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2006 Toyota RAV4

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Comments

  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Yes, I have test drove RAV4 Sport and am comparing to Audi A6 2.7T. Performance wise the V6 is very respectible and the handling is much better than I expected for an SUV. The space is very nice. Like you say, the brakes are no comparison to the Audi. Luxury is less but then again the price is 40% less too! Pretty good deal all around I think.
  • scottyg1234scottyg1234 Member Posts: 25
    I just filled up this afternoon. I have 1,568 miles, and I am still getting 18MPG
  • thecatthecat Member Posts: 535
    You drive too fast grasshopper.
  • wizzobutterwizzobutter Member Posts: 72
    Your gas mileage is not normal. Your dealer telling you to wait till 5K miles is an idiot. Even if you spend a lot of time stuck in long traffic jams, you should be getting at least 23 MPG mixed hwy/city with the 4 cylinder. My only other question is how are you calculating your average MPG? I hope you are not dividing your miles into the 15.9 gallon capacity figure instead of actual usage. I know of someone that once thought that was the way it was calculated. Even that would give you higher than 16.5 MPG. You didn't mention how the car is running. Is it running rough?
  • hondtotoyo1hondtotoyo1 Member Posts: 3
    Hi martymacgyver, I too have the same package. Pacific Blue and with moonroof. Can you tell me where the other 2 speakers are located? I could find only 6.
    2 each on the front doors.
    1 each on the back doors.
    1 subwoofer on the cargo (gate) door.

    Thanks,
  • tom92tom92 Member Posts: 1
    Wondering if its possible to get the 4cyl RAV4 limited without the moonroof? I know its a option but has anyone actually seen one without the moonroof?
  • bcbob8bcbob8 Member Posts: 17
    hondtotoyo1: I read on other forums that the 9 speakers include the woofer on each of the front doors, the tweeter on each of the front doors, and then the speaker on each of the back doors counts as two because it's a "two way" speaker, plus the sub-woofer in the back door. It sounds odd, but it does total 9.
  • gd113gd113 Member Posts: 114
    Here in CT I had to order a limited with a moonroof to get one. Most limiteds did not have one.
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    If you go to the Toyota site and go to the options and click on JBL is has a diagram of the arrangement
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Yes, I have seen them without. Go to the Toyota build and price section and enter your zip code. Then you can see all the option combos for your region usually. Most of the Base versions I have seen here in NY have no sunroof. Also have seen Limited that way.
  • 2ndgrade2ndgrade Member Posts: 3
    Well, the leather seats in the 540i are extremely comfortable!! We didn't get leather in the new RAV, but the seats seemed quite comfortable, at least from the test drives we've taken.

    We got a call from our dealer this morning that our new RAV has just come in: Blizzard Pearl, Limited, Tan interior, 4cyl, 2wd, side curtain, running lights. Paid $800 over invoice here in PA, waited about 5 weeks for it to arrive. Scheduled to pick it up Tuesday the 25th. Would get it this weekend but the sale of our BMW is pending until Saturday.
  • narpnarp Member Posts: 3
    I just negotiated on a 2006 New Toyota Rav4 Base V4 4x4 Silver Automatic for $28,440, including tax / license / everything.

    It has these options: DR, CD, AM/FM/MP3/no CD changer, V5, MF, AW 17", GY, CF, Toyota standard warranty, Toyota Premium prepaid maintenance (4 yr, 55k mi). It also has installed Leather seats, and front heated seats aftermarket installation by dealer.

    What do you think? Should I go ahead for this offer? I am in Seattle area, Rodland Toyota in Everett is the dealer.
  • fhspsu67fhspsu67 Member Posts: 24
    Sounds high. I got my I4 4X4 Limited w/ sunroof, JBL, side & curtain airbags, carpet/cargo mats. LTD also has the power drivers seat, alloy wheels, color keyed and heated outside mirrors, and hard spare tire cover, and i'm sure I'm forgetting some more things. My MSRP was $26,704 and I paid $25,691. I didn't get the leather/heated seats. I just noticed that your post states V4. Did you mean V6?
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    I don't know how accurate this is, due to not knowing how much the dealer filled it up at the time of purchase. The gauge seemed to drop (from the filled line) quicker than my 05' Camry did.

