IF only I’d kept my mouth shut. “IMPOSTER!” cried my Land Rover Freelander-driving pal stabbing his index finger towards my macho-looking five-door Toyota RAV4. “That’s not for real... it’s just lamb dressed as mutton!”

Having been honest, I then couldn’t convince him that 4x4s don’t have to be 4x4s to look rugged 4x4s. That some people like the youthful looks, the hatch-like handling, the poseur effect. That they want it for image rather than mud-plugging without having to pay the extra for four-wheel-drive. That they want to look the part. And, above all, they just wanna have fun...

And with the RAV4, the pioneer of the sports utility vehicle, that’s what driving is all about. This stylish vehicle is indeed one of the most fun to drive.

Now available in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive, Toyota’s latest RAV4 is a vehicle with a ‘split personality’. There’s the strongly updated three-door aimed at the flashy and more sporty types among us while the five-door has been styled more subtly to appeal to a more mature market. Like me, for instance, although she tells me I’m ‘over mature’ – and I still haven’t fathomed out whether that’s a compliment.

But, to the ‘lamb dressed as mutton’ – as my pal so descriptively put it – and the 4x2 test RAV4 I had for the week. It was the ‘more mature’ five-door 2WD 1.8 litre Luna, big and macho looking with its more rounded styling, prominent flared wheel arches, trademark Toyota grille, more prominent headlamps and big wheels.

It has also grown on the ‘original of the species’. Longer, wider, higher, it means more head, shoulder, leg and luggage room inside. This was achieved by improving interior height and width and by lengthening the wheelbase, but maintaining the RAV4’s popular compact exterior dimensions.

The interior design is also more flexible, offering MPV-type versatility with rear seats designed to independently slide backwards, forwards, fold, tumble or be removed all together. And there are new standards of interior materials enhancing the quality feel while wind noise, road noise and aerodynamics have all been improved.

Seating is high and comfortable with plenty of all round room. The interior has the sound and feel of a premium quality passenger car.

Standard features, too, are generous and include central locking with double door lock, keyless entry, radio,cassette audio system, power steering, power front and rear windows and exterior mirrors, height adjustable steering column and driver’s seat, roof rails, front foglamps, driver and passenger airbags, antilock braking with electronic brake distribution, power steering, and immobiliser.

The range features all-new 2.0 and 1.8 litre engines with Variable Valve Timing-intelligent (VVT-i) technology for enhanced performance and efficiency.

Doing the honours on our test vehicle was the 1.8 litre - the first time this variant has been offered on the RAV4. It develops 125bhp at 6,000rpm and a maximum torque of 159Nm at 4,200rpm through a five-speed manual gearbox.

This new engine performs keenly and quietly. Acceleration is strong – the standing start to 62mph takes a fraction over 12 seconds – and it’s economical. I averaged 35.5mpg.

The car-like, fun-to-drive characteristics of the new RAV4 have been further developed with the uprating of the all-independent suspension system to offer even higher levels of agility, handling and ride quality – all areas in which the original RAV4 was already a class leader.

4x4 or 4x2, the RAV4 is a delight. Already a winner, the latest versions have taken it to new heights.