2010 Toyota RAV-4 Facelift: First Official Photo Released Ahead of Geneva Show Debut

This year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show will see Toyota lifting the wraps off the refreshed RAV-4 compact SUV. According to the Japanese automaker, for the 2010 model year, the European specification RAV-4 receives a new front-end design and a more refined interior, plus engineering tweaks to further nudge CO2 emissions downwards.

In what concerns the exterior updates, the single photo released by Toyota suggests that the automaker's designers simply copied the front fascia of the recently revised Japanese market Vanguard (a.k.a. the long-wheelbase version of the RAV-4) to the short-wheelbase European model.

The styling changes include different head lights, a new front grille with more chrome bars, reshaped front bumper with different fog lights and a restyled hood.

Toyota did not say whether or not these cosmetic tweaks will also apply on the North American spec RAV-4.

2010 TOYOTA RAV-4 FACELIFT (EURO-SPEC)

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2009 TOYOTA RAV-4 (EURO SPEC)

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2010 TOYOTA VANGUARD (JAPANESE-SPEC)

2011 Toyota Vanguard: Minor Facelift for JDM RAV-4 LWB SUV (sic...)

Before we tell you what's new about the JDM Vanguard, allow us to clarify that the latest generation Toyota RAV-4 is available in two wheelbase versions, with Europe and Japan getting the SWB variant and North America, the LWB model that is also sold in its home market with a different nose job under the name Vanguard.

Now to the updated Vanguard that was launched in Japan today. For 2010, the Vanguard benefits form a few minor cosmetic tweaks that include the restyled grille and front bumper, the new alloy wheel designs and fresh body trim.

Inside, Toyota added new standard features and redesigned the steering wheel together with the paddle shifters that are said to be more ergonomic.

Finally, the Japanese firm's engineers made a few changes to the Vanguard's 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine resulting in improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions.