- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr Ar
Toyota RAV4. Looking for cons
Autoboom finally has a chance to test the global bestseller. How does it feel to drive an SUV regularly included in global rankings of the world’s most popular cars? Especially if you don’t like SUVs and are therefore immediately skeptical, looking for disadvantages. Yes, yes, it is excusable for an automotive journalist to have their own opinion which differs from the generally accepted opinion, because the horizons of a professional are broader due to their activities. Therefore, I approached the new RAV4 with a smirk hoping it would impress me with something. And it succeeded! At least it did its best…
Toyota created this model in 1994, and a whole generation of motorists has already grown up recognizing only SUVs. Who would have thought that this small vehilce with a round biodesign of those years will bring back an army of SUVs, which simply conquered the world in 2022.
Place in the world
Before sharing subjective impressions, let me browse through the dusty pages of Japanese automotive history. The idea of such a vehicle, the ‘golden mean’, a truly universal transport, was born a long time ago: a concept car in which Toyota tried to embody a car ‘for all occasions’ was presented in 1989 at the Tokyo Motor Show. The idea was very warmly received, and after a few years of thinking, Toyota began to create a production car. As a result, the RAV4 was born. Its undeniable advantages: a comfortable interior with a high seating position, offering good visibility, correct ground clearance, fairly powerful engines, independent suspension and permanent four-wheel drive. The vehicle proved to be so successful and in demand that the manufacturer had to increase its capacity in the first year. The Toyota RAV4 immediately became a global model: sold in the United States, Europe and other continents.
The vehicle has grown to a medium size and has acquired not only a wide range of engines, but also all modern systems, and its design, as always, is recognizable, despite the fact that it corresponds to the style of the company. In 2022, the fifth generation Toyota RAV4 is available in Israel (launched in 2018). The model is equipped with gasoline engine or two hybrid systems. For the test, we got an all-wheel drive modification with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and CVT. The price, depending on the configuration, starts from 197,397 shekels. Yes, there are conventional and plug-in hybrids. But for the test, we chose the simplest and cheapest version.
In 2019/2020, the Toyota RAV4 won the Car of the Year Award in Japan. It became the first among 35 vehicles according to 69 Japanese journalists, conquering the jury with comfort, driving properties, a large trunk and a choice of three types of all-wheel drive. By the way, it was 10 years ago when Toyota received a high award with its Prius hybrid model.
My meeting with a world bestseller
Despite the fact that I am not fond of SUVs, it’s not my style to deliberately look for cons. So, let’s start with the pros.
Exterior
An unconditional advantage is its attractive exterior. It is a typical Toyota aimed at a wide audience. Well-built, well-balanced, harmonious and moderate, the SUV looks perfect. As for the dimensions, in this generation the vehicle has become slightly larger: the length of the body is 4,595 mm, the width is 1,854 mm, the height is 1,699 mm, and the wheelbase is 2,690 mm. The entry-level version comes with 17- or 18-inch wheels, but 19-inch wheels can also be installed.
Interior
The vehicle offers a well-crafted and thought-out interior. And for some, that’s a big advantage. In my opinion, it’s all about marketing and a good understanding of the target audience, so the model is created without love, passion or a few individual flaws, which sometimes make you fall in love with your vehicle.
Driving characteristics
The SUV offers a 2.0-liter engine with 175 horsepower that performs its duties easily and naturally. The RAV4 will bring a lot of fun on the track! The CVT response to the pedal is excellent and quick, the brakes are pleasantly responsive and the steering wheel is typical for Toyota: light and empty, causing no problems or fun in the corners. The steering wheel is well sized and tactile.
The MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension works very well. You do not feel it on a flat surface, but on the pits even wheels with low profile tires behave very decently and pleasantly. I tested an all-wheel-drive version with a conventional slipper clutch. Neither weather nor road conditions allowed the unit to show itself in any way, so the impressions of this modification on the asphalt are similar to those of the front-wheel drive model. We immediately notice that this is not the only option. There’s a Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD transmission that Toyota has introduced on this particular model: the rear wheels have individual multi-plate clutches. This allows you to control the thrust vector and there is full rear axle shutdown to save fuel. The Multi-Terrain Select electronic system has been added, which changes the settings of the traction control electronics depending on the road or off-road surface selected. Well, the hybrid has an electric motor on the rear axle.
Summary
In general, of course, from the first minutes of driving a Toyota RAV4, it becomes clear why the SUV is so popular all over the world. This vehicle really gives everything you need. It does not deceive expectations, because it does not promise anything extraordinary. It follows the ‘golden mean’, clearly guessing the peak of fashion and even creating it. It is so good that this is its main con…
