't Korean enough.

Either way, the new one is ugly in my eyes

cidflekken - 1/2/2013 5:54:17 PM

+1 Boost

I dont' think it's any more masculine or feminine than the previous model. It's definitely not masculine in the same way that an FJ Cruiser or 4Runner or Xterra are.

quizz - 1/2/2013 6:00:12 PM

+1 Boost

Looks like the Murano:
http://www.nissanusa.com/murano/#/photos/exterior-photos/

quizz - 1/2/2013 6:00:13 PM

+1 Boost

Looks like the Murano:
http://www.nissanusa.com/murano/#/photos/exterior-photos/

mini22 - 1/2/2013 6:58:26 PM

+2 Boost

Too masculine? Too masculine? I think the wrong question is being asked here. Perhaps one might ask why does the front end of the new Rav 4 look like a bird. It is simply ugly. No it does not set the same ugliness award as the original Subaru B9 Tribecca back a few yrs ago. However, this is not a good looking SUV/CUV. I would take the new Subaru Forester or Mazda CX5 2.5 over this thing any day of the week.

cidflekken - 1/3/2013 2:02:53 AM

+1 Boost

At first glance, i always think I'm looking at a Mitsubishi Outlander. Then the front end looks like an odd concoction of MDX/Prelude (4th gen)/SLK (R171)

skytop - 1/3/2013 6:32:19 PM

+1 Boost

Lighten up Spies. Maybe Toyota was designing the RAV for some masculine lesbians.

HighDesert - 1/3/2013 9:58:54 PM

+1 Boost

If Toyota continues to offer RAV without manual transmission, I would say most definitely feminine.