Comparative test drive "Toyota Rav 4" first and second generation

Toyota RAV 4 - compact crossover from the Japanese automaker. The company Toyota has laid the foundation for a whole class of similar cars. The first RAV 4 was released in 1994. The topic of this article will be the first two generations - pioneers in the class of urban compact SUVs. Understand the merits and demerits of each generation, compare the contribution to the development of the automotive market and determine the best of two generations of Toyota Rav 4. The test drive of these cars turned out to be detailed and complex - it will evaluate the appearance, technical equipment, reliability and behavior on the road.

The history of the first generation

For many, it will be a revelation that the first generation Rav 4 was built on the platform of the Celica sports coupe. Therefore, this car is so compact.

In 1994, the Japanese needed a car in a hybrid class of a full-size SUV and city car. The first was the Rav 4 in a three-door body, which the company's marketers immediately began to position as a car for outdoor activities with friends. The main segment of buyers was the youth.

A year later the company decided to expand the audience of this machine and in 1995 released a five-door body. Thus, the compact three-door crossover became a full-fledged family city SUV.

The first generation was delayed on the conveyor just under five years - in 2000, Toyota decided to release a completely new generation, which will be discussed below. Now let's take a closer look at the test drive "Toyota Rav 4" of the first generation.

Appearance of the first generation

Because of the short base of the sports coupe on which the "Rav 4" was built, the car looks rather pinched. The three-door body looks very small by today's standards. From the front to the rear wheel, there is only one door and one row of seats. The lower part of the body, the bumpers are made of black plastic, in order to protect the car from external influences, poor road surface, gravel and so on. The design is extremely simple and at the same time attractive. Rounded forms give the car the appearance of a toy car rather than a full-fledged car.

A great overview is provided simply by the huge glazing area of the frontal part and side windows. On the tailgate there is a spare wheel, all in the spirit of the times. In the 90's every self-respecting SUV "dragged" a spare tire on the back door. The high ground clearance and the radius of the wheels create the feeling of a tall car. Rear windows are painted in the color of bumpers. Also, the three-door version was produced in the body of a convertible and more like a beach buggy, not a crossover. Since 1998, the car has received a version with a fabric roof and slightly more round body shapes. In this form (three-door, five-door, soft roof and convertible) it was produced up to the second generation.

Version with a 5-door body looks much more attractive and more adult. The body has significantly extended, seats in the cabin became larger, and rear passengers became much more comfortable to get into the car through additional doors. However, on the platform, the car remained a compact three-door, which became a full-fledged crossover only in the second generation.

First generation salon

"Toyota Rav 4" first generation, test drive which was held first, did not show any revelations in the cabin. Inside, nothing superfluous, everything is in Spartan. Minimal set of controls and additional functions. The car was positioned as a cheap and affordable youth crossover, so it is not necessary to wait for luxurious technical equipment. The usual gray plastic, rough to the touch, the front panel of rounded forms. Ergonomics of the cabin is good. Now about the bad - access to the back seats can get either the most agile or the most compact people. Large passengers there absolutely nothing to do.

Specifications of the first generation

The car is equipped with only one engine option - a two-liter gasoline unit with a capacity of 129 horsepower. The car accelerated to a hundred for 14 seconds at a rate of about 10 liters for every 100 kilometers. The maximum speed is 170 km / h. The crossover was equipped with both a mechanical gearbox and automatic.

Officially, the Russian market sold a version with only a four-wheel drive. The version with a single-drive can now be purchased in the secondary market - they were brought from the USA.

The second generation

In 2000, Toyota decided to move its compact crossover into a class higher. The second generation of "Rav 4" was launched in 2000. From this moment, a real revolution in the automotive industry began, which led to the creation of the predecessors of most modern crossovers. Two times the second generation of the "Toyota Rav 4" survived the restyling. Test drive was conducted on the basis of the second restyling. The wheelbase of the car was increased, which allowed to make a full five-door version. However, the 3-door body has not gone anywhere from production.

