Carmaker1

I do have to say that, once again it is not a good thing that Toyota is allowing a Lexus product to be mistaken as a Toyota by that grille design. Maybe it's really a Lexus mule considering how it's testing with luxury crossovers and not mainstream ones. Who knows really.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

Who knows. But the name can't be CX, that's for Mazda.

spwolf

i dont know why would anyone confuse it as it clearly does not have predator grille like an lexus. it doesnt look like lexus at all.

they are testing it against luxury cars as thats what is its competition here in Europe where Rav4 is nicer and more expensive. For instance most Q3's here are sold for less than well equipped Rav4 with same engine.

DustinV

Citroen actually used it first. And the "CX" name is still trademarked by them.

Carmaker1

Well I doubt they'd be doing this type of testing on an E.U. spec RAV-4 for those reasons. If they needed to do hot weather testing on a E.U.-spec or non-U.S. model, then it would done in a place like Dubai or in Southern Europe. There is a significant chance this is a Lexus mule hidden under the RAV-4, due to where it is being tested and the vehicles involved with it. I could be wrong as I'm a little confused here.

Carmaker1

Mazda's CX-5 trademark dates back even 3.5 years ago to March 2009, so you're right about that being out of the question. I'm not even seeing CX name show up in trademarks associated with Lexus or Toyota J.K.K., so Lexus better be creative with the naming scheme. I doubt anyone will like the name Lexus DX3-0. Maybe even BX3-0.

spwolf

i think you are being confused... they are doing last testing on car that is going to be produced in few months and it is Rav4... they are testing it against Q3 because thats what people who buy vehicles around the world are buying it against.

There is nothing about Lexus there... it is Rav4... end of story.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I didn't even need that. One look at the picture below and you'll note that the steering wheel is of Toyota material and not the new GS/RX/ES type. Def a Rav 4

Mr. Burns

My first thought as well, but only one problem. The mirrors are door mounted, like most Lexuses. Here is a spyshot of the Rav4, its mirrors are window mounted:



Otherwise they look almost exactly the same.

spwolf

probably just different market spec...

we already almost know how rav4 looks like and this is it...

SNiiP3R

iTrader: (3)

Lexus does not use that kind of camo, at least I have not seen them use the black tape......

BobBass

Best part of this post is if it IS a RAV, they finally got rid of that doggone exterior mounted spare.

spwolf

they did in Europe for a while now :-)



but no spare of course, just a kit...

Carmaker1

That does not really matter when in the United States a luxury-oriented Audi Q5 or Range Rover Evoq is certainly NOT going to be cross-shopped with a mainstream Toyota RAV-4. Since when do U.S. customers decide if they should buy a Honda Accord or an Audi A6 instead? I have already explained that there is no point in testing a US-market Toyota against U.S.-spec luxury competitors for the tastes of European markets. A U.S.-market Audi Q5 is going to be different from it's domestic European variants, so I expect they would have conducted such comparisons in Europe. U.S.-market Toyotas already differ from the ones sold in Europe, so if that tester is really a RAV-4, then it would be tested alongside U.S.-market competitors like the Kia Sportage or the Honda CR-V. Something is definitely off concerning this test vehicle and a clever disguise has likely been applied here.

Yet Toyota uses the same disguise material as the Lexus models?

'14 Corolla

'13 5ES

'13 LS

LexFather

It won't use name cx