Great people and cargo hauler with looks and comfort
Nothing!!!
Excellent choice! Can't beat a Toyota. I own two now. My summer car is a 1989 Corolla GT-S, and she's still going.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th September, 2003
RAVishing!!
Purchased used. Hopefully all the problems were taken care of already. I just needed to get new tires. Which is general maintenance.
I like my RAV 4 a lot, has a lot of guts for a 4 cyc engine. Some people say it needs a bigger engine. I think it's just right. The SUV looks small from the outside, but it actually is very roomy inside. A lot of cargo room in it as well.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 19th July, 2003
A reliable and stylish SUV
To date, there have been no major problems with my RAV 4.
However, the tires do seem to slip a bit when on wet pavement.
There is a little noise in the cabin from the engine when I shift gears.
Also, it is not the best when it comes to snowy weather. I have a 4x2 (not a 4x4) and there were several times this past winter that I almost slid into oncoming traffic on my way to work.
In the SUV's defense, the weather this past winter was especially brutal.
Overall, I really have loved my RAV4 from the moment I saw it at the dealership.
It is a very stylish vehicle, inside and out.
It has excellent acceleration and handles very well.
The fuel economy is great for an SUV.
The vehicle is also very reliable. It has never left me stranded and always gets me where I need to be without any major malfunctions.
I recommend purchasing a 4x4 to get you through any grueling weather conditions. I would also recommend that you have a sunroof - it makes driving this wonderful vehicle even more enjoyable!!!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 6th July, 2003
If it snows where you live, you should have bought a 4wd RAV4!
When it snows, you need to drive slower!
You people are forgetting the biggest factor...
How does your car connect with the ground and turn, accelerate...?
The tires. During the winter you should have all season, winter, or studded tires for snow driving. Even with 4wd, it won't matter if you had summer tires with a very shallow tread. The tires wouldn't grab traction and you won't go anywhere.
Stay away from the RAV-4
I have had problems with the brakes squeaking starting around 300 miles.
There is a problem with the windshield. It was not installed properly and makes a clunking sound against the car. Apparently, this is very common in the new RAV-4s. I had to take mine in 9 times (literally) before they actually got it fixed.
The sunroof was also not installed properly. Whenever the roof gets warm, the sunroof makes very loud cracking sounds.
The latest problem is one with the engine. Apparently, there is a gas emission problem with the vehicles.
I am very disappointed with the RAV-4. I think Toyota mass produced a car without fully getting all of the kinks out of it. It is unfortunate because it puts the burden on the owner to constantly bring in their vehicle for all of Toyota's "solutions" to the problems. I have owned Toyota vehicles for 12 years and know that these problems should not be typical for Toyota vehicles. In my opinion, they should go back to the drawing board on the new RAV-4.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 12th June, 2002
12th Feb 2005, 18:23
One should not expect 4WD to help in icy situations - you have 4 wheels spinning instead of 2. Also, on-demand 4WD is bad news, as the car's handling characteristics remain stable 99% of the time, but when you get into a sticky situation the handling of the car drastically changes, making it even more difficult to handle safely.
4WD is more effective than FWD only in limited situations.