    My 1st. tank of 80% hwy 20% city, climate control set to 75 degrees. At 326 miles it took 12.95 gallons @$2.81/gal = 25 MPG. Which is 3 MPG less than sticker......I am okay with that :)
  • battinabattina Member Posts: 19
    I have the V6, 2x4, and also don't know the what the dealership fill up was. I put gas in for the first time at 295 miles. It took 13.474 gallons. So how do you figure out the mpg if not dividing mileage by the 15.9 gallon capacity?
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    divide by the amount of gas you put in. That is the gas you used for the most recent miles you recorded.

    So 295/13.474=21.894 MPG!

    This assumes that the dealer filled it. Probably not 100% So see how you do for 5 tanks and then tell us.
  • battinabattina Member Posts: 19
    Thanks-I will!So far not the best mpg, but I am glad I bought it.
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    So how do you compare the V6 RAV4 to the lexus 300
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    Jimd4 gotcha covered on the "how to" figures.

    I'm convinced now the dealer didn't fill it to the top. Yesterday when I filled up, my girlfriend was driving it and I couldn't see the gauge from the passenger seat. But last night on the way to dinner, I drove and saw it was about .080" over the "F" line. It was on the line when I picked it up from the dealer, So I'm assuming it got better than 25 MPG, because I actually had fewer gallons than the 12.9 I put in, we'll see what this week brings.

    I'm off to get the whole thing tinted out, even the sunroof! Ahh.....Tucson, bring on the heat baby! I see you're in So.Cal, I moved from Carlsbad 6 mos. ago...don't miss the traffic, but do miss the sea breeze :shades:
  • alinlalinl Member Posts: 8
    I do not know what to say. I do not have an excellent MPG too...I read here that some people got 24 - 30 MPG which I thing I will not get. I have an I4 Ltd with 1,000 miles and I get between 20-22 MPG for 90% city driving. I live in FL and I use 100% of the time the AC which, I am sure, decreases MPG. I am not disappointed but neither happy with what I get. I am looking forward for improvements...
  • tecsol1tecsol1 Member Posts: 7
    OK pay back time for the list

    Just bought it this morning, wasn't expecting to...

    SR Moonroof ,GY Curtain & Side Airbags ,EJ JBL AM/FM 6 CD Changer,CF Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set, TO Tow Prep Package,
    CD Tonneau Cover,RL Daytime Running Lights, mud guards, auto dimming rear mirror all on a V6 sport Flint Mica package

    $27879 MSRP $26110 plus tax and tags.
    Stephens Auto Mall Bristol CT Internet department didn't think I'd ever buy a car there after the stories, went to see the actual invoice and the wife said GO FOR IT, but she wanted the flint mica, I was originally a silver fellow and liked what I saw. Picking it up thursday...we'll see
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Well I would think that 20-22 MPG in 90% city driving with A/C on all the time is very good. It is the stop and go or speed up, slow down process that kills MPG. Going at steady 35 MPH is much different than going 15 to 40 to 10 to stop to 45. This is especially true if you are like most of us and don't want to hold up the traffic by accelerating very slowly. A lite throttle foot is the key to good milage and that si not always possible in the real world
    Enjoy the RAV4, gas milage is not everything in life
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    I would say that is a very good price especially for the V6. Just shows thst the cars can be found and bought if you want one and work at it.

