WHAT’S this? A RAV4 in 4X4 Australia magazine? Hold up, that’s not a real 4x4!
True, the RAV4 falls directly into the realm of light-duty SUV and is not the usual fare for these pages, but this RAV benefits from a few touring mods to help it traverse some rougher tracks.
I’m old enough to remember the early 2000s when compact light-duty SUVs like the RAV4, Subaru Forester and the Nissan X-Trail were turning the new-car-buying world on to SUVs, and the big 4x4 accessories brands were falling over themselves to create products for them. But they soon realised most buyers of SUVs are not four-wheel drivers and not the sort of folks to accessorise their vehicles for adventures … and the SUV products soon disappeared from their respective catalogues.
The growth in popularity of so-called ‘overlanding’ in the USA has seen a resurgence of kitted-up soft-roaders where the RAV4, Subaru Crosstrek and Hyundai Kona are popular candidates for adventure mods. This has seen the launch of a swag of new gear and accessories for these vehicles to help their owners explore further than the Walmart carpark.
While there’s been a small groundswell for similar builds here in Australia it’s nothing like that in the USA, but with Australian 4x4 accessories manufacturers producing products for the American market, it was inevitable that the gear would come here to suit local SUVs.
One such manufacturer doing big things in the USA is Ironman 4x4, and along with its gear for proper 4x4s, it has developed kit to suit vehicles like the RAV4. Much of that product development happens right here in Australia, so the RAV4 products to fit our local models are now available.
Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av 4x4 Magazine Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av 4x4 Magazine Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CORRUGATIONS.SAND, AND SPINIFEX
WHEN TALKING LEGENDARY TRACKS, THE CANNING STOCK ROUTE HAS THE TITLE OF LONGEST HISTORICAL STOCK ROUTE IN THE WORLD, BUT TACKLING ITS 1850KM IN A 1970S LAND ROVER MAKES FOR ONE INTERESTING DRIVE FOR THE TV CREW FROM SERIOUSLY SERIES. YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF BY VIEWING ROAD TO RUIN
PURE WATER
THE GUZZLE H2O STREAM IS THE IDEAL WATER PURIFICATION SOLUTION FOR PROVIDING A RELIABLE SOURCE OF CLEAN DRINKING WATER OFF THE GRID
DOES IT GET ANY TOUGHER FOR THE AT52S?
HAVING TACKLED SOME OF THE ROUGHEST TRACKS IN THE COUNTRY, THESE ALL-TERRAINS HAVE PASSED THE TEST
TOP 5 4X4 SPOTS IN SA
HERE ARE FIVE OF THE BEST 4X4 DESTINATIONS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
PLUGGING IN
GWM IS STUDYING THE VIABILITY OF PLUG-IN HYBRID VERSIONS OF ITS POPULAR 4X4S FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET. WE GOT A CHANCE TO SAMPLE THEM ON TRACK
TOP TANK
WE HAVE COME AWAY IMPRESSED AFTER A WEEK IN GWM’S TANK 500 HYBRID 4X4.
HARD EARNED
HARD WORK AND THE RIGHT ADVICE HAVE HELPED JAMES ATKINSON BUILD THE PATROL OF HIS DREAMS
DYNAMIC DEBUT
OUR FIRST TASTE OF THE LC250 COMES IN THE FORM OF THE LEXUS GX550 OVERTRAIL, AND THIS LUXURY 4X4 WAGON IMPRESSES BOTH ON THE ROAD AND OFF IT
BLACK GROWLER
IF YOU’RE GOING TO SWAP FROM A DOUBLE-CAB UTE TO A 4X4 WAGON, YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE. BRUCE HAS DONE JUST THAT AND EQUIPPED HIS GR SPORT 300 WITH THE BEST GEAR ON THE MARKET
2025 NISSAN PATROL MAKES GLOBAL DEBUT
CURTAINS DROP ON SEVENTH-GENERATION PATROL BUT NOT HERE UNTIL 2026
