Automotive Guide - Toyota RAV 4
Knoxville, Tennessee

RAV 4 gets too big for its britches

"Too big for his britches" means overreaching, trying to be something one is not, or simply pretending.

Something like that has happened with the re-designed Toyota RAV 4, which was the first of the small, car-based sport utility vehicles. It had its gestation a decade ago as a tiny SUV with two or four doors.

At the time, it was a revolution of sorts. SUVs were mainly based on trucks, with body-on-frame construction, part-time four-wheel drive and, in most cases, decent off-road capabilities. The RAV 4 was spun off the same platform as the Toyota Celica, which gave it a unit body with front- or all-wheel drive, good handling and all-weather capabilities, but without much in the way of off-road prowess.

Others soon followed: the popular Honda CR-V, which became the sales champ in the small SUV category, along with the newer Ford Escape, Honda Element, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Outlander, Pontiac Torrent, and Chevrolet Equinox and HHR.

The all-new 2006 RAV 4 model is the third generation of this sturdy, popular and practical vehicle, which had sales of about 70,000 in 2005 and has been on a pace to more than double that this year.

As so often happens in the vehicle biz, the new RAV 4 has grown substantially. It is built on a new platform that is longer, wider and roomier than its predecessor, and it can be ordered with V6 power, all-wheel drive and seven-passenger seating.

The last is where the RAV 4 seems to be getting big for its britches. Its purpose, after all, is to provide a fuel-efficient, small SUV that can handle foul weather and even do light off-road duty.

When you get it loaded up with the big V6 power, which translates into a zero-to-60 acceleration time of seven seconds, along with all the other extras, it belies the original purpose. In that trim, it comes across almost like a slightly smaller version of the Toyota Highlander.

The third-row seat isn't all that useful anyway. Even with the second-row seat moved forward, there's no foot room, and it's a chore to crawl back there. About the only reason to have it is to carry the occasional couple of small children, and even they won't be too happy.

More in character is the tested RAV 4 without the third-row seat and the standard four-cylinder engine, which has been upgraded to 166 horsepower. This one feels like a RAV 4 should _ even better because of the additional room and power. The four-cylinder model is expected to account for about seven out of 10 of the RAV4's sales.

RAV 4, by the way, doesn't refer to the engine. Toyota says it stands for "recreational active vehicle with four-wheel drive." However, it can be ordered with standard front-wheel drive, which likely is a better choice for all but the most weather-challenged customers.

The test vehicle was the top-of-the-line Limited model with the four-cylinder engine, four-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. It had a starting price of $24,560, which included antilock brakes, electronic power steering, 17-inch alloy wheels, a full-size spare wheel and tire, dual-zone air conditioning with a pollen filter, remote locking, an AM-FM audio system with in-dash six-disc CD changer, dual glove boxes, power windows, and motorized and heated outside mirrors. No satellite radio was available at introduction, although Toyota has signed on for XM radio in most of its cars and trucks.

With options that included side air bags, side-curtain air bags, leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power sunroof, it topped out at $28,099.

For that money, you get a borderline luxurious SUV that seats up to five people comfortably, has adequate performance on city streets and highways, and delivers 23/28 miles to the gallon on the EPA's city/highway cycle. The only place the four-cylinder model lags somewhat is on steep upgrades, when the transmission hunts to find the right gear.

Though the V6 gets the nod from a performance standpoint, the four-cylinder model feels lighter and more nimble in everyday driving. In fact, it doesn't feel at all like an SUV, even a car-based one. It handles more like a tall station wagon.

There's a total of 108 cubic feet of passenger space, which comes close to that of a full-size car. Up front, the seats are supportive and comfortable, and the surroundings have Toyota's customary look of quality materials and workmanship. Some of the digital readouts, as for the temperature and time, are almost impossible to read in any light.

The back seat offers plenty of head and knee room. Even the center position, unlike that on many vehicles, is acceptable. The seat is split 60-40 for cargo carrying.

Out back, there's 36 cubic feet of cargo space, which is four more than in the Pontiac Torrent. On the test car, it was augmented by a cargo net for carrying small items up and away from the load on the cargo floor. Though the net and its supporting bars interfered with big items, it was easily removable.