The third generation Toyota RAV4 was shown in Frankfurt last week offering more capability both on and off road with an improved range of engines as well as more space and comfort inside the newly beefed up body.

Previous RAV4s have been seen as a little soft and girly; the new RAV4 is aimed at rectifying this situation. The external design is aimed at making the new Rav look tougher and more utilitarian in line with the car's competition in the compact SUV sector - a sector the original RAV4 helped to define 11 years ago since when over 600,000 examples of the Toyota have been sold.

The new RAV4 offers a range of three engines; two of these are diesel and the other petrol. The diesel 2.2-litre four-cylinder (D-4D in Toyota speak) is now available in two versions. These produce 136 and 177bhp respectively and maximum torque of 295lb.ft. This new power unit has been greeted with acclaim in other Toyotas, namely the Avensis and the Lexus IS200, and should suit the needs of the Rav perfectly, endowing the SUV with conventional saloon car performance (0-60mph in 9.5 seconds and 126mph all out), as well as the torque needed for the towing jobs many SUVs are also called upon to perform. The new diesels are claimed to offer class-leading levels of refinement, economy, as well as emissions to Euro 4 levels. The petrol unit is the familiar 2-litre four-cylinder VVTi engine rated at 152bhp. This also offers good performance but it is the diesels that are expected to take the majority of sales in Europe.

The grunt from these new engines is transmitted via a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic through an advanced new four-wheel drive system that features the new Integrated Active Drive System. The transmission integrates the ABS, traction control, Vehicle Stability Control and power steering, systems that normally operate individually, via a CAN link and uses the Active Torque Control of the four-wheel drive system to optimise grip, traction and braking under all circumstances to improve the way the car responds to driver inputs and road conditions both on and off road. The off road ability is further enhanced with a Freelander-esque hill descent control and a hill assist system.

The interior has been improved with the layout of the dash having been specifically restructured to give the feel of a premium saloon. All of the ergonomics have been revised and improved as have material quality and equipment levels, the RAV4 also becomes the latest Toyota to feature the company's Easy Flat seating system offering versatile and flexible seating arrangements and a generous load space. Thanks to this range of improvements Toyota claims that the RAV4 offers the best of all worlds with the feel of a conventional saloon, MPV style flexibility and estate load space.

Dave Jenkins - 23 Sep 2005