Appetite comes with eating, and in the case of the new Toyota RAV4, dealers in the US seem to be hungrier than ever. The debut of the updated generation of one of the best-selling crossovers on the planet has become a real test for the pocket of the American consumer. While the headquarters of the Japanese giant is pouring millions into glamorous ads for the Super Bowl, local dealers have decided that the "recommended price" is more of a vague idea than a rule, imposing dizzying markups.
The amounts that appear on the windows of the exhibition specimens would shock even buyers of premium limousines! In California, where the love for hybrids borders on religion, the dealer in Stevens Creek literally "killed the fish", announcing Toyota RAV4 Limited for a staggering $52,857. How do you get there? The recipe is simple: add $4,700 in "market correction" and top it off with absurd accessories. Imagine - door edge protection for nearly $300 and sill moldings that shoot the price of a mass-market family car into orbit.
The "price adjustment" craze is spreading like wildfire. In Palo Alto, buyers are greeted with a flat $4,000 bonus on top of the price, regardless of trim level. Even in more conservative regions like Kansas City, dealers couldn't resist the temptation to "tweak" a little over a thousand dollars above the official price tag. It seems that the high interest in the standard hybrid unit with its 236 hp has given dealers the confidence to ask for amounts that were previously reserved for Lexus territory.
Be careful, though - not everything is as black as it seems at first glance! American journalist colleagues advise against jumping on the first shiny offer. The truth is that the market still offers honest players who sell the new Toyota RAV4 at a base price of $31,900 without unnecessary "tricks". The phenomenon of inflated prices is already a familiar scenario from the premieres of the Land Cruiser and Tacoma, but in the end, patience and research always pay off.