Toyota's venerable RAV4 sport-ute remains on a roll

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- The benefits of owning a Toyota RAV4 are many, and owners of the compact crossover sport-utility vehicle happily list them with glee.

Compact size but perfect for handling numerous chores.  Affordably priced.  Generously equipped. Perfect ride height. Reliable. Trouble-free.

These are just some of the reasons that a RAV4 has been a fixture in my own driveway for more than a decade.

And the current RAV4 is dramatically better than my old reliable.  A week in the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XSE AWD emphasized the point.

The 2022 RAV4 lines are decidedly smoother.  Remember the rear-mounted spare tire of years ago?  Gone with the wind.

The tester's 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor provides a max 219 horsepower.  The combination makes the compact RAV4 a genuinely peppy road horse, and the freeway ride is quiet and smooth.

A nearly universal point made by RAV4 drivers is that "it doesn't drive like a sport-utility vehicle."  That's true. It's handles like a smooth midsize sedan, and it relatively manageable size enables pilots to navigate even the tightest parking lots.

The primary benefit of the hybrid system: 41 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

Interior comfort is excellent, and all the comfort/convenience features are within easy reach and easy to master.  I would call it sophisticated simplicity.

For the record: The RAV4 earned a max five-star rating in federal government crash tests.

With the hybrid technology, the tested RAV4 came in at a somewhat pricey $42,296, but based on past history, one assumes that RAV4 buyers are getting the vehicle for the long haul.

Toyota contends that it "essentially created the template for what became the 'crossover SUV,'" and the argument can be made that is the case.  Back in the day, automakers copied the just-right-size concept and actually brought some sanity to the monster-size SUV craze of years ago.

Crossover or whatever you call it, the RAV4 has established a rock-solid reputation in the SUV segment, and the latest version is exceptionally good.