LIGHT DUTIES

OUTFITTING SOFT-ROADERS WITH ALL-ROAD EQUIPMENT MIGHT NOT BE BIG BUSINESS IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED IRONMAN 4X4 FROM MAKING ITS PRODUCTS FOR THE 2019+ TOYOTA RAV4 AVAILABLE

- MATT RAUDONIKIS

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.