4 V A R a ot Toy D ynamic AWD What is it?
Toyota’s RAV 4 needs no introduction, but I’m going to give one anyway in case any of our readers have been living on Mars for the last couple of decades. In 1994, Toyota’s launch of the original RAV4 introduced a new kind of car to the world, one that combined the go-anywhere performance and rugged stance of an SUV with compact dimensions and handling more akin to a hatchback. Now in it’s 5th generation, the RAV4 opens a new era of improved performance, capability and safety along with a new hybrid powertrain.
On the road
I first drove the new RAV4 around the Hill Route circuit at the Millbrook testing facility down in Bedfordshire and I was genuinely taken aback by the way it handled itself, it was poised, grippy and quite nippy. Arriving at Muddy Towers a few months later, the majority of miles during our week together were either
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tootling here and there, the odd commute to school and a trip or two to Wales.
I really enjoyed driving the RAV4, it’s comfortable and quiet with a relatively supple ride and light steering, I always felt cosseted and a little bit smug as it barely ventured under 40mpg. Although it packs decent pace, especially once you’ve pressed the Sport mode button, the 2.5ltr doesn’t sound that good, quite painful in fact, but that’s easily remedied by cranking up the volume on the stereo. On the subject of volume, as you drive off, the car selects electric, therefore I had to be quite careful in car parks, as shoppers and pedestrians can’t hear you and never look; they often crossed out in front of me. For the majority of time I selected 'normal' driving mode which allows the car decide for itself when’s best to deploy either the electric motor or petrol engine. Also, easing on the brakes as you reach a set of lights or a junction automatically increases the amount of electric power gained from the cars regenerative braking system, so it’s win-win.
