2006 Toyota RAV4

lgs

You're right. Edmunds test drive commentary and comparisons have been going sharply downhill for the last few years. Its a great site for pricing info, but I rarely take their reviews very seriously.

petl

Here is the kicker. In "personal rating" which is purely subjective, where money was no object, the CX receives a rating of 88.9% to the RAV's 55.5%. However, when it comes to recommending a vehicle which is best for consumers, the ratings are reversed (CX 55.5% - RAV 77.8%). I guess they would actually buy against their own recommendation. A little odd. I think it has more to do with the CX being totally new and different. This just confirms that in some cases when comparing vehicles, it is the means to justify the end. Although a little subjective, it was interesting reading.

radf

Just a quick reply..I was searching to see if this had happened to anyone else. The rear window on my '04 Rav4 just blew up yesterday while I was traveling down the freeway. Nothing hit it..it just exploded. I went directly to Toyota, and now I'm waiting to hear from the service manager.
Wish me luck!!

mike1111

I'm looking at the 07 RAV4 V6 Limited for a good family driver.I'm still young so speed is a little important I like the look of the Mazda but i think it may be to small for a family of four.Thanks for the artical it was helpful

wwest

That happens, randomly, modern day glass manufacturing puts those molecules under some VERY serious stress factors, sometimes too much.

Right rear passenger side window of my 2001 RX300 went that way about a year ago. At first I thought we had been "snipered".

kutyafal

I'm familiar with the noises of the TRAC system but we didn't even get to that point. The noises were of the twisting chassy and having read of the spontaneous glass blow-outs I backed off from going any further. I'm also aware of the general audience this vehicle was intended for.

My observations are for information only for those who are wondering just how far off-road they could take the Rav4. Traction control notwidthstanding, I wouldn't take the Rav4 on moderately uneven terrain or beyond because of danger of glass or other chassy damage. I'm sure however that the TRAC system will work wonders on mostly level slippery surfaces and hills.

By the way, even with locked center differential these types of 4wd vehicles still wouldn't go anywhere if two diagonally opposite tires were in the air (like in my test) was it not for the taction control system acting as a sort of soft posi-lock. I think traction control should be standard on all vehicles including 2wd cars. Good thing it's coming on many models now.

In my experience you can go further with traction control even in a 2wd frontwd car than with 4wd and no traction control or locker in the differentials. Assuming like size and type tires of course.

verdugo

Thanks for the report on the RAV4 AWD test drive. It's def something to keep in mind. Right now I think I'm leaning more towards a Subaru than the RAV4, but we'll see how the test drives go.

andrelaplume

I don't buy into that logic. The depreciation is not as great after 3 years as folks would want to believe. Remember, the Fords almost nevr sell anywhere near MSRP and many times are had less than invoice of late. Compare that to what the car is worth 3 years from now--not the MSRP. After 5 years or so, I agree that the Toyota will retain more value.

stever

Edmunds has already done the work - you can use the True Cost to Own tool and compare yearly depreciation estimates for both makes.

jorgeorge

I recently got a base Rav 4 4cyl 4ATS which I think I may change for a Subaru when they start coming out with Stabilty/Traction Control on most of thew models and not just the top of the line. I think Subaru and Audi are supposed to have the better awd systems but only the Audi comes with Stability and Traction Control.
I got the Rav thinking that it retains its value pretty well so when and if I decide to trade, it won't be as painful.
I like the way Subarus drive and had an Outback for 8 years before now and traded for more safety handling. AWD is not a safety factor as much as Stability and Traction Control are.
just my thoughts

jimdrew

How is it "beeter" than the standard suspension on the RAV4 Sport V6?

Jimmy Drew

orioninil

I got mine replaced this morning.

On the Invoice (No charge), this was stated:

Short in Radio Failed #8612042170

860031 Radio Tuner Assembly

701 W

FC:
Part#: 6YT203960

Don't know if this information will help anyone else out, but thought I'd share anyway.

raviola4

Thanks for info. Still waiting for my replacement unit. Interesting though for all. I've contacted Toyota via e-mail on radio problems and the severe hesitation alot have experienced. here's this am's reply.
To sum it up.........not our problem. Thanks Toyota. :mad:

There are no Special Service Campaigns or Technical Service Bulletins for the concerns you described. If you need further assistance with the possible delay in procuring a replacement audio unit, please provide us with the date the Price Toyota ordered the part, the expected delivery date, the part number, if available and your contact person at the dealership regarding this issue.
We recommend contacting the Customer Relations Manager or Service Manager at Price Toyota with respect to addressing your transmission concern.

ateixeira

Yikes. How many is that so far? 2 among members here?

