It takes me about an hour to wash and dry my RAV. Not too long considering that when I dry the car, I get into every little nook and cranny to remove water spots.
Miriam, do you use car wash solution when washing your RAV? The reason I ask, is that just scrubbing your RAV with water will cause most of the swirl marks/fine scratches in your paint. The reason for the car wash solution (suds) is to lift the dirt particles from your car so that when you scrub it with the brush it wont scratch your car. Also, DO NOT USE dish washing solution, it will remove the wax from your car. Use a dedicated car wash solution, it is less harmful to the polish/wax on your RAV.
Also, when washing your car, start from the top and work your way down. You should also use a different scrub brush/sponge to clean your undercarriage, wheel wells and wheels. This area has the most dirt buildup and brushes/sponges used to clean this area should definitely not be used on the paint surface.
Drying your car should be done with a clean chamois or something similar. I use a product called "the Absorber", it is an artificial type of chamois that works very well in drying wet spots.
The clay bar is used to remove built up contaminants on your paint surface. I just clay barred my 1998 RAV with amazing results. You can actually feel the difference by running your hand over the finished surface. It is definitely much smoother than the non-treated area.
Any polish/wax would give you pretty good results. I have found that Zymol works well for my cars. It is somewhat pricey, but has amazing results. To make the job go faster/easier; you should consider using a small orbital buffer. It applies the wax/polish much more evenly and requires less physical effort. Just remember when wiping off the polish/wax to frequently use a clean wipe cloth. The built up wax/polish residue on the cloth is another way that scratches/swirl marks occur. Hope this helps.
