RoadTest: Toyota Rav4It cruises comfortably on the motorways and handles the bending back roads with great aplomb for a vehicle of its size. In fact it bears remarkable similarities to a small hatchback in terms of handling, and that's no mean feat for a vehicle positioned with such a high centre of gravity.
The SUV explosion worldwide is undoubtedly a result of events in the US, where SUVs became de rigueur fashion accessories for even the most urban families in the 1990s, thanks in part to tax breaks available to light trucks.
However, for Europeans, some of the responsibility - or blame depending on your point of view - for the SUV growth must undoubtedly fall at the door of Toyota.
While many of us in the 1980s cast an admiring eye on the likes of the Land Rover Defenders and Nissan Patrols that cruised into town carrying our rural kith and kin, these vehicles were built for those with land and our front garden didn't count.
Then along came the Rav 4 in 1994. At last, even those whose only crops are the weeds growing in driveway cracks could own an SUV.
Now we have the third-generation of the Rav 4, and it seems to have taken a dose of steroids. This latest version (now only available as a five-door) is longer, wider and taller than before. Of course, it's not all muscle and grunt.
Like us all its gained some middle-age spread and the new Rav is about 140kg heavier.
The redesign is a clever move by Toyota because the Rav will now appeal to male owners who considered the last version just too feminine for their egos.
From an Irish perspective the extra bulk will also make it a viable alternative to the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorrento, both of whom have done remarkably well with young families. Coincidentally, both have grown significantly as the generations passed.
While Toyota is now top dog in the mainstream car market, there have been gaps in its model line-up.
In particular, the rapid growth in SUV sales meant it was lacking something between the diminutive Rav 4 and the Herculean Land Cruiser.
In Eastern markets it has the Kluger and there are hints of the Kluger in the current Rav. The gap has now been closed, though the decision not to offer a seven-seater version - on offer in the US - is a pity because it's not only Americans that need the extra seating.
We have big families over here too, and our children have just as many friends as the typical American offspring.
For all the positioning and marketing involved in creating the new Rav, there's one area where Toyota could have done better: exterior design.
The look is too similar to the offerings from Korean competitors (or perhaps it's the other way around). Either way it could have done with a more radical look, particularly if the Japanese marque wants to put clear water between it and the Koreans.
Far better is the work done on the interior. It leaves the rest of the competition in the shade. It's sleek, ergonomic and everything from the tasteful clocks to the central controls are well thought out.
The problem with most soft roaders is that while they mirror their full-fledged off-roaders on the outside, they invariably mimic a 1980s Ford Fiesta on the inside. Great swathes of dull grey plastic dominate in most instances and those that try to escape the dreaded grey frequently overdo the rugged look, ending up with an interior that resembles something from Tonka toys.
The Rav is a welcome exception to the rule.
For once, buying a compact SUV does not mean sacrificing on the interior comfort you would get in an equivalently-priced saloon.
The supersized body also pays dividends inside. There's plenty of head and leg room, rear-seat passengers can stretch out - within reason - and there is a decent-sized boot. What's more, the boot space can be changed to suit your needs. There is a removable cargo shield and net, and an underfloor storage compartment. These little things make a big difference.
Compact off-roaders have earned a reputation for being slow, rather clumsy and never really good value when compared to equivalently priced saloons. That's slowly changing, and the Rav overcomes any criticism that may be levelled at it in terms of driving ambitions.
At idle, the 2.2-litre diesel engine of our test car did clatter, but it packs a surprising amount of punch and cruises along serenly in sixth gear on motorway stretches.
In terms of gadgetry, the higher specification on the range-topping Sol offers the usual array of toys - like the Smart keyless entry system and start button - but it also features some important safety features such as traction and stability control that is not on offer on the entry-level Luna. That's a pity, for these sort of things should be standard across the range.
An important factor to remember when considering the Rav is the heritage that attaches itself to the Toyota badge these days. Whatever about the car in front being a Toyota, it's more likely that the car being towed to the garage isn't. The Rav 4 had one of the best reliability records for SUVs for some time.
The Rav 4 signals a size shift in the soft-road market as everyone bulks up from generation to generation.
I'm still not convinced as to why someone would opt for one of these vehicles rather than a decent-sized saloon or estate. It's just the latest motoring fashion.
To quote Shaw, "a fashion is nothing but an induced epidemic". While I can't seem to cut my conscience to fit with the SUV fashion in this regard, for those who seek such vehicles, the Rav offers the security of comfort, power and handling, all cloaked in Toyota's reputation for reliability.
It's also pretty competitively priced, more so as you move away from the range-topping Sol. While the extra row of seats in the Santa Fe may tempt larger families away, for our money the Rav has the beating of most.