-juice

andrelaplume

Yea, it seems those molecules must only be after Toyota glass. I thinks its more than 2 here...and I have seen quite a few posts on another forum I can not mention.

As far as quality...I saw this coming with my 02 Camry. I had hoped they were only cutting corners in the rattles arena. Over 4 to 5 years it appears to have branched out to windows, trannys etc. They better take a step back and regroup. Get out of the Scion business. Get back to 3 cars and 3 trucks...all quality....

ateixeira

You and I both know that ain't gonna happen.

-juice

raviola4

Well, got a call my replacement in. Will go in for 1st oil change in a couple weeks and have em replace unit then. They mentioned they have 3 other 06 Ravs waiting for units as well. Of course they know nothing. Is this radio from newly manufactured units? Old stock? Reading some folks on their 3 unit doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

ateixeira

Get the oil change a bit early, 2 weeks won't make a difference.

-juice

desertguy

And......they will probably use his radio in one of the other Ravs that are waiting.

ateixeira

I hope not, the labor to take the center console apart and get to the radio ain't cheap, they don't want to be doin' that more than once.

-juice

vivavegas99

I have the Limited V6 4WD and I do not notice a lag at all. In fact the power is so much that I have to remember not to "gun" it because it really moves!

jimdrew

different from the regular suspension? I know bigger tires but what other parts....? Is it sturdier?

Jimmy Drew

jimd4

So www.fitzmall.com is showing 2007 V6 RAV4s at invoice+$200.

http://www.fitzmall.com/carfind/resultsb.asp?Search=NEW&ID=010047&photo=FALSE&lo- c=LFT&mall=GA&year=2007&mk_code=TO

Carmax is showing 2006 V6 at about $100 under invoice.

http://carmax.com/dyn/factsheet/factsheet.aspx

kdhspyder

The new CRV is officially out and it looks very nice.

Why does Honda specifically state that it's intended for women? Are they intentionally trying to cut their potential buying public in half?

I find that very very wierd.

stever

Edmunds says it's more than half:

"Women either buy or influence the purchase of 85 percent of all new cars and trucks sold in the United States today." The Gender Gap: Do Dealerships Treat Women Differently?

It's funny though, this is the first CR-V that's appealed to me. I didn't care for the tailgate and tire hanging off the back much on the previous generations.

I guess we should take the comparison talk over to the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 or Subaru Forester? discussion.

mtwebster

From what I've read, it's the 4 cylinder I guess - but I can't imagine the problem is due to lack of power from the engine. After seven months, I've never really said, damn I wish I had waited out for the 6. This is after driving a Blazer for 10 years.

I think the problem lies in either the onboard computer that controls shifting and power, or somehow this temperature governor 'feature' is doing a bit more than planned, and at more times than just when the vehicle is warming up.

As soon as I can reliably repeat it *every* time I am going to the dealer to demonstrate my problem.

It's a shame - I really enjoy driving this thing, but this is a major deal breaker, especially when you have children riding with you, and the other 999 safety features on the RAV4 were a large factor in my purchase.

ateixeira

Dunno, but I have to consult with my wife before I give my full reponse.

-juice

flyingn

no its not. Exact same suspensions with different spring and shock calibration.

mranu

I had exactly the same problem with my Rav4 from the day 1. Took the vehicle numerous time to dealership and they couldn't find the issue. Finaly yelled at the service manager and left the vehicle there. So they got Toyota Canada QA involved and did many computer tests and the vehcile is in the dealership for month and a half now and still they have not figuout how to fix this problem. After complaining to Better business beaur etc today they aggreed to get me a new RAV4.

fsacj

A radio repacement should take ten minutes: pop off the two side panels, remove four screws, slide it out, disconnect 4 connections, repeat in reverse for new radio.

orioninil

Mine took 1 hour - almost to the minute.
Although, that included a FREE car wash.

