Toyota RAV4 review (10/07/2013)
It may be that the RAV4 invented the compact SUV market on its own, but down the years it has been so relatively anonymous among the increasingly prevalent numbers of compact SUVs emerging onto the marketplace.
Now the RAV4’s sales figures do show that it has been a stellar success for Toyota who have shifted 4.5m of them worldwide since they launched it in 1994 and nearly 10,000 of them here in Ireland since we first saw it the following year. But, it has somewhat faded into the background of an evolving marketplace, perhaps in part due to its drab persona.
People who have owned one might disagree with that assertion, but they might be forced to admit that with the fourth generation of the car, Toyota seems to have put a bit more effort into making their product — not just the RAV4, but across the range — a tad more sharp in the looks department.
Just look at the new Auris, or even the new Corolla which will be with us shortly — and you’d have to admit that Toyota has stepped things up a notch and are clothing their mainstream products in kit more befitting an increasingly youthful buying public.
Of course, Toyota has never really been too bothered about that sort of thing, preferring to have their cars rated on their reliability and longevity. And, before anyone starts harping on about the numbers of recalls the brand has had in recent years, it must be noted that Toyota’s ‘clear-glass’ attitude towards recalls is quite the opposite of most other brands, the majority of whom make few, if any, public statements about such matters. Indeed, the company’s honesty in this regard is nothing short of refreshing.
But that’s an aside. At the heart of the matter is that the RAV4 is stepping into fairly uncharted territory. The new machine is longer, wider and prettier than what went before.
Both the interior and exterior styling have a new urgency about them and provide the car with level of character previously lacking. And not before time. For a company that has demonstrated its design capability with such things as the iQ and the Urban Cruiser, many of their more mainstream cars have been defined by their dullness and that’s been a shame.
But the RAV4 is in the vanguard of a batch of cars which address that flaw and it is all the better for it. They are also addressing another problem which has been that, in the opinion of many, Toyota have been looking for too much money for their products. The entry price for the RAV is now some five grand cheaper than before and that is not just good news for the people buying them, but those selling them too.
These moves have revitalised the RAV4 and make it a much stronger selling proposition than was recently the case and anyone who drives one will confirm this. Not only are the core family audience being better looked after with the new car, they’re getting better value for money too.
Inside, the RAV has gone all upmarket on us, what with swathes of leather across the dashboard and on the steering wheel boss and a faux carbon fibre vibe coming from much of the plastics used in the centre console. It looks good and feels good too. But I would have a word of warning about that plastic carbon stuff, as it scratches easily and will undoubtedly suffer over time from the vicissitudes of family life.
But the plusses include bags of room, a very decent driving position which can be adjusted to fit most adults and which is as imperious as any returning RAV owner would like. The centre mounted infotainment console is also easy to use and pleasing on the eye. The car has been lowered and this helps when it comes to ride and handling. The Toyota was always a pretty decent driving proposition and this one is better than what went before.
Now, I’m no real fan of two wheel drive cars masquerading as four wheel drive cars — ie, those pretending to be what they’re not — but if that’s what you want, then this is as good as it gets. It grips well, has accurate and engaging steering and will soak up pretty much anything the Irish road network has to offer.
The new two litre turbodiesel engine too is a fine tool and one which has decent power characteristics and fine economy.
I won’t say the RAV4 is a massive step up from what has gone before, but it marks another shift in the traditionally conservative thinking which earmarks most of the company’s mainstream product. And that’s a good thing for the buying public and for Toyota itself.
29,995 for the Luna 2WD version as tested.
a new two litre
turbodiesel which is allied to a six speed ‘box.
an output of 91 kW (124 bhp) and 310 Nm of torque
between 1,600 and 2,500 rpm. Top speed is 180 kph and 0-100 kph is achieved in 10.5 seconds.
4.9 l/100 km/127 g/km.
standard kit
includes such as dual zone air con, rear camera, central locking, electric windows and mirrors, Toyota touch multimedia system, 17”
alloys and Bluetooth connectivity.
a distinct step up from Toyota in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
****
