Canada’s most popular Toyota SUV is now made in Canada

Toyota opens automotive plant in Woodstock, Ontario 

(TORONTO). Canadian drivers now have even more reasons to love the RAV4, with the official opening of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada’s Woodstock, Ontario assembly plant – the first new automotive plant investment in Canada in almost 20 years. The RAV4 was introduced earlier this fall with an upgraded 4-cylinder 2.5-litre engine and remains Toyota’s most popular SUV. Canadians will continue to enjoy RAV4 vehicles that offer quality and safety plus more power require less fuel and no compromise on the amenities. 

“On behalf of our network of more than 230 Toyota Dealers across the country, we are pleased that the RAV4 vehicles sold in Canada will be made in Canada,” said Mr. Yoichi Tomihara, President and CEO of Toyota Canada Inc. “At Toyota, we are committed to building our most popular models in the markets where they’re sold focusing on quality and safety. With the official grand opening in Woodstock, Toyota now builds four models in Canada, which together represent almost 50 per cent of our total sales in this country.” 

The Toyota RAV4 revolutionized the SUV market when it was introduced to North America in 1996. As the very first SUV developed on a passenger car platform, the RAV4 delivered unheard of levels of fuel efficiency and ride comfort to the SUV segment, and spawned the development of car-based SUVs across the industry. 

For 2009, Toyota engineers make things better for RAV4 owners with several new features, including:

• A new engine for four-cylinder models: a 2.5L engine delivers 179 horsepower – more than the 166 peak horsepower of the 2.4L engine it replaces. At the same time, the new 2.5L engine is more fuel efficient, with a combined city/highway rating of 8.6L/100KM, compared to 9.0L/100KM for the 2.4L engine it replaces.
• A new fuel economy meter on the console gives drivers more control over their fuel efficiency.
• All 2009 RAV4 models are fitted with Toyota’s new Active Front Headrests as standard equipment: these help reduce the possibility and severity of whiplash if the vehicle is struck from behind. Other standard safety systems include Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Brake Assist, six air bags and side impact beams.

Canadians purchased 1,614 Toyota RAV4 compact SUVs in November, bringing total RAV4 Canadian sales in the first eleven months of 2008 to 19,140 – up 31.7% compared to the same January-November period in 2007.

“With the Grand Opening Ceremony held December 4^th, the RAV4 officially joins our other made-for-Canada products – the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, and Lexus RX350 – as iconic Canada-ready vehicles that are designed and engineered for Canadians and offer quality, safety and the amenities that Canadians want,” Mr. Tomihara concluded. “The Woodstock plant is our latest demonstration of how Toyota is determined to make things better for Canadian drivers and communities.”