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23/09/2008 04:55.  The 2009 Toyota RAV4 's four-cylinder base model will be offering a little more "oomph" in terms of performance than its immediate predecessor - for a higher price.

The increase won't be dramatic; the old and relatively lackluster 2.4 liter four-banger was good for 166 horsepower and 165 lb-ft of  torque; the new one increases those figures to 179 and 172 respectively. There was no word on the base model's four-speed automatic transmission, which has had much to do with the 2008 model's less-than-stellar acceleration.

On the positive side, fuel economy - figures that were disappointing for the 2008 four-cylinder RAV4 - have improved; the front-wheel drive model will travel up to 28 highway miles on a gallon of gasoline according to the EPA, and 21 in the city.

In addition to a... // TheCarConnection.com