I think the RAV4 wheelbase has traditionally been shorter than the Camry
Not a partulicularly long vehicle, either, from what I’m seeing
Might be too small for the weekend family trip to the national park?
Looks about right for a husband and wife with no kids (yet)
Or no kids any more…
I went with the RAV4’s competitor, the Forester Hybrid, same basic specs. Decent room for four adults, plenty for two on a road trip.
Rav4 and corolla are close in size other than the rav4 being taller, as big as most of us need since it’s the 3 of us max and we’re used to that size vehicle. No bad choices between the rav/crv/Forester/cx5 in my opinion.
Brothers family has a 2011 Sequoia for their specific needs but if the Grand highlander hybrid was on the market when the bought the Sequoia used it probably would have been the pick. He wanted more room for the 3rd row and behind and neither the pilot or highlander quite worked. They’d waited Ling enough to decide squeezing 3 car seats into a 06 Legacy wagon. His wife was suggesting he sleep on the couch with one eye open by that point. Save your breath suggesting an awd Sienna, not a chance in hades.
What have you got against vans?
Nothing but my brother and his wife wouldn’t even discuss one, we had a 88 grand voyager growing up that did everything we needed it to do including towing a 1,600lb boat on occasion.
Seemed to us that an awd Sienna should have been an option with winter tires they put on everything but they shut that idea down. Their winters are colder and icier than even seattle sees.
My daughter has a CR-V. They have a baby and a dog, and the Honda is big enough for them.
Why didn’t he pic the 4Runner then.
Looked at every Japanese and German suv with a 3rd row available in 2016, 4 runner among others had the 3rd row too close to the hatch.
He’s an i.c.u. nurse who’s probably seen some things. The then upcoming VW Atlas and Subaru Ascent had been considered until he saw how similarly tight the 3rd row was going to be. With 3 kids from 7 to newborn in child or booster seats in a Subaru Legacy wagon his wife was ready to buy anything with a 3rd row. Almost bought a Honda Pilot when he found the Sequoia in his budget.
Being fanatically loyal to the local Japanese/euro specialists meant the American brands were off the table. Otherwise unless they said to stay far far away from it. Audi q7 as an example he’d consider one.
Before buying the Subaru new in 06 he asked about a list of audi Quattro’s and was advised ti get the Subaru instead. We all put way too much thought into car buying buy we keep them 13-20+ yrs.
I would have stayed the H E C K away from that VW Atlas, fwiw
THe vw dealer there said it could be a 6mo wait for the spec they wanted. That and the cargo room behind the 3td row looking at the Atlas on display.
You cant PAY me enough to get that VW Atlas
No, sir
Not EVER going to happen
Speaking of safety; the Lexus GX460 is popular with overprotective young parents. A solid heavy vehicle often seen with just one child seat in the second row. Some people select the largest vehicle they can afford to carry their first child.
One of my former coworkers replaced his (high priced) Lexus GX460 with a VW Atlas, can’t be that bad;
First couple model years of the Atlas seem ti be problematic. Toyota has had plenty of their own 1sr year nightmares.
I’ll pick 1st year Toyota over 1st year VW
Any day of the week
Like I said, you can’t PAY me to get that VW Atlas
No, sir
Not happening
Not now
Not EVER
I worked with a guy that bought a Ford Expedition to wrap his only child in safety. He had no other reason to buy it. They carried no large cargo. If they bought something big, I’m sure it was delivered.
If I needed room behind the 3rd row first choice would be a minivan. If not that, then I guess a gas guzzling full size SUV. Hello, Suburban!