And, I forgot to unload all 6 CDs, so that may have taken an extra 5 minutes for them to unload from old and load into new

ateixeira

You don't have the take the center console apart? That's nice. I guess it's more modular, which makes it easier.

-juice

hari2

Hi Guys,
First time posting. Have been following the thread for awhile. Love the RAV, 'xcept for the trunk mounter tyre. Have a couple of questions. Am planning on getting the limited V6. Was just wondering if I can squeeze a car seat in the middle of the second row. The reason being, I have inlaws visiting, and so, I would like to put the car seat in the middle. I have a '03 accord, and I usually have the car seat in the middle. It helps my 3 year old have good view of the road as well as have an extra space in the back behind the driver. The RAV4 has the same width as the accord (71.5") and I have tested RX350, MDX, Highlander, and I liked the RV$ the most, because I found, a few things much more than the others. Like, handling, I found better the RX 350 and Highlander. Also, I like vehicles with hand brakes. the others all had leg brakes. Also, the RX had hand rests like the vans. they are not comfortable in my opinion. I love the sliding accord hand rest. The second question is , is the ride comfy. some reports say, its camry comfy. But, Motorweek calls it very rough. Can some people clarify. Sorry for the long winded post.

ateixeira

Keep in mind you can get 16", 17", or even 18" rims with a RAV4. People complaining about a rough ride are likely riding in models with the bigger rims.

I think the Limiteds come with 17" rims, so sample one and if you don't like it, ask to try a model with 16" rims. You may not be able to get a Limited, though.

-juice

llkc04

I priced toyota putting on the harness, hitch, ball etc this morning and with labor and tax it will be 909.00...out of my price range. the parts guy gave me the name of a guy that does this for a living. My question is the harness he uses will go under the car and the hitch of course is not toyota, but its a type advertised to fit the 2006 rav4, do you think that it would be ok to go this route? will it be just as good/safe? It's almost 500.00 cheaper but I want it done right. Does this sound ok? The main thing I'm questioning is the harness going under the car instead of inside under the carpet like toyota does it. Thanks in advance for any help.

scottyg1234

I have an '06 limited V6. I love the car and have no complaints. I did have the radio problem, but that was fixed by dealer Neil Toyota with no questions asked. I have my car seat behind the passenger seat, and have had two adults in the back with it. I don't see a problem putting the seat in the middle, and having an adult on each side. On the two outboard seats, the top-teather for the car seat attaches to the seat back. The center seat attachment is on the roof in the middle of the cargo area, right in your line of sight out the back window. This is typical of many SUVs. That is the main reason I have my son's car seat in an outboard position. I find the RAV comfy and I am a little over six feet tall. If you are any taller than that, you may feel cramped in the driver seat. I would not say that it is Camry Comfy, my Mother has an '07 Camry V6 XLE, and the Camry is definitely more comfy. Remember the RAV is still and SUV. I hope this helps.

hari2

Thanks a lot for ur detailed reply. Your answer is quite helpfull. So, what U are saying is, if i were to install the seat in the center, my rear vison could be affected somewhat.I will keep that in mind. I am glad that I can accomodate the seat in the center. The reason I want to have the car seat in the center is so that 2 adults can sit on either side, and the cushion in the center is not wide enough to accomodate an adult in a 3 hour drive. Meaning it may not be comfortable on long drives. I am 5'10" tall. everyone in my wife's family is below 5 feet 4 inches tall. so, the RAV4 would be about be the right size. I am hoping it will be atleast as comfy as my accord.

desertguy

Well with the Impala you are so hot for you can tow a grand total of 1000 lbs. The V6 Rav will tow 3500. Now who has the roller skate?

charles64

There is plenty of room in the back seat of the rav4 for a car seat - in any position (left, right, or center). Because the back seat can move forward or backward a bit, you can adjust to have plenty of space between the seats - comfy for passengers in the back and plenty of room to get the kid in and out of the seat. The center is the best spot for the car seat for safety, but on our last vacation we put the car seat on the passenger side so we could fold down the rest of the rear seat. The latch system is a little strange for the outer positions (have to fold down the seat to get to the anchor) - so it's easier to install in the center position. Center is also best if your kid likes to kick the seat - my wife had her front passenger seat pretty far back and our 2-yr old was able to kick the back of the seat.

