14th Nov 2011, 16:25
I stand corrected. The base model does come with plastic wheel covers over black steelies. Sorry about that. I have never actually seen one of these models on the road though. I guess they sell very few of them.
6th Dec 2011, 14:52
I just unloaded my 2008 Rav-4. Nothing but an uncomfortable noisy ride, and the steering made an awful groaning noise.
I think the electric steering is going to be an ongoing problem. According to the dealership, they said that I'm not the first to have a problem, but then again, they tell you what you want to hear.
The water pump also failed around 15,000 miles.
Good quality!
15th Feb 2012, 17:56
Update from original review.
A few days ago a friend of mine who is a dealer ran the RAV-4 through an auction for us.
The hard downshift in the transmission was getting worse and worse, and the check engine light came on a few times, which I didn't even bother checking it out.
The funny thing is our 2 other vehicles; a 2004 Buick Regal, and a 1999 Isuzu Rodeo, both of these vehicles together have not given us the trouble the RAV-4 has in the year and a half we owned it.
17th Feb 2012, 12:34
Wow, the last two comments are from two different people who ditched their RAV-4s within a month apart. I wonder if the media has anything to do with this.
18th Feb 2012, 14:14
In all honesty, absolutely nothing. This review and many other Toyota reviews like this one are just prime examples of a downward spiral that has been plaguing Toyota for over a decade now. Different issues that were unheard of at one time.
But it seems that the media always gets blamed for blowing these matters out of proportion, when in reality, reviews like this one are telling the facts.
19th Feb 2012, 13:01
It is the duty of the media to report news. When a large company such as Toyota violated the public trust and concealed possible defects from its customers, it was the duty of the press to fully report the three Grand Jury subpoenas and millions of recalls. To not do so would have been gross negligence. Thankfully we have a media that does its duty to inform people of such things.
20th Feb 2012, 09:06
So there are a couple of poor Toyota reviews. I bet I can find as many poor Chevy reviews or Ford reviews too. So what? Are you adding to the conversation with any factual experience, or are you just reiterating what the media says time and time again?
So you hate Toyota... good for you. Go... drive your Chevy or drive your Ford. It's your life. Stop with your negativity, unless you have something worthy to add, based on your own real experiences.
Toyota's have more than proven themselves reliable and high quality across the board. I think the sheer numbers of them on the roads speaks for itself. There is no argument against that fact. Since you don't understand how the recalls even work, I won't bother trying to explain it to you anymore. Just think what you want. Obviously every last one isn't perfect, and they have issues just like any other car line... again, so what?
Any loyal Toyota owner knows the truth, so what you say simply won't change people's minds, any more than someone bashing your brand will change your mind. So be done with it already, and move on!!
22nd Feb 2012, 10:32
Of course it's easy to be loyal, because Toyota simply makes a better product. Period.
23rd Feb 2012, 17:43
According to J.D. Power's long-term reliability ratings, the Ford Fusion is far more reliable (and a better used car buy) than the Recall King (Camry).
24th Feb 2012, 12:51
I'll believe it when I see it. All I know, is that basically everyone I know who has owned a Camry, and that includes countless friends, neighbors and family members; none of them - and I mean NONE, have had any major issues with theirs, and of those out there I know of, most were kept well beyond the 200,000-250,000 mark.
People can bash Toyota all day long, and quote from various reports in an attempt to further their cause. But Toyota still builds a better product, and people like me and others will continue to buy them. End of story.
24th Feb 2012, 15:49
Wow, didn't we go through the whole J.D. Powers thing like two years ago... and counting? Okay, since you brought it up... J.D. Powers ranks the Toyota owned Lexus the highest of any brand across the board PERIOD, END OF STORY. This is a fact, so one car like the Fusion holds little weight against an entire line of vehicles.
Can we cite personal experience and stop quoting J.D. Powers now? If we need to know what they say, we'll log onto their site... Thanks.
25th Feb 2012, 10:23
Amen to that! Until any Toyota fails me, I will drive them forever too! Seems people just don't get that, and want to keep quoting ratings sites instead of actually owning cars and commenting about them. Toyota's are awesome. I have been "recalled" for problems, and never needed anything done time and time again. Seems people have been misinformed into believing every last Toyota that was recalled needed something fixed.
Out of that 23 million recalls, maybe 100,000 cars actually needed something fixed. Most of those were ridiculous fixes like a floormat swap. Very overblown media circus, and yet everyone keeps harping on it, as they refuse to see the facts. Yes 23 million were recalled, including mine. But mine needed nothing, so what does that mean? All of my family and friends that have been recalled also needed nothing replaced on their Toyotas... so what does that mean?
What it means is that every car that goes in on recall and needs nothing is subtracted from the list of faulty cars. Since I and everyone I know have been subtracted, how many others are having the same outcome? MILLIONS... This is what a media circus looks like. If people would only base their posts on driving experience instead of what they read, we would all benefit from it. Ahhh, but this will never stop I am afraid. I am sure the next post will rehash ratings sites and the 23 million recalls... (sigh).
25th Feb 2012, 12:10
I have yet to meet a single person who has gotten 100,000 miles out of any Toyota without any problems. Where are all these magical cars?
26th Feb 2012, 13:27
The point being made about the massive Toyota recalls, is simply that for years import owners have pointed to a few recalls on the part of domestic makers as a sign of poor build quality. Then, ironically, when the situation is reversed, all sorts of excuses are made to try and get Toyota off the hook. This is clearly a double standard.
In addition, domestic makers do voluntary recalls without being forced to by a Grand Jury. Domestic makers even issue recalls for non-safety-related issues (unlike Japanese companies). Naturally they have had more recalls over the years due to this customer-friendly policy until three Grand Jury subpoenas FORCED Toyota to recall huge numbers of cars due to life-threatening defects.
The point is, any argument lessening the impact of Toyota's massive recalls also applies DOUBLY to any domestic recalls, because domestic recalls are voluntary.
12th Nov 2011, 14:46
I am pretty positive that the non 4x4 models come with optional plastic hubcaps. My cousin has a 2007 model, and it has plastic silver hubcaps with the Toyota crest in the center, and they do tend to fall off, just like the Camry.