I’m convinced that when family-minded automotive enthusiasts toss and turn at night, they don’t count sheep. They count silver RAV4s, blissfully blending together as they do on the motorway into a nice blur of nothing. So why does the CV6 feel different?

Sleeper – noun (slang) – A car that has the exterior of a mundane hue, with the underpinnings that are perfectly designed to deliver more than the original example. See Toyota RAV4 CV6.

It’s easy to be contrarian about the RAV4 with its frenetic V6 and tight steering. In fact, if you want to play the devil’s advocate for just a moment, you probably can’t do much better than the Toyota for a family carrier that provides a bit of oomph in performance.

If you can’t make up your mind after taking a test drive, not too worry, because the CV6 has some difficulties deciding whether it wants to be a soft-roader, a people carrier or something else entirely. Let’s go back to the engine for a moment, one that provides a goodly amount of power at 201kW and 333Nm of torque.

That’s a healthy dose for a small SUV that can seat four comfortably and five if you’re putting the children together in the back. And it sounds like a V6 should, if a bit whiny, easily providing some extra speed while overtaking and in other chores even at a moderate consumption of 10.5L/100km. You may not quite have the same feel for the road that you would in a sedan, but it’s easy to toss into a corner when you need to.

On the other hand, and I don’t think I’ve written this lately, the same frenetic engine has some problems if you try to take it too hard. A comfortable understeer can quickly translate into a near-spin oversteer. Try it with kid gloves the first time you drive it to get a feel for the thin line between power and putting it into a berm.

Inside, you’ll find the necessary safety features, like all airbags, traction and stability control and descent control for occasional off-road jaunts. The seats are nicely fitted, and there’s gobs of interior room until you decide to move the rear seats up for more cargo room. But that’s a feature that adds to the versatility of the CV6 on most occasions.

Passengers are likely to enjoy the single-cd player and the decent, if not spectacular trim on longer car rides. Higher trim levels include fancier geegaws, but the CV6 is capable enough to compete with the larger Kluger when one considers they share the same engine. You’ll also enjoy the cargo net and the underfloor bins to stow more cargo as the need arises.

But compared to other models of the RAV4, you’re likely to find yourself with a lot of questions. If you don’t feel the need to weave in and out of other cars, the CV6 manages to provide a good dose of power when needed and is docile though frisky in the straight line. But the engine seems a bit too powerful in some turns, and it requires a deft touch and the attention one normally pays to a newborn.

If you want Mr. Hyde on the B-grades with the power to match and Dr. Jekyll on longer journeys with a lighter touch, the CV6 might be the pick. Just don’t sleep on it, because the transformation is lightning quick and liable to thrash you.

Specifications:
Engine: Quad-cam V6 petrol
Power: 201kW @ 6200
Torque: 333Nm @ 4700
Top speed: 210 km/h
O-100km/h: 7.4 seconds
Drive: Part time AWD
Transmission: 5-speed electronic auto
Turning circle: 10.6
Emission rating: Euro 1V
Fuel type: 91