Range Rover Velar vs Toyota RAV4

What's the difference?

The Range Rover Velar P400e looks damn sexy and is large enough to house your family comfortably while still being easy to manoeuvre around town.

But I’m not a fan of these luxury brands forcing you to pay extra for what should be standard features when you’re at this grade level and price point. This is a model I’d pay close attention to in terms of the optional trims required to maintain a high-end feel.

But the powertrain works quite well here and it has pleasant on-road manners.

The RAV4 is undeniably better than the last generation, and brings with it a level of driving refinement the most popular car in the world should have.

It also levels up its tech without falling into the overcomplicated, messy systems newcomers to the market think will impress buyers. While the base GX is a sound option, the few extra mod cons in the GXL are worth the extra cash.

But its lack of ANCAP rating is surely a point of anxiety for Toyota, and while the safety systems seem sound, we can’t definitively say this RAV4 is as safe as Toyota claims it is.

If you’re willing to trust Toyota on that, you’ll find a very enjoyable car that’s uncomplicated and efficient. But if those five stars from ANCAP matter to you, give it a few months and see how the new RAV4 performs before you put your money down.

Land Rover hasn’t updated the exterior looks of the Velar and for good reason. It is almost flawless in how sleek and sexy it looks. It hovers between its larger Ranger Rover siblings and the more nimble-looking Discovery Sport.

There is still a distinctly ‘Range Rover’ vibe but it looks more agile and fun than its bigger siblings. But while its external looks are beautiful, the cabin loses me.

It’s even more pared back now than the pre-facelifted model and while the minimalistic style will appeal to some it doesn’t tick the luxury factor box for me.

There are too many plain and empty spaces in the dashboard and doors. The multimedia system has been updated to the cool 11.4-inch floating-effect screen but all the buttons and dials are gone. So, there’s even less going on and it makes you 100 per cent reliant on the screen.

And funnily enough, the grey knit fabric and synthetic material that’s used in the upholstery and trims is an optional extra and replaces Windsor leather. The knit-fabric adds some warmth but the black synthetic stuff is awful to touch or clean and reminds me too much of neoprene-style wetsuit material.

The large panoramic sunroof keeps the cabin feeling bright and cheery when it's open, though.

Each RAV4 in the range is more visually distinct than before, but most variants feature a similar honeycomb grille that’s a departure from the ‘safe’ design language Toyota is known for.

The outlier is the Edge variant, which gets a more traditional front-end treatment as well as its 20mm wider wheel tracks to go along with the intended purpose of light off-roading.

Despite the fact Toyota has clearly tried not to change the new RAV4 too much in too many ways compared to the last generation (and why would you when it was already so popular), the new design feels a little more adventurous.

It includes elements of Toyota’s latest design language including the ‘c-shaped’ headlights and more streamlined tail-lights but retains the overall size and shape of the RAV4.

The RAV4 is 4600mm long, 1855mm wide and 1680mm tall, a very similar size to before and as such its interior feels similarly spacious.

Inside, the layout is tidy with a little more visual distinction for controls than the last-gen RAV4.

Updated, sleeker buttons and controls replace the ageing fixtures and large screens make the mid-size SUV feel much more up to modern standards.

Practicality on a whole is pretty good in the Velar and that comes down mostly to the space provided for each occupant and the high-end tech.

Up front, there is a lot of head- and legroom for my 168cm height and even when you have a co-pilot you’re not jockeying for elbow room.

The seats are very comfortable as they’re well-cushioned and feature excellent lumbar support. I miss a seat heat function on colder days but you can easily do a long trip in the Velar and not feel too fatigued.

The 214mm ground clearance has made it an easy SUV to get in and out of, for me and my seven-year old. Annoyingly, though, some of the doors don't close properly unless you slam them.

The individual storage is a bit less than you might expect as there's not a lot of centre console storage for little items but you still get a small glove box and middle console, two cupholders, two drink bottle holders and a phone cubby up front.

The back seat offers enough space for me to be comfortable but I did have a comment from my dad, who is 183cm, that it was a smidge squishy for him.

The seats are comfortable and amenities are good with two USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket, directional air vents, map pockets and a fold-down armrest with two cupholders. There are storage bins but they're very shallow.

Because of the sleek rear shaping, the boot space is smaller than most of its rivals at 625L when all seats are in use. It’s large enough for my gear and you should still be able to stack luggage easily for a road trip.

The technology on offer is pretty darn good. The multimedia system takes a while to get used to but once you do, it's an easy enough system to get around but not having any buttons/dials means you tend to look at it more than I like while on the go.

Unlike the Disco Sport I was just in, which features the same system, there have been no issues with connectivity with my iPhone with the Bluetooth or wireless Apple CarPlay. There’s also Android Auto and the built-in satellite navigation is top-notch.

I've already mentioned the rear charging options but up front you're spoiled for choice with a USB-A port, three USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad.

But despite the sleeker look inside the new RAV4, Toyota hasn’t fallen into the trap of shoving as many digital features into the system as possible.

