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Comments
"When posting about your experience with a dealership, you may post ONLY the dealership name, city, and state. You may not post a salesperson's name, phone numbers, email addresses, links to dealer web sites, etc."
Otherwise we'd have to deal with too much spam and a bunch of shill posts.
Steve, Host
give me a good deal but I didn't want the third row seat. It is just me and my wife and a Baby on the way. He was always honest with me and he gives you his best deal from the start. I almost feel bad I am not buying it from him. It also gives you an excuse to go to VEGAS. I am actually getting mine from a dealer in Arizona. They have the exact vehicle I want. Good luck everyone and I hope you feel like you are getting a great deal to when you are done shopping.
The RAV4 Limited got "Highs" for Agility, fuel economy, rear seat room, access, controls, refined and quick V6 powertrain. The only "Low" listed was "Thigh support for some drivers". In acceleration tests, the V6 RAV4 got a 0 to 60 time of 6.7 seconds, the base I4 was 9.8 seconds. The V6 got 22 MPG and the I4 got 23 MPG. All ratings were "good" or better except for the headlights, which were rated as "fair".
I'm puzzled by some numbers. The ground clearance of the V6 limited is 6.5 inches and the base I4 was at 7.0 inches. Why would there be any difference? Must be the tranny. The Toyota RAV4 booklet from the dealer listed 7.5 inches for both. Also, I thought I read somewhere that the maximum load for the V6 was over 1100 pounds. CR has it at 825 pounds. Also, the booklet has the turning circle at 34.8 feet for both the Limited and Base models. CR had it at 39 feet for the Limited and 37 for the Base. The Base model had the optional 17 inch wheels. and both had the Yokahama Geolander G91 tires.
What I found interesting is that the RAV4 V6 Limited got 4 MPG more than the Suzuki Grand Vitara V6, even though it had 84 more horsepower, 100 pounds more weight, and was faster to 60 MPH by 2.8 seconds (6.7 vs 9.5). The Subaru Forrester got the same MPG as the RAV4 V6 (22) but only had a 4 cylinder 173 HP engine and weighed 500 pounds less. Toyotas's V6 is very economical.
One unusual comment was the following: "traction control brings the vehicle to a crawl in slippery conditions". I assume then that the Base model was a FWD version. So, out of 14 compact SUVs, the RAV4's are 1st and 2nd.
I am a special spec sheet pdf. that shows all this in detail but cannot post it here.
The fact that you cannot turn off the VSC is a detriment in some slippery conditions. It trys to reduce wheel spin and vehicle fishtaling and in doing that it probably keeps reducing power to each wheel. This shows up on my Audi in deep snow with vsc on. Audi provides a switch and with that off, it is possible to do better. With it off, all 4 four wheels are slipping but driving some and the vheicle maintains speed. I had seen some comments somewhere else about Toyoto VSC making it impossible to move a slippery steep grades.
Regarding gas milage, the 5 speed and low rpm mean a lot and the RAV4 test shows that. People will say that is baloney but that is one of the major reasons you seen Toyoto going to 5 and 6 speeds as Audi and others have done before Toyoto. I am guessing that this is also why the test shows only 1 MPG difference between 4 and 6 overall. The V6 fun factor is worth that 1 mpg for me. But the V6 option is expensive!
As the report shows, the other vheicles tested dropped to the back of the class.
After three or four drive cycles the diagnostic lights will extinguish and VSC will become operative again.
- Marty
I know on my Audi in deep snow it is the stab control that gives me a problem in deep snow at low speed, <25mpg or so. I turn the stab contol switch off and off I go. RAV4 should have one also
In the meantime, I'm remembering how strange the seatbelt configuration for the 2nd row, middle seat, seemed when we test drove it. (The salesman had no idea how it worked -- he said it was just the one belt over the shoulder, no lap belt portion -- WRONG)! I never did get it buckled correctly. :confuse: Since then, I think I read that it buckles in 2 pieces, one of which connects to a piece that would be under a carseat on the driver's side. That sounds impossible to deal with daily.
So I'm wondering what position most people put their carseat in this car. The 2nd row seat on the passenger's side is the only side that allows access to the third row, I think, so that's out. If you put a carseat in the middle position, does this leave passengers much room on either side?
On a side note, the base rode much better than the Sport model which has stiffer springs. The 4cyl on the other hand...well it makes noise but it isn't going anywhere fast. The 3.5 V6 will snatch the cap off your head if you tap that skinny pedal on the right too hard. :surprise:
Gary
So what is the deal? I assume that what C&D meant is that when someone was in the third row, you couldn't push the second row all the way back without seriously cutting into the third row leg room, but that if no one was in the third row, you could slide the second row back to the same position you could on a model with no third row.
So which is it?
It has plenty of power, it is smooth and fast. The kicker is the MPGs are almost the same as the I4. It is better to have the horsepower and not need them than need them and not have them.
Where I live is flat and I only drive 10 miles from home to work.
THat being said, this is the best 5,000 miles I've ever driven. Now my BMW Z3 seems less responsive, has too big a steering wheel and doesn't have the power of the Rav4. What a great car!!!
Good luck with your RAV4 and keep us posted on MPG etc.
Thanks
Is that a fair price? Someone told me usually when a moonroof is put in, it doesn't work right. Any truth to that?
It's a blast to drive, do you need it? Likely not.
I've has clients put in leather and sunroofs for 6 yrs now with zero complaints. I put aftermarket leather in our Highlander and my wife loves it. I may put it into my Prius also. Get a good installer and you should have not problems.
What do those who have bought a V6 model think of the 5-speed automatic transmission? Does it have any of the problems with delayed responses which are afflicting Avalon owners? Is it the same transmission?