    Keep us posted on MPG etc. when you get it.
  • sandyosandyo Member Posts: 6
    I've had my 4i 4x4 rav for week and have put just over 500 miles on.
    It took 9.5 gallons at 275 miles..($2.79 this morning)
    for 28.9 miles per gallon. I'm happy with that.
    Mix of highway/city/suburb. Mostly highway tho.
  • fredslanefredslane Member Posts: 6
    I plan to buy soon, best deal so far is 27,000 (before tax and DMV) for Ltd V6 4WD, tow prep pkge, Daytime running lites, curtain airbags, & moonroof (which I don't want but so far that's the package). I need to tow 15' boat and trailer (weight b/n 1500 and 2000 lbs, so well within the 3500 limit)but am concerned about the swing out tailgate. I presume the tailgate can't be opened when the hitch bar and ball are in place with the trailer, which would be inconvenient. Anyone have a hands-on comment to report? Thanks!
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Well the hitch and ball should be well below the top of the bumper or the bottom of the rear door. With the trailer on, the trailer winch etc might be in the way of the door. See link of info and install stuff for hitch. Install is trivial but Tow prep package does not include RAV4 harness from front of truck to rear. That is a $130 plus 2 hour install extra! How dumb is that huh?
    http://search.cartserver.com/search/search.cgi?cartid=a-9041&bool=AND&category=c- ombo_makemodel&maxhits=10&keywords=2006&keywords_2=TOYOTA+RAV+4&GO=GO%21
  • quickdtooquickdtoo Member Posts: 266
    I'm towing a 15' Alumaweld SuperVee LS, about 1800lbs plus gear, the rear door can't be opened much with the trailer hooked up, but the door does clear the ball and coupler fine. I added a CoupleMate to the ball mount to aid in hooking up the trailer without risking hitting the trailer coupler with the bumper since the rear door has to be closed when hooking up. I'm also using a ball mount that has about 5" of rise to level out the trailer since the receiver is so low, the top of the ball is just below the top of the rear bumper.
    CoupleMate
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    So how does the RAV4 handle that trailer load?
  • quickdtooquickdtoo Member Posts: 266
    Fine, goes right down the road, stops good, no handling issues. There's more noise from from the ball mount working in the receiver tube due to it being inverted. Either that or Toyota's factory receiver tube is a bit on the loose side for my Reese ball mount.
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Ok so how did you handle the wiring? Did you get the Toyota harness?
  • jbrahmsjbrahms Member Posts: 24
    I've had my 2006 RAV4 now for just one month. Previously I owned an 2001 RAV4 that I really enjoyed around town. But the power in the 01 was a little too low for hill climbing at highway speed. It was also fairly noisy at speed.

    My new 06 with the V6, with cruise control active, easily holds speed going up a good grade and seldom downshifts. The tach reads 2000 rpm at 70 mph in high gear. The ride is much quieter and more comfortable than the 01 model. I test drove the I4 model and immediately concluded that it is underpowered. I strongly recommend getting the V6 if you have to drive in hilly country. On my last highway trip, I got nearly 29 mpg. Around town I get around 23 mpg.

    Applying the gas with the V6 takes some getting used to because of the power, especially from a standing start. You have to squeeze the accelerator pedal gently or you will get an abrupt and unpleasant start. I also found the brakes take some getting used to. As you slow down, you have to ease up on the brake pedal pressure or you will decelerate faster than you would like. This is particular noticeable when coming to a stop. It reminds me of the way air brakes work on an old tram. I don't know whether this braking behavior in the RAV4 is typical or peculiar to my vehicle.
  • sayers1sayers1 Member Posts: 42
    Just filled up for the second time, and got just over 27 using 87 octane, probably 2/3 hwy and 1/3 city. And I'm not shy about pushing the gas pedal. Beats the 15 mpg I used to get with the 03 Sedona.
  • quickdtooquickdtoo Member Posts: 266
    I bought the Base 4WD V6 while inbound, it came with the tow prep pkg, I had asked the internet salesman if the tow prep pkg included the hitch and all wiring, he originally told me it did, which we later found out it didn't, in the end, I got him to install the factory hitch and wiring harness for $450 which was about half the cost of ordering it with hitch, waited a week for the vehicle to be delivered.
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Well both of you are reporting very good V6 MPG. Better than some of the I4 reports.

    Enjoy!
  • edar77edar77 Member Posts: 5
    I own V6 Sport 4x4. ZTHought i would add my MPG Log
    (I drive at moderate speeds and acceleration, at times pushing the 6 to 5-6000 RPM, but seldom):
    Trip Odometer L/100 km Mpg Mpg %
    Cdn US City/Hwy
    1 1,100 13.50 21.00 17.00 100% /0%
    2 1,600 12.27 23.00 19.00 73% /27%

