Toyota RAV4 2004 Review

What we liked
>> Open road capability
>> Strong brakes
>> Comfortable seats

Not so much
>> Light power steering
>> Throttle sensitivity
>> Lacks body control

OVERVIEW
In 2004 Toyota celebrated the tenth anniversary of its pioneering compact SUV, the RAV4. That in itself is a measure of the vehicle's success, but add the fact that more than 1.6 million RAV4s have been sold world-wide in that time -- 72,000 in Australia -- and with production running at 250,000 units per year, there can be no doubt that the company has found a winning formula in this sector of the SUV market.

But over the years RAV4 lost ground to competitors -- in 2003 it was outsold by Nissan X-Trail -- and Toyota has responded by giving the RAV4 more muscle, more safety features, better suspension and a minor facelift for 2004.

RAV4 is available two trim levels grades -- CV and Cruiser -- and in two body styles -- two-door / four-seat and five-door / five-seat. All are powered by an all-alloy 2.4-litre VVTi engine, mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

FEATURES
Toyota designers have given the second generation RAV4 body -- first introduced with a 2.0-litre engine in 2001 -- a mild makeover, with new headlights, bumper, grille and tail lights outside, and updated dash and trim inside.

All RAV4 variants come well-equipped, with air conditioning, power steering, cruise control, dual airbags, power windows, single disc CD changer and four-speaker sound system, 16 inch wheels, painted hard spare-wheel cover and remote keyless entry all standard. Both five-door models also have an underfloor storage compartment.

Buy a Cruiser and you will also receive standard ABS, leather-bound gear knob and steering wheel, power moonroof, six-stacker CD, alloy wheels, fog lamps, roof rails and a rear spoiler.

Prices start at $28,390 for the base model CV three-door and go all the way up to $42,430 for the five-door Cruiser auto (including $2700 Safety Option Pack) as tested here. At the time of writing, that is expensive compared to some other manufacturers offerings.

COMFORT
RAV4 has a clean layout that is interesting and good looking, at least in context with this type of vehicle. Improved front seats have good side support and are comfortable, even after several hours of driving. The driver's seat has height-adjust, and the rear seats recline and are slide-adjustable.

The latter, however, are only for kids or shorter adults. At 188cm, my head brushed the roof when I sampled the rear seats, and that was with the vehicle stationary. Travelling over rough terrain -- which the all-wheel-drive RAV4 has some pretensions of doing -- doesn't bear thinking about.

The split-fold rear seats slide forward to expand an already sizeable cargo area (though this limits leg-room for taller drivers), or they can be completely removed.

There is an adjustable steering column, but it only moves up and down so it was impossible to find the ideal driving position -- with the seat adjusted for the comfortable pedal operation, the steering wheel was too far away. The leather bound Cruiser wheel, however, looks and feels good.

The air con works a treat, and the moonroof was a nice touch for not-so-hot days, though I found it uncomfortably noisy at speed and kept it closed.

All controls were uncomplicated, easy to reach and well-laid out. Metallic-look additions to the dash, and the attractively-styled instruments gave a sporty feel and added a sense of style, though the large, dash-mounted air vents spoiled the overall look.

The interior's biggest flaw though is the lack of padding on the centre console storage bin lid -- passengers resting their elbow there soon experience pain. Drivers who don't keep both hands on the wheel will, too.

SAFETY
RAV4 features a host of driver aids, which Toyota refers to as Driver Assist Technology. All models receive four-wheel disc brakes and dual airbags as standard, while the Cruiser also has ABS with electronic brake-force distribution.

Cruiser owners can also choose the $2700 Safety Option Pack, which consists of full-time traction control, vehicle stability control and brake assist, as well as front seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear curtain shield airbags.

A lap-sash belt is supplied for the middle rear-seat passenger on both five-door models.

MECHANICAL
Toyota offers a single powerplant across the RAV4 range -- a suitably retuned version of the all-alloy four-cylinder 2.4 litre VVTi engine that powers the Camry, Tarago and Avensis.

Featuring an electronic cableless throttle, the engine produces 120kW at 5700rpm and 224Nm at 4000rpm; that's nine per cent more power and 17 per cent more torque than RAV4's previous two-litre engine and something that is reflected in the final drive, which has changed from 3.939:1 to 3.080:1

The engine can be mated to an electronically-controlled Super ETC four-speed automatic, or a five-speed manual transmission that Toyota says has improved feel, thanks to refined ratios designed to extract maximum performance.

