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The Department of Recreations, Activities, Visits and Stuff (D-RAVS) has some fairly big ideas about Toyota’s latest Recreational Activity Vehicle. But are its RAViews worth the paper they’re printed on? More importantly, what exactly counts as a recreational activity?
I decided to investigate. After all, RAV4 stands for Recreational Activity Vehicle. It would be a bit embarrassing if it turned out to be no good at recreation, wouldn’t it?
Making everyday life a little less everyday
Not every recreational activity involves hiking boots, a fishing rod or a questionable pair of golfing trousers. Sometimes, the best thing a car can do is make everyday life a little easier, leaving you more time to enjoy yourself once the working day is done.
The New-Gen Toyota RAV4 XSE Plug-in Hybrid has a useful trick up its sleeve here. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain lets you drive on electric power alone for suitable journeys, while retaining a petrol engine for longer trips. If you can charge regularly, that means you can make electric driving part of your daily routine without having to turn every longer journey into a logistical exercise.
There are also some handy tricks available through the myToyota Connect app. Forgot to close the windows before that unexpected downpour? You can raise or lower them remotely as needed, including closing them from afar. You can also lock or unlock the vehicle, remote start the vehicle, set your preferred cabin temperature before getting in, or sound the horn remotely.
That last one presumably has legitimate uses beyond locating your car in a crowded car park, although I’m sure we can all think of a few less noble applications.
Being able to set the cabin temperature before climbing aboard is particularly appealing when the weather turns unpleasant. Nobody ever woke up on a freezing winter morning and thought, “You know what would make this better? Sitting in a cold car.”
Small conveniences, perhaps, but they all help make the daily routine that little bit easier. And the less time you spend dealing with life's minor irritations, the more time you have for the fun stuff.
Fishing, golf, yoga and a very large dog
D-RAVS has a pretty expansive definition of recreation, so I’ve been exploring the many activities one might reasonably undertake with a RAV4. Fishing? Absolutely. Golf? Why not. Painting? Apparently so. Yoga? Well, someone has to do it, and it seems that someone is me.
And thanks to the XSE’s impressive and versatile boot that provides a massive 421 litres of space with all five seats in place, the RAV4 can handle all of that and more. A lot more, including a rather large Irish Wolfhound who, it must be said, looked pretty chuffed with the amount of room he had.
Not only can you fit everything you need for serious recreation into the RAV4 XSE, it will actually get you there too. With 227kW of power on tap and the ability to haul up to 1500kg on a trailer, getting everyone and everything to the bach, beach or beyond is an absolute breeze.
And you’ll enjoy it too, as the RAV4 breaks the traditional SUV mould by actually being fun to drive – not to mention superbly comfortable – with a remarkably car-like feel on the road. And you don’t even need to stop when the road ends, as the RAV4 XSE’s AWD system can take you beyond the sealed stuff without breaking a sweat.
The point is that recreation means different things to different people. D-RAVS might have its own official RAViews, but your idea of a good time is probably rather more personal.
Time to make up your own RAViews
So, does the New-Gen Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid live up to the lofty recreational expectations of D-RAVS? Well, I’ve certainly been keeping myself busy in the name of research.
You can watch the full video above to see the RAV4 in action, along with a selection of recreational pursuits that may or may not inspire you to take up a new hobby. No promises about the yoga.
More importantly, think about what recreation means to you. Perhaps it’s escaping the city for a weekend, heading out for a spot of fishing, taking the dog somewhere new or simply making the daily commute a little less of a chore.
And if you fancy experiencing the RAV4 for yourself, keep an eye out for the Coast Watch & Win competition for the chance to enjoy the vehicle for a weekend. Alternatively, your local Toyota Store can arrange a test drive, giving you the opportunity to form your own opinion without having to wear a ridiculous outfit.
Because while D-RAVS might have its RAViews, the best judge of what makes a great recreational vehicle is you. And frankly, I’ve done quite enough yoga for one week.