Many newcomer brands create confusing digital environments by having menus upon menus filled with options and features, but Toyota has avoided this by retaining a simple, almost siloed system.

In the multimedia display, navigation, media, phone and settings are the key shortcuts visible down the side of the screen, though a customisable home screen allows you to make the system your own.

It’s far preferable to the many sub-menus and confusing layouts some manufacturers (especially newcomers) use, and means you’re able to focus on driving.

There are also still plenty of physical controls for the key functions of the car, no need to go into digital settings to sort your drive mode or climate.

The new system, dubbed 'Arene' by Toyota, is a much-needed update for the RAV4, bringing it into the current decade when it comes to tech.

Its voice command system is still a little too keen to interrupt, but the general function is extremely easy to get acquainted with.

The interior is also physically extremely sensible, with good vision and light thanks to a low dashboard and large windows, well-considered ergonomic positioning, comfortable seats and storage options.

The centre console storage bin lid is also able to be opened from either side, or removed and flipped between a hard plastic surface or cushioned elbow rest, though a bit of non-slip surface on the plastic side wouldn't go astray.

Behind the front seats, the second row passengers don’t have a massive amount of amenity, but are far from cramped. The vents, armrest with cupholder, bottle storage in the door and document holder on the backs of the seats are all quite standard, though the outboard seats are heated in the top spec Cruiser.

Behind that, a huge 705L of space in the boot includes a netted pocket if you opt for the Edge grade, plus there's a proper spare wheel under the boot floor. Wins all round.

The RAV4 is more expensive than it was before. Of course it is.

That’s because it comes with more stuff, and it’s got new oily bits and more software to play with, plus everything gets more expensive anyway, right?

There are five trim levels, most with 2WD or AWD options and the base GX starts from $45,990, before on-road costs, in 2WD guise - a few thousand more than before.

Standard kit isn’t mind-blowing compared with a lot of newcomers to the market, but for an established model like the RAV4 it’s expected.

The GX (which can be had in AWD for $49,340) comes with 17-inch dark grey alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch touchscreen display for multimedia, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, fabric upholstery, six-speaker audio and five USB-C ports plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

If you opt for all-wheel drive, you also get downhill assist control and 'Trail' and 'Snow' drive modes.

Importantly, the RAV4 comes with a spare wheel, though on the GX it’s just a space-saver which costs $300 to upgrade to a full-sizer.

The $48,990 GXL adds 18-inch alloy wheels, privacy tinting, an eight-way powered driver’s seat, rain-sensing wipers and a wireless smartphone charger. That one’s $52,340 in AWD guise.

The Edge is $55,340, comes in AWD-only, and has its own front-end design plus 18-inch dark matt grey metallic alloy wheels on a 20mm wider track, plus a larger 12.9-inch touchscreen, premium trim, heated seats, illuminated entry and a power tailgate. It’s the variant Toyota says is more aimed at light off-roading than its siblings.

The XSE is also AWD-only and starts at $58,340, with 20-inch black alloy wheels, better LED headlights, a surround view parking monitor and two-tone paint. It also has synthetic leather and suede sports front seats with contrast stitching and three-stage front seat heating and ventilation, plus a sunroof. Front and rear bumpers feature integrated skid plates on the XSE.

The Cruiser is available as a 2WD from $56,990, or AWD from $60,340, and adds 20-inch machined black alloy wheels, high-grade LED headlights, leather-accented seat trim, a head-up display, digital rearview mirror, heated outboard rear seats, powered tailgate with kick sensor, another wireless smartphone charger and a premium nine-speaker JBL audio system.

The Range Rover Velar P400e's plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver 297kW of power and 640Nm of torque.

The Velar features an eight-speed auto transmission and is an AWD. With that optioned Terrain Response feature, it can do some mild off-road adventuring or tackle a trip to the ski-fields with relative ease.

The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with series-parallel hybrid is less powerful than before, but Toyota says it did this for better efficiency and has made up for it with improvements to the battery and electric motors.

The figures are now 143kW and 221Nm (in 2WD and AWD variants), the power down from 160kW in the last generation. All RAV4s still use a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Basically, lower numbers, but performance on par with the current RAV4 Hybrid according to Toyota.

The official combined fuel-cycle consumption figure is 2.2L/100km and my real-world usage came out at 6.0L/100km after doing mostly open-road trips with some urban stuff thrown in.

I have charged it to full twice with a few (small) charging moments scattered in between as that’s been realistic for life this week. 

Claimed pure electric driving range is 69km but expect closer to 50km in the real-world. 

Based on my real-world consumption and the 69L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of 1150km.

The only draw back with a PHEV is the charging element as you get the best economy if you charge it to full every time you drive, and that's not always realistic!

The P400e has a Type 2 CCS charging port, so you can hook it up to a fast charger. On a 50kW system you can go from 0-80 per cent in 30 minutes and on a 7.0kW system, you can go from 0-100 per cent in two-hours and 12-minutes.

