The Toyota RAV4 (Japanese: トヨタ・RAV4, Hepburn: Toyota Ravufō) is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. Considered the first ever compact crossover SUV, it made its debut in Japan and Europe in 1994, and in North America in 1995, being launched in January 1996. The vehicle was designed for consumers wanting a vehicle that had most of the benefits of SUVs, such as increased cargo room, higher visibility, and the option of full-time four-wheel drive, along with the manoeuvrability and fuel economy of a compact car. The vehicle's name is an abbreviation of "Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive", or "Robust Accurate Vehicle with 4-wheel drive", although not all models come equipped with the four-wheel drive system.