Rav4

[Pegleg]

Car jong here...

Anyone have any opinions on a Toyota Rav4 as a good car for a small family (2 parents, 1 six-month-old) in Colorado that does a fair bit of skiing/biking/camping? Been researching and it seems like a good compromise because it's the only car I've found that has:
- AWD with lockout, good for snow
- as much cargo and passenger space as my current Outback wagon
- a 270hp V6 engine option (not totally necessary, but fun and minimal mileage penalty)
- decent gas mileage (19/26)
- not super expensive (invoice for the base 4X4 V6 is around $24K new)
- very good reliability and safety ratings
- high resale value in Colorado

I'm trying to figure out whether this is the right car for me, and if so, whether to buy new or used; I'm leaning new right now because to get a significant discount (i.e. down to $18K or so) you're looking at cars with 70,000+ miles on them. But I'm curious to hear anyone else's logic.

[The AD]

I have a 2007 V6 with about 50K on it and no problems at all so far. I really don't have any major complaints. The seats for me get a little uncomfortable on long drives, but I haven't driven a car yet where this hasn't been a problem.

[guroo270]

supposed to be really nice cars, but the loaded price tag is waaaaay higher than the base model.

[Pegleg]

But does the loaded (Limited) version really get you much, other than bling? I don't care about leather or heated seats or chrome trim. I don't need a backup camera, DVD player or navigation system. (The automatic climate control would be nice, as would the 9-speaker system with subwoofer, but I don't really need them. I can add a sub later.) I just want a solid, well-put-together and reliable car that drives well, carries a lot, and handles snow like a champ. So the base trim level seems fine to me. (The medium level, Sport, just firms up the suspension and gets rid of the rear tire, adding run-flats instead; nothing really interesting there.)

[Skidog]

just to throw in my $.02.

My wife has a CR-V, the awd model (real time awd engages when tires slip). It has literally cost us nothing aside from regualr maintenance. Its got a bit over 50K on it now. some brakes, some tires, oil changes, and one 02 sensor.

Anyway...i was just driving it in the snow the other day and noticed something. We just have regular all seasons on it. I drive an 03 pathfinder daily (rear wheel drive) and even in 4wd i can still spin it quite a bit. When I was driving the CR-v the other day i was literally trying to get it to spin out, sucker just wouldnt. I was truly impressed with the "real time awd" in that car.

Just another option to think about...good on gas and repairs and likely much cheaper.

Good luck....

[Todds]

I rented a base 4 cylinder once. Seemed like a nice car. It got me up to powmow. The 4 cylinder wasn't very powerful. I'm sure the V6 is better.

[El Chupacabra]

I drove a rental RAV4 from SLC to Reno through a blizzard, when the airline cancelled our flight back to Reno as the conditions were too bad. It was 2WD (front wheel drive), but I figured it'd get me past any chain checkpoints as it looked like any other 4WD out there. (I bought the loss damage waiver in case I lost traction and sideswiped a guardrail...)

The rental 2WD worked great. I was impressed. The traction control warning light came on a lot in the slower/ slippery sections, but I didn't drive all that much slower than I would have if I'd been in my 4WD 4runner with snow tires.

It was reasonably quiet and comfortable. Not the most space inside if you needed to load 4 adults plus luggage; probably need to use a roof box or move up to a larger vehicle at that point. I think the Subaru Legacy/Outback is larger in terms of usable cargo volume.

[Elkhound Odin]

Unless you are buying exclusively for the wife, hand in your man card now.

[The AD]

But does the loaded (Limited) version really get you much, other than bling?

I didn't think so. I've got the base model with 17" tires and also the 6 CD changer. I didn't see anything on either Sport or Limited models that was worth the extra cost for me.

I definitely think the six cylinder is the way to go.

