Intro
I was considering buying RAV4 since it first came to the U.S. market in '97-'98. From the very beginning, its style was different from other SUV's, but although it appealed to me, when I took a ride in my friend's car, I was disappointed by the cheapness of the interior and unimpressive performance. So I bought a VW Passat '99 instead. I was keeping my eye on RAV4, though, and really liked the latest redesign. Unfortunately, all RAV4 reviews warned about weak and noisy engine, so I kept waiting. Finally, Toyota fixed the engine problem in 2004 model, so I thought that it would be a good time to get myself into a new vehicle. I bought the car a couple of weeks ago and would like to share my thoughts about it, while my impressions are still fresh.
I got an upgraded 2WD (L Package) model with automatic transmission. Bought it from CarsDirect.com (see my CarsDirect review if you are interested; it includes prices, options, and other relevant info). I neither saw nor test drove the car before I got it, so I was a bit anxious. I liked the car's design, and none of my friends who had or drove RAV4 had anything bad to say about it, and all reviews I read were positive, so the risk was not very high, but still I was not quite sure how I would like it. As soon as I got behind the wheel, I knew that it was not a mistake. I really liked the car.
Exterior
I love the way RAV4 looks, which is the main reason why I chose it over the higher-rated (if you trust Consumer Reports) Subaru Forester. I am not planning to drive off-road and chose an SUV for its versatility (just in case I want to move a TV or a small piece of furniture). The problem with most SUVs is that they are too big for me. RAV4 is just the perfect size (and I am 6 feet tall). Being a sucker for good design, I would not want to see any changes in the RAV4's exterior style. (Note: My car is all silver (titanium), but I keep seeing other cars on the roads, which have off-color horizontal panels on the doors, which look a bit odd. For example, a car may be white with dark-gray panels. I do not like this.) To me, exterior is perfect, although I would opt for a better looking exhaust pipe. Hard cover for a spare tire, alloy wheels, and roof rack look really great.
Interior
Living in California, I was afraid that dark charcoal interior would be too hot for summer days. I was relieved because the color combination was well thought through. Although most of the interior is very dark, almost black (which is good for masking dirt), the seat surface is light gray. Excellent. The seats are not as comfortable as Passat's, which were perfect for me, but they are not as bad as I was afraid they could be (I remember having a back ache after driving a couple of hours in Corolla a couple of years ago). Still, they are a bit too soft and do not quite feel right. I wish I could've taken my VW's seats and put them in RAV4. As compared with the first RAV4 I rode six (or so) years ago, the quality of interior improved greatly. Again, it does not look as rich inside as in Passat, but it does not look cheap either. I do not like wood trims, and all other supposedly luxury-looking materials, but I also hate cheap plastics many car manufactures use. RAV4's plastics looks well and have nice touches, such as silver accents on some design elements. Well done. Not sure if base model looks the same, but I think that L Package does worth its price. I really like tinted windows, leather-wrapped steering wheel (with audio controls) and AT shifter knob, as well as other optional features. I'm also not very fond of leather interiors, so fabric seats are fine for me. The quality of material is OK (not exceptional, though); I think it is supposed to look kind of sporty. For reasons, which I cannot understand, some auto makers - Toyota included - do not include floor mats in the base options. Toyota's optional floor mats are nothing to brag about, but they have a nice feature: they can be hooked to the floor. I don't think I will ever use the cargo net, which came with the car, but I could not refuse it (anyone needs one?). I got the basic stereo (AM/FM-Cassette-1CD) and it sounds great (wish it had an MP3 player, though). Built-in speakers look very cool. The instrument panel is very pleasing to the eyes and looks refreshing after Passat's (I am not complaining about Passat's controls, they looked great, but I was getting tired of them after 5+ years). Stereo controls are very easy to operate while driving. Toyota, thank you for offering large rotating buttons which are easy to find and use (I hate controls with many tiny push buttons which all look similar; they may be good for home use, but not for driving). Air-flow controls are also very logical. There are many storage compartments.
There are several features, which I think must be improved.
First, moon roof control switch is hard to operate. Don't know what kind of genius designed a one-button switch. You push (and hold) one side, the moon roof slides open, you push (and hold) the other side, it tilts. Now, how do you close it? Well, you need to push (and hold) the opposite side of whatever position the moon roof is currently in and release exactly at the time when it is fully closed. Kind of tricky to do when you are driving: push a second longer and o-ops, it slides (or o-ops, it tilts). And if the sunshield is closed (I like to tilt the moon roof but leave the sunshield closed when leaving the car parked in summer), you may not even know in which position the moon roof is without looking at it (or trying to stick hand/head outside). Not even mentioning the inconvenience, it is not safe to operate while driving. I would much rather prefer Passat's knob, which allows you to see (feel) in which position the moon roof is. And to close it, just rotate the knob to the neutral position. I would also appreciate larger opening in the max tilted position.
Second, I understand that tachometer is an important control, but having it in the middle of the display causes the small speedometer to be pushed too far to the left, so when you are driving with your hands in 10-2 position, your left hand partially obstructs your view and you do not know the speed unless you start moving your head or drive above 80 mi/hr. The speedometer is too small for my taste (the scale is in 20-mi/hr numbered increments, I would prefer 10 mi/hr marks).
The other options I would like to change include a larger clock, which should be easier to locate (preferably on the instrument panel right in front of the driver or in the middle-top of the dashboard). The clock should always stay on, not just when you turn the key. Power windows controls should be illuminated (they are hard to find when driving at night). A separate trip odometer could be helpful (I prefer to have both regular and trip odometer displayed at the same time). I cannot get used to the position of the buttons on the remote keyless control (I expect the unlock button to be at the top and the lock button at the bottom, not the opposite). CD storage would be nice. Armrests could be a bit higher. I really miss Passat's ability to close windows/moon roof using the door key after exiting the car. And, as I said, seats could be better.
Driving
Comparing to Passat, I think RAV4's ride is a bit more bouncy and slightly more noisy. I suspect that this is not unusual for a small SUV, so I am not complaining. The ride is pleasant otherwise. The new 2.4-liter engine is lively, smooth, quiet, and works really well with automatic transmission. Acceleration is very good, much better than '99 Passat's. The turning circle is very tight, so maneuvering and parking the car is not a chore, although, steering wheel feels a bit light to me. I am glad Toyota added ABS to the list of standard options.
Conclusion
Overall, I am very satisfied with RAV4 and hope that its reliability will be good. I will let you know.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 23660.33
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: L Package
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