Toyota RAV4 Excel review: New hybrid appeals as family car

The RAV4 was the world’s first crossover, a car that looked like a 4×4 because it was high but really was not.

Actually, I would argue that the RAV4 wasn’t the first and that in fact it was a car called the Matra Rancho.

Matra is a French aerospace company that built Formula 1 cars in the 1970s.

In 1977 it got together with fellow French company Simca to build a (much) cheaper rival to the Range Rover.

The result was the Rancho.

It wasn’t a brilliant car but it was cool, tough and capable even though it was only 2wd and had a wheezy engine.

Anyway, 25 years after the first one, we have another new RAV4.

Marshall Motors (LON:MMH) The Group’s principal activities are the sale and repair of new and used vehicles. The Group’s businesses have a total of 106 franchises covering 23 brands, operating from 84 locations across 27 counties in England. In addition, the Group operates five trade parts specialists, three used car centres, five standalone body shops and one pre delivery inspection centre.

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