Longer, wider, taller: 2006 RAV4 full of changes

My enthusiasm for the new RAV4 surged when the salesman pulled a handle recessed into the rear cargo area and the left half of the second row seat instantly flipped forward, creating a flat loading floor. He pulled a duplicate handle on the right side and the other half of the seat folded flat. No removing headrests or flipping up seat cushions required!

Then I noticed that the rear seats also have the ability to recline and to slide back and forth 6.5 inches to allow passenger space or cargo capacity to be optimized. This thoughtfulness of design would be noted throughout my test drive of Toyota's third redesign of the vehicle that invented the compact SUV segment.

The 2006 RAV4 is longer, wider and taller than the one it replaces, and, if my eyes are a judge, better looking. The lines are cleaner, less busy. The side sheet metal is nicely sculptured, the old plastic body cladding gone. The hood appears to have been stretched, and a new front end sports three equal-length horizontal openings. The tail end has a more upright pose. Finally, the windshield appears more steeply raked, giving the design a more graceful, poised look.

Changes have been made to the driver's area, too. Gone is the old driver's door-mounted control box for the window and door lock switches, replaced by an integrated panel. In the event of a side impact it looks like the new arrangement might do less damage to the driver. The three circular instrument panel gauges are now overlapping, and the old climate control/sound system unit is now divided into separate, distinct panels, opening the door, so to speak, for a new storage compartment in front of the passenger. A large push-button magically opens its lid. Push the button again and the door pivots shut. I pushed that button 10 times trying to figure out if the thing works -- never did!

There are still two cup holders on the console in front of the gear shift, but that shift quadrant is changed. Instead of the familiar straight forward-and-back shift gate we now have to navigate a maze of notches to arrive at the "Drive" position. That seems to be the modern trend.

Under the hood is a new power plant connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. The standard 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine provides adequate, smooth power for daily chores, and should satisfy the majority of customers. But a newly available V6 with a five-speed transmission will separate this small ute from the competition and even embarrass some sporty coupes. It is capable of 269 hp, which is more than enough to get the job done in a vehicle weighing about 3,600 pounds. Displacing 3.5 liters, it is rated to tow 3,500 pounds with the towing prep package. It should get about 21 mpg/city and 28 mpg/highway in all-wheel-drive versions, which have a one-mpg penalty over two-wheel-drive versions. Four-cylinder models should get two mpg better in the city and the same mileage on the highway.

With ground clearance of only 7.5 inches the RAV4 is not a heavy-duty off-road vehicle, but it nevertheless can be equipped with some interesting options, such as hill start assist control (HAC) and downhill assist control (DAC). HAC holds the brakes for a couple of seconds while the driver switches from the brake pedal to the accelerator, while DAC automatically sets a target speed of 4 to 6 mph on steep declines. The system applies the brakes to help eliminate wheel locking for a more controlled descent. The electronic all-wheel-drive system automatically sends power to the rear wheels when needed, while a manual 4-wheel lock switch on the dash panel automatically disengages at speeds above 25 mph.

The new RAV4 has several safety enhancements including vehicle stability control with traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, tire pressure monitoring, collapsible steering column and soft energy-dissipating interior trim. Driver and front passenger side airbags and front and rear passenger roll-sensing side curtain airbags are optional.

The RAV4 is available in three trims: Base, Sport and Limited. My Base test vehicle came well-equipped with standard features like an outside temperature gauge and remote keyless entry. Stepping up to the Sport model gets you cross bars for the roof rack, 18-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, fender flares, heated outside mirrors, auto-off headlights and unique seat fabric. The Limited includes dual-zone automatic climate control, a power driver seat and upgraded audio with a six-disc CD changer. The Limited can be upgraded with optional leather seating, and both the Limited and Base models can be ordered with the newly available 50/50 split-and-stow third row seat with fold-flat-into-floor capability. That seat folds into a nifty storage area that would be perfect for camera or other high-value gear.

My 4x4 test car had the optional side curtain airbags ($650), roof rack crossbars ($220), 17-inch styled wheels ($120) and carpeted floor mats ($119) which produced a final price of $23,414. Also included is the rarely mentioned 60,000-powertrain warranty, which you'll likely never use, thanks to the built-in legendary Toyota reliability.

This vehicle provided by Coad Toyota.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian. Contact him at SteveR@cablerocket.com