[guroo270]

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f93/

[alembical]

We were real close to buying one and after numerous test drives of that, the Forester, and the CRV my wife went with the CRV. Nice cars though. I would have likely picked the v6 Rav4 for myself... if I had to chose among the 3. We have about 1,000 miles on it, so hard to rate our decision so far, but no regrets.

[Pegleg]

Unless you are buying exclusively for the wife, hand in your man card now.

I'm splitting with the wife; we're each putting up half the down payment and splitting the monthly, and she'll probably use it more than me (she drives to Wyoming for work one day a week; I can ride my bike to work). So, that makes me half a man, I guess. As far as non-humongous SUVs go, it seemed at least slightly more manly than the CR-V.

Regarding the CR-V, it's actually not much cheaper at all for a V4 CR-V than for a similarly equipped V6 Rav4; about fifteen hundred bucks difference on invoice price, I think. The V6 is worth the difference to me - I've been driving a pokey 140hp Outback wagon for years now, and the idea of being able to pass someone on the highway makes me giddy.

[Skidog]

I'm splitting with the wife; we're each putting up half the down payment and splitting the monthly, and she'll probably use it more than me (she drives to Wyoming for work one day a week; I can ride my bike to work). So, that makes me half a man, I guess. As far as non-humongous SUVs go, it seemed at least slightly more manly than the CR-V.

Regarding the CR-V, it's actually not much cheaper at all for a V4 CR-V than for a similarly equipped V6 Rav4; about fifteen hundred bucks difference on invoice price, I think. The V6 is worth the difference to me - I've been driving a pokey 140hp Outback wagon for years now, and the idea of being able to pass someone on the highway makes me giddy.

The 4 cyl CR-V is peppier than you might think and the repairs will be MUCH less than toyo i can promise you that....its the ivtech engine...i dont know that i'd want it as my daily driver cause the seats too short under my legs, but other than that i've been way impressed by it...horsepower from quick searchs doesnt put the 4 banger CR-V that far behind the v6 in the Rav4. The rav4 looks a bit "cooler" but hell....i go for low repair costs and good gas mileage.

Again...good luck in the decision.

[Danno]

curious why you chose the Rav4 over the Highlander? If you guys have another kid won't you be going through this again?

[Pegleg]

Just compared the Rav4 with the 2011 Forester and 2011 Outback wagon... interestingly, the Rav is several thousand less expensive than either, has more HP than the turbo V4 in the Forester and the V6 in the Outback and gets better mileage than either, and has more cargo space and more passenger space (slightly) than either of them. I would've thought the Outback had more space, but not according to the specs.

Edit: I suppose the space difference might be accounted for because the Rav is taller, so there may actually be a little less useable space (unless you're packing it to the roof). But they're definitely close.

[Pegleg]

curious why you chose the Rav4 over the Highlander? If you guys have another kid won't you be going through this again?

Because we don't need the extra space right now, and the wife will be driving it to Laramie regularly so we'd prefer to not have her solo driving a full-size SUV. The wife's car is also getting older ('99 CR-V), so if in a couple of years we need more room, we'll likely be replacing her car then and can explore larger options. But for now, we've done some traveling in this part of the country and found that my Outback (with the same amount of space as a Rav) or her mom's 2008 Rav4 both have enough room to carry us, the wee one, and even her mom on occasion, with a reasonable amount of gear. We can always get a rocket box if space becomes more of an issue, too.

[DeutschBag]

I have a 2008 Rav 4 and it has been a great vehicle for me over in Europe (it's an American spec'd model). I've taken numerous road trips with my wife and our medium sized dog and we have always been comfortable and has had plenty of space for our camp/ski/bike gear, especially when we put the roof box on top. I've slept in the Rav comfortably on solo ski and hiking adventures. My Rav is only a 4cyl 2wd, but with good snow tires on, I've had no problems getting anywhere in the winter. I did have to chain up once going up a 19% grade to get to Obersalzburg last winter - one of the few in our large group who made it up to our destination above Berchtesgaden that night. Maintenance has been easy and I have had no problems mechanically at all. I think I'm sitting around 60k miles right now after 2+ years of owning it. Even though it is only a 4 cylinder, it does great on the Autobahns in Germany. I usually cruise between 90 and 100 mph and have not had any problems at those speeds (and sometimes faster).

