It’s impressive to see a small vehicle achieve incredible feats. The 1996 Toyota RAV4, with three doors and all-wheel drive, successfully conquered the 119-mile Mojave Road Trail between California and Nevada.

This modified RAV4, owned by Stephan Papadakis from Papadakis Racing, is equipped with off-roading features such as coilovers, a custom front skid plate, and a Toyota 3S-GTE turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower. It still retains a five-speed manual gearbox without a low-range transfer case.

The Mojave Road Trail offers a diverse off-road experience with varied terrains, including stretches lined with Joshua trees, dry lake beds, sand dunes, and rocky sections, making it an ideal setting for a day-long off-road drive.

Papadakis’ modified RAV4 excelled in these challenging conditions, even successfully traversing a flooded stretch of the trail and conquering a steep, divot-filled hill. However, it encountered a minor setback when an exhaust hanger broke near the end of the trail, causing the muffler and piping to drag on the ground. Papadakis improvised a quick fix using a spare alternator belt and zip ties to secure the pipe temporarily.

If you’re interested in seeing more of this custom RAV4 build, you can watch the accompanying video below showcasing the suspension installation process.