i have a 1999 2 door rav 4, i have no idea about the 4 door but let me tell you this :
At first i thought this car was a piece of shit. Then one day my gf asked me for a ride in the desert ( i live in the arabian gulf). So i took her out there. I took the tires down to my usual 12 rear 13 front . and took her on a drive.
Please note ive been driving in the desert for quite a while now, driven all sorts and kinds of cars.
Let me tell you this, THIS CAR ROCKS THE DESERT. I took her out to the hatta desert (softest sands in the world, site of the DESERT CHALLENGE race) and this car outperformed every single car out there.
Its light, Low CG, GREAT power to weight ratio... This car is for groceries if your grocery store includes 5 miles of dunes

Dont let people talk shit about the rav4. My car is now commenly known as the green lightning. Outperformes 4.* liter nissan patrols, Land crusers.....
and to think, at first i thought it was a piece of shit.... Please forgive me.