CONSUMER REPORTS Rates 6 Sport Utility - RAV4 Comes Out On Top

RAV4 outpoints the highly-rated Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester

YONKERS, NY June 5, 2006; The newly-redesigned Toyota RAV4 emerged as Consumer Reports’ top-rated small sport-utility vehicle following tests of six SUVs for the July issue.

The latest generation RAV4 earned an “Excellent” overall rating in Consumer Reports’ testing, surpassing such highly-rated vehicles as the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester. The Forester had been a CR Top Pick for Small Sport-Utility Vehicle in the Annual April Auto Issue.

“The redesigned RAV4 tops its class with either the standard four-cylinder engine or the optional V6 powerplant,” said David Champion, senior director of CR’s Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut. “With the optional third-row seat and the V6 engine, the RAV4 is a good alternative to some more expensive midsized SUVs.”

The test group included a total of eight SUVs: four-cylinder and V6-powered versions of the RAV4, a Subaru Forester, a Suzuki Grand Vitara, V6 and V8-powered models of the Ford Explorer, a V8-powered Jeep Commander, and a V8-powered Chevrolet Tahoe.

Full tests and ratings of the SUVs appear in the July issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale June 6. The complete report is also available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org.