Popular choice: Daily life with the RAV4
DRIVEN STARTS A THREE-MONTH RELATIONSHIP WITH TOYOTA’S POPULAR RAV4
Previewed in 1989 and launched in 1994, Toyota’s RAV4 helped create the SUV genre before it was even a term or motoring segment.
Initially used to describe oversized Californian behemoths, the SUV term started to creep into local vernacular in the late-90s/ early 2000s, with the likes of Outlander, Forester and, of course, RAV4 building the wave of popularity that continues 25 years on.
Toyota’s RAV4 was NZ’s bestselling SUV in 2019 and fifth bestselling vehicle outright, behind three utes and the Corolla.
The RAV4 was also best-selling SUV in 2018, 2017 and 2016. In fact, it has led the SUV charge back to 2014 and beyond, when passenger cars such as the Swift and Commodore were sales rivals. So here we are in 2020, and
Driven is spending more time with NZ’s number one SUV, after the RAV4 took the title of People’s Choice in the 2019 AA Driven NZ Car of the Year awards.
Its April 2019 launch introduced a new eight-model range, deleting the diesel option, but introducing three hybrid models that have proven supremely popular, with wait lists as long as six months.
Since it was a top-10 COTY outright finalist, we want to see whether the RAV4’s shine still has lustre after a few months.
We chose the hybrid, as it outsells the petrol models around 5:1. The plan is to start with an entry-level AWD Hybrid GX before trading up to a top-spec Hybrid Limited.
Having just taken possession of the Glacier White $42,990 Hybrid GX, nicknamed Casper, first impressions are how comfortable and familiar everything feels. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular with fleets and rentals, though Toyota is intent on raising its 41 per cent of private RAV4 sales. Having the full suite of Safety Sense gear helps across the range, including radar cruise control, speed sign recognition and auto emergency braking. Front and rear sensors, rear cross-traffic alert and blind spot monitor just keep the safety gear flowing, and lane departure alert and auto high beam add to an appealing package.
After a couple of Auckland-to-Hamilton runs, we’ve had to reset the fuel consumption, because the
5.6l/100km on the dash seemed barely believable. Toyota claims
4.8l/100km combined — thrifty either way.
Just two days into our loan, Casper was helping move house alongside a new Hiace van. The RAV4 was our default go-to for transports of all sorts. Boot space in the hybrid is the same 542l as the previous model, though it is a reduction from 577l of the previous RAV4; it’s still larger than CX-5 and CR-V.
After two weeks and almost
1000km of moving our contents across Hamilton, the RAV4’s fuel consumption never rose above
6.0l/100km. Being that kind at the pumpis a good start. Two weeks down, ten weeks — and a model upgrade — to go.