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Toyota RAV4 4 Cylinder or V6
blacksqrrl
Member Posts: 2
in Toyota
I'm leaning towards purchasing a Rav4 in the near future and while i know a lot of it is personal preference, i want to see what people think of the 4 cylinder engine vs. the V6 engine. I know you get more juice from the larger engine, but is it worth the extra money? i'm especially interested in hearing from people who got one size engine and wish they got the other one. Is the gas mileage really similar between the two? Thanks!
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CONCLUSION: If I was going to buy a 4-cyl, it would be a CR-V. If it didn't matter and I had to choose between the three, it would be the RAV4 V6 hands down!
So long story maybe not so short after considerable research and test drives I went with the 4 cyl and am glad I did. I just got back from vacation with 4 adults and luggage and it performed beautifully. I got over 28 mpg and that was fully loaded, air running etc. I'm sure I could have hit 30 mpg or more if it wouldnt have been so loaded and not had the air running.
With the price of gas I wanted the best mileage I could get with good performance and gas isnt going down in price so its only going to get more expensive in years to come
I bought the V6 because I've had lots of vehicles that were adequately powered and I thought that having one with much more than adequate power would be fun, and it is. I can still get 28-30 mpg on the highway, but around town it's thirstier than the four-cylinder.
Bottom line - drive them both, it should clarify things for what you personally want. Ditto for the RAV4 vs. its competition.
On the MPG there seems to be some difference of opinion.
The 6 has 100 more hp than the 4. Usually the MPG between
a 4 and a 6 is close on a heavy vehicle when the 6 has
50 more hp, not 100 more. One poster says his wife averages
29 MPG with the 6. If that is true I'll buy one tomorrow.
I'd like to get some numbers from different drivers of the
6.
Many Thanks
thanks!
I have had my 08 AWD V6 for 5K miles so far, and I am getting 22-24 mpg around town (suburban driving) and 27-28 mpg highway. The 4 cyl can't do much better than that.
So really it comes down to purchase price, and perhaps if the extra towing capability is important to you (not to mention the "fun" factor of all that extra power).
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
My highway mileage was about 28.5, 50% mountain driving. If you will be driving predominantly on freeways at 75, I would lean toward the 6-, but absent that, I find the 4- more than adequate. I am not a real "petal-to-the-metal" kind of guy. I mean, how many times do you put your foot to the floor? For me, almost never. I have a 6-cylinder Acura (TL) that is a bit of a beast., Do I need that power? Absolutely not, and I rarely use it. The 2.5L RAV engine is peppy and responsive. At the very minimum, I would suggest you give it serious consideration.
The 4 was great. Only occasionally did I miss the power of the V-6. If I was buying again, I would save my money and get the 4.
-initial cost is higher
-city gas mileage is lower
-for DIYs the V-6 is much harder to service, try changing the rear sparkplugs
-heavier weight of 6 cyl means longer stopping distance on slippery surfaces
City gas mileage is a bit lower. If you do the math, the average driver will spend an extra $150-200 a year. Goes toward the fun factor.
The iridium tipped spark plugs don't need to be changed until 100,000 miles!
Yes, it may be a bit heavier, but the RAV brakes are very good--stopping is not an issue. The V-6 is the main reason I picked the RAV over the CR-V. After a couple of test drives, it was an easy decision.
Could be an urban legend about the cold engine. I recall hearing Click and Clack warning about the possibility of high mileage plugs seizing so some proactive loosening may be in order.
Brand new 2009 V6....took it on a trip to New Mexico and Arizona starting in Minnesota. 4,498 miles....22.6 miles per gallon.
70-80 miles per hour on freeways plus city driving, lots of baggage.
There ya go.
She wanted a mid size SUV to replace her 03 CR-V. Did a lot of looking, driving, and comparing before the purchase.
