Toyota Rav4 2.0 Premium Review: Big softie

What we like:

Comfortable and stylish interior. Generous rear seat comfort and boot capacity.

What we dislike:

Raspy engine note.

Unlike the previous generation that came with a 2.4-litre powerplant, the new RAV4 only gets a 2.0-litre four pot with Toyota’s VVT-I technology. Power figures are conservative at 151bhp at 6,200rpm with 195Nm of torque from 4,000rpm. Paired with a 7-speed CVT box, the drive is smooth but the constant raspy report of the engine is exacerbated by the CVT transmission.

While the engine is able to pull quite strongly, the uninspiring engine note suggests otherwise.

That aside, the RAV4 rides well with a suspension setup that is comfort bias and does a good job of keeping things serene for driver and passengers. Surprisingly though, the soft roader handles itself pretty well in the bends and maintains grip further than its role suggests. In ‘Sport’ mode, the engine is heightened with a more sensitive throttle map.

The RAV4 comes equipped with what Toyota calls Dynamic Torque Control that shifts the torque front and back wherever more traction is needed. Not only does it shift the torque front and back when needed, it modulates the amount of power as well to prevent slip.

Despite its more urbane intentions, the RAV4 is decently equipped for the rough stuff. Not too rough though. A decent Downhill Assist Control maintains the descent speed when negotiating steep descents. Unlike most systems that make it known when it is activated, the system here keeps things refined with little to no alarming braking noise.

Seeing that it’s a Toyota, the RAV4 is rather frugal despite its large body size. At just 13.3km/L. Unfortunately with a CO2 emission of 174g/km, the RAV4 is not eligible for any rebates though it does hit the Band B sweet spot and doesn’t suffer from any penalties either.

Toyota’s answer to the recently launched Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V is a worthy contender for the soft-roader market.

It is a quantum leap for the company both in terms of exterior and interior quality. And quite easily the finest example of the RAV4 generation we’ve seen thus far.

Credits: Story and Photos by Benjamin G. Kline