The all-new 2006 RAV4's front end contains all the same elements as the '05, but more tautly composed. The rectangular grille is rounder, the slits below more symmetrical. Headlights are more compact, fog lamps smaller and more focused. The wider track (the distance between the tires side to side), by more than two inches front and rear, gives the '06 RAV4 a more solid stance, which is good news for resisting rollover in emergency maneuvers.
A boxier shape defines the side view, the better to accommodate that third-row seat; from the front quarter oblique, the fatter, more upright C-pillar and taillight housing remind us of the Subaru Tribeca, a larger seven-passenger, Japanese-brand import, priced a notch or two above the RAV4. The seven additional inches of wheelbase (measured between the front and rear wheels) and almost 14 inches of added overall length stretch the cabin and give the windshield a sleeker rake. An understated indent runs along the bottom of the doors, softening the visual impression of bulk. Wheel well arches blend smoothly into the fenders.
The back end shows more revision than either the side or front of the '06 RAV4. A single-piece rear bumper cradles the swing-gate, which, sadly, still opens from the left side, so you have to walk around it when unloading curbside here in America. Taillights are slightly smaller and positioned higher on the rear fenders. The spare tire bolts into a recess offset to the right in the swing-gate, but it's a less-aggressive recess and contained fully in the swing-gate. Thus, no longer does the bumper house the bottom third of the tire. The rear license plate preserves the asymmetrical look by bolting into the lower left of the swing-gate, beneath a Toyota logo and RAV4 badge.
