Toyota’s mid-sized SUV, the RAV4 is back with its fourth
incarnate. Packed to the brim with features and sporting a new fascia inside
and out, one of Singapore’s most popular SUVs is finally all grown up and ready
to extend its reach to a wider target audience.
Sleek bodywork is what grabs you the moment I laid eyes on
the new RAV4, with its very corporate looking front facade, lowered roofline
and racy alloy wheels topped off with a rear spoiler. The Toyota also gets
those swoopy stylish bodylines, which are all the rage now with the rest of the
other SUVs in this category.
The RAV4 not only
serves well for recreation but it can also do the hard stuff
On closer inspection, you would also notice some rather
un-Toyota designs such as angled headlamps and an under-biting front bumper.
The rear also gets massive changes, the spare tyre mounted on the liftgate has
been dropped to allow for an upward lifting tailgate instead of the previous
generations’ side swinging rear door – a definite welcome change.
Borneo is currently only bringing the 2.0-litre 4 potter
variant of the RAV4 to our shores. Churning out 151bhp and 195Nm of torque,
through a 7-Speed (A) CVT box, which allows for better acceleration and fuel
economy. Toyota has even included a Sports/Eco mode, accessible via the centre
console controls, that improves throttle and steering response or dulling it to
ensure maximum fuel efficiency.
The Toyota RAV4
has a practical interior
If the exterior is anything to go by, climbing into the new
RAV4’s cabin will literally stun you. Looking very much like one of those very
expensive sports watches, the redesigned dash clusters are illuminated in cool
blue hue with bright red needles. Everything else in the cabin has been clad in
either dual or tri-toned colours, of which in the test unit’s case consisted of
black, tan leather and brushed aluminium - it all looks extremely upscale and
very, very Lexus-like.
Standard issue for entertainment is a 6-inch touchscreen
display system which includes a rear view camera. The shift gate has also
received extensive updating, looking more car-like than off-roader now, though
the carbon-fibre trimmed around the shift lever seems a little out of place in
a RAV4. Ride quality also gets a huge boost as Toyota has improved sound
deadening throughout, together with a new thicker windshield.
The Toyota RAV4’s
engine offers a very good blend of usable power and efficiency
Space wise, rear legroom has actually shrunk by an inch,
though slimmer seats mean even taller occupants will not have any problems with
space. Rear passengers will also enjoy a wider armrest with accompanying cup
holders.
Out and about, the RAV4’s new styling and improved
aerodynamics reduces wind noise, while an enlarged rear sway bar helps minimize
body roll. The Toyota’s drive is a lot smoother and more agile. I took the RAV4
a little off the beaten track and it fared reasonably well, but it was also
clear that the SUV is less off-roader than ever before. If the styling doesn’t
communicate the message enough, the RAV4’s reduction in ground clearance by
over an inch conveys Toyota’s intentions loud and clear.
With this in mind, the RAV4 is best left on tarmac, with Eco
mode engaged for your daily commute and Sport mode when the driver is given
long stretches of empty expressways.
In contrast to the
RAV4’s compact exterior dimensions, the cargo area is deep, large and easy to
access
The RAV4 looks set to regain its former glory with this
fourth generation, though it is less SUV now with the exclusion of the third
bench and rear spare tyre. This might not be such a bad thing actually as it’s
in response to market demand and does make the Toyota more appealing to a wider
target audience.
In place of those features, you get more space, better
driving dynamics and a style that is so unique on its own that you will have to
do a double take to ensure that it’s from the Japanese car maker. Combine that
with a host of technological upgrades and a vastly improved interior and you
are probably looking at one of the biggest sellers in the SUV/Crossover segment
this year.
