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First drive review: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2016

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Author: | Updated: 15 Jan 2016 17:12

There was a time when having an SUV meant a buyer had a four-wheel-drive lump of inefficient metal, to the extent that protests were held about them and those daring to take them in to the city often had to endure a volley of abuse from pedestrians and even other drivers.

When it comes to the RAV4, things have changed significantly. Aiming squarely for the darling of the sector, the Nissan Qashqai, the only way to have all four wheels powered is by opting for the hybrid model (or the expensive, inefficient and slow petrol option) as the smooth diesel-powered model is front-wheel-drive only. Off-road shenanigans in that are therefore limited to bouncing up kerbs in the Waitrose car park (other supermarkets are available).

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2016 White Front Static

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Comprehensive facelift

The change in focus to hybrid coincides with a mid-life facelift that’s pretty comprehensive. The front end gets the latest Toyota house style, and that works remarkably well. Some detail changes along the side bring the front and back together nicely, while the rear sees barely anything beyond some LED lighting.

Inside there are more changes, making the RAV4 feel a little more luxurious. In between the two analogue instruments there’s a 4.2in screen for driving information, while a 7in touchscreen dominates the centre console. On this higher-spec model it’s all covered in nice soft-touch materials, but it’s not the most exciting interior you’ll ever see.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2016 Interior

That screen houses the infotainment system as well as satellite navigation, although that sometimes throws up a few rather obscure routing ideas. Our test car also had the optional front-mounted camera that allows you to peer around corners, something that would be very useful if the image from it didn’t appear on screen at every junction, just as you want to glance at the sat-nav to see where you should be going.

On the road

When you are going, it’s comfortable and quiet – at least once the 2.5-litre engine has stopped spinning. The CVT gearbox means noise rises to an irritating drone when accelerating, but the benefit comes once up to speed as the revs drop and near-silence arrives. There’s little wind noise too, which only serves to highlight the tyre noise. This probably isn’t too bad, but as there’s no other noise to drown it out, it seems louder than it should be.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2016 White Front Dynamic

The comfort, gearbox and SUV style discourages enthusiastic driving but, with a 2.5-litre petrol engine and two electric motors available, it might be considered a sporty proposition. It’s not, with handling that’s best described as safe rather than involving. The combined 195bhp available powers it to 62mph in a respectable 8.4 seconds, but that’s where the fun ends. That’s not a criticism though, as the RAV4 makes no bones about the fact that it’s built for comfort.

Economy too, in theory. With that hybrid system in place, the Toyota officially manages 55.4mpg while putting out 118g/km of CO2. It’s certainly no Prius, but stands up fairly well to its SUV rivals, apart from minor details such as a lower CO2 option from a conventionally powered Mazda CX-5 or better mpg results from a BMW X1. Even the RAV4 diesel promises better economy, if higher CO2 emissions.

Then we get to the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. This most obvious rival, being a plug-in hybrid, can cover around 25 miles without using a drop of fuel while attracting zero car tax and a company car BIK tax rate of 5% compared to the Toyota’s 18%. It’s slower, thirstier once the battery has run out and has less load space, but the financials stand out.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2016 White Powertrain

Even the four-wheel-drive capabilities of the RAV4 are brought in to doubt thanks to the hybrid system. As you can’t turn off the traction control system (the car needs that to keep the hybrid system working) you find yourself slowly coming to a halt if there’s any slip from the wheels at all, as we inconveniently found out on a beach.

Apart from being somewhat embarrassing, it highlighted the fact that having twin motors and all four wheels powered offers little advantage as a slightly muddy incline, damp field or, in this case, sandy beach, causes the computers to cut the power.

The verdict

What’s left then is a mostly comfortable car that is reasonably efficient and economical. It’s easy to drive thanks to that intentionally uninvolving CVT gearbox and light steering, while you’re encouraged to sit back and relax in large seats and pleasant enough surroundings.

The problem is many of its competitors offer the same levels of refinement while also being more fun to drive, or more stylish, or more spacious. In a market where there is such talent in the competition, the RAV4 doesn’t stand out as being special in any one area.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2016 White Rear Dynamic

Toyota RAV4 at a glance

Model tested: Toyota RAV4 Icon 2.5 Hybrid
Price: £29,795
Top speed: 112 mph
0-62 mph: 8.4 seconds
Official fuel economy: 55.4 mpg
CO2 Emissions: 118 g/km
Car tax band: C / £30 per year
Insurance group: 34A
Engine: 2.5-litre petrol and 2x AC Electric Motors
Power: 198 PS (195 bhp)
Weight: 1,775 kg
On sale: Now

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