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Toyota RAV4 Real World MPG

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Comments

  • barbara51barbara51 Member Posts: 4
    I traited in my 2004 Saturn Vue for the 2008 V6 Rav4. I don't know how to determine miles per gallon, but I can compare the performance of each vehicle. My Saturn had about 101,000 miles and every time I've driven about about 333 miles, it was time to fill the tank. The Rav4, has 44,000 miles, and I'm having to fill the tank after driving only 272 miles.
    There has been no change in driving pattern, that is, I drive a combo of suburban, city, and highway.
    How do I determine how many miles per gallon my Rav4 is using? Also, I hate the driver seat, very uncomfortable, back hurts after driving a little while. I did not notice this when I test drove it.
    Any feedback appreciated. :mad:
  • ces1938ces1938 Member Posts: 61
    you sound like you are having some of the problems with your Rav 4 than I am having on my 2006....to find your gas mileage you just fill it up and drive it than fill it again and take the miles driven such as 100 miles drove, divided by 4 gal. of gas used would give you 25 miles per gallon, that is just wishful thanking of course, ha,ha...my advice just get rid of the damn thing and buy something else like a Honda or something....good luck...ces :sick: :blush:
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Was the Vue a V6 also?

    Did the Vue and the RAV4 have the same size tanks?

    Example: Lets say the VUE had a 20 gallon tank and when it got to about 333 miles the gas needle was sitting at a given spot. So you fill it up and it takes 14.4 gallons. You got about 23 MPG.

    Lets say the RAV4 has a smaller tank. And at about the same spot on the gauge, you have driven 272 miles. This time it takes 11.8 gallons. You still got 23 mpg..

    I'm not saying the two cars get the same mileage. But to compare you meed to divide gallons into miles driven. Because you may not own the VUE any longer, a comparison may be hard to do accurately.

    Tips:.
    1. Always fill at the same pump with the car in the exact same spot as best you can.
    2. Set the pump nozzle at the slowest setting.
    3. When the pump clicks off, >stop pumping and remove the nozzle from the car. Don't force feed any extra gas.
    4. Divide the gallons pumped into the miles driven since the last fill up. The resulting number is the mpg for that last tank.
    5. Reset the "Trip" gauge on the dash to "0" and don't mess with it until time to fill up again. Ours has a trip "A" and a Trip "B". I reset trip "A" for calculating fuel mileage and use "B" for short trips and such.

    Our RAV4 seat drove us crazy at first. It is the mechanical one with the "Jack" lever on the left side. We are both 5'6" tall and had the seat jacked up to it's highest position as we have done with all our cars. Problem was that with everything in the right position, the head rest was right up against our heads. Didn't like that so the seat back got moved back one click. Just a few minutes of driving would cause an aching sensation between the shoulder blades.

    I tried store bought cushions and some pillows from home, that didn't work. The "Fix" turned out to be lowering the seat bottom 8 clicks from it's highest position. Apparently the seat bottom tilts some in it's travel as well as moving up and down. Now with the seat back in the correct positions our heads are an inch or so away from the head rest. The lower seat height allows our elbows to rest comfortably on the door arm rest and console.

    I prefer electric seats for that "perfect" fit, but our Rav4 doesn't have them. Luckily the mechanical seat adjusted to a good place for us. :)

    Kip
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    edited July 2010
    >"my advice just get rid of the damn thing and buy something else like a Honda or something....good luck...ces "

    We traded our bought new '03 CR-V for our bought new 09 RAV4.

    They both have 4 speed automatic trannys. The RAV4 four cylinder is quicker accelerating and we both get 2+ mpg better mileage with the RAV4 in all types of driving. RAV4 is quieter inside, corners better, rides better, and is more comfortable on long trips, since we found the magic spot for the driver seat. The only time the RAV4 has been back to the dealer was for an oil change, and the gas pedal was "corrected" during that oil change visit.

    A word about the unintended acceleration thing. On Fox news last night they said that after investigating about 2000 claims, neither Toyota or the government agency could identify any solid reason for the claims. AND they both believe the claims are without merit. Seems that some of the cars have a "Black Box" that keeps track of driving habits. On several of the reported crashes they found that the last thing before the crash, was the throttle had been pressed instead of the brake. A few weeks ago they reported, and the government agreed, that the infamous run away Prius, that was on the news for so long, turned out to be driver fraud. Prosecution is being considered.

