Still fun after all these years

I had the good timing to borrow Toyota’s funky RAV4 during a rainy weekend. With around 400 kilometers worth of wet driving to do on highways and mountain switchbacks, I could go beyond the good looks of the RAV and really see if it’s as comely to drive as it is to look at.

See, even though it’s a familiar shape already (was it 2000 when the 2nd generation was first introduced?), it’s a youthful design that’s aging well despite newer competitors like the Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail. Whereas the first generation RAV4, perhaps still unsure of its role in yuppie-dom, looked like a Chuck Taylor shoe, the 2nd generation looks like a modern Nike, which is to say space-age, adventurous, a little left-of-center, and therefore, fun.

But like Nikes, Sport Utility Vehicles are prolific in modern society. You’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all, and soon the joy of driving a cool-looking SUV might fade when the next big thing bows to the public. So it’s a good thing that the RAV4 delivers what its looks promise, and that is a fun driving experience. Toyota’s history is replete with sporty cars like the MR2 and the Celica. Not supercars, but sporty cars. Fun cars. Cars that are enjoyable to drive but reliable as well.

Behind the RAV’s steering wheel, you get the impression you’re in a tall sporty (not sports, mind you) car. The instrument panel uses exaggerated pods, black-on-white gauges that turn fighter-plane orange at night, and the tachometer is centrally placed so you feel like you’re in a Fast n’ Furious movie every time you gun it to the redline. The metal-finish accents on the dash will soon look dated though, so hope you don’t mind seeing your fair share of shiny plastic in your years of ownership.

The bucket seats are cushy and reasonably bolstered, the pedals and shifter within easy reach for the Asian driver. Driving the automatic-equipped 4x4 (P1.238M) is a no-brainer. Put it in Drive, stomp on the gas, and the 148-horsepower motor zips you along quite nicely with the 4-speed transmission smartly finding the right gears most of the time. The 4x2 SV (P1.018M) with the 5-speed manual is more involving. With a short clutch travel and precise shift gate, it’s rather like driving a tall, 145-horsepower Corolla with a backpack over the trunk. Steering response in both variants is quick and accurate, and there’s modest body roll to temper your daredevil driving on tight mountain roads.

The all-wheel drive model is a neat all-weather sportster. The all-wheel drive system is a big confidence-booster on slippery and muddy roads, and the 4-wheel ABS-assisted disk brakes deliver sure stopping power to the 16-inch wheels. The 4x2 SV has no ABS and makes do with a disk-drum setup.

Despite the soft tuning of the independent suspension, the RAV4 still exhibits a fair amount of road rumble and harshness. The fairly short 2,490-millimeter wheelbase lends itself well to light-footed zipping in and out of traffic, but the price is some choppiness at speed. Still, the RAV4 will happily cruise at 140kph with acceptable levels of wind and road noise.

But I mentioned "backpack". As its compact exterior dimensions suggest, the RAV4 is not the most spacious of SUVs. It’s got enough space to carry a couple’s gear for a weekend getaway, but for 5 or even 4, specify that they’d better travel light because otherwise, you just might need one of those roof-mounted carriers. The rear seats are split 60/40 and can be reclined, folded, or detached to boost cargo capacity.

So as a family hauler, the RAV4 seems better suited to small ones. You know, 1 or 2 kids where Junior will happily egg Daddy to go dust the guy in the boxier SUV behind him. And it’s a safe drive, too. Dual airbags, front and rear foglamps, and front seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters are standard.

The RAV4 is at its best with an enthusiastic driver behind the wheel, one willing to put it through its paces with a minimum of cargo to bog things down on the switchbacks. Good looks and good driving dynamics do go a long way towards an enduring package.