TOYOTA'S RAV4 is a compact, jaunty-looking soft-roader that has, in the past, been pilloried for its perceived inability to scale the heights that would be child's play for a Land Rover.

It all boils down to an image thing, as Toyota never intended to pitch the RAV4 at the full-blown four-wheel drive market. Quite the contrary, as the 4x4, with all the curves but little interest in plugging mud, was aimed at buyers seeking an alternative to the default family hatch.

Blessed with a range of perky petrol motors, the RAV4 was no slouch and proved ideal for anyone seeking to combine warm hatch performance with a lofty driving position - the original "joy machine", if you like.

The latest iteration may no longer have the sport utility playground all to itself, but it does have a few tricks up its sleeve.

Visually a more mature-looking 4x4, this RAV4 is equally at home in the office car park as it is parked outside the school gates or splashing through a rain-soaked country lane. It's no Freelander, but it's not all mouth and no trousers either.

Toyota has never been a company to short change its customers. The firm's racy MR2 is not some cereal packet trinket but a serious contender for best affordable roadster. Likewise the Yaris Verso - it's not the tallest supermini just for the sake of it.

The RAV4 is good at what it does because it delivers in all the key areas - comfort, affordability, durability and desirability.

Driving a RAV4 is like driving a family hatch. It stops, steers and goes like one - unwieldy it ain't. The secret is the car's ability to shrink around you when being steered through crowded urban streets yet feel planted despite its added height when pedalled enthusiastically along a motorway.

Also, there's no shortage of space inside the car. Fore and aft passengers have plenty of scope to kick back without fear of cramping anyone's style. Seats are soft yet supportive, which is how it should be when you take to the roughish stuff.

Value for money is the next plus point, as the RAV4 doesn't break the bank and has an enviable reputation - like all Toyotas - for not requiring roadside assistance or unscheduled visits to the dealership. The recently revised range consists of an economically minded 2.0-litre petrol motor and a common rail diesel engine that's not short of poke despite its aversion to filling stations.

The latter, boasting a modest 114bhp but a very immodest 250Nm of pulling power, is by the far the best choice if you're seeking to combine affordability with all-round practicality.

Despite having to transmit its power through a permanent four-wheel drive system - the range no longer contains the two-wheel drive only 1.8 petrol model - and contend with the RAV4's less-than-ideal aerodynamic profile, the official combined economy figure is a commendable 39.8mpg.

That it will comfortably top 100mph and get to 60mph in a fraction over 12 seconds makes the D-4D-badged RAV4 a brilliant all-rounder. Oh, and it's quiet too, so you won't be competing with the farmyard machinery if you decide to head for the hills.

Durability doesn't have to mean unsightly straight lines, hard plastics and a hose-down interior. And it's the same with the RAV4 - the overriding impression is that driving across a rutted field or any typical high street nothing's going to squeak, rattle or fall off. Even the car's capacious boot - accessed by swinging open a large, sturdy door - willingly accepts everything from muddy camping gear to the weekly shopping.

There's more to this game than shifting tin boxes, although Toyota seems to have cracked it by offering a reliable package that's pleasing to the eye. Aware that few RAV4s spend any appreciable time off road, the car giant equips its high-rise hatch with a decent number of creature comforts right across the board.

All cars gain air conditioning - a must-have these days - and roof bars for the obligatory lifestyle toys. Anti-lock brakes and airbags complete the picture.

The XT3-badged flagship three-door adds a CD player, bigger alloys, colour-coded exterior trim, a hard cover for the rear mounted spare wheel and a roof spoiler.

It is the five-door variant, however, that is the closest in terms of space and versatility to that of a conventional family car or compact MPV. When powered by the 2.0-litre diesel lump, it offers impressive load-lugging potential, while remaining largely unobtrusive when at cruising speed.

The warm, distant chug-chug sound of the oil burner is a comforting aural companion when you're forced to slug it out in the rush-hour boxing ring. This diesel, manual gearbox combo has the Freelander licked on the road, too.

Quicker to 60mph and posting a higher top speed, the RAV4's surplus performance makes for a more relaxing driving experience - on hard surfaces, at least.