As far as comfort - I have a 2006 4-cyl limited and it's fine for shorter trips but can be a little rough on the legs for longer trips. The front seats aren't quite long enough for me and I don't get enough thigh support - and I can't adjust the power seat to get a good tilt. I am 5'11". I also used to have a 2003 accord - and that was much more comfortable on longer trips - great seats - you could be comfortable driving for days in those. The 2006+ rav4 seats are much more substantial than they used to be, but they could be improved more.

HTH-
C.

stever

"The Toyota RAV4 is one of the few SUVs with the spare tire mounted on the rear door....Our tester includes the optional third-row seat, which deletes the cargo area tonneau cover. Both the second and third rows fold down easily."

Long-Term Test: 2006 Toyota RAV4

ateixeira

Cool. Let's see if the tester has any of the throttle lag or glass issues we've seen.

$28k is a lot more reasonable than the price on the early model you tested, IIRC it was $33.4k!

-juice

andrelaplume

sounds like you are having a bad day! I did not read the long term review. What is this throttle lag...I have not had it. So far my windows have not blown out either. I do have door pillar rattles though! I have no doubt Toyota's quality has declined...I noticed it back in 2002. Alas, I have not had any good vibes on the domestic front though...still behind. That leaves the new CRV (I am glad I did not wait for that...UUUUUGLY in my opinion...or the Forester. Maybe Subaru has the right idea. Take 10 year old proven reliable technology and never change it.....like the energizer bunny it just keeps going and going. Priced at 19K for an auto...I admit I am seeing a ton of them now. My local dealer no longer says that includes a rebate....they have smartend up...it dilutes the value of the car less.

PS, I like the tire on the back...more convenient than underneath when needed and does not suck up room in the cargo area. They should have it swing out and the rear door open vertically though.

Next question....what to replace my 02 Camry with in a year or so.....needs to be soemthing almost as large, similarly priced and does not suck in rain and snow like the Camry!

mark19

I agree that Toyota has a problem with quality. Now before everyone jumps on me with statistics, I am comparing Toyota to Toyota, not to other car makers. They have had a huge spike in recalls in the past month or two. Lots of people did say this would happen, because they were expanding way too fast. Even Toyota themselves have admitted the quality wasn't what it should be. I would like to see if they are going to get the quality back, or just launch a PR campaign to cover it up.

About your tires though.. if the Camry is bad in snow and rain, you might want to try a better tire. The original tires on the Camry are a joke. Most original tires are! So try a better tire, Bridgestone Turanza LS-T and LS-H come to mind and if you can get it in your size. Toyo Proxes4

gujuguy

Okay here is unasked opinion. My rant is not applicable to this forum but I guess this forum is most related. My opinion might help few of us who had 2nd thoughts somewhere behing our minds about R4 being right choice for our needs.

I have been following this forum, RAV4world and yahoo Rav4 forum. Have put deposit on 2 RAv4 and was on verge of buying it. But suddenly this weekend I went to friends house and drove Odyssey. Ofcourse I drove it before also but somehow yesterday I was bit more interested in that minivan. So we went to Toyota showroom (btw the dealear was very good, for hint the nj dealer name is similar to biggest monument next to Ellis Island) nearby and compared Sienna and Rav4 side by side, drove it both in succession and man I felt rays of stupidity for wasting 4 months of research. Now I am real convert from small SUV to minivan. When I was comparing the feature set I was just bummed by lack there of in Rav4. Suddenly I realized I compromised so many ammenities just to get new 3.5 liter Toyota engine.

R4 has no rear vent, no security system, harsh rear seat, rough ride, throttle lag (not sure what it was but I felt that the car wan't upshifting fast enough, I found my 1993 old generation 191 HP v6 camry engine more responsive during 5-40 mph acceleration), rollover risk, optional side airbags ( i know 2007 has it standard, but this is what I hate about Toyota stubbornness, what they were thinking by making it optional), mediocre interior and the list goes on. And amusing part is Sienna is cheaper than R4 when you equip them similar and EPA ratings for v6 R4 and sienna differs just by 2.

