2.5 VVT-i Hybrid Excel TSS CVT AWD 5dr SUV

A wolf in sheep's clothing

I was looking to buy an SUV but didn't want diesel (my annual mileage now circa 12k rather 35k) with potential DMF, DPF, etc problems & I didn't want a (small) turbo petrol engined car. Usually I buy new and keep the car until more its done more than 100k miles. A plug-in hybrid or full-electric vehicle wouldn't suit as when staying with either of my daughters there is no facitlity to charge up such a car.

Crucially I wanted to be certain that I could have a long enough test drive of possibly choices to be sure that the driver's seat/position didn't aggravate current back/hip problems, as I'd made a bad decision in that respect with the Jazz that I'd bought only 12 mths previously (a brilliantly practical car but underpowered and the seating position just didn't work for me). I had whole weekend test drives of both the Lexus NX and RAV4 - no other manufacturer/dealer was offering such long test drives at the time I was looking and I couldn't even begin to get comfortable in the Peugeot 3008, Vitara or Volvo XC40 or XC60.
I bought an ex-demonstrator RAV4 Hybrid (4mths/3k miles) saving approx 5k on buying brand new. I preferred the styling of the NX but couldn't justify the extra money both up front and ongoing steeper servicing costs, its reduced (3 year rather than 5 years) warranty, electric parking brake and slightly slower 0-60.
After 7 months & 7k miles of ownership I am delighted with the RAV4 - the hybrid suits my anticipatory driving style but stick it in sport mode & it sure gets the lead out of its boots when needing to overtake. The car provides a very comfortable drive, not at all tiring over long distances. The car is fitted with blind spot monitor/rear cross traffic alert, the latter particularly useful when leaving parking spaces.
I regularly drive the delightful A701 to Edinburgh and with the car in sport mode I find that for such a large, heavy-ish car it handles that particular road's twists and turns with far more panache & sure-footedness than the Jazz I had owned previously which I never felt was confidently going to get round corners at speed.
I've averaged 42mpg over the colder, winter months, this figure achieved over a mix of rural, urban and motorway miles - before the winter I was achieving 48mpg. I should add that I always use Shell V Power; these figures are better than I was getting in my Yeti AWD 2 litre diesel.
Fingers crossed the hybrid system means less wear and tear on certain items (e.g. brake pads) and that it, and the car as a whole, prove to be a long-term reliable proposition.

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