    My car now has over 1600 km (1000 miles) and i already did 1st oil change and also put in a K&N air filter for better power and MPG. It is very hard to believe that people would get even 23MPG (US) in the city with the V6 RAV4.
    I use premium (91) fuel only, which this high compression V6 (10.7:1) should like. If anybody is interested, in the past (about a month ago) i posted a problem with my transmission and all the engine, VSC and 4x4 lights on after having the vehicle for 3 days. Only recently toyota REPLACED the transmission as they COULD NOT solve the problem. My transmission was sent for analysis to Japan! The dealership could not even open it up further for testing, as they were ordered by Toyota Japan to send it back immediately. 5th gear would not engage at all and computer was reporting a problem, so it shut off VSC and 4x4. Hopefully it is not an upcoming recall! :)
  • hondtotoyo1hondtotoyo1 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks bcbob8. I'm relieved now. Even my dealer couldn't figure it out, since 2006 models are all totatly new and they know very little about the vehicle.
  • hondtotoyo1hondtotoyo1 Member Posts: 3
    Hey Jimd4, thanks. I did that and it's what I was looking for!
  • thecatthecat Member Posts: 535
    Here's the latest update. Tank # 3 - mostly local driving and I'm begining more normal driving habits - 23.52 MPG. I'm quite pleased. With the WRX I typically got between 23 & 24 but had to run prem. fuel. So with a much larger and more comfortable vehicle, I'm getting about the same MPG and can burn regular
  • lampwalklampwalk Member Posts: 17
    Do you have the 4x4 or the FWD model of the V6? Also do you have the 50-States Emission package?

    Does anyone know if the 50 States Emission package could decrease gas mileage on the V6?
  • lampwalklampwalk Member Posts: 17
    Do you have any mpg figures yet--am wondering if the 50 State Emissions affects gas mileage?
  • jbrahmsjbrahms Member Posts: 24
    I have the FWD model of the V6 with the 50 states emission package which I believe is required in California. My understanding is that the gas mileage does drop slightly with the emission package, at least on most cars.
  • lampwalklampwalk Member Posts: 17
    Does EVERY RAV 4 V6 owner automatically get the 50 Staets Emission package? Which of you have not and would like to know what your MPG is.
  • sayers1sayers1 Member Posts: 42
    I have V6 4x4 w/ 50 state emissions. When I spoke w/ several different salesmen, I was under the impression that they all have it, code FE. So far, my first measured tank shows just a hair over 27 mpg.
  • lampwalklampwalk Member Posts: 17
    That's what I am finding, too and guess the major difference in gas mileage would be between a 4X4 and a FWD or between a 4 cylinder and a 6 cylinder. Where are you located?
  • andrelaplumeandrelaplume Member Posts: 934
    At first glance it appears the 06 RAV is huge compared to the Forester. Anyone drive both? I am especially concerned with rear seat comfort for two adults or 2 children and one adult. Most times 2 kids will be back there. I saw a new Forester parked alongside a new RAV and to my suprise the RAV did not look that much bigger. In fact it appeared the Forester was longer unless you count the rear mounted tire on the RAV in its length. The RAV looks wider but looking at each back seat they seem the same size. I think its safe to say the RAV is taller and cargo area is bigger. Leg room looks tight in the back of the Forester but then again looked a little tight in the front of the RAV. The Ravs styling is nicer. The boxier windows in the Forester make it appear more of a wagon. Still a comparably equipped Forester X with the $2K rebate is $3K less than a base Rav. That could buy a warranty and some goodies....still its not a pleasing to the eye. ANyone drive each and what were your impressions?
  • llkc04llkc04 Member Posts: 10
    I found a site that collects and shares real world mpg figures for all makes and models. If you add your figures we will all be able to compare them. Its www.fueleconomy.gov
    See what you think.
  • sayers1sayers1 Member Posts: 42
    Upstate NY here, but only have a little over 500 miles on it. I'll keep posting with the next few tank fulls.
  • bgsayebgsaye Member Posts: 6
    My wife and I purchased a 2006 RAV4 Sport last week. When we test drove the car I noticed that the tire cover was not installed. I asked about it and the dealer showed me a form in the glove compartment that was filled out by the manufacturer. The form said that they were out of tire covers and would send one. We also got a "We Owe You" form from the dealer saying they owe us a tire cover. I'm not really concerned about it, but I am interested to know if anyone else is (or was) missing a tire cover.
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Well when I looked at the Forester, I did not bother to drive it because it seemed to have no useful space when compared to the RAV4. I found the space in the RAV4 2nd seat to be good even though the seat itself is a little spartan to me. Never saw the 3rd row seat, do not need it.

    Maybe I am missing something but the two vehicles do not seem to be in the same class to me. And it looks like a box wagon I thought. Not that the RAV4 is a show car but it is more modern looking and in features.
    Just one guy's opinion of course.
  • fhspsu67fhspsu67 Member Posts: 24
    Yes, while I was picking up my '06 RAV4 LTD (thankfully with spare tire cover) a car hauler showed up with two new RAV4's without the tire cover. Your story holds water here!
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