Car Review

CAR REVIEW

Back on Song

By Billwydad Wangai

SPECS

Price (as tested): 6.5M Engine: 2.5 Inline-4 VVT-iE Power: 207hp @6,600 Torque: 250Nm @4000-5000 Transmission: 8-speed automatic Fuel Economy: 13.2 Kpl

“I would say it is the best-looking RAV4 there ever has been.”

6 vroom JULY / 2019

Performance

The car I got to drive is the highest specification of the RAV4 available in the country. It is the final boss for the CRV, X-Trail and the Tiguan to conquer and that will take some work. They call it the Adventure. The South Africans have it better, their top-spec RAV4 is called the VX and I say that with glee at the thought of 80-series owners grinding their teeth at the idea of sharing a tag with what to them is a town car. The RAV4 Adventure is powered by a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine coupled with an 8-speeed automatic gearbox. They work together to deliver 207hp and 243Nm of torque to four wheels, giving you enough grunt to slip into that elusive overtaking window on Kenyan roads. The fuel economy is listed as 13.2kpl but I managed a solid 8kpl. That’s mainly due to Kevin, a guy from Toyota with whom I went for the test. That’s not his real name, the point is he has a more liberal right foot.

The ground clearance stands at 185mm with an approach angle just shy of 200. This is short of the Forester we drove last time, on both accounts. That is not to say it does not perform off-road, it does. You just need to be more careful in rougher terrain. If all fails however, at least it is robust. The car held its own on the muddy bath that is the entrance to the park through Mombasa Rd and even managed to go through a particularly sticky mud pit in the park.

Handling

The car is equipped with Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control for the occasional moment you want to floor it down a gravel road, you might need the tyres to match but the systems are a welcome intrusion. The car has a generally firm ride that does not let you get away with hitting potholes willy-nilly. It does soak them up, but it lets you know. Politely. It changes lane with minimal body-roll even when you are aggressive, on and off-road, as Kevin gladly demonstrated. The steering is not as communicative as I would like but these things are relative. Your off-road escapades are well backed by three drive modes; MUD&SAND, NORMAL and ROCK&DIRT. They are selectable through a dial on the centre console.

Exterior

The wheel arches remind me of the fifth generation Jeep Cherokee, which makes me feel a bit sick but it more than makes up for it in other areas. The car looks good; I would say it is the best-looking RAV4 there ever has been. The car comes in two more trims; Standard and Mid-Spec. Both have 2.0L engines, CVT transmissions with the standard in two-wheel drive and the latter four. The Adventure variant has a more rugged look and is the proper off-roader of the bunch. You would expect that to be the model available with a manual gearbox and you would be wrong. Don’t ask me, I have no idea what is going on here.

he 2019 RAV4 is available in eight colours. Our test car being what they call ‘urban khaki’ and as I

T found out rather disappointingly, there is no rural khaki. Something else to note is that RAV from

here on stands for ‘Robust Accurate Vehicle’. Silly name. Great car? Most cars start out as brilliant ideas. They are conceived in the minds of designers who want nothing more than a tool that is easy to use and maintain. Then there are accountants. These people are all about numbers and are often spotted in ill-fitting clothes, a projection of their lack of imagination and questionable taste. The first time the designers agreed on something was when they made the first RAV4. A car that managed to self-actualize; it accomplished what it was meant for, a recreational activity vehicle and did not cost an arm and a leg. That is why it remains the coolest RAV4 a person could own. Until now. There have been three generations of the RAV4 since. The cars look so different; one would be forgiven for thinking Toyota fires the entire design team every time they need a new car. The fifth generation is here, and having driven it around the city and into Nairobi National Park, I am pleased to report the designers and the accountants have had another magical moment.

Interior

The standard interior is black leather. The seats are well bolstered and provide a firm but comfortable feel, perfect for long-distance driving. They are electronically adjustable, provide lumbar support and heat function. The rear seats will comfortably sit three, as this is quite a wide vehicle. Legroom is more than sufficient with the increased wheelbase from the fourth generation. The infotainment system includes a 7-inch screen that provides a home for the panoramic rear-view camera. Its dials and buttons are easy to load up into your muscle memory, and with the screen slightly above the steering wheel, means you still have the road in your peripheral view. There are three front USB ports and a wireless charger below the a/c dials. The rear-view camera works hand in hand with sensors at the front and rear for park distance control. The sensors around the car can be annoying as it beeps every time a bicycle or pedestrian comes close to the car. It will eventually get on your nerves when you are stuck in traffic. The sunroof is a nice touch especially for a humid day with a bit of sunshine. The visibility is stellar looking forward but the enormous c-pillars can hide a lot behind them. Mind you, I don’t use the word enormous lightly. The RAV4 Adventure will offer 580 litres of load space, 32 litres up on the previous generation. The 60:40 split rear seats fold down to give you another piece of real estate for especially bulky cargo.

Safety

RAV4 Adventure is equipped with seven airbags (the seventh being the driver knee airbag), ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, and Hill Ascent Control. It is essentially, a 5-star rated car.

Verdict: I want one.

vroom JULY / 2019 7