2014 TOYOTA RAV4 Review

The MacPherson front suspension setup, as well as the double-wishbone scheme at the back have been seriously revised. The result seems a bit... confused. Toyota wanted the RAV4 to handle better and they’ve achieved this - body roll is within reasonable limits, even at greater speeds.

However, we found the suspension travel a bit too short and this can become a bit bothering when the road moves from perfect to somewhat flawed. The problem never gets too serious though.

In America, Toyota likes to keep things simple when it comes to RAV4 engines. The V6 is out, so the 2.5-liter in-line four of the previous model remains the only option. Delivering 176 HP and 172 lb-ft of torque, the engine has only received minor tweaks aimed at increasing efficiency.

Before you start protesting, you should know that the unit isn’t matted to that antique four-speed automatic anymore. A six-speed tranny has arrived, with fifth and sixth being overdrive ratios. This, of course, boosts efficiency.

With front-wheel drive, the MPG ratings sit at 24/31/26 (city/highway/combined), while the AWD system means you’ll have to make due with 22/29/25. The 0 to 60 sprint drops to 8.9s and the overall transmission behavior is better.

As for the European engine line-up, we’d recommend the 2.2-liter D-4D engine delivering 150 HP and 340 Nm. Its specific output isn’t exactly sharp and it does bring higher taxes on certain markets, but on the road it feels just right for this car. It's also good at avoiding the pump – we weren't particularly nice to the throttle and yet the overall efficiency didn't go past 8 liters per 100 km.

It’s a refined powerplant and you can feel its torque from down low. Don’t bother taking it to high in the rev range though, this would be like offering your grandma a skydiving voucher on her 80th birthday. The six-speed manual is rather precise and has a low first ratio to make sure you can use the car off the road.