Toyota RAV4

Our verdict

The Toyota RAV4 is a family-friendly soft-roader which comes as a 4x4 in all guises, unlike some of the opposition. But it’s getting expensive these days and doesn’t have much to mark it out as special.

Comfort

The ride is pretty good, and the high driving position makes it easy to feel at ease. Passengers are reasonably well catered for too, thanks to decent head and leg room out the back. The petrol engine is a bit noisy simply because you have to rev it hard to get much of a result.

Performance

Yes, as with so many 4x4s the diesels are the best option. The 2.0 petrol struggles and needs revs, and the automatic transmission option really slows it down. In contrast both diesels can bat the RAV4 along nicely on their turbo boost, especially the T180, which makes 0-60mph in about nine seconds.

Cool

No, it's way too mainstream for that.

Quality

A fine effort in cabin quality from Toyota, in a class where plastics tend to be a bit low-rent. There are few worries about reliability, as most of the major components have served in other Toyotas.

Handling

As it's very road-biased, the RAV4 is OK with schlepping around town or suburban roundabouts. But it can't disguise its height if you push more, leaning a bit. Still, the active 4WD system keeps things in check on a slippery road.

Practicality

The RAV4 is well thought out for family use. It includes sliding rear seats to bring kids within the front passenger area and expand the boot space, and the seats fold quickly to a flat load bed.

Running costs

Depreciation isn't much of a worry on the diesels, and insurance is a reasonable group 12. The RAV4's economy is class-competitive.