I had a wheel well issue, so I dropped off my car yesterday. Walked to the rental agency next door and picked up a Rav4. I believe it was a 2017 model, as it was brand new with only 200 miles on it. I've driven a Rav4 before -- when I bought a Tacoma in 2014, they had to get it in from another dealership, so I had the loaner for a day.
The front seat room is a plus. This is a smaller SUV but doesn't feel small to the driver or the front seat passenger. As this was a standard model with limited features, the seat movement was manual and did not adjust up and down. That was a problem for me as, while I don't think of myself as tall, it appears that anyone over about 5-9 might have some driver viewing issues. The roof line comes down pretty far in the front and the rearview mirror has a huge box of wiring and controls behind it. This obstructs the view of most average sized and taller men. My wife, who road in it last night, didn't think it would be an issue for her, but she's 5-5. Either way, never buy one of these without powered seats that go up and down as well. I didn't get in the back seat; think mid-sized car room but a little easier to get in and out of.
I would never buy a vehicle with a 4 cylinder and that's all the Rav4 comes with. It isn't a total chore to enter the highway, but I can imagine passing and keeping up with traffic over 70 is going to be tough. While not particularly noisy, quietness is not a plus, especially at higher speeds. This is an around town only vehicle with limited use on the highway to get from one part of town to the other. The exception might be for someone who's single that needs to carry some gear -- say, a drummer who regularly gigs and takes all his stuff. An occasional 3 hour trip in this vehicle isn't going to kill anyone, but you won't want to do that regularly.
I took some boxes to my off-site storage place this morning and the back (with only the second row up; don't even know if there is 3rd row seating available) is surprisingly roomy. I also like the styling of the vehicle. In my view, it is a very good looking SUV. If you need extras like premium seats, leather, etc., it appears you just need to step up to the Highlander. However, I wouldn't sell this vehicle short, especially for a woman commuter with a 20 mile or less commute and maybe one kid, who's husband has a better road worthy vehicle.
The front seat room is a plus. This is a smaller SUV but doesn't feel small to the driver or the front seat passenger. As this was a standard model with limited features, the seat movement was manual and did not adjust up and down. That was a problem for me as, while I don't think of myself as tall, it appears that anyone over about 5-9 might have some driver viewing issues. The roof line comes down pretty far in the front and the rearview mirror has a huge box of wiring and controls behind it. This obstructs the view of most average sized and taller men. My wife, who road in it last night, didn't think it would be an issue for her, but she's 5-5. Either way, never buy one of these without powered seats that go up and down as well. I didn't get in the back seat; think mid-sized car room but a little easier to get in and out of.
I would never buy a vehicle with a 4 cylinder and that's all the Rav4 comes with. It isn't a total chore to enter the highway, but I can imagine passing and keeping up with traffic over 70 is going to be tough. While not particularly noisy, quietness is not a plus, especially at higher speeds. This is an around town only vehicle with limited use on the highway to get from one part of town to the other. The exception might be for someone who's single that needs to carry some gear -- say, a drummer who regularly gigs and takes all his stuff. An occasional 3 hour trip in this vehicle isn't going to kill anyone, but you won't want to do that regularly.
I took some boxes to my off-site storage place this morning and the back (with only the second row up; don't even know if there is 3rd row seating available) is surprisingly roomy. I also like the styling of the vehicle. In my view, it is a very good looking SUV. If you need extras like premium seats, leather, etc., it appears you just need to step up to the Highlander. However, I wouldn't sell this vehicle short, especially for a woman commuter with a 20 mile or less commute and maybe one kid, who's husband has a better road worthy vehicle.
