Last year, Swedish magazine Teknikens Varld subjected the new Toyota RAV 4 to a Moose Test. As the name implies, the Moose Test determines how well a car can avoid an unexpected obstacle such as a moose in the road, which is simulated with cones to test the car's handling, suspension, and electronic stability control.

Despite earning an IIHS Top Safety Pick + in the US, the Toyota RAV4 failed the Moose Test last year and was even considered dangerous as a result. Teknikens Varld discovered that the electronic stability control was not performing as it should, while the chassis reactions made the car difficult to handle and caused the utility vehicle to sway violently. In the test, the team only managed to reach 42 mph.

In response, Toyota has deployed a software update that fixes the electronic stability control issue. To put this to the test, Teknikens Varld brought the updated Toyota RAV 4 to the Circuito Monteblanco racetrack parking lot just outside Seville in Spain to retest the SUV. It turns out the fix was very simple.

The software update improves the Vehicle Stability Control system to allow for more braking. This is the only change applied to the new Toyota RAV4 in the software update, but it's clearly made a huge difference.

In the last test, the driver experienced a "slightly bouncing behavior" and the SUV even went up on two wheels, increasing the risk of a rollover. Now, the maneuvering is smooth, the bouncing behavior is gone, and the RAV4 passed the test at 45 mph. It's an important improvement since the RAV4 is one of Toyota's most popular models.

According to Teknikens Varld, the update will be available during Q2 2020, possibly in late April or May. However, a recall isn't planned for models that have been already been delivered and the software update won't be applied during regular servicing, which means customers will need to specifically request it.