Toyota expects sales jump for relaunched RAV4 SUV

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMPC) targets to sell 1,000 to 1,200 units of the newly launched RAV4 crossover sports utility vehicle (SUV) this year.

Ma. Cristina Fe Arevalo, first vice president for brand management and product planning cluster at TMPC, said in a press conference for the RAV4’s launch that the company has set a monthly sales target of 100 units for the new SUV.

Jose Maria Atienza, senior vice president for marketing at TMPC, said the monthly sales target would translate to a total sales goal of 1,000 to 1,200 units of the new RAV4 for this year.

Last year, he said the company sold 411 units of the RAV4.

This year’s target is more than double last year’s actual sales as traditionally the company would see sales jump when it launches a full model change of a vehicle.

“We see a trend. Every time it reaches its end life cycle, it dips. So, our cycle is every time we introduce full model change, it spikes,” Arevalo said.

While the RAV4 is not among TMPC’s vehicle models which account for big volume of sales, Atienza said the product is still important for the company.

“It’s (RAV4) one of our not so big selling models because [it caters to a] niche market. But it helps in putting that personality in the brand. It’s very important for the brand,” he said.

The new RAV4 has a 2.5-liter engine with eight-speed automatic transmission.

Through its lowered belt line, thinner pillars and repositioned outer mirrors, the vehicle provides improved visibility.

In terms of safety features, the new SUV has an eight-eye front and rear sensor with back-up camera, anti-lock brake system with electronic brake-force distribution, vehicle stability control to prevent side skids and stabilize the vehicle when turning on a curve, traction control to avoid loss of control when accelerating on wet surfaces, as well as hill-start assist control to keep the vehicle from rolling downhill when the driver switches from the brakes to accelerator pedal.

Available in super white II, white pearl crystal shine, silver metallic, gray metallic, attitude black mica, red mica, urban khaki, cyan metallic and dark blue mica, the new RAV4 has a price range of P1.638 million to P2.203 million.

TMPC, the top automotive brand in the country, expects to post single-digit growth in sales this year as the market is expected to have adjusted to the higher tax imposed on vehicles last year and as it benefits from election-related spending.

Last year, TMPC sold 153,004 units.