It doesn’t take long to like this SUV — the car-like ride, the safe handling and four-wheel disc brakes.

No wonder Toyota is taking the automotive world by storm. If it sees a niche, it puts a world-beater in it, stopping the competition dead. Well, almost dead. There are still a few worthy opponents out there.

The new 2006 RAV4 is so much better than the very popular 2005 RAV4 that Toyota should have named it the RAV5. Toyota understands this market better than most, offering an enlarged, almost medium-sized SUV with excellent fuel consumption, sports car power if you want it, ride and handling of a car, and easy loading capacity for large loads. All this with optional four-wheel drive, moon roof, roof rack, third-row seats and audio and DVD viewer for the rear passengers.

Three models are available, all with variants that offer a 4-cylinder or a 6-cylinder engine and two- or four-wheel drive. The basic model is the 4-cylinder, two-wheel-drive, starting at $20,305, the Sport starting at $21,875, and the Limited starting at $22,555.

The test car provided by Mossy Toyota of Pacific Beach was the Sport selling for $25,000 with moon roof, upgraded stereo system, V-6 engine and two-wheel-drive. Jeff Gordon would feel comfortable in this machine. The 269 hp, VVT (variable valve timing), 3.5-liter, V-6 engine with five-speed automatic propels this SUV like a rocket. The 166 hp, VVT, 2.4- liter 4-cylinder engine with four-speed automatic is $2,035 cheaper and is more than adequate, except perhaps for heavy loads at high altitudes. The 4-cylinder comes with a four-speed automatic transmission. The four-wheel- drive adds $1,400, and the third row seats are $950.

It doesn’t take long to really like this SUV — the car-like ride, the safe handling and four-wheel disc brakes, all assisted by a vehicle stability control system and electronic brake force distribution. For off-road, a hill assist control system and a downhill assist control system make this a pleasant, competent vehicle.

The 2006 Toyota RAV4

The SUV comes with three 12-volt outlets, 10 cup holders, six-speaker stereo, power driver seat, cargo net, tonneau cover, folding rear seats, mpg of 24 city/30 highway for the 4-cylinder, 22 city/29 highway for the V-6 —a lot for your money.

Toyota’s legendary reliability, the warranty of 36 months or 36,000 miles and 60 months/ 60,000 miles for the power train makes for peace of mind for a few years.

The V-6 vehicles are tow rated at 3,500 pounds. This powerful engine makes this a unique SUV in its category; add a tuned suspension in the Sport model and this Toyota is a sharp handler on the back roads and a friendly quiet freeway cruiser. Sports car enthusiasts will love the sporty sound of the V-6 engine when driven hard.

On MSN autos (msn.com) consumers rated this car at a record high of 9.8 out of 10. Consumers at Edmunds (edmunds.com) rated the RAV4 at 9.4 out of 10. Toyota appears to have hit one out of the park with this SUV and has set a higher bar for the makers of smaller SUVs: Ford, Jeep, Hyundai, Nissan, Honda, Subaru, GM and Suzuki.

From a safety point of view, front driver and passenger airbags are standard on all models. Side front and side head protection curtain airbags are optional for $650.

With the rear seats folded down, this is a useful vehicle to take shopping with easy access through the rear door opening. The door opens sideways and has the full-size spare tire mounted on the outside, an arrangement not favored by this tester, but one that allows for maximum interior space.

The excellent sound system is assisted by a large woofer speaker mounted in the inside of the rear door. It really makes your ears vibrate. Those with large collections of cassette tapes will be disappointed at the lack of a cassette player.

It is hard to find fault with this SUV. It seems to have addressed many of the concerns expressed by the public and auto reviewers about the gas guzzling monster SUVs dominating our freeways. This combination of raw power, excellent gas mileage, roomy interior, car-like driving experience and off-road credentials is hard to beat. Buy the V-6 if you can. The difference in gas mileage between the 4-cylinder and the 6-cylinder is not significant and the extra power is addictive, not to mention the vehicle’s smooth, quiet nature and added safety when passing.

This SUV attracted a lot of admiring glances and complementary comments, especially from the female half of the population — somewhat unexpected, but certainly welcome.

Motoring since 1952, Austin Lynas has owned 55 cars and at one time raced mini-sedans in England. An aerospace engineer, he was instrumental in developing the anti-skid systems used in British military aircraft that preceded today’s ABS systems. Lynas can be reached by e-mail at austin@sandiegometro.com.