I traded in my Accord for a 4-door '99 RAV4 L over a year ago. It's been a good experience. Car-based SUVs are becoming more popular. The RAV4 was one of the first - it was introduced as a concept car back in 1989.

The RAV4 delivers everything I need in a vehicle. I wanted a compact vehicle that had some cargo room in the back and got decent gas mileage. RAV4 amply fits those requirements.

The rear seats fold up and forward to create extra room. Loading cargo is easy, as the vehicle is a bit lower than truck or traditional SUV. I do ride higher than a car, which does provide extra visibility while driving.

I can park in a compact spot easily. SUV owners try to do that here in Texas, but Suburbans don't really fit in a regular parking spot!

I'm usually getting 25 MPG on my daily commutes. I've put almost 19000 miles on the vehicle with no service issues. Oil changes are quick and easy.

The L model included privacy glass, which does a great job of keeping the RAV4 cool in the Texas sun. After a long day in our sunny parking lot, I can cool off the RAV4 quickly by popping the back door and the power roof. Visibility is excellent - the cabin is essentially surrounded in glass, so there are few blind spots.

The factory sound system is adequate, not spectacular.

The automatic provides good acceleration. Overdrive and ECT options provide some additional power - I usually leave these on, and it doesn't hurt my mileage very much.