The Rav4 has been around for as long as I can remember and for many is synonymous with SUV. Last year, the Toyota Rav4 was Sweden’s eighth best-selling car overall (new registrations according to MobilitySweden) and it is not difficult to understand why. Many associate the Japanese manufacturer with high quality, while this is a practical car for families with children.
Rating 4 out of 5
Opinion
The Toyota Rav4 is a well-thought-out and modern SUV at a good price, especially if you are looking for a car with four-wheel drive, high accessibility and generous space. I have a hard time with the cvt box and the feeling of quality in the cabin is not top notch. If you can live with that, however, you have a very sensible car.
Positive
- Stylish and modern
- Nice to drive
- Good driver aids and safety features
Negative
- The cvt box
- The choice of materials in the cabin
When I tested the plug-in hybrid variant just over a year ago, I wasn’t very impressed. The test car had some problems with the heat in the passenger compartment in winter, something that many readers also heard about. This time, however, it is the hybrid model in GR Sport version that I have in for testing, a package that is only sold in Sweden.
You sit really comfortably in the chairs, while the interior feels airy and well thought out. I appreciate the storage options and that controls that work best with physical analog dials have one (volume and temperature setting). Toyota has gone for a more rough-hewn design in the cabin, which I think is good, as well as the fact that you look good in all directions as a driver. Less good, however, are certain details in the choice of materials. It’s plastic here and there and the steering wheel is slippery like soap and doesn’t feel premium at all.
Modern features
Toyota is far ahead when it comes to driver aids. The adaptive cruise control and active lane assist work really smoothly and nicely, without disturbing you as a driver with lots of unnecessary warnings as soon as a lane marking is not perfect in the roadway. There are also good warning systems in the car, and the list of accessories includes a large number of interesting options, such as a head-up display. The test car is connected, however, and via the MyT app you can, for example, preheat the passenger compartment before departure. Wireless Carplay also works very well and here there is a good place in the center console where you put your phone for wireless charging.
The meter cluster is completely digital in the new Rav4 – neat and easy to see. When you switch between the car’s three different driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport – an animation appears on the screen and then the driving characteristics are adjusted. There is also a “Trail” mode here, which above all gives you better grip when the surface is slippery or slippery. This actually made a noticeable difference when I took the car on a long drive along an unplowed snowy forest road. The car also has an EV mode, but this is very limited. It only works at low speed and for a very short time, for example if you want to slide silently down a parking garage.
How is the car to drive when you are not out in the bush? It runs safely and stably on the highway and in town. There is sufficient performance here to fix overtaking quickly and safely. But the stepless cvt makes a terrible noise and I am not at all fond of this type of gearbox. Not only because it (for my taste) makes that sporty feeling impossible in terms of sound, but because I experience too much delay from the time I press the gas pedal until something actually happens. If you don’t mind this, it’s not a big deal though.
Rigid and sporty
The GR Sport version has received stiffer suspension and adapted dampers for sportier and more active driving, and of course the road holding is fine. However, sports car feel and cvt box do not go together in my book. But I really like the exterior design with the tough front and the black, clear wheel arches.
The main reason for choosing a hybrid car today is to reduce consumption and emissions, and thus also the vehicle tax. After a week with this car, mixed winter driving, I average 0.69 liters per mile. Not bad, but at the same time I wonder if it’s worth driving a hybrid powertrain for the small savings compared to a pure gasoline engine. Almost SEK 3,400 per year in tax is not very cheap either. But overall, this is still in many ways a sensible car that suits many people.
Facts Toyota Rav4 GR Sport
Manufacturer: Toyota
Taken: From SEK 485,900
Motor: 2.5 liter petrol engine + electricity, a total of 222 hp
Gearbox: Variomatic (CVT)
Driving: All-wheel drive
Specified fuel consumption: 0.59 litres/mile mixed driving
Ground clearance: 185 mm
Vaddjup: 50 cm
Vehicle tax: SEK 3,394/year increased in years 1-3, then SEK 822/year
Max trailer weight (B+): 1500 kg
CO2 emissions: 132 g/km
