Page 85 - Car South Africa (February 2020)

test

I managed the trip to the ‘Baai
COSTS
and back with 45 km to spare,
Fuel & top-up cost waited till the low fuel lamp lit up
R4 931 and replenished the tank with 48
Cost per kilometre
R1,22 litres, which indicates a generous
reserve was on tap before tank
R577 900 depletion of the full 55 litres. My
01
Purchase price then usual fill-up capacity was 42 litres.
Believe it or not, my preferred
R604 100
Purchase price now drive mode was the snow setting.
This is not as intrusive as it
±R550 000
sounds, merely dropping the
Second-hand value
revs a touch to smoothen initial
LOG BOOK pull-away. This was an attempt
to counter the electronic brain’s
Fuel used unleaded obsession with engaging first gear
02 03 Top-up oil used nil when second would be ideal. I
Tread remaining (front/rear) 95/98 %
seldom used sport mode as there
is more than enough torque to
Best consumption
rapidly respond to all situations.
As I mentioned, the boot is
suitably large to accommodate
7,53 L/100 km luggage for four while the rear
seats fold flat to swallow large
Worst consumption
items such as a mountain bike
without needing to remove the
front wheel (not a given with
10,58 L/100 km all midsize SUVs). An electrical-
ly operated tailgate is usually
Average consumption
not to my taste but the RAV4’s
quick-acting item proved handy
on numerous occasions when my
9,64 L/100 km hands were full of shopping bags.

The same goes for the two-finger
PARTS PRICES
04 touch of the door handle to lock
Oil filter: R198,35 or unlock without using the key.
01 A bicycle in a box was swallowed easily. 02 The RAV4 has a mix of analogue and digital Air filter: R538,21 ECU: R9 630,94
instrumentation that works very well. 03 The top-of-the-range VX model sports all-wheel Brake pads (front): R1 468,68 The customisable screens, dials
drive, as does the chunky GX-R. 04 High-quality cabin is a pleasure to use. 05 Lots of and the volume knob close to the
cladding complements the looks but does trap a lot of dirt. Left headlamp: R9 099,12
Windscreen: R9 082,01 driver all added to the conveni-
05 Rear tyre: R2 806,00 ence of using the Toyota daily.
I also think the RAV4 looks
terrific … when it’s clean. This
colour scheme is a winning com-
bination: a lustrous deep metallic
blue paired with tan upholstery.
I did notice – as many buying the
all-wheel-drive version will – after
gravel road trips that washing the
car proved time-consuming as the
plastic trim on the front, back and
sides traps dirt in the crevasses.
Initially missing my Corolla
long-termer, the RAV4 soon
proved its worth with its extra
grip, greater ground clearance and
its much larger luggage capacity.
Unlike that first-generation tyke,
the contemporary RAV4 is a true
family wagon.

CARmag.co.za CAR FEBRUARY 2020 83