Buying a Toyota Rav 4

Second-hand Sense: I used to have a problem with cars like the Toyota Rav 4 and the Land Rover Freelander as they dodgemed around…

Second-hand Sense: I used to have a problem with cars like the Toyota Rav 4 and the Land Rover Freelander as they dodgemed around supermarket car parks, taking up one and a half car parking spaces and generally looking quite redundant.

But that was before the Celtic Tiger really took off and people started buying Range Rovers and such in their hundreds. These days you have to carefully avoid these behemoths as they prowl the urban environment and cars like the Rav 4 seem positively civilised by comparison.

The Rav is one of those lifestyle vehicles, ideal for a little recreational and undemanding off-road work, ideal for carrying a canoe and pretty smart looking too. It is Toyota's offering in the "grass and gravel" segment and competes against similar cars from Honda, Suzuki and others.

However, the Rav is a better option than most others because it is a genuinely sturdy option. You would have a better chance of meeting a farmer driving a Rav than with all of the other competitors combined. It has a good choice between a 1.8 petrol engine and a 2.0 litre diesel engine. Above all, it has that Toyota reliability record. Don't take my word for it - a friend with serious equestrian interests will never be parted from his '96 model Rav, which has never let him down and has taken abuse that no car would have taken.

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The Rav has full-time four-wheel-drive and looks bigger than some of its competitors. The latest model is by far the smartest looking of all (the Rav was introduced in 1994 as a somewhat blousy looking car with flared arches) and even it is coming to the end of its days with the launch of the new version in the New Year. It is practically designed, has plenty of room and good accessible storage. The three-door looks a tad dinky for my liking and the five-door is a far more practical option, even if you don't make huge use of the extra doors. It is also an easier option to sell on.

The Rav has a good and high driving position and visibility is also good. It does not come with a huge number of extras. Instead, the inside is fairly typically Toyota and Japanese - dull practical instrumentation but everything is in the right place and does exactly what it is supposed to.

The car also has good ride and handling characteristics, and the 4WD means you get that extra certainty, even if the system does involve a slight fuel penalty. The 1.8 petrol engine produces 123 horse power quite agreeably and evenly and the diesel has a creditable output of 110 horse power.

The Rav 4 has not been subjected to EuroNCAP crash tests yet, and there is no record of the car having had to be recalled.

The Rav commands good second-hand prices. Expect to pay about €25,000 for a two-year old diesel model with a very high 85,000 miles on the clock, even if it does have air conditioning, air bags, sunroof, metallic paint etc. A four year-old petrol model with 39,000 on the clock has an asking price at one garage of €21,500.

FOR: Excellent reliability and build-quality. A civilised alternative to four-wheel drive behemoths.

AGAINST: Heavier running costs with permanent four-wheel-drive.