THE juggernaut came out of nowhere, all 38 tons, bearing down as it cut the corner of a fast right-hander.

There was a lay-by on my side of the road and I suppose the trucker had decided it was tea time.

Unfortunately for me we were on a collision course, with the front of the new RAV4 heading straight for his trailer. This test was for real.

The fact I'm able to write this now is testament to the supreme ability of the new sports utility vehicle from Toyota.

There was no option other than to slam on the brakes and steer, something which in the past would have been a recipe for disaster. Not now. With sophisticated anti lock brakes, sharp steering and excellent body control, the three-door RAV4 took the crisis situation in hand.

An embarrassed lorry driver waved and the danger had passed as quickly as it appeared. I just thanked my lucky stars I was in a good car - lesser vehicles may not have been able to avoid the crash.

Heart thumping from the rush of adrenalin, I settled down to complete the test route, dwelling on just how good the RAV had reacted.

This was new RAV, son of the RAV4 which itself had become a design icon. And it is oh, so much better.

Old RAV used to look slick and trendy - the new three and five-door versions are better still.

They look bigger, more solid, more purposeful and the five-door in particular is a car in its own right this time, rather than looking like a stretched version of the three.

They are wide at the bottom with big wheels which gives the instant impression of stability. And it's more than just an impression, they are immensely stable.

Handling is superb, safe, sure and steadfast. You can chuck the vehicle around with abandon. It feels solid, yet light and agile too. Both variants are excellent, the three-door slightly better.

Beneath the fresh, modern surface lies a 2.0 litre motor which is fast and frugral, boasting 147bhp and 30mpg, and coupled to four-wheel drive.

There's also the option of a 1.8 litre two-wheel drive version and a diesel in the wings.

The solid build quality extends inside the much more spacious cabin and is a vast improvement on the out-going RAV.

Three white-faced clocks sit inside the instrument binnacle providing all the information you need at a glance.

The centre console features a mock alloy frame containing vents and the controls for the superb stereo, trip computer and sat-nav.

Below that are neat knobs for the heating/aircon and the clock. It all feels well made and is pleasant on the eye.

The leather-bound steering wheel is small and sporty, the clutch, gearbox and throttle, a delight.

The old RAV was as popular as it was able. The new one is so much better it's hard to see how it could fail