[TEST DRIVE] Toyota RAV4 doesn't wow but wins points as sensible option

Toyota Motor’s RAV4 compact hybrid SUV [TOYOTA MOTOR KOREA]

INJE, Gangwon — After halfhearted stabs at environmentally-friendly vehicles over the past few decades, Toyota is returning to the market with gusto, this time with hybrid SUVs.

The RAV4, a compact hybrid SUV, is a steady seller from the Japanese car maker and best known for its fuel efficiency. First introduced in 1994, a total of 12 million were sold in globally as of last year.

In the United States alone, 407,739 were sold last year, making it the No. 1 SUV in the country, based on data from the Kelley Blue Book. The latest RAV4, a partially revamped version, has been available in Korea since mid-April.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently got a chance to get behind the wheel of a RAV4 hybrid SUV for a 45-kilometer (28-mile) drive in Inje, Gangwon.

Exterior-wise, the model is not particularly exciting compared to its rivals, which almost always wow with groundbreaking designs to prove they are the pioneers of future mobility.

Measuring 4,600 millimeters (181 inches) by 1,855 millimeters by 1,685 millimeters, the car is bit shorter but taller than Hyundai's Tucson and Kia's Sportage.

The interior was more spacious than expected. It seems like the dashboard was lower than in other cars, giving the driver a clearer and wider view.

But a 7-inch display at the center of the dashboard looked outdated, reminding this reporter of cars in the early 2000s. It had eight buttons, unlike the latest cars from other brands, which offer touchscreens.

Interior of the RAV4 hybrid [TOYOTA MOTOR KOREA]

The navigation map was old-fashioned as well.

Driving was unexpectedly pleasant, or perhaps expectations were low.

It was so quiet that the reporter had to recheck if the engine really started, and peace was maintained even at speeds above 100 kilometers per hour.

Handling was soft and smooth, even though the route for the test drive had lots of winding curves. When moving out of the lane, the car warns the driver with a notification sound.

Equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and 88-kilowatt electric motor, the SUV can generate a maximum of 222 horsepower and 22.5 kilogram-meters of torque.

But most of all, the biggest advantage of the mid-sized SUV is its excellent fuel efficiency, which comes in at 15.2 kilometers per liter, which is good news given the price of gasoline.

During about a one-hour test drive, this reporter achieved 17.2 kilometers to the liter, considerably better than the advertised figure.

The sticker price of RAV4 starts at 41.7 billion won ($33 million).

For those who hesitate to buy EVs yet, but are concerned about the surging gas prices, the latest RAV4 won't be a disappointing choice.

Toyota first brought the RAV4 in Korea in 2009, and a total of 15,990 have been sold so far. RAV4 stands for Recreational Active Vehicle 4-wheel drive.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]