SINGAPORE – The Suzuki eVitara is a soft-roader, the high-riding, urban-friendly breed of sport utility vehicle (SUV) that dominates Singapore’s roads, from the Honda HR-V to BMW X1.

It is a trend that really began with a quirky 1990s Toyota that looked like a tree frog.

Jeep may claim that it invented the compact SUV with the 1984 Cherokee, but it was the 1994 RAV4 that popularised the concept.

Toyota’s genius was realising that most people really do not want to bash dunes; they want a Corolla with a higher driving position and a spare tyre hanging on the tailgate. They want to look sporty and fun, even when doing routine things like going to the supermarket.

In three-door guise, its curvy and pert silhouette looks like a frog ready to leap.

In terms of substance, the RAV4 does without the “body-on-frame” truck chassis favoured by traditional off-roaders. By building the car this way, the RAV4 feels lighter and more alert.

The suspension and transmission were developed from the Celica GT-Four, which is a sports car, rather than something like the Land Cruiser. Without the bulky selectable transfer case for hardcore off-road use, the cabin is also more spacious.

Toyota even offered a front-wheel-drive version of the car, casually disregarding the fact that the “Recreation Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive” would be missing a key feature. But the truth is that the front-wheel drive was better for fuel economy, even if it limited how far the RAV4 can venture beyond paved roads.