TOYOTA has been at the front of the pack in terms of producing hybrid vehicles.

Indeed, one in four new Toyota cars sold in the UK last year was a hybrid.

Now an old faithful, the Rav4, has been given the hybrid treatment - and the results are pretty pleasing.

As the original compact SUV, the Rav4 has pedigree as an agile, four-wheel drive vehicle, previously available with both diesel and petrol engines.

Now a state-of-the-art hybrid system has been introduced to the vehicle.

The slick package combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with a powerful electric motor.

In terms of acceleration, the vehicle was more than a match for some of the steeper hills in and around Bradford, pulling nicely up the gradients.

Total system power is 194bhp, enabling 0- 62mph acceleration to be achieved in 8.4 seconds, which seems quite brisk for a vehicle of this size.

And the best thing is that decent performance won’t cost you a huge amount in terms of fuel consumption. Class-leading fuel figures of 57.6mpg for the front-wheel drive model and 55.4mpg for the AWD version is something that will prove attractive for those seeking low running costs.

The Rav4 further benefits from improved ride comfort and driving dynamics, plus a quieter cabin. With hybrid power, you can enjoy a noticeably quiet and refined driving experience.

In terms of its appearance, the Rav4 has a more aggressive look than before, with a chiselled front and rear end. It’s a decent looking and distinctive vehicle that will grow on you the more you look at it.

Inside the cabin, there is a great feeling of space. Four adults could travel in comfort, while two adults in the front and three children in the back is also a comfortable set-up.

Inside, RAV4 seems to be better than ever with stunning build quality and impressive levels of technology.

The dash is dominated by the colour touchscreen offering excellent satnav graphics. There is also Bluetooth, trip computer, even the internet, if you opt for it.

Added practicality is provided by a boot which has 501 litres of space with the back seats in place. There is the flexibility for that to increase to 1,633 litres with the seats folded.

The new hybrid leads a revamped powertrain line-up for Rav4, which includes new 2.0-litre D-4D diesel and improved 2.0-litre Valvematic petrol engines.

In terms of history, Toyota can claim to have established the compact SUV market with the launch of its first Rav4 in 1994, when its sales topped 50,000. Twenty years later, sales had risen to above 100,000 units.

The newly-introduced Rav4 Hybrid is the most powerful version of the car yet to be sold in Europe. The driving experience is further enhanced by a sequential Shiftmatic gear change and a Sport driving mode for those who really want to get a move on.

Toyota Safety Sense is available on all new RAV4 models bar entry-level Active. Features include a pre-collision system that detects vehicles and obstacles on the road ahead, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, road sign assist and automatic high beam.

The Rav4’s new instrument binnacle incorporates a colour TFT multi-information display, which is very useful for the driver.

The overall length of the new RAV4 has been increased by 35mm to 4,605mm, but the wheelbase remains unchanged at 2,660mm.

There are five grades – Active, Business Edition, new Business Edition Plus, Icon and Excel. Prices start at £23,695.

At a time when many manufacturers seem to follow each other, Toyota seems happy to take a different path.

The hybrid Rav4 is further evidence of the manufacturer’s bid to stay ahead of the game.