Toyota’s new Rav 4 doesn’t quite slot into the cross-over market that recently released soft-roaders are targeting, but it is nonetheless a capable city vehicle and a comfortable bundu-basher.
The current range of crossover SUVs were undoubtedly inspired by the Rav 4, which was first launched in 1994 and targeted a market of not-so-serious adventure-seekers who didn’t want to lumber around town with the sort of humungous SUVs that were clearly not made for city driving. It is still leading this growing segment, as is evident in Europe where the new Rav 4 has sold more than 600 000 units since its introduction late last year.
The new Rav 4 comes in two five-door options with pretty much the same level of specification and the same engine — the only difference being the transmission: one is a five-speed manual and the other a four-speed automatic. During this year Toyota is planning to expand the range to five models.
My test unit was the automatic and it made the daily work commute as easy as pie. The attractive new incarnation sauntered along, up and down the northern suburbs’ many hills and through lanes of congested traffic while other cars seemed to splutter and stall beside it. Of course, the hill-start assist control prevents the vehicle from rolling back when pulling off an incline and that always helps when trundling along at 5kph.
It even excelled on the highway, but seemed a little uneasy at high speeds, though the permanent four-wheel drive and Toyota’s new Integrated Active Drive System always kept things on- and off-road perfectly comfortable. The Rav 4 also features anti-lock brakes, traction control and vehicle stability control.
There are seven airbags on both models and a push-button start system that also provides for keyless access if you’re within a metre of the vehicle.
The 2,0 litre engine felt as if it could use a little more power as I battled to get a lively performance out of the Rav 4. And while Toyota says the car averaged a combined cycle fuel consumption of 10 litres per 100km in Europe, I found my test unit to be more thirsty at around 15 litres per 100km.
Inside, passengers can expect more comfort than before as the new Rav 4 is wider and longer than its predecessor, and the overall space inside is impressively utilised. Interior features include a six-CD shuttle, dual climate control, seat heaters for front passengers, an electronic driver’s seat and a glove compartment that has a built-in cooler.
One thing that annoyed me about the interior of the vehicle is the positioning of the hazard light switch. It seems as if the designers forgot about this necessary little tool and decided, as an afterthought, to put it near the glove compartment, which is daft given that the driver has to lean forward and reach all the way past the radio to get his or her hand on the button.
Despite this niggle, the Rav 4 managed to impress me on many levels and successfully reinforced its image as a fun, yet exceedingly capable, vehicle with the sort of comfort and technology that makes it easy to enjoy.
Fact file
Model: Toyota Rav 4 VX
Price: R320 100
Engine: 2,0 litre
Tech: 112kW, 194Nm
Top Speed: 175kph, 0-100kph in 12 seconds
Tank: 60 litres