RAV4 revs up its road manners

As such, Toyota believes it will attract a wider audience including user-chooser fleet buyers replacing more traditional sedans and wagons.

And early impressions suggest this RAV4 offers greater appeal to a young family — more space and comfort, less edgy styling. For the all-new, all-wheel-drive RAV4 has moved closer to Toyota's Kluger in size and style.

It is a little heavier this time around and engine power is only up 5kW but the 2006 RAV4's road grip, balance and general road manners allow the wagon (five-door only this time) to be pushed along with smiles and surety.

Underneath there's Toyota's Active All-Wheel-Drive system.

After years of pushing the benefits of constant all-wheel-drive, Toyota switches here to a "pro-active" drive system which runs in front-wheel-drive when all is well. If wheels begin to lose traction, a series of sensors and monitors and mechanical bits start sharing the drive around to keep it all on the move.

This works quickly and quite unobtrusively, whether hurtling down a tarred mountain road or climbing a rock-strewn track.

There are no indications of the drive being worked from one end or side to the other, rather the RAV4 can be belted along with some confidence, plenty of grip and balance. Some earlier "on-demand" all-wheel-drive systems (on rival machines) were often too slow to react, leading to machines stuck on hillsides, and in the sand, the Toyota system would appear to offer far more security.

On RAV4 Cruiser and Cruiser L models there is the added benefit of a yaw rate sensor chipping in to determine how best to handle a vehicle drifting off line. Automatic models gain a downhill assist for automatic retardation on descents. And there is a differential lock for equal drive distribution under 40km/h.

While a nice, easy and soft machine for around town work, the new RAV4 is best appreciated on a country run, moving on over indifferent surfaces.

Here the Toyota offers a decent compromise between all-out SUV and mid-sized passenger car. It is quick and comfortable, has positive steering and excellent road manners; the only let down is a shortness to the wagon's suspension travel which leads to some crash-thump through potholes. (There is also, around the town, a little too much suspension noise over odd lumps and bumps.)

Yet the RAV4 feels that bit more solid, bit more substantial, than its predecessors. There is, of course, an extra 140kg in this longer, wider and bigger third-generation RAV4.

The resulting package makes for a fine family tourer, a medium-sized wagon ready to run around the country. How it handles a full family load is unknown, it certainly runs smartly with two passengers and a light load. North American versions score a V6 to help the power-weight equation

It does need some care and patience to have the RAV4, with 195cm of ground clearance, tackling real tough spots off road. There is no low ratio and the 2.4-litre engine is a touch peaky for slow and steady work.

But with the right approach the Toyota RAV4 will get a lot further than may be expected.

This is a fine SUV, loaded with all the usual gear. By the time you get to the Cruiser L at the top of the line there's leather seats and a moon roof to go with the six-stacker CD player, airconditioning, electric windows and mirrors.

The steering wheel still sits a bit low for taller drivers, the centre console treatment is a bit try-hard but there is plenty of cabin space and general safety.

RAV4 prices have crept up a little, in line with the bigger body, new technology. But the all-wheel-drive wagon remains good value as an all-rounder for the young family.