The appearance of the second generation

The crossover "Toyota Rav 4" 2 generations, test drive which became the basis for this article, no longer looked like a toy car. The front part of the car has changed beyond recognition. The extended headlamps together with the radiator grille are made in the same style. The edges of the optics continue in the lines on the hood. Wings over the wheel arches slightly inflated, which gives a muscular crossover. As a tribute to the first generation, the bumpers and side moldings are made of plastic to protect the body itself.

Every two years the car was waiting for restyling. In 2004, the bumpers were painted in body color, slightly changed the optics and the rear. In this form, the car was produced until the appearance of the third generation, which was released in 2005.

Salon

The interior of the car has become much more comfortable and roomy. The ergonomics of the panel remained the same - the creators decided not to change anything radically, in order to attract the owners of the first generation. In the three-door version it's much easier to get on the rear row of seats. The luggage compartment has increased in volume, not to mention a full-fledged five-door version.

Specifications of the second generation

The car slightly expanded the line of motors to three pieces. The first and the weakest is the 1.8-liter 125-hp gasoline engine. Next comes a gasoline engine with a capacity of 2 liters and a capacity of 150 horsepower, which was allocated for the test drive Toyota Rav 4. Diesel is a novelty for this model. The motor with the same volume as the petrol version is only slightly weaker - its power is only 116 horsepower.

Each engine was sold either with a manual gearbox, or with an automatic. Official dealers offered customers only four-wheel-drive crossovers, as in the case with the first generation. The equipment was offered only one - basic.

Comparative test drive "Toyota Rav 4" of two generations

The second generation became the ideological continuation of the first. To distinguish the best model from them does not make sense. Both cars were repeatedly subjected to a test drive and compared very many times.

Test drive on the road

Let's start with the first generation and its behavior on the road. Due to its short wheelbase the car is not quite stable on the asphalt surface. The car is much better at off-road or rural roads. On the city highway speeding also does not work - buyers are offered only one type of motor, and that is not the strongest.

In the second generation, things are much better with this. Because of the elongated base, the car is stable and responsive both on asphalt and off-road. The five-door body is difficult to call compact, but it is still convenient in urban operation and permanent traffic jams. The new generation has become more family than the "youth crossover for outdoor activities," as the Japanese themselves said. Due to this, the fan base of the model also expanded.

Overall impression of the test drive

The second generation gives the impression of a more adult car than the first version of the Toyota Rav 4. Test drive off-road - in this category, the first generation wins, because it is much lighter, and its design is more intended to conquer rough terrain. But not one impassable road is one. Still, the new crossover "Rav 4" is an urban family car. And in this regard, the second generation is a head taller than the first. Large, roomy, comfortable - in all respects, he wins from the ancestor of the class. And this situation is quite logical, because it would be stupid and strange if the Japanese remained at the same level for 5 years of production of the crossover and did not draw any conclusions and developments for future models.

After some time

Here it is worth talking about the reliability of both generations. Test drive "Toyota Rav 4" showed that, even despite a long life (about 20 years for the first generation and at least 10 for the second), the cars were perfectly preserved. The body of the first version looks even better preserved than the younger model. The same can be said about the technical part of the two cars. The engine, box, suspension - all these nodes do not cause any complaints. In the early 2000s, the Japanese collected their cars for centuries, so "Rav 4" is still in demand in the secondary market.

By the way, the market for used cars. Among avtougonchikov still popular are copies of the second generation, because they are in great demand in the secondary market. Of course, this demand is dying year after year, but the fact remains.

Verdict

Test drive "Toyota Rav 4" two generations showed that this model has become a truly iconic in the automotive industry. 10-15 years after the release of these cars it is difficult to give a sober assessment of which car to choose for purchase. Since they are approximately the same for all qualities and parameters, it is worth choosing a more recent and best-preserved model. The big test drive "Toyota Rav 4" confirmed the legendary reliability and stability of Japanese crossovers, which justifies their excessive popularity.