Welcome to the series where we shout out brands that have realized their problems, and attended to them, and subsequently improved one of their cars significantly. Last time, I looked at the Nissan Rogue, an anonymous, uninteresting crossover that morphed into a fantastic vehicle with spirit, style, and practicality. This week, we are switching over to yet another Japanese crossover, the Toyota Rav-4.
Previous Gen:
Until recently, Toyota was in a tough spot with the car community. They felt, quite rightly, that the company was ignoring the enthusiasts, and just building "point A-B" vehicles that were in no way interesting to drive. The previous generation of the Rav-4 is a great example of this. It is poorly designed, from the aesthetic standpoint to the engineering aspect. It was extremely forgettable, and was not a vehicle you would want to be in for long periods of time. It was, to be frank, awful.
Current Gen:
Like most of the vehicles that will be featured on this series, the Rav-4 made so much progress over a single refresh that it is really hard to believe that it was, in fact, one generation. The exterior design is probably one of the biggest improvements, as it has gone from disjointed and ungainly to sharp and artistic. The engine has also jumped up several notches, as the 203 hp Inline-4 is thoroughly impressive. Handling is also very good, and the tech is world-class. Kudos to Toyota for figuring it out. The new Rav-4, particularly the hybrid variant, is an excellent crossover.
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