93 MOTORING ROAD TESTS BY NICK FLETCHER


OUR MOTORING COLUMN, BY THE EXPERIENCED AND AWARD WINNING MOTORING JOURNALIST NICK FLETCHER HELPS OUR READERS CHOOSE THE BEST OF THE LATEST CARS.


TOYOTA RAV4


TOYOTA’S RUGGED RAV4 IS WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE SUV SALES BATTLE WHERE IT TAKES ON VERY TOUGH OPPOSITION. The RAV4 is more spacious than most, has the bonus of


a full hybrid version, and its other ace card is the brand’s formidable reputation for durability and dependability. Prices start at £24,765 and there is a good choice of


petrol and diesels engines as well as the hybrid, and there is the option of 2WD or 4WD and manual or auto gearboxes. The latest model looks cool and sharp in


a sector where visual kudos is a key factor, so the RAV4 is off to a good start. Inside, it is roomy and can take four tall adults with ease and a fifth at a squeeze, and the rear seats recline for extra comfort. At 501 litres the boot area is excellent


engine and electric motor giving 195 hp, with CVT auto gearbox. With a 0-60 mph time of 8.4 seconds it is quite nippy by class standards, and top speed is 112 mph. Fuel figure is 55.4 mpg combined. This version costs £33,975 and comes with 18-inch


THE LATEST


MODEL LOOKS COOL AND SHARP


and folding the rear seats can more than triple the space to 1,633 litres. Seating is comfortable and supportive and there are plenty of stowage places around the cabin. The designers seem to have put all the emphasis on functionality, so all the dials and controls are user-friendly. My test model was an upper-spec RAV4 Hybrid Excel, with all-wheel drive and powered by a 2.5 litre petrol


alloys, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, road sign assist, pre-collision system, auto lights and wipers, smart entry and push button start, powered tailgate, rear view camera, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, sat-nav, Bluetooth and on-line connectivity among its long list of features. On the move the RAV4 proves smooth and


assured, with a balanced suspension set-up and precise steering making the car well planted on the corners. Ride quality is very good even when the surface gets rough. The


only adverse comment in my notebook was more tyre hum at motorway speeds than I expected. Toyota’s brand reliability is well-known and it is backed


by a five-year warranty - better that that of most rivals. The RAV4 is not the cheapest in the sector but when you start listing its various plus-points, it becomes increasing hard to resist.


KIA RIO


KOREAN CAR MAKER KIA HAS UPPED ITS GAME IN RECENT YEARS, PRODUCING AN ENHANCED RANGE OF WELL- BUILT, GOOD-VALUE CARS WHICH ALL COME WITH AN INDUSTRY-LEADING 7-YEAR TRANSFERABLE WARRANTY. Its latest Rio is a fine example, a supermini hatchback


taking on big-selling rivals from the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen. The Rio is attractively styled and while not too eye-catching, racks up a lot of points for interior space, standard equipment and low running costs. Prices start at £11,995 for a 1.25 litre petrol model which comes with air-con, auto lights, Bluetooth, power front


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