The diesel version of the Toyota RAV4 has become the latest victim of the brand’s commitment to remove oil-burning models from its line-up.
As part of its pledge to focus on petrol and electrified powertrains, Toyota has taken the sole 2.0-litre diesel variant of the RAV4 out of production.
A brand spokesman told Autocar that "there will still be cars in stock or in allocation from production" based on predicted demand, but that "no new specific orders can be placed".
The only remaining RAV4 variants in production use 2.0-litre petrol and 2.5-litre hybrid power. Prices for the revised range start at £29,010.
The new RAV4 has now been revealed - take a look
The diesel RAV4’s departure occurs as the current-generation SUV enters its "run-out phase", according to the spokesman. It will be replaced by a new, more rugged successor in 2019. That car was revealed at the most recent New York motor show.
The next-gen model will be based on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. It will be larger and is expected to come with the current RAV4’s powertrains in updated forms. No diesel engine will be offered.
Last year, Toyota executive vice-president Didier Leroy said the firm’s success with petrol and hybrids means diesel is no longer relevant. He said: “My personal opinion — and this is my personal opinion, not a company one — is no, we’ll not launch another diesel car.”
Toyota dropped the diesel version of the Auris at the end of 2017. The remaining diesel-powered cars are its largest vehicles: the Verso MPV, Proace Verso MPV, Land Cruiser SUV, Proace van and Toyota Hilux pick-up.
More content:
Join the debate
Add your comment
BMW
Every cloud.....
Great news, we'll see less of what has to be one of the ugliest cars on British roads today.
My prediction's still there
I'm saying that at the end of 2021 (three years and a half, to be precise) there won't be a single diesel car on sale in the UK. I've been called all sorts of names (I don't mind that, you can't top what the wife has called me), but I'm still happy to make the prediction. My prediction is based on CAR diesel sales figures for the past few months. Follow the line and you'll get to the end of 2021. We'll see.
Bazzer wrote:
it just won’t happen.
Toyota dropping a diesel isn’t really a biggie considering they couldn’t make diesels reliable on their own so enlisted the help of BMW. Diesel never has been a big part of their car business.
With regards your prediction, diesel will exist for the customer that have always had diesel in the first place. Not the PCP brigade doing 6k a year. It’ll exist for the high mileage and commercial users and be circa 20% of all new cal sales. Where it should always have been in the first place.