    During the 7 years we owned the CR-V the entire AC system was replaced at about 40K miles due to a self destructed compressor. Seems this was a problem with a couple of year models of Accords also. Also a couple of sensors were replaced and some other annoying things. When we traded it at about 50K miles it had been at the dealers for a week while they ended up replacing the computer, a couple of other electrical components, and some sensors. And they were still looking when we traded it.
    Yes the Toyota dealer traded for it even though it was still in the shop with the electrical problem.

    For some reason my wife wanted another CR-V but driving one was just not as satisfying as driving the RAV4. I agreed!

    Our '03 Pilot was full of snakes from day one. During the 7 years and 40K miles of ownership it received a number of recall "Fixes". There were also problems hard to find, that required over night stays at the dealer. The extended warranty was about to run out and there was a strange noise coming from the rear that they just couldn't find. Seemed like a good time to get rid of it!

    True the 03 Pilot was a new model for Honda, but the Acura MDX had been around for at least a year, and the Pilot is just a MDX in different skin for all practical purposes, and it is a HONDA. Should not be any problems, and certainly not as many as I had.

    I was wanting a light duty pickup and drove several makes and models. The Honda Ridgeline was the most comfortable and met my needs the best. Traded the Pilot for a new 09 RL.
    A few days after taking delivery the back door window on the driver's side refused to go back up. The glass had slipped out of it's tracks. I thoroughly enjoy driving the truck and hope it is not as problematic as the two '03 Honda's we had.

    FWIW I'm an old guy and drive very conservatively about 6K miles a year. Most of my driving is on country back roads or our small town local driving. I traded a 98 Dodge Ram for the Pilot and only had 1 Problem with it in the 5 years of ownership. Oh... There was another problem that the dealer fixed by replacing the Goodyear tires with Michelins. Not really a problem with the truck itself.

    The most trouble free car we ever owned was a '95 Nissan Maxima. Traded it for the 03 CR-V because my wife's knees went bad and it was hard for her to get in and out of. And she wanted a SUV for her garage sale "habit".

    Don't know if you actually own a Toyota. But if you really "THINK" that Honda are free of problems, you might need to spend some time on the Honda forums. ;)

    Kip
  • barbara51barbara51 Member Posts: 4
    You have been extremely helpful. Yes, the Saturn was a v6 as well. However, I didn't consider gas tanks being different sizes. I believe the Saturn had a bigger tank because it took more gas and $ to fill up come to think of it. I guess the car size has nothing to do with gas tank size because my Rav4 is bigger than my Saturn.

    I will do the method you suggested about how to get the gas mileage, that is going to be very helpful. I will try the seat adjustment trick too.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Barbara,

    I don't know that the tanks are different sizes, just suggesting that a size difference could affect perceived mileage.

    I hope the seat adjustment will make a difference for you, as it did for us. Seems to be very critical as 7 clicks down wasn't nearly enough and 9 clicks down was way too much. Your perfect spot may be different.

    Just try to adjust so with the seat back in a comfortable spot, the seat bottom is adjusted so your head is just barely off the head rest and your arms "naturally" rest on the door and the console.

    Please let us know how this works for you and your gas mileage results.

    Kip
  • kkkk1kkkk1 Member Posts: 4
    So far my MPGs are

    1. 23.99 (mostly city)
    2. 22.46 (mostly city - may be I got too many red signals)
    3. 25.28 (Half city + Half Hwy + Hills)
    4. 27.32 (85% hwy + 15% Hills)

    kkk
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    What speed were you traveling on #4 ?

    What engine and drive train do you have?