Comparing smoothness of drive train, handling, ride, dollar value, resale value, and visibility out the back, she decided on the Rav4. I wanted the 6 because the CR-V's 4 cylinder was always a bit rough compared to my Pilot's V6. Especially when idling with the AC on. I also wanted the 6 because its tranny is 5 or 6 speeds and the 4 cylinder is only 4 speeds like the CR-V was.
She liked a particular Rav4 Sport because of the interior and exterior colors, ride, handling, and other items. I checked out the window sticker first thing and said "NO, this is a 4 cylinder". But to satisfy her, I drove it. We bought it.
The 4 cylinder engine is peppy and smooth. As it turns out the real world fuel mileage is way better than I expected it would be. She is getting 4-5 mpg better in her commute to work than she got with her CR-V. The tranny shifts like a dream and seems to always be in the perfect gear for conditions. It seems to accelerate to highway speeds just as quick as my V6 Pilot and gets a lot better MPG in the process. She hasn't said, "I told you so", but I couldn't blame her if she did. We have 3 cars and the Rav4 is always the first choice if it is available.
For towing or carrying heavy loads the V6 would be a better choice. But so would a bigger heavier vehicle. However the purchase price, which I was willing to pay, the better mileage and most likely the better trade in down the road dictate the 4 to be a better choice for us.
Keep in mind this new 2.5 liter simply feels smoother and a lot more capable than the 2.4 did. The 6 cost more going in and will likely bring less trade-in down the road due to gas prices. THE V6 RAV4 IS EXTREMELY QUICK and fun to drive, and it's mileage on the road very close to the 4. However, around town the 4 is a better choice. So I recon we all have to decide how a car is to be driven and go from there.
Different strokes for different folks.
Kip
I have four (had five, yes five last year), one at my US home, the others given to my immediate family back in the UK, all the two-door version easy to park, good or narrow streets, high down-road vision, cheap to run and own, but no longer sold in the USA. This is a great shame.
The 2-door version was the forerunner, much praised model that began the small SUV trend, and indeed the model size to which many are now returning being more conscious of waste of space and resources. In its day, the mid-nineties, the RAV was favourably compared to European hot hatches. It is cited in many automotive design books alongside Jaguar XE-Types and the like as cars that set the trend.
I prefer the 2-door version because it is light, fast,extremely manouverable, reliable, and durable, (parts start needing replaced after 100,000 miles) but mainly because anything bigger tends to feel as if driving a bus! If a 2-door RAV is good enough for a Le Mans winning Jaguar driver as his daily drive it's good enough for me.
In any event, even the early ones can be upgraded in all respects, from Bi-Zenon headlights to leather interiors, all from the USA's amazing after market service.
But to the OP's question: Alas, the V6 is NOT sold in the UK or Europe but if it had been I'd have bought it not only because for long distance travelling the more horsepower the better, but also it suits the weight of the 4-door. That said, the V4 offers better mileage, and, as other owners testify on this thread, the V4 is perfectly adequate.
Common weaknesses:That rear door will not open 90 degrees, annoying when negotiating square items, or framed paintings. If anybody hits that spare wheel you will need a whole new rear door skin - a common frailty on SUV's that hang the spare there to look butch. Seat belts begin to lose their efficiency after 50,000 miles. Small bits of non-essential trim come adrift. That upright windshield takes a lot of chips from flying stones - stay well back from trucks!
Hope all that helps.
Los Angeles
I then tested the 4 cyl to see if it would be a dog in comparison. I was concerned that the 4cyl would be like the smaller 4cyls in the Corollas, etc. I drive a 2008 Matrix with the 1.8L and there are many times I was wishing it had more hp (i drive 150 miles round trip for work so the mileage is why I drive it)
I was pleasantly surprised! At a 179hp, the Rav 4cyl had quite a bit of pep off the line and entering the freeway. No comparison to the Matrix at all.
While the freeway MPG is only 1 MPG different between the V-6 and the 4cyl, the city rating is significantly better on the 4cyl.
In the end, we decided to go with the 4cyl. I have no complaints with the power and pickup, and the wife loves it.
Good and bad about 4 vs 6? What did you buy and experience?