On a standard domestic socket, expect to leave on overnight for a 0-100 per cent fill.

Land Rover recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded petrol for the Velar.

The new RAV4’s efficiency is of much interest, obviously, and with figures claimed at 0.2L less per 100km over the last RAV4, it’s another case of incremental improvements.

The 2WD comes with a claimed 4.5L/100km, the AWD with 4.6L. During testing we saw numbers as low as 6.8L and 6.9L, respectively, and that was giving it the beans in some pretty twisty mountain roads.

Keep in mind the RAV4 needs 95 RON minimum now, rather than the 91 RON it could deal with before.

The P400e has a deep well of power to dip into and fantastic pick up when you need to overtake or get up to speed.

Like other plug-in hybrids I’ve sampled from Land Rover there's a little lag sometimes when you accelerate from a full stop but it’s not as pronounced in this model as others. 

The back brakes seem to hold a couple seconds longer than they should and if you accelerate as you would in any other car, there is a ker-clunk sound and you shift forward in your seat until they release.

This was most noticeable in stop-start city traffic and to be fair might just be a quirk on our test car and not on the model as a whole.

The switch between the electric and petrol components is mostly smooth and the cabin is refined because it’s so quiet. Pretty much no external noise makes its way inside.

I did a trip with my father-in-law this week and he said riding in the back seat was smooth, comfortable and very quiet. In fact, he fell asleep not long after we left! A high compliment, indeed.

The wide windows and higher ride have ensure excellent visibility but you only get a reversing camera. Yes, it’s great quality and clear but a 360-degree view system should come standard on a large SUV like this, especially considering its price tag. That being said, the P400e is still pretty easy to park.

Put it this way - the RAV4 doesn’t feel like it’s lacking power. Despite the lower output, the new generation car doesn’t seem to struggle with having enough pick-up to keep moving along, even in spirited driving.

The first time I properly took off it surprised me with how punchy the response was. And from there on the new RAV continued to impress.

It’s one of a few things that, dare I say, makes the RAV4 rather fun to drive.

Like its predecessor, it’s built on the 'TNGA' platform, which underpins pretty much everything Toyota builds these days.

It’s a well-sorted basis for a car, making even this relatively large family SUV feel nimble.

Some changes to the suspension help here, too. New geometry and spring and damper rates mean the RAV4 is sharper and better controlled than before.

That control comes with the trade-off that it’s not always cloud-soft, but given Australian preferences and the need to keep the rubber on our rough as guts roads, Toyota has the balance right here.

It also hasn’t seemed to matter massively whether the RAV4 is front- or all-wheel drive even in the wet on twisty Tassie roads. The 2WD requires a little more care being flung into corners but the mid-sizer holds its own well enough.

There’s clearly more ability in the RAV4 than it’ll make known, almost as to keep the driver behaving safely just in case, while being confident in knowing the RAV4 is more capable than many will ever find out.

It’s handled high speeds, sharp corners and unsealed roads to a higher degree than anyone would reasonably expect of a family SUV.

It helps that the steering, throttle and braking are all well-calibrated. Planting your foot brings urgency without a jolt, there’s no guesswork in the steering and the brakes won’t have you lurching at a tap but can pull you up rather rapidly if needed.

It’s easy to drive, which is pretty big compliment and surely one of the key goals for the engineering team.

Toyota doesn’t have an ANCAP rating for the RAV4 yet, which is a massive problem for the brand, especially for its fleet buyers.

The systems in place seem pretty sound, and the brand says it’s the safest RAV4 yet.

We have no reason to doubt that, but we can’t just take a manufacturer at their word, that’s why ANCAP exists.

Eight airbags, AEB pre-collision, emergency steering assist, full-speed active cruise control, front and rear cross traffic alert, lane trace, automatic high beam, parking support brake and blind spot monitor are all standard across the range, which is a plus.

It’s also all quite well programmed.

From behind the wheel, you’ll notice persistent but gentle steering wheel nudges when approaching the shoulder, and occasional chimes for driver distraction when using the main screen, but otherwise it’s very well calibrated and cements the experience Toyota has with making its systems easy to use.

The Range Rover Velar comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/ 160,000km warranty, which is a usual term for the class now.

There is a five-year capped-price servicing program which costs a flat $2100, or $420 per service, and is more affordable than a pay-as-you-go option.

Servicing intervals are very reasonable at every 12 months or 20,400km, whichever occurs first.

You also get five years roadside assistance through Assist Australia as a part of your servicing plan.

Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is not just disappointing compared to other mainstream brands, but should be much higher given the brand is the biggest in the country (and world) and trades on its reputation for reliability.

The warranty can be extended to seven years from delivery if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota dealerships, but even then it falls short of Nissan and Mitsubishi’s 10-year (also servicing-conditional) warranties.

Capped-price servicing costs $325 per service and is available for five years or 75,000km, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km.

Toyota boast a long-established national network of around 300 dealers covering all states and territories including major cities and key regional and rural centres.