    Kip
  • tinkerbell07tinkerbell07 Member Posts: 28
    I recently traded a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe gas guzzler for a new 2010 RAV 4 FWD 4 cyl. base model, fully expecting to see a vast improvement from my 18 mpg achieved on the old Santa Fe (1st model year of a car not known for good gas mileage). Afraid I didn't trade up very well. After 1100 miles on the odometer, consisting of mixed street and highway, I just found myself getting an average of 20 MPG. The prior tank at least gave me 22 MPG and when I first drove the car out of the showroom in June, I believe the figure was more like 23 or 24. What kind of malfunction could cause such a rapid deterioration in gas mileage, from 23 or 24 MPG down to 20 MPG in such a new vehicle? No change to driving habits or roads: same course to/from work about 125 miles per week, and the usual local shopping mileage (around 25) on the weekend. Already I'm beginning to question whether I should have gone with the Subaru Forester, my other choice. Too late now.
  • ces1938ces1938 Member Posts: 61
    Well my friend, you have just experienced what I did five years ago... with the same type of car, I sold my 2002 Honda mini van and bought the RAV 4 to get better MPG, instead it got worse.... pretty disgusting, but lesson learned, I have owned 4 Toyota's since 2007, believe me this piece of crap will be my last one...ces1938 :sick: :mad:
  • barbara51barbara51 Member Posts: 4
    After reading all reviews, etc. regarding mileage and seat discomfort with the Rav4, there are some issues that Toyota will need to resolve if they want to stay in business. First, they (Toyota) had the recall issues on numerous vehicles, and now I believe there will be lawsuits from customers with back problems due to the discomfort from the driver seat of the Rav4. No matter how much I adjust the seat, after driving for 15+ minutes, my back hurts. The arm rest on the door, and in the middle do not align properly with the body.

    I'm more upset that I have to make car payments on it, for the next 3 years. I doubt if I'll be able to trade it in for a good price, since there have been so many complaints.

    Any suggestions on how to get rid of the car quickly and painlessly, expense wise?.
  • a_ba_b Member Posts: 4
    With 35,000 miles, my 2009 base 4wd 4 cyl is averaging 25.1 mpg combined. I drive 75% highway, 5% city and 20% suburban. I drive 75-80 mph on the highway and pretty much have a lead foot.
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    You're already into the "it's a used car so it's worth less than new" area; but new RAV4's are selling well, so you might do best with a private sale. JMHO.
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    Those are good numbers for a "lead foot". At least 2 mpg better than my 2007 with a light foot. They're a testimony to the efficiency of the revised I4 engine.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Barbara,

    Used RAV4s sell fairly quick. They also bring good trade-in value. You can go to Edmunds, or Kelly, and NADA for value of your used RAV4. You need to know that before attempting to trade or sale.

    ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE SEAT ADJUSTMENTS:

    I don't know which year model you got, but our 09 has a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes. Yours may have it also. That does a lot for "Fine Tuning" the driving position.

    Kip
  • ang33iefang33ief Member Posts: 63
    Just drove from Fla to Mn with vehicle loaded, round trip 3200 miles, I got 28 mpg with ac on and driving 70-73mph. One tank was without the air con. on, I had a little over 30 mpg. Vehicle was a Rav-4 with 6cyl, limited. year 2008. Total mileage on vehicle now is 22,200. My only complaint is the wyning noise between 25-45 mph. Toyota dealer says all 08 6 cyls have it?? Harry
  • yumvyumv Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2011
    Just bought Toyota Rav4 2004, 2WD 2.5L. I drive 90% on heighway with no traffic jam (65-75 mph, 35 miles each day), and around 10% city. It's my first 500 miles on the car. Avarage consumption is 21mpg. What might cause this huge consumption?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    2.4L or 3.5?

    Either way, the highway mpg should be better. Maybe if you put it on cruise control at 65, maybe that'd help.

    Otherwise, check the easy stuff first, like your tire pressures.
    We Test the Tips
  • yumvyumv Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2011
    2.5L 4cyl (http://www.toyota.com/rav4/features.html?trim=4430). I tried to drive both with cruise control and without it, no difference. Engine revolutions are usually between 2000 and 3000, I try to keep it close to 2000.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2011
    That's funny, we call it a 2.4l. I didn't think the 2.5l came out until 2009.

    Anyway, you should be closer to 27 on the highway per the EPA rating. Not sure what's going on though. The other easy thing to check is the air filter.

    Any owners have any feedback?
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    edited March 2011
    I was under the impression that the 2.5 liter was introduced in the '09 RAV4s,and models before that used the 2.4L.

    Lots of things can contribute to good or poor mileage. Our RAV4 is primarily driven by my wife. She generally averages 22+ mpg commuting the 24 mile round trip miles to work, plus local running around. I generally better that by 2+ mpg.

