Toyota RAV4 2019 review: Cruiser 2WD

This fifth-generation RAV4 sports a chunkier, more masculine look with a slightly curved rear to add a touch of softness.

A chrome grille and door handles set the Cruiser apart from the rest of the range and it stands proudly on sporty 19-inch alloys.

Roof rails not only enhance the edgier look but are also practical should you wish to add a roof rack system. (image: Vani Naidoo)

Roof rails not only enhance the edgier look but are also practical should you wish to add a roof rack system or strap on the canoes as we did this week.

The drive to keep the RAV4 current and appealing resonates on the inside, too, where Toyota depends on a mix of materials, a sensible layout and some funky design elements to keep in step with the competition.

Leather-trimmed seats are well shaped and comfortable with a 10-way electric adjustment on the driver's seat making it easy to find the ideal position.

It stands proudly on sporty 19-inch alloys. (image: Vani Naidoo)

The front passenger seat sits a little high, though, which for taller occupants, like my husband, can result in restricted headroom.

The cabin feels expensive and well put together with good fit and finish and thought given to storage and ease of use.

Rubber encased climate control dials seem a little incongruous on an otherwise sleek dash but work well on the move, while the sporty leather-trimmed steering wheel not only fits nicely in the hands but is thankfully not overcrowded with fingertip controls.

A chrome grille and door handles set the Cruiser apart from the rest of the range. (image: Vani Naidoo)

The appeal of SUVs lie of course in their spaciousness, improved visibility and ease of entry and exit for passengers. As an early adopter, Toyota is well aware of how to push home the advantage and has certainly used that in this new RAV4.

The Cruiser was impressively equipped with keyless entry, heated front seats, wireless phone charger, dual-zone climate control, auto LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, heated and folding electric mirrors and powered tailgate, all of which make family driving that little less stressful.

A small shelf above the glove box and a deepish centre console bin are also useful. (image: Vani Naidoo)

Storage is good, too, with cupholders in the front and rear, door pockets that will hold your water bottles and a seat pockets to hold books and electronics.

A small shelf above the glove box and a deepish centre console bin are also useful. There are rear air-vents for those in the back seat and two USB ports to bring the total to five overall.

Storage is good, too, with cupholders in the front and rear. (image: Vani Naidoo)

Buoyed by the fun we recently had driving the Toyota Corolla hatch and Toyota HiLux, we expected decent things of the RAV4 and were far from disappointed.

This SUV offers an improved performance with comfort over ruts and bumps and a more agile ride overall even in our 2WD form.

It is an uncomplicated drive benefiting noticeably from local tuning, approaching road irregularities without fuss and then settling without wallowing or dipping.

The RAV4 Cruiser is as happy in the city as it is on the open road with excellent maneuverability, predictable steering and accurate breaking.

The front passenger seat sits a little high, though, which for taller occupants, like my husband, can result in restricted headroom. (image: Vani Naidoo)

The 2.0-litre petrol engine is a capable little unit but did at times, especially under load, need some encouragement.

It copes well with changes in direction, will accelerate quickly and smoothly and remains confident in a range of driving conditions.

While the RAV4 hybrid models make more sense for those wanting to save at the bowser, the petrol Cruiser was fairly economical on the road.

Our week behind the wheel saw fuel consumption figures of 7.9L/100km, a touch off the claimed 6.5L/100km, but pretty good for an SUV of this size.

The RAV4 combines active and passive safety systems quite seamlessly in a comprehensive package that includes seven airbags, AEB (with day and night pedestrian detection), blind-spot monitoring which helps negate the thicker C-pillars, lane-keep assist and rear cross-traffic assist.

There is also a reversing camera with guidelines, front and rear parking sensors and a surround-view camera.

It does miss out on rear AEB, which can be found in the Mazda CX-5 and features like park-assist and head-up display but it does have speed sign recognition which we found very accurate in practice.

The RAV4 hasn't received its ANCAP rating yet, but Toyota expects the maximum five stars.

The new RAV4 range is dearer than the outgoing models with the 2WD CVT Cruiser starting at $39,140, before on-road costs.

It is packed with features, though, and does come with Toyota's new five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Capped-price servicing will see you pay $210 for the first five services with intervals at 12 months/15,000km.