Like TRD, Modellista is Toyota’s in-house modification department, but it focuses on visual customisation rather than performance upgrades
Toyota Malaysia has recently unveiled a new ‘Aero body kit’ for the RAV4. Built by Modellista, Toyota’s in-house tuning shop, the mod job focuses solely on aesthetic. No changes have been made to the mechanicals of the car.
The body kit adds a lot of sporty details to the already sharp look of the original. At the front, we see the addition of a new front bumper, with a lip spoiler and new LED DRLs at the bottom portion. At the side, there is a muscular-looking side skirt as well. The rear portion of the car gets a slightly redesigned bumper with sporty-looking rear spats.
Other than that, there is a pre-selected body kit package, called ‘Cool Shine kit’, which can be bought combined or separately with the ‘aero kit’. It includes front grille garnish, headlamp garnish, garnish, and 19-inch aluminium wheels with 10-spoke design and dual-tone finish. Toyota RAV4 Modellista body kits were introduced for the Malaysian market, via Toyota’s Wing Hin dealership in Balakong.
Toyota RAV4 was launched in Malaysia at a starting price of RM 196,500 (roughly equivalent to Rs. 35 lakh). It has a lot of equipment on offer to justify its high price tag. It gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and a 360-degree camera. Apart from that, you get Collision prevention system, Lane Keep Assist, Dynamic Cruise Control, and seven airbags.
It is available with two engine options. The first one is a 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated, inline-4 petrol engine, with 173 PS and 207 Nm. This motor comes mated to a CVT. The other engine option is a 2.5-litre, naturally aspirated, inline-4 petrol engine, which generates 207 PS and 243 Nm. It is paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Both the models come with paddle shifters behind the steering wheels, along with three driving modes – Normal, Eco, and Sport.
Modellista also offers an off-road spec body kit for the RAV4, called JAOS, in Japan. This kit adds a new front bumper with a protective bar, front bash plate, nose protector, side body protector, and pillar protector for the C-pillar. There is a set of 20-inch, dual-tone aluminium wheels on offer as well. Overall, this body kit looks brilliantly amazing, adding a rugged look to Toyota’s best-selling SUV.