    Where she drives 65-75 when possible, I drive 55-65 mph. She gets 27ish on the freeway and I get more in the 30-32 mpg under the same conditions. While she leaves her foot on the throttle until the last minute when approaching a stop then braking rather hard, I coast to it and need very little brake pedal. While she accelerates to get back up to speed going up hill, I maintain speed and gain the speed going down the next hill on on the flat . She also tends to run close to the car ahead, requiring a lot of getting on and off the throttle.

    Try to remember that using the brakes waste fuel, And the more often and harder the breaking, the more fuel is burned. The major difference between hyway mileage and local driving is the use of the brakes. And of course idle time.

    Here is a good example of mileage differences. We took a trip of 100+ miles each way.
    Giong, the traffic was light and the temp was in the 70s. AC was not used. I drove the posted speed limits in the local portions and set the cruise on 55 on the freeway. Occasionally running the speed up to 65 for a couple of minutes while going down hill. Mileage according to the dash gauge was 35 mpg.

    Coming back, Used the AC, drove 5 mph over the posted limits and set the cruise on 65 with the occational run up to 75. Mileage was more like 30 mpg.

    Calculated mileage at the pump, end of trip, yielded something like the mid 32 MPH range for the entire 200+ miles.

    I expect that the mileage at a consistent 75 X-Way, 5 over local, and AC on all the time would have been more in the 25-27 mpg range.

    Kip
  • barbara51barbara51 Member Posts: 4
    When I back out of my drive way (in reverse), or when driving and press the brakes, sometimes I hear a grinding noise like the brake pads are worn. I took the car to get checked and the brake pads are okay (front and rear).

    Has anyone else had this problem.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Both the RAV4 and the Honda Ridgeline make a scraping noise when backing out of the garage and/or using the brakes the first time after the car has sat for a period of time, like over night. Worst if it has been raining.

    As far as I can tell, it is the light rust that has formed on the rotors while the car was just sitting. The pads are always touching the rotors a bit whether you are using the brakes or not. So as the wheels first start rolling the pads scrape the rust off. If you use the brakes, first thing, the noise will be louder.

    You can see the rotors by looking through the "spokes" of the wheels. When you get out of the car, after driving, the rotors will be shiny. The next morning they may have a light coating of rust.
    Kip
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    Exactly correct, barbara51. Although I once owned a Buick that sometimes had a little rust on the rotors, it never made that scraping noise. Harmless either way, in my experience. Makes you wonder about the quality of those RAV4 rotors, though.
  • hackattack5hackattack5 Member Posts: 315
    Tinkerbell7:
    I do not want to make excuses for Toyota but I have a 08 Tacoma that gets 21mpg in the summer but only gets 17-18 in the winter. My friendly non Toyota Mechanic who also has a Toyota tells me that Toyota's do not do well for MPG in cold weather. He says that it might be the fuel additives or the sensors that decide the fuel mixture.
  • 96gc1owner96gc1owner Member Posts: 54
    25.8mpg on daily commute into DC today. No a/c on and 2/3s rural roads with 1/3 downtown DC traffic. Max speed was 60mph on the open roads. Remember the drag is exponential with the increase in speed.
  • banditboybanditboy Member Posts: 54
    All i have to say to you is , hopefully your wife does not read this thread :)
  • rulakurulaku Member Posts: 1
    I wasn't expecting a lot, but at least an improvement over my 2000 VW Passat 6 cyl, which averaged 24 mpg.
    2012 Rav 4, 4 cyl, 4wd disengaged, over 85% (flat) hwy miles, 7000 miles since july (2012) is averaging 23.5 mpg. And it's louder, rougher and accelerates like crap compared to the VW. Thank G-d it's only a 3 yr lease. Can't wait to be rid of it.
    I knew i'd be losing the passat refinements but expected a gain in mpg.
    My cars:
    3 corollas 80's - 90's, 1 camry 90's, 1 jetta wagen, 1 passat wagon. maybe a c-max is next...
  • toyotayuktoyotayuk Member Posts: 1
    I have a Rav 4, it is the worst car I have ever owned... I get between 18 & 22 mph and it is a little 4 cylinder...got rid of my Honda minivan to get better gas mileage...MISTAKE I am getting worse mileage with the Rav YYYYUUKKK and like you said the darn thing rides like a lumber wagon and it is just 2 wheel drive... If I were you I would not get the C-Max from what I have Consumers Guide say about that car...
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    My wife manages 23-24 mpg since 2009 and 30K miles with her 2wd Rav4 (4cyl). She definitely is no Hyper-miler! A 24 mile RT commute to work daily with plenty of traffic lights and moderate traffic. Then on weekends she does lots of "garage sale" shopping and other short trips.

