► Tough design, tough-to-beat electric range
► Handles tidily but don’t expect GR thrills
► Roomy, but cabin quality disappoints
The Toyota RAV4 is one of those cars you don’t notice until you realise it’s everywhere. It’s not just Toyota’s global best-seller, it was the world’s best selling car last year. This new sixth-generation version arrives exclusively as a plug-in hybrid in the UK, with more range, tech and attitude. It also gets a GR Sport version that’s more than a set of badges, plus a front-wheel drive PHEV option for the first time.
It sounds like a strong package, but the SUV market is far more competitive than when the first RAV4 burst onto the scene in 1994. Rivals are better than ever and if the RAV4 wants to stay on top, it needs more than just reliability and a claim to have invented the whole soft-roader genre.
Read on to see if the RAV4 should be your next family SUV and whether it can justify the Gazoo Racing label. Curious about how we test? Have a look at our explainer page.
Should you buy a Toyota RAV4? If you want a calm, efficient, easygoing family SUV that majorly cuts your fuel bills, the new RAV4 makes a compelling case. The plug-in system is genuinely useful, not just a tax dodge, and it’s comfortable, practical and well equipped. Fast, too.
But it isn’t flawless. The interior doesn’t feel as plush as some rivals and the powertrain can feel strained when pushed. If you’re expecting excitement and Lexus-like interior sophistication, look elsewhere. If you want a dependable all-rounder, this is worth serious consideration.
At a glance
Pros: Up to 85 miles of electric range, easy and comfortable driving experience, strong practicality and usability
Cons: Interior feels cheap in places, CVT makes engine noisy under load, GR Sport badge promises more than it delivers
What’s new?
This is an all-new generation of RAV4 rather than a facelift, with fresh styling, a stiffer structure and an even bigger focus on electrification. The UK range is now plug-in hybrid only, with up to 85 miles of electric range and faster charging than before.
There’s also a new software platform powering the infotainment and safety systems, plus a redesigned cabin and updated suspension setup, with the GR getting its own chassis tune.
Visually, the latest RAV4 is squarer and more assertive, clearly borrowing cues from Toyota’s latest models such as the Prius, C-HR+ and Land Cruiser. If you think most family SUVs look too meek, this could be the one for you.
What are the specs?
The headline powertrain is a 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid producing up to 305bhp in all-wheel drive form. That’s enough for 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds, or 7.5 seconds in the new 272bhp front-wheel drive version, which makes do with one electric motor instead of two.
Electric range is up to 85 miles for the front-driver and a still excellent 83 miles for the AWD model, which puts both versions at the top of the class. The battery is 22.7kWh and high-spec models like our GR Sport test car support 50 kW DC charging, meaning a 10 to 80 percent top-up can take around 30 minutes.
At 4.6 metres long, the RAV4 sits squarely in the family SUV sweet spot: big enough for a family of four and all their luggage, but not so big as to be unwieldy. There’s 672 litres of boot space, plus room for the charging cable and a few nick nacks below the boor floor. That’s more than you get in a Hyundai Tucson and far more than VW’s compromised Tiguan eHybrid offers.
How does it drive?
From behind the wheel, the RAV4 does exactly what most non-gearhead SUV buyers want. It’s smooth, quiet and easy to place on the road. The raised driving position gives a clear view out and the controls are intuitive. Rides well, too, even on the GR Sport’s supposedly stiffer suspension setup.
Come to the RAV4 range topper expecting some kind of supersized GR Yaris and you’ll be disappointed. It’s not that focused and was never meant to be. But you can detect a subtle hint of Gazoo Racing DNA in the way the steering responds to your calls for a vector shift. Shame there’s not a bit more feel making its way to your fingertips from tyres that are 20mm wider and wheels 2.2 kg lighter per corner than the stock RAV4’s. Is it fun? Not the laugh out kind, it’s more quietly competent.
In everyday driving, especially when the battery is charged, the all-wheel drive RAV feels fairly refined. It’ll cruise on electric power at motorway speeds and glide through town with very little fuss. But when the battery charge is spent even low-rev driving feels far less refined, and push harder to explore those GR chassis tweaks and and the CVT gearbox sending engine revs and noise soaring. It’s not nice to listen to or particularly satisfying to wring out.
What about the interior?
Inside, the RAV4 gets a major tech upgrade in the form of a big 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a new 12.9-inch inch centre display. The RAV is the first of the brand’s cars to get the Toyota Smart Connect+ system, which is crisp, bright and responsive, being 40 percent faster than the previous setup.
Where the last RAV did score big was on space, and the new one sticks to tradition. There’s plenty of room front and rear, and the 672-litre boot is large and practical with a useful shape and easy access. It’s a shame the battery under the rear floor forces rear-seat passengers legs too high, though – a familiar complaint in the EV world – and I’d have liked a sliding rear bench for even more flexibility.
More disappointing is the cabin quality. While the upper surfaces looks and feel good enough, lower areas like door trims and handles feel noticeably cheap. It’s a surprising weak point in an otherwise well-rounded cabin. On the plus side, physical controls for key functions remain, which makes it easier to use on the move.
Before you buy
RAV4 prices start at £43,845 for the entry-level, front-wheel drive Icon, which gets 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats and steering wheel, power back door and a Blind Spot Monitor. You also get free metallic paint, which is not to be sniffed at.
Design adds two-tone exterior paint, 20-inch wheels, heated and ventilated seats and a wireless phone charger and is expected to be the biggest seller. It’ll set you back from £45,745, while posh Excel starts at £50,045 and brings a second phone charger, JBL hifi, more safety kit, plus access to the all-wheel drive powertrain for an additional £2345.
The £52,045 GR Sport comes only in all-wheel drive form and, besides the GR suspension work, treats you to a special GR grille, steering wheel and seats.
Rivals include the Hyundai Tucson PHEV, Kia Sportage PHEV and Skoda Kodiaq iV, and within Toyota’s own range, the new bZ4X Touring might tempt buyers wanting a full EV alternative.
Verdict
I like the new RAV4, or at least most of it. Roomy, practical, comfortable and easy to drive, it ticks the key SUV boxes, and the assertive new design has plenty of presence. Let’s also give some real credit to that excellent electric range and the all-wheel drive versions’s brisk performance.
But performance alone doesn’t make a great performance SUV. The GR Sport has a nicely rounded ride:handling balance for everyday driving, but it’s not a riot to drive fast, especially with the coarse blare of the CVT-backed petrol engine soundtracking the experience.
Photos by Jordan Butters
*Specs are for Toyota RAV4 PHEV GR Sport*
