Invacare Aviva RX40

Power base

Powerchairs typically have to make a compromise between performance and base width – for example Quickie’s Q100 R (the most compact truly outdoor capable powerchair) is 54 cm wide but doesn’t have the advanced suspension and high speeds of a top-end rear-wheel drive powerchair. Quickie’s Q700 R (their leading rear-wheel drive powerchair) offers great suspension and speeds of up to 8 mph but is 64 cm wide. The RX40 completely smashes these expectations – it offers unrivalled outdoor performance whilst being just 56 cm wide.

This overcomes the traditional limitation of rear-wheel drive, which is manoeuvring around tight spaces, particularly indoors – the Aviva RX40 does this with ease. Yet it still benefits from outstanding patented CTC suspension – giving you great control, superior traction and extra comfort. This is fully adjustable whether you prefer a stiffer, sporty ride, or a spongier more comfortable setting to your suspension.

The suspension keeps all four wheels in constant contact with the ground to maintain control, while elastomer dampeners ensure there is no squeaking. There are no compromises on the distance your RX40 can go, with the ability to upgrade to 73.6 Ah batteries for an unbelievable 31 mile range, and top speeds of 8 mph are also available.

Seating

Three seating systems are available on the RX40. The Standard “one piece” seat is an entry-level seating system for those who don’t need high-end postural support and won’t be spending so long in their powerchair. It has an element of adjustability to it – tension adjustable backrest straps, and adjustable armrests and legrests. This seat has limited powered seating positioning available.

The Modulite seat is the most popular seating option – this is Invacare’s renowned seating system which provides a personalised fit and no compromise between comfort, support and pressure management. A vast variety of options are available for cushioning, armrests, legrests, headrests, and of course the full selection of powered seating options you would expect on a high-end chair – lift, tilt, recline and elevating leg rests. The sleek and discreet seat riser uniquely can be elevated even when driving – no need to stop to activate it. We would normally recommend Modulite seating, particularly if you want to spend much of the day in your wheelchair.

Finally, an HD seat is available too for those of heavier weights and needing larger seat sizes. This is a variant of the Modulite seating system with similar options. However, it requires a wider base for the RX40 of 63.5 cm so you lose some of the chair’s manoeuvrability.

Controls

Invacare’s advanced LiNX control system comes as standard on the Aviva RX40. This includes a choice of joysticks from basic “button and lights” ones up to the popular REM400 colour touchscreen – this comes with built-in bluetooth for control of your environment. Should you require specialist controls such as head arrays, these can all be fitted.

The LiNX G-Trac gyro is a popular addition, correcting even the smallest deviation in your intended path, allowing you to go where you want to go without having to tweak the control direction.

Style

The Aviva RX40 features sleek lines and a modern design, and each one is tailor-made to you. There are a range of colours for the contoured shroud, and both castor and wheel rim inserts. Our showroom model, for example, is in racing green with silver accents – but you can even pick any RAL colour you want.

Our Verdict

The RX40 has really blown us away with just how compact it is without any compromises on performance. It’s the most comfortable ride yet from Invacare and we strongly recommend giving it a test drive.

The seating – particularly the Modulite system – offers a great level of comfort, whilst being tailored individually to your requirements, and can be adapted to changing needs in the future.

There really isn’t another chair we can compare this too, as powerchairs like the Q700 R and Storm4 X-Plore with similar levels of performance are much wider, whilst similarly compact chairs like the Q100 R and Q200 R just don’t match the comfort, configurability, speed and range of the Aviva RX40.