13 Jun 06
In the US, there's a conversion kit to make the rear aperture wider
True, there is a degree of roll when cornering, but it's always well controlled and, I feel, entirely appropriate to a car with these credentials, simply letting you know you're nearing the limit of what a mid-sized SUV will put up with in handling terms. Besides, better a little roll and superior ride comfort than the increasingly German penchant for a 'sporty' ride.
Less wholesome, however, is the discovery that driving around with just one window open is simply not an option. No matter how wide the aperture, the resultant aerodynamic effect sets the cabin air thudding like the rotor blades of a Chinook helicopter, leaving no option but to either open another window to ease the pressure, or shut everything and live with the admittedly admirable air conditioning. It's fine for Hammersmith Broadway, but a little galling in the wilds of Mudfordshire. This little anomaly used to be all too prevalent in car interiors, but had become, I'd thought, a thing of the past. Was the car not wind tunnel-tested for this at the design stage?
On a happier note, I have been inundated by a letter from a kind reader letting me know that, in the US, you can buy a kit which enables the RAV's tailgate to open wider for full loadspace width access, making the loading of large objects a little less like trying to post a marshmallow into a piggy bank. I shall be in touch with my local dealer to find out if this conversion is available in the UK, and how much it costs.
In the meantime, I feel I may be volunteering for the school run a little more frequently in future...