Here is the biggest turning point that changed my mind, completely unprofessional TOyo dealers. Yesterday morning (before I went to friends house) from vehix.com I saw the car I want is available at nearby dealership, salesman promised he has exactly that car avilable right on the lot, went to the dealership with the cash and suddenly it was sold within 1 hour. When I complained about it, he shouted in front of all customers "I dont have car" and left (for hints: the dealer is route first mall in NJ). For a moment I thought Toyo is going GM's route (remember how they treated customers in 1980s).

For 4 months I was resisting commmon mindset (lot of my friends has minivan and tried to convince me to get one instead of r4, they even tried to impose their opinion by saying R4 is "galcar" ) that a family needs minivan than SUV, wasted my hours and hours to search for elusive color (in northeast there are only 6 such R4 available) calling dealers, begging to get me the car. I even thought of driving 3-4 hours and geting it from fitzmall. And then yesteday I gave real thought, for a family man like me I will be driving to TacoBell more often then hiking R4 on Utah. Even on some blue moon day, lets assume I want to climb Rocky Mountains, I can easily rent real SUV for $150 a week.

I still believe R4 is better choice who is considering full-size SUV or sedan because it rides better than SUV, handles as good as sedan, provides SUV space, has mighty engine (v6) as SUV, give good mileage as sedan, safe as sedan, looks better than SUV...

Yesterday night I came back home at 3 am and started researching sienna and there you go I found out what I was so sure will happen soon, sienna is geting new 3.5 liter v6. Now I am real convert, I will wait till January 2007.

Moral of the story:
If Toyota had produced enough cars (and not have stupid options), I would have got their business. If they had strict control over dealers I would have compromised on color and bought R4 yesterday.

When I left dejected after salesman shouted at me (I cant believe that happened) my wife said "whatever happens, happens for reason and for good reason". Now I firmly believe that.

P.S. I can't wait to drive 2007 Sienna.

desertguy

I looked at the Sienna before getting my Rav4. All I can say is that the ones that interested me were about $35,000. Not even the Limited but the XLE. I paid $25,000 for my Rav Limited with sunroof and side air bags. That changed my mind about the Sienna real quickly.

stever

It's ok to tell us who the dealers were. No names of shouting salespeople though please. :shades:

lgs

>>Moral of the story:
If Toyota had produced enough cars (and not have stupid options), I would have got their business. If they had strict control over dealers I would have compromised on color and bought R4 yesterday.<<

So, after a 9 paragraph rant you're going to wait until January and buy a Toyota anyway. Way to stick it to them. :confuse:

gujuguy

Okay the bad dealer in my story was Sansone Rt. 1 automall (most of their salesmen are in the same range), but in central jersey we dont have much choice, Dayton Toyota never has any car in stock, DCH is okay but they sell their cars for MSRP only The good one was Liberty Toyota, the guy calmly allowed me to test drive whatever car I want on the lot.

My friend got fully loaded Odyssey (1 step down from top of the line, still it had so many features, it would take me half a day to write them down, yes this one was with leather sunroof. Cost of side airbags itself might be worth 2000 bucks) for 27500. You can get Sienna XLE AWD leather below 30K here
http://www.fitzmall.com/carfind/resultsb.asp?Search=NEW&ID=061667&photo=TO065376- - - &loc=LFT&mall=GA&year=2006&mk_code=TO

While my search for R4 I sharpen my bargain skill and learned how to deal with arrogant dealers. So even after some ugly experience I find it challenging to get 2007 sienna below invoice when it will arrive.

I know I might not be much liked person around here, but I am just giving different perspective for someone who are on sidelines yet. For already owners I think this is superb vehicle better than camcord (or highlander)anyway you look at it. And I am open to anybody's suggestions if I should reconsider my decision.

jimdrew

to me....watch Toyota Dealers. They know they have a product in demand and will tell you what you want to hear. I do love my V6RAV4 though...When I complained that they lied to me about cost on the vehicle they told me that financial manager was no longer with them. So, what, how about the $1000.00? Still waiting after two month's for GAP refund!!!! :mad:

Jimmy Drew

ateixeira

andre: I was mentioning the issues that have been brought up here and debated, I don't even own one. I'm curious to see if Edmunds observes the same issues observed here on their long-term model.

We've seen at least two owners with glass breakage, and the throttle lag is my name for the hesitation issue. The poll we saw said that affected more than half of the 4 cylinder models, so that's pretty significant.

-juice