I'd recommend the Rav4 to anyone looking for a good vehicle for pursuing outdoors adventures. If I could go back, I would get the AWD model, however. It would be nice to have, especially with the winter we've had so far in Germany. The snow tires work great, but coupled with AWD, I'd feel even better.

[Danno]

Because we don't need the extra space right now, and the wife will be driving it to Laramie regularly so we'd prefer to not have her solo driving a full-size SUV. The wife's car is also getting older ('99 CR-V), so if in a couple of years we need more room, we'll likely be replacing her car then and can explore larger options. But for now, we've done some traveling in this part of the country and found that my Outback (with the same amount of space as a Rav) or her mom's 2008 Rav4 both have enough room to carry us, the wee one, and even her mom on occasion, with a reasonable amount of gear. We can always get a rocket box if space becomes more of an issue, too.

You've got an odd hang up on the "full size SUV" thing; this isn't the first time you've referred to the Highlander as that. The Highlander is built on the Camry platform, not a truck platform. It's 7" longer than the Rav4 and the exact same length as the Outback. 4" wider, 3" taller, a 5" longer wheelbase than the Rav4. The Highlander isn't some cavernous behemoth, it just provides a little more space in a very nice ride.

Suit yourself, it just seems like a nice solution to your search, one that you might prefer to a Rav4.

[Pegleg]

Danno, I have considered the Highlander. But it's $4,000-$5,000 more expensive, gets worse mileage (17/22 versus 19/26), and has less power (same engine in both, but the Rav is much lighter). As I understand it, the "ride" in both is equally nice. So, if I don't need the additional space right now (and for much of the commuting it'll be used for, will never need that space), I don't see why I should take those tradeoffs without a significant upside. Of course, if I came across a bargain on a low-mileage used Highlander, then I'd certainly look at it. But from my research, the Rav seems like a better fit for me right now.

[Elkhound Odin]

I'm splitting with the wife; So, that makes me half a man, I guess.

First step to fixing your problem is admitting you have one.

What about an Escape? aversion to Ford?

[Flyoverland Captive]

My wife drives an '05 Rav4 w/80k on it; no problems at all. It's our go-to car for camping, etc. and has handled every road we've thrown at it. Between a Thule box on top and the rear seats, we can fit all our gear, leaving the rear cargo area for two 75# dogs.

If it ever dies, I'll buy another.

[The AD]

the Rav...has more cargo space and more passenger space (slightly) than either of them. I would've thought the Outback had more space, but not according to the specs.

Edit: I suppose the space difference might be accounted for because the Rav is taller, so there may actually be a little less useable space (unless you're packing it to the roof). But they're definitely close.

The space is very usable in my opinion. That was one reason I chose the Rav over the CR-V. The tailgate opening to the side might compromise the space a little, but only for really wide items. And maybe this is just my imagination, but it seems like nearly all Rav-4's come with roof rails and crossbars (although it's probably technically an option), whereas I seem to see lots of CR-Vs without them.

[Pegleg]

Roof racks and crossbars are standard on all Rav4s now, I think.

[Skidog]

Rav-4's come with roof rails and crossbars (although it's probably technically an option), whereas I seem to see lots of CR-Vs without them.

this was an option in my 2004 cr-v as were the fog lights and running boards. Back in 04 we bought it with EVERY possible option and it was still only about $22K. Its paid for now and only has 52K on it....hardly costs us a penny...

Good luck.

[RootSkier]

I am hammering on dealers (via email) right now for a new 4x4 V6 base model for the mother in law. God I hate these douchebags. Do people seriously pay $199 for floormats?

Any hints or tips for getting the best prices appreciated.