ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS ON THIRTY YEARS OF THE TOYOTA RAV4

Three decades on and Toyota is celebrating the success of their compact SUV, the RAV4 and over the years it has become something of a global SUV icon.

March 1994 witnessed its debut at the Geneva Motor Show; it was a new type of vehicle: a compact, all-wheel drive SUV based on a monocoque body. I can be numbered amongst the many who bought a RAV4. I had one on a long term test and at the end of the sixth month period the opportunity came to purchase and over the years it was in my possession, it ran without a fault. The RAV4 was an original, being agile, versatile and designed to meet the demands of modern life and as I recall the term SUV was unfamiliar at the time, but this newcomer from Toyota set the trend from the outset, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from media and customers. Drivers who had been in saloons and hatchbacks saw the benefits of owning such a vehicle and the RAV4 became popular for a variety of lifestyles.

Looking back, the designers were faithful to the original vision presented by Toyota’s first RAV-FOUR concept car, which was revealed at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. The priorities were generous space within a compact, sporty and distinctive body design and a raised seating position, bringing more of the road into view and generating a more confident, secure driving experience. Good off-road capabilities should combine with performance and road comfort, while meeting the highest safety standards and environmental performance. Based on those principles, RAV4 has consistently reinvented itself and raised the bar in the recreational SUV segment through five generations to date. Innovation has been at the heart of its development, witnessed by the early adoption of efficient new drivetrain technologies and as early as 1997, RAV4 expressed Toyota’s commitment to exploring new technologies to reduce environmental impact when a battery electric version was launched in selected markets.

Later came the introduction of Toyota’s class-leading hybrid technology into the SUV segment with the third generation in 2016, complementing the established line-up of petrol and diesel engines and a plug-in hybrid entered the range in 2020, building the Japanese carmakers multi-path technology strategy towards achieving carbon neutrality. This commits to offering a range of powertrains appropriate for different customer needs, market conditions and local infrastructure. These electrified options also enhanced the RAV4 driving experience, adding the quiet, smooth performance of hybrid together with higher performance from more powerful motors and through the innovative use of new platforms and updated suspension technology, Toyota has produced a more confident, stable, and rewarding ride with each generation. Progress during the last 30 years has gone beyond performance and efficiency to increase practicality as well. This includes generous luggage capacity when the rear seats are in use or folded down for extra space, cabin comfort and the provision of increasingly sophisticated onboard multimedia systems. I must admit I was able to pack all my camera gear as I covered motor sport events the length and breadth of the country and when the need arose to carry awkward loads the RAV4 was very much up to the task in hand.

In common with other Toyota models, RAV4 has continually benefited from the advanced safety and driver assistance systems provided as standard in successive generations of Toyota Safety Sense, helping you to avoid an ever-wider range of common road accident risks. Bringing the story up to date; the latest chapter in the story is the new RAV4 GR Sport, an addition to the range that comes with styling and equipment features that express sportiness and sophistication inspired by Toyota Gazoo Racing and its mission to create ever-better cars through motorsport. Sportier looks, 19 inch alloy wheels and exclusive design details are complemented by retuned suspension, including new stiffer springs and shock absorber settings.

Ian Lynas