By Aurelia Mbokazi
The first time I looked at the new Toyota RAV4, one thought came to mind: Toyota is flexing. It felt as though someone had said, “Listen, we are legends. We know how to build cars. Now let’s show them what we can do.”
And they did.
In a market swimming in SUVs, the RAV4 looks confident enough to make you stop and take notice. The sharper front, strong stance and sculpted bodywork give it presence. It already has an established name, but clearly Toyota wasn’t content to go with that.
After a week behind the wheel of the GR-S hybrid, I understood why.
A little showing off
Inside, the RAV4 feels properly upmarket. The layout is clean, the cabin spacious, and the materials and seating make it somewhere you want to spend time. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster brings a modern feel, while the GR sports seats and red stitching give this version its own personality. Outside, the 20-inch wheels and black detailing complete the picture.
But my favourite feature? The panoramic roof.
It floods the cabin with light, making an already lovely space feel even more inviting. On a beautiful Johannesburg day, it is almost ridiculously good at showing off. And, other motorists on the road were paying attention. It had been a while to get so much attention, even with so many new cars on our roads designed to turn heads.
Mom comes along
Whenever I get a particularly good test car, I start finding reasons to go somewhere. My RAV4 week delivered a memorable one: taking my 17-year-old daughter to her first date.
The destination was Kempton Park, and I was not simply dropping her off and disappearing. I became the designated chaperone while the young people went bowling, ice skating and generally had the time of their lives.
The drive home was the special part. Listening to her excitement, I realised we had hit another milestone, and even established a ‘sisterhood’.
As a mother, I also appreciate what sits behind the lovely cabin. Toyota lists Safety Sense 4.0 for the new RAV4, including driver monitoring, road-sign assistance and intersection collision avoidance. Depending on the derivative, additional features include blind-spot monitoring, parking assistance and a panoramic-view monitor.
These support systems matter when your passengers are the people you care about most. Driving at night in an area I’m not familiar with, I felt comfortable and confident knowing that these features would make the drive a little easier.
A walk, then a very long breakfast
The following morning, it was my turn. I headed to the Cradle of Humankind for a five-kilometre walk with girlfriends.
Time together becomes precious when everyone has responsibilities. We walked, talked and laughed, then settled down for coffee and breakfast.
Breakfast became brunch. Brunch became more conversation. We started around 9am and eventually surfaced after 2pm, still with plenty to say.
Back at the cars, the RAV4 caught the ladies’ attention, and a nod.
Everywhere except the filling station
Between Kempton Park, the Cradle, a launch at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, meetings and errands, I had appointed myself Miss Daisy, and was enjoying every moment.
Yet there was one place I didn’t visit: the filling station.My GR-S paired a 2.5-litre petrol engine with Toyota’s hybrid system, with a quoted combined output of 163 kW. That week, its economy impressed me most.
I didn’t record a consumption figure, but getting through my running around without refuelling certainly made an impression.
At Toyota’s listed R941,800, this is a substantial purchase. Still, the design, cabin and hybrid powertrain make it a compelling package.
What stayed with me, though, was how easily it fitted into my life and became part of special memories.
To be honest, I was reluctant to hand back the keys. I just couldn’t shake off the feeling that when they were building the RAV4, Toyota really was flexing.
