Since 1994, the RAV4 has been the cornerstone of Toyota’s automotive lineup. It was the first compact crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) on the market and has since continued to stay ahead of the curve.
Now in its fourth generation, the RAV4 can perform just as well off-road as it does on pavement. Last weekend, Toyota sent members of the media to Las Vegas to push the vehicle to its limits – and to get a first glimpse at the all new RAV4 Rally, which will compete in the Rally America Championship.
The New RAV4
With Las Vegas situated in the middle of the desert, there was no shortage of areas to take the vehicle to test its capabilities. Equipped with a sleek, silver 2015 RAV4, we hit the road, on our way to Valley of Fire State Park.
Valley of Fire is not only the largest state park in Nevada, it’s also where scenes from several Hollywood movies have been filmed, including Total Recall, Star Trek Generations and Transformers. After just under an hour of driving northeast to get to the park, it was evident what the RAV4 was capable of on the road – offering a quiet ride, plenty of giddy up and smooth handling.
However, it’s no secret how well the SUV can perform cruising down Interstate 15, so the true test was when we ditched the road and made our way into seclusion.
Off-Roading
With little around except picturesque mountains, one-by-one we slowly began to lose cell phone signals as though we were lost to the world. And given that it was sunny and 97 degrees, it was an area for which we didn’t want to end up stuck. The folks at Toyota called upon the help of a local off-road tour guide who knew the lay of the land and could keep all of us amateurs from getting lost amidst the 42,000 acres of sand and rock.
The vehicles handled much better than any of us could have anticipated. The path began smooth and sandy, but by the end, there were decent sized rocks, narrow straight-aways and uneven dips that we had to maneuver through, proving to be treacherous. However, we went through with very little effort, with the air conditioning on high and SiriusXM blasting artists like The Clash through the speakers. We drove on all sorts of terrain well into the afternoon, at which point we made our way back to base.
Related: One-On-One Interview With Legendary Race Car Driver Shirley Muldowney
The Rally RAV
As we neared our destination, Toyota unveiled a surprise regarding the RAV4. In front of us was a modified 2015 Toyota RAV4 LE, or Rally RAV, which will compete at various rally races, including some of the 2015 Rally America 2WD-Open Class season. And it certainly looked and sounded impressive.
While the Rally RAV features a stock transmission and a stock 2.5-liter, four-cylinder, double-overhead cam engine that pushes 176-horsepower and 172-pounds of torque, it is missing about 500 pounds of stock weight, despite the addition of a roll cage and special BFGoodrich all-terrain DOT 215/75R15 tires.
To go with the tires, both the front and rear of the vehicle have been upgraded to TEIN suspension. Meanwhile, the inside has the classic racing feel, with bucket seats, an upgraded steering wheel and a longer gear shift, allowing for even more effective handling – perfect for desert and beach.
Toyota knew that such a unique, technical vehicle like the Rally RAV would require a special kind of driver and they found someone perfect for the task.
The Driver
At the helm of the Wienerschnitzel sponsored ride is off-road veteran Ryan Millen. Son of off-road legend Rod Millen, the California native has certainly left his mark on racing, from racing MTEG Stadium races at 9-years-old, to winning the 2014 Baja 1000 in a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro – a vehicle that certainly handled a beating.
“I’ve driven just about everything Toyota has to offer,” Millen admitted. “And I’ve been very impressed with the RAV4’s tight, compact body and smooth handling.”
For the dozen or so onlookers in Valley of Fire State Park, it was the first look at the Rally RAV, as no one outside of Toyota had laid eyes on the black, red, gray and white racecar up to that point. But soon, the whole world would get a glimpse at Millen’s baby and just what it’s capable of doing.
That evening, while much of Las Vegas was a-buzz about boxing’s biggest fight in at least a decade, there was a different buzz humming throughout Sam Boyd Stadium – it was of Monster Energy Supercross. At about the halfway point of the event, Millen comes charging out in the Rally RAV, cutting turns on the track and kicking up dirt much to the applause of the nearly sold-out crowd.
With camera flashes popping off and the dust cloud settling, Millen spoke for a moment or two and assured the crowd he’s going to push the Rally RAV to its limits and hopefully come away victorious. We will just have to wait see.
Ed Miller is a contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @PhillyEdMiller or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
All photos, except that of the red RAV4, are courtesy of Toyota.
