THE RAVS & RAV NOTS (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 74

Toyota's RAV4 mid-sized SUV soft roader has been around so long it's easy to forget quite how far it's come. The fifth generation XA50 model launched here is 2019 was bigger, better finished, and far more efficient, thanks to Hybrid and, later, also Plug-in Hybrid power. And Toyota didn't forget that cars in this class need to look good and drive well too. Reacquaint yourself with it. You might be in for a surprise.

Modelsword count: 15

5dr SUV (2.5 petrol Hybrid / 2.5 petrol PHEV) [Icon, Design, Excel, Dynamic, GR Sport]

Historyword count: 184

The Toyota RAV4. It's long been the world's best selling SUV and it's come a long way since it started out back in 1994. With that first RAV4, Toyota re-defined what a car of this kind ought to be. The company didn't follow the usual ladder-framed chassis construction then common in the class but instead launched the first monocoque-bodied SUV in the segment. Which meant that it was the first one that didn't lurch about alarmingly when shown a corner. Fast forward a quarter of a century to this fifth generation version launched here in 2019 and once more, Toyota was keen to innovate. Back then, most mid-sized SUVs of this sort still prioritised diesel power, but this Japanese brand wanted to set a new standard. Having experimented with a self-charging hybrid engine in final versions of the previous generation model, the company standardised it here. Which made this car, in its own way, as much as standard-setter as its predecessor was. A PHEV version joined the line-up in 2020. This MK5 RAV4 sold until it was replaced by a MK6 model in 2026.

What You Getword count: 344

“I want people to love this car”, said this MK5 RAV4's Chief Engineer Yoshikazu Saeki at the car's original launch. '”To 'like' it - to share it on their 'phones”. Lower, wider and more angular, this design certainly had a degree of character and individuality we hadn't seen in RAV4 design since the 1994 original. Behind the wheel, RAV4 regulars will notice the cabin's airier feel and much higher quality. A smart 7-inch central display in the instrument binnacle adds to this perception of greater sophistication, which sits to the right of the brand's usual Hybrid system indicator, with its normal 'Charge', 'ECO' and 'Power' sections. Your infotainment needs are covered off by an 8-inch 'Toyota Touch 2' screen that covers off the usual DAB audio, Bluetooth, navigation and online connectivity options. It isn't cutting-edge in terms of graphical sophistication. We do though, like the neat 'Energy Monitor' which shows you at any given time what's being charged or powered by what. You also get comfortable seats, good all-round visibility and plenty of cabin storage. You might be a little disappointed to find that the rear bench doesn't slide - as it would in rivals like Volkswagen's Tiguan or Audi's Q3 - but the backrest reclines for greater comfort on longer journeys and headroom's good too, despite the lower roof line. Thanks to this fifth generation model's extra 30mm of wheelbase length, there's also plenty of room for legs and knees - and, helped by the 10mm increase in body width, Toyota claimed that lateral space between two rear-seated occupants had been increased by 40mm too; in other words, there's less chance of a couple of adults digging each other in the ribs. Once the tailgate's raised, a decently sized 580-litre luggage area is revealed. And when the rear seat is folded? Well there's no fold-flat front passenger seat option to allow for the carriage of really long items, so it's just as well that there was 60mm of extra luggage area length for this MK5 model, as part of 1,690-litres of total capacity.

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