Unfortunately, the thing I hated the most and perhaps the true thorn in my side all week were the RAV4's seats. Holy uncomfortable Batman. With basically no support anywhere, I felt as if I were perched on a stool the whole time. No matter what seating position I chose, I felt like I was miles above the dash and everything else, even the armrests when I had to bend sideways to use. Not very practical. And you'd think a higher seating position would increase visibility, well it didn't.
My backside's comfort aside, driving the RAV4 was fairly enjoyable. Once again, it wasn't something to write home about, but I wasn't disgusted either. I was piloting the 2.5L 4-pot instead of the V6, but it still had some grunt and performed when asked to. The 4-speed Super Electronically Controlled Transmission (whoa there Toyota) wasn't the speediest of the bunch, but it did the job well enough.
With 179 hp and 172 lb.-ft of torque, I never felt like I was lumbering along in a huge, heavy vehicle - save for when I was cornering. I don't think I've ever felt Gs like that in a car before at such low speeds. I'm not sure if the RAV4 is just excessively top-heavy or not, but cornering was always quite the experience.
Storage and cargo space in the RAV4 is pretty good for a crossover of its size. With the rear seats folded, the RAV4 boasts 2,074 litres (73.2 cu. ft) of loading space; for most, that's more than enough. Add to that the fact that the RAV4 can tow up to 680 kg (unless you want to upgrade to the V6 in which case you can up that number to 1,587 kg or 3,500 lbs), and you've got yourself the perfect weekend camping trip vehicle.
And that's what the RAV4 really comes down to. It's a versatile crossover that's as comfortable on suburban streets as it is on country roads. The 4WD version even has a "comfortable" price tag, starting at $27,230, while our tester includes the $1,765 Touring Value Package.
With Toyota's AWD lock available at any time, the RAV4 can conquer mud, snow and rough terrains without much trouble. Strapping the kids into the back and loading up the trunk with camping gear is also quite feasible. And with a fuel consumption rating of 8.6 L/100km, the RAV4 is also quite economical.
My backside's comfort aside, driving the RAV4 was fairly enjoyable. Once again, it wasn't something to write home about, but I wasn't disgusted either. I was piloting the 2.5L 4-pot instead of the V6, but it still had some grunt and performed when asked to. The 4-speed Super Electronically Controlled Transmission (whoa there Toyota) wasn't the speediest of the bunch, but it did the job well enough.
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| With a fuel consumption rating of 8.6 L/100km, the RAV4 is also quite economical. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
With 179 hp and 172 lb.-ft of torque, I never felt like I was lumbering along in a huge, heavy vehicle - save for when I was cornering. I don't think I've ever felt Gs like that in a car before at such low speeds. I'm not sure if the RAV4 is just excessively top-heavy or not, but cornering was always quite the experience.
Storage and cargo space in the RAV4 is pretty good for a crossover of its size. With the rear seats folded, the RAV4 boasts 2,074 litres (73.2 cu. ft) of loading space; for most, that's more than enough. Add to that the fact that the RAV4 can tow up to 680 kg (unless you want to upgrade to the V6 in which case you can up that number to 1,587 kg or 3,500 lbs), and you've got yourself the perfect weekend camping trip vehicle.
And that's what the RAV4 really comes down to. It's a versatile crossover that's as comfortable on suburban streets as it is on country roads. The 4WD version even has a "comfortable" price tag, starting at $27,230, while our tester includes the $1,765 Touring Value Package.
With Toyota's AWD lock available at any time, the RAV4 can conquer mud, snow and rough terrains without much trouble. Strapping the kids into the back and loading up the trunk with camping gear is also quite feasible. And with a fuel consumption rating of 8.6 L/100km, the RAV4 is also quite economical.
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| With Toyota's AWD lock available at any time, the RAV4 can conquer mud, snow and rough terrains without much trouble. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |