Test drove the XLE model today and really impressed with ease of driving, comfort of seats (and I did not have the leather model), and roominess of cabin. Really nice experience. Any experience with the RAV 4 or other smaller SUVs? Thanks for sharing.
I don’t other than as a passenger but the RAV4 has an excellent reputation. Consumer Reports collects reliability data over ten year periods and you can read it for the RAV4 and other small SUVs at the local bookstore.
My suggestion is to take it on the freeway and take the speed up. They tend to be noisy.
Also make sure you test drive the exact trim you would buy. Seats and interior tend to be different.
I agree about the noise. Had an 05 for 8 years and though the new one is a lot better in most ways, it still rides stiff and is noisy.
We ended up with a four cylinder base Venza which is faster, quieter, bigger and a much better road car for the same money as the upper end RAV. The RAV is great around town and is a little more economical, but there is no comparison of you travel interstates and need lots of room for five. The Venza then is a better buy but only then. The RAV is better driving in close quarters and is more flexible overall.
That said, we know a couple of owners (13 and14 years) and both really like the car. I just didn’t find it that different from the older model in power ride and handling to warrant the price tag of a new one. For the 8 years we had our nine year old RAV it had zero issues. One new set of snow and regular tires and absolutly nothing else but fluid changes and filters. These cars are best with AWD and snow tires if winter driving is in mind. Don’t get the AWD and expect it to climb a slippery hill, stop on a dime or turn in snow very easily with the all seasons that come with it.
Personally, I would try out a Forrester too !
Not familiar with this generation of the Rav but my dad really liked the previous generation, He ended up with a CRV because of certain features and the dealer had one that could be taken for a longer test drive (the Honda dealer had a Demo model which Toyota almost never did (this was in late 2006)
If you really like the Rav4 go for it., for some comparison look at the Forester,CRV,Nissan Rogue (friend just bought one and loves it) and the Mazda CX-5. Somewhat comes down to what features you want and which one fits your needs and desires the best. I’m a few months into ownership of a 2015 Forester Premium with Eyesight and I’m loving it.
Look at some of the others and then buy the one you like best.
I have a 2009 RAV4 6 cylinder. So far all it has needed is oil changes and one recall for a potential brake problem. It is slightly larger than previous RAVs but handles just as well and it FLIES on the highway.
I don’t think you can get a 6 cylinder RAV anymore but the 4 cyl is very good. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a comfortable sized SUV.
I remember seeing a review by consumer reports of the newer RAV4. They guy doing it said…v6, you will be missed. I guess as you say and my “hairstylist” who had one for towing said, it went a heck of a,lot faster then the driver dared to go. I drove a bigger Venza with this six and it flew. I can I magine what that little RAV will do.
There is plenty of power in the 2013 Rav4 that I drive. Back seat access is messed up by the protruding wheel well but you can live with that. It’s noisy on the highway and wet roads make a sound like a door ajar. The thing runs great on snow and ice. I needed a pry bar to change the tail light because I’m weak. The hood is made of lead. That dumb rubber seal at the bottom of the windshield pulls out; minor but typical Toyota body crap. Cup holders are too deep for small coffee to go. Hatch opening is too difficult because handle is too high. Hatch is dirty after car wash because of the overhanging thing designed for what by who? Headlights are forty feet then total darkness; you can’t see in town in small dips without high beams. Leave shifter in D. Remove steering wheel in order to see differential lock switch.
The 2015 Rav4 is 4cyl only, The V6 had pretty high demand in the beginning but by the 2013 model year the demand had cooled down to the point that Toyota decided not to continue on the new design.
@pleasedodgevan2
"The hood is made of lead"
I don’t know why Toyota keeps skimping on this. The 4Runner had struts, and it was easy. The RAV didn’t and was heavier opening. Now, the freak’n tacoma hood I just bought takes a darn “clean and jerk” just to get it and you then have to balance it with one arm while you reach a full arms lncth to engage the prop. Heavn forbid it should drop on your head. This has to be Toyota’s way of sayin…“stay out of the engine compart ment unless you are a muscle mania candidate”
Second thought, do know why…cheeeeeep
Just make sure you drive a CX-5 before you buy. That would be at the top of my list.
The Rav4 was in my top 3 choices when I was looking a few years ago. Ultimately, I went with the CX-7, but the Rav4 I test drove was quite nice, even for a 4cyl. The Sport, with the V6, was even nicer.
My daughter has a 2015 Mazda CX-5, and she likes it a lot. Gas mileage is as advertised, and the 4-cyl engine is not bad. Most auto reviews think it is underpowered, but I don’t agree. It isn’t spritely, but adequate. You give up a little gas mileage in the 6-cyl, but it is the only engine available in the higher trim levels. When my wife finally agrees to replace the minivan, I plan to look at a CX-5 Grand Touring model.
On the CX-5 there are two fours, a 2.0 L in the base model and a 2.5 L in the others. Only the 2.0 is available with a stick.
Most reviews think the 2.5 is peppy enough, though even people with the smaller engine are giving it glowing reviews, and the gas mileage is distinctly better. If I was driving in any hilly or mountainous areas or at high altitude, or regularly carried heavy loads (including passengers), I’d get the 2.5. Living in a low, reasonably flat place and using it mostly for a longish commute, I’d get the 2.0 and live with the modest performance. By the standards of decades past the performance of the 2.0 is quite average. We’ve just become used to more zip, but it isn’t essential.