All RAV4 models have full-time all-wheel-drive with a viscous-coupled centre diff.

COMPETITORS
RAV4's success indicates the strength and popularity of the compact SUV segment, so it's no surprise that competitors are plentiful. Toyota faces opposition from Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V, Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape. There's a less obvious second row of competition, which extends from the pricey LandRover Freelander all the way to V6-powered Kia Sorento, and touches on Mitsubishi Outlander and Subaru Forester along the way.

ON THE ROAD
Toyota admits RAV4 has limited off-road capabilities so most kilometres will be clocked up around town. For that purpose, the car is an impressive performer, but the throttle can be harsh off the line and the power steering is too light. If you drive sedately, with a delicate touch (remember that RAV4s are popular with females), it is a pleasant car to drive, but if you are a more heavy-handed or need to get somewhere in a hurry, it's not as nice.

Even with improved engine performance, the automatic RAV4 is not quickest thing off the mark, especially if you are accelerating up an incline (even a modest one) from standstill. Expect to use the gearbox kick-down often if you drive enthusiastically. But once mobile, on a winding, country road things change and drivers are treated to sporty performance and handling.

Allow the engine to rev and you will be rewarded with spirited performance, while the speed-sensitive variable power steering becomes a lot more communicative. Combined with revised suspension -- Mcpherson strut front-end and double wishbone independent rear-end -- RAV4 displays impressive roadholding and predictable, neutral handling, though less body roll when pressing-on would be appreciated.

Bumps do not unsettle the car, or throw it offline when encountered mid-corner, and while you are certainly aware of potholes, RAV4 is well-isolated from noise, vibration and harshness.

7 DAY TEST

Why buy a compact four-wheeler over a hatchback or four-cylinder sedan? Maybe on Saturday arvo you're more likely to find yourself exploring a rainforest track than doing battle in a shopping mall carpark.

Unfortunately, in real life you spend more time in peak-hour traffic than leaping for joy atop a perilous outcrop you've managed to scale in your new car, so a compromise is called for. On those precious occasions you break free of the suburban fringe it’s nice to know your car will handle life off the tarmac.

Rutted dirt roads aren't the place for Festivas or Barinas. For a start, undercarriage clearance is an issue, most front-wheel drives won't cope well with steep inclines and storage space can be a problem. Hence the appeal of compact four-wheelers like Toyota’s cute Rav4.

CarPoint put Toyota's claims about the vehicle's offroad prowess to the test on a weekend camping jaunt into the Otway Ranges, three hours cruise from metro Melbourne. The car scored well straight off for swallowing all the gear needed for a night in the bush -- tent, cooking gear, bedding, clothes and chairs fitted neatly in the back without needing to use the back seat.

Once off the freeway, it was time to slip the sunroof back, soak up the rays and enjoy throwing the little car around the switchbacks of the Great Ocean Road. While the car lacked power to overtake logging trucks smartly, and resented the throttle on steeper hills, it felt responsive and direct through corners.

Fuel economy was nothing flash -- we expected to make the 450km round-trip with change, but had to throw in another $25 to make it home. Economy will improve if you don’t push it hard up hills. It sprints off the mark around town but felt a tad sluggish in the tall gears.

The interior and dashboard layout are tasteful and well thought-out with large, easy-to-read speedometer, fuel and tacho gauges (black-on-white), functional stereo controls and exceptional forward vision. Annoyingly, you had to stretch for the electric window controls, the wheel had no telescopic function and the seats were three-way manually-adjusted and not electric. For the money Toyota is asking, I’d want five-way electronically-adjustable seats and a bigger centre-console, but overall, good marks for a user-friendly interior that makes sense.

We negotiated about 40km of corrugated, washed-out dirt roads to strike camp. At higher speeds the Rav4's firm suspension felt a little choppy over corrugations, but not uncomfortably so. The traction-loss alarm closed the gate after the horse had bolted when we got sideways around a hairpin, but having four paws gripping loose gravel inspired a welcome feeling of confidence.

Braking hard downhill sometimes caused the car to float unnervingly over the marble-like stones, but selecting low gear kept things under control. Overall, winding dirt tracks were a snack for the RAV4 if driven sensibly. While we wouldn't recommend taking on the Simpson Desert, weekend adventures into the mountains are well within its capabilities. Plenty of space in the cabin, a firm but comfortable ride and responsive handling make long dirt tracks a treat instead of a trial.

Read more on our Compact 4WD Comparison here.