Toyota Rav 4 Estate Special Editions 2004-2005

The 2nd generation Toyota RAV4 has received an updated look and an improved interior design. It proved to be a success as the 1st generation car was starting to look old and dated, despite its funky styling. Thankfully, the new generation keeps some of that old flair and combines it with a more modern, aggressive and sharper design. The interior is also more spacious and more up to date although the three-door version lacks the practicality of the bigger five-door RAV4.

Pros and Cons:

• Stylish car with funky looks
  Good on-road driving abilities

• Steering lacks feel
  High road tax for a small car

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Exterior and Interior

The Toyota RAV4 has received an updated look since its re-launch in 2000. The flair of the earlier model has been retained, but it now features a more modern, aggressive and sharp design. The interior is more spacious as well. All of the seats are extremely comfortable, offering good levels of support. The back seats are hard to get to into on the three-door version, and will only fit two adults at the back. The boot is larger in the five door but the back seats can be folded down in both models to increase the load space. The rear row of seats can also be slid forwards and backwards enabling you to find a good balance between legroom or boot space depending on which you need. The dashboard is sensibly constructed, and the controls feel solid in usage and fall easily to hand.

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Engines

There are three engines available in the Toyota RAV4 - two petrol units and a diesel. The petrol engines include a 1.8-litre 123bhp and a 2.0-litre with 147bhp whilst the only diesel engine is a 2.0-litre D4-D unit producing 112bhp.

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Performance and Economy

The 1.8-litre petrol engine is eager enough and manages a reasonable 38.2mpg, unfortunately, it only comes as a front-wheel drive vehicle. It can also make it feel a little underpowered at times. The 2.0-litre unit is better as it comes with a four-wheel drive making the RAV4 a better all-rounder. It is also quicker going from 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds, but it only returns 32mpg. The 2.0-litre D4-D diesel engine feels very smooth and is quicker than the smaller 1.8-litre petrol too managing 0-60mph in 11.7 seconds. It also returns an acceptable 39.8mpg. The diesel option provides great torque at low revs, but does start to get noisy when travelling at speed. When it comes to insurance, the RAV4 makes the range between groups 9 and 11.

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What it's like to Drive

The RAV4 may look like an off-roader but you will find it sorely lacking capability in this area, barely being able to tackle a muddy field. Regard it more as a large-size hatchback and you’ll be closer to feeling content with the RAV4. It corners extremely well with little to no body roll and sharp steering that makes it feel more like a hatchback than a tall 4x4. The gear changes are nice and smooth, but the gearbox feels very notchy.

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Faults and Repairs

The Toyota RAV4, just like most Toyotas, is extremely reliable. Only a few problems are known to have cropped up over the years. The most common faults are related to the electrical system and transmission along with the clutch on diesel models that are used for towing. When it comes to servicing and repairs, the RAV4 can prove expensive. Toyota’s hourly labour rates can come in at an average of £90. Because of this you may want to find a specialist garage who will charge about 40% less on average.

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