    We've taken several trips in it and usually run the posted speed limits. Generally we get 31-33 mpg using the AC and cruise on North Georgia rolling hills.

    The Rav4 pushes more air and likely weighs more than the VW you refer to.
    You also have 4wd which will consume a bit more fuel, whether it is engaged or not.

    The wife's is the "Sport" model and does ride rough.

    If we had gotten 4wd, it would have also included the V6 engine.

    Kip
  • maxima03maxima03 Member Posts: 7
    I feel the same way with my 05 2.4L 4WD Rav4. It gets the same overall milage (21-23) as my 03 3.5L Maxima. On the highway when speed is above 60mph, it actually gets worse milage (3-5mpg lower) than the Maxima.

    I'm keeping an eye on the Mazda CX5 as a potential replacement.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Consumer Report sure seems to like the CX5.
    Kip
  • maxima03maxima03 Member Posts: 7
    Yeah.

    I understand that it has a much smaller engine with lower hp and torque. But I'm not dragracing anyone. I just need a small SUV that has a capable AWD system and better FE. So far, the CX5 seems to fit the requirement.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    My wife had a 95 Maxima. Purchased new, when they first hit the dealers. It was such an improvement over the 94s.

    Interesting that, with the 3.5, the HP was rated at 190 and required Premium fuel.

    Seems her '09 RAV4 has 170hp from the 2.4l four banger on regular fuel.

    It certainly doesn't run as strong as that Maxima did, but the fuel mileage is slightly better with the RAV4. Bout the best we could get from the Maxima was 21 local and 28 Hyway. Of course we (I) probably ran the Maxima a bit harder! ;)

    Kip
  • kjtg1kjtg1 Member Posts: 12
    2013 rav4 first tank 24.46 mpg.
  • quarksterquarkster Member Posts: 13
    New 2012 V6 FWD, slightly over 1K miles on odometer, getting around 23-24 MPG in city & heavy stop-n-go daily commute, a little over 28 MPG at 70 MPG on clear freeways. Fuel consumption will almost certainly continue to improve as driveline gets fully broken-in. On our 1998 Camry and 2000 4Runner, fuel consumption continued to gradually improve until full break-in was achieved at ~6-8k miles. 270HP V6 acceleration is shocking in a vehicle this light, and engine is turning less than 2k RPM at 70 MPH.
  • gunga64gunga64 Member Posts: 271
    This is interesting, I came across this old thread by mistake and didnt remember it. I had to add that Mythbusters tested MPG and AC and if I remember right the AC and windows open without AC. The AC actually was slightly better If I recall the episode. No way in hell do I drive a car with windows closed in Florida.

    Also you can adjust your driving habits and really crank out MPG, I drove to GA one year with my Santa Fe and on cruise I got 30 MPG if I set the cruise say at 58 miles per hour for hours of driving. If I went like 60 MPH it could drop the MPG by 5% easily.

    The funny thing is recently, I drove from the dealership to home it was about a twenty mile drive. I reset the MPG indicator on the SUV. I basically set the cruise to like 40-45 and somehow missed every light. I was totally amazed to make it all the way home with 29 MPG.

    I read how some people in Prious can push their MPG to like 100 by doing all kinds of tricks while driving. They would coast or drive so they didnt stop at lights etc.
  • agnostoagnosto Member Posts: 207
    edited November 2013
    2nd tank computer recorded 45.2MPG (ECO mode on) 52-58mph highway miles. City is at least 35+MPG. I bought it new under 200 miles.
  • ca2stay1ca2stay1 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2006 Rav4 Sport 4cyl 2WD and I have NEVER gotten above 25MPG regardless of the fuel used. I purchased the vehicle in 2006 w/5k on the clock and I now have 106000. My most recent mixed driving using 89 Octane fuel was just UNDER 20MPG. I do better than that in my 1998 BMW 740i. LOL
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