2023 RAV4 Woodland Edition Reclaims the Off-Roading Crossover Crown

Toyota’s long-running compact crossover gets its feet dirty again with the all-new 2023 RAV4 Woodland Edition.

At one point in time, crossover-style SUVs emphasized all-terrain capability as well as family-oriented practicality. RAV4 pioneered the original look in the Japanese market segment. It was a small SUV with rugged looks and dependable on and off-highway performance. However, In the 2010s, this trend arguably swung in the other direction. Suddenly, the majority of crossovers essentially became just large family sedans with higher ground clearance. And the previous generation of RAV4 certainly fits that mold by many enthusiasts’ measures. Well, RAV4’s new Woodland Edition aims to answer that fundamental issue.

Reminiscent of the 2013 Adventure concept car, the Woodland Edition represents the first true production off-road oriented package for the RAV4. Essentially, it marks the next step up from the Adventure Edition on the current RAV4. In addition to Adventure’s enhancements, this new trim features TRD-tuned underpinnings and a robust all-terrain capability. On the outside, many features reminiscent of the original RAV4 return. You got thick functional mud guards, a stout roof rack, and protective plastic bumper and fender guards. And underneath, tuned suspension and a refined hybrid system back its aggressive looks with impressive functional capability. Filling the gap left behind once the earlier models committed to the road, the Woodland Edition promises a dedicated return to the trails, representing the pinnacle of factory off-highway RAV4s to date.

TRD Performance Enhancements

Woodland Edition features a number of improvements over the previous trim levels, most notably from that TRD Midas touch. The suspension’s been entirely overhauled with an emphasis on off-highway and rough-road performance with greater wheel travel and twin-tube shocks with internal rebound springs. Those shocks also help Woodland remain stable and planted over steep angles and sharp changes of direction, providing both improved rollover protection and a stable platform on banked trails. What’s more, Woodland also receives Falken WILDPEAK AT tires for solid off-road performance without adding road noise or sacrificing all-weather capability.

Of course, the real magic’s under the hood – and under the trunk, as it were. Toyota’s hybrid AWD system works in tandem with the new suspension upgrades to provide excellent weight distribution and hard performance figures. Rather than utilizing a rear driveshaft to power the rear wheels, Toyota opts for a separate electric motor. So now there’s no torque split between front and rear wheels. This system, named Toyota Hybrid System II, maximizes longevity and efficiency without sacrificing power. That’s because the full-time AWD system doesn’t strain the engine by forcing it to work harder to power both axles. Instead, the electric motor picks up the slack to the rear end. This leads to less wear on the moving parts of both motors and better fuel usage across the board. 

Dress for the Job

Woodland’s interior and exterior both feature extensive off-road-oriented cosmetic and functional improvements. The first-generation RAV4 soared in popularity thanks to its utility on the trails with the addition of roof racks for camping equipment. Well, that returns again in full with a proper, tall heavy-duty rack from the factory. Going further down, we have minimal chrome trim, replaced by either paint-matched or thick plastic guards. Front, rear, and sides all sport bolstered protection, including the functional rocker panel and undercarriage guards seen in Adventure Edition. Both front and rear ends are coated as well, leaving all protruding body panels resistant to brush and minor rock damage. Capping it all off are bespoke bronze-colored wheels for greater strength over the standard model.

Interior-wise, Woodland displays further continuations of this theme. The most prominent new additions are the custom molded floor and cargo mats, sporting “WOODLAND EDITION” in bold raised lettering. Coupled with the aforementioned hybrid system and lack of a driveshaft, cargo volume looks prime for most expeditions and camping trips. Naturally, storage isn’t an issue, with an abundance of cupholders, trays, outlets, and a nice deep center-console. Common to all 2023 models, Woodland also receives Toyota’s new OTA-updatable Audio Multimedia System as well. This allows seamless integration of Cloud navigation and smart features like an automated assistant activated by phrases like, “Hey, Toyota.” Further refinements include black badging, chrome-tipped exhaust, and LED projector-beam lights with integrated fog lights.

Reigniting the Need for Adventure

In recent years, compact crossover SUVs shifted focus away from the mundane in response to customer reviews. From the Jeep Cherokee Overland to the VW Tiguan Allspace, the rugged aesthetic is returning in force. And the one that popularized it all – the RAV4, seeks to reclaim its crown once again for next model year. But Woodland Edition may very well top the list of off-road compact crossovers come 2023. Not only does it look the part, but it backs it up with functionality.  With TRD performance as well as Toyota’s penchant for creating utterly bulletproof off-highway vehicles, this new model certainly has what it takes to go the distance. Much like its larger Toyota brothers from which it takes inspiration, it’s also not likely to care how much of that distance is paved.

All images copyright Toyota Pressroom

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M.C. Cuccio

I've been an automotive aficionado since I had baby teeth. My path was set when I first leaned on my grandfather's classic Porsche as I learned how to walk. One of my first memories was my mother sitting me behind the wheel of her Pontiac and talking me through the instrumentation and controls. Even though I was a mere three or four years old, I was instantly sold, and filled notebooks with technical drawings, sketches, and collections of manuals of all sorts of cars. I've actively tracked developments in automotive and motorsport technology for well over 20 years, and pride myself on being intimately familiar with the functions and history of a wide range of vehicles.

My primary goal as a writer and enthusiast is to equally learn and share what I've learned in a constructive and interesting way. I maintain connections with people from around the world and can read technical manuals in Italian, Japanese, and Spanish, granting me access to a wide array of resources. My primary focuses are deep-dives into historical topics, motorsport discussion, and learning about the complex mechanical elements of such vehicles. As such, my research is never perfect; as anyone into cars will attest, the more you learn about cars, the more you realize how little you actually know. Therefore, I always welcome fresh knowledge and corrections to help me better my work in the future.