Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's the 3rd generation '06-12 that had the v6 option. I would not buy a new one in addition to scrapping the v6 they also lost a lot of features.
I wouldn't say that. My wife has a 2013 and we both like it a lot. The engine has more than enough power for us and very comfortable with lots of nice features. I would go for the XLE's over the LE's. You can get a 2016 XLE for around 27K.
It's not that the 4th gen is bad necessarily so much that the 3rd gen is better if you're open to used. It's a common sentiment over on the RAV4 forums.
Do you know which year was the last year the Rav-4 had 6 cylinders available?
I believe that the last Rav4 V6 was the 2012 or 2013. I traded a 2009 Forester MT for a 2010 Rav4 V6, and handed the key to my wife. She didn't like the Forester's seats because it would give her back pain. She loves the Rav4, but in reality the V6 motor produces a little too much power for her, so she is really gentle with the gas pedal
The V6 produces 270 HP, which is around 100 more HP than the 2009 Forester, and is quite good on fuel usage (around 28MPG on the highway). While it is a 4WD vehicle, as I will explain below*, it is a FWD with assist 4WD when needed, such as when one of the front wheels skid. But it works quite well on the icy conditions of Alaska's interior, so we don't miss the Forester at all. All the wheels also come to play when you punch the gas, in which case the Rav4 will push you back toward the seat. Not kidding. The only problem is that it does not come with a manual transmission, just a 5-speed automatic. However, the strong motor allows for the transmission to keep the RPM as low as possible, which in turn saves fuel. No idea why Toyota stopped using the V6 on newer Rav4, but in my view that was a mistake. Instead, they should have keep the V6 and added a 6-speed transmission, since the motor has plenty of HP to handle the 6th speed on the highway.
*4WD: lets say that you want to drive through very deep snow and want all the wheels to lock on 4WD. In this case, from a stop, you push the 4x4 button on the dash, and drive at a maximum speed of 25MPH with all the wheels engaged. The same is done if you want to pull a boat-loaded trailer out of the water, for example.
Not putting much stock into mpg means someone may not care about reliability? That is a bit of an odd jump in logic. I just put that because I didn't want someone to miss suggesting a car that was otherwise stellar outside of mpg.
Is Toyota still that well-regarded? I was under the impression it was sort of living off of its older reputation and that it wasn't as bullet-proof as it used to be. This is all hearsay, obviously.
edit: and thanks for the highlander suggestion. I will add it to the list
Actually, OP, there is no twisted logic in what I said. Good, well made engines tend to have better mpg and overall be reliable. Of course, Toyota does have some relative gas hogs, like a 4Runner, but then again, that is a 4WD vehicle and none of them has good mpg but 4Runner or Landcruiser stand out as stellar reliability performers.
Also, if a person does not care about petrol bill, likely person does not care about repair bill.
Makes more sense now?
No, there was an anti Toyota campaign few years back in medias, but company stepped up and is diligently correcting its errors. I have several warrenty enhancements for my Camry Hybrid by now, so it is mostly covered for another 60 000 miles, with 110 000 on ticker now. I actually respect this, everyone makes mistakes, not everyone steps up to correct them.
We were sort of Honda/Toyota family but after owning several Hondas, including late models, we moved into Lexus/Toyota brand. They simply feel better made to us. See, we do not go by looks, like Mazdas. We go by practicality and reliability + good mpg. I honestly do not know a better brand to recommend, esp if it were made in Japan vehicle.
Actually, OP, there is no twisted logic in what I said. Good, well made engines tend to have better mpg and overall be reliable. Of course, Toyota does have some relative gas hogs, like a 4Runner, but then again, that is a 4WD vehicle and none of them has good mpg but 4Runner or Landcruiser stand out as stellar reliability performers.
Also, if a person does not care about petrol bill, likely person does not care about repair bill.
Makes more sense now?
No, there was an anti Toyota campaign few years back in medias, but company stepped up and is diligently correcting its errors. I have several warrenty enhancements for my Camry Hybrid by now, so it is mostly covered for another 60 000 miles, with 110 000 on ticker now. I actually respect this, everyone makes mistakes, not everyone steps up to correct them.
We were sort of Honda/Toyota family but after owning several Hondas, including late models, we moved into Lexus/Toyota brand. They simply feel better made to us. See, we do not go by looks, like Mazdas. We go by practicality and reliability + good mpg. I honestly do not know a better brand to recommend, esp if it were made in Japan vehicle.
No, it doesn't make sense at all. Just because some one doesn't care about mpg doesn't mean that they don't mind being stuck on the side of the road, or would be ok with constant repair bills. Also mpg has never been linked to reliability. To the op, the 4 Runner might be the most reliable vehicle ever built, let alone best suv. Landcruisers are awesome as well but much more expensive.
since you like Hyundai, stick with a Hyundai....Santa Fe or Tucson
Or corporate cousin Kia. Kia and Hyundai leapfrog each other when it comes to technology. Right now, the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sorento are the ones with all the technology. But if you just want the basic version, nothing wrong with the Kia Sportage or the Hyundai Santa Fe.
Actually, OP, there is no twisted logic in what I said. Good, well made engines tend to have better mpg and overall be reliable. Of course, Toyota does have some relative gas hogs, like a 4Runner, but then again, that is a 4WD vehicle and none of them has good mpg but 4Runner or Landcruiser stand out as stellar reliability performers. Also, if a person does not care about petrol bill, likely person does not care about repair bill.
Makes more sense now?
No, there was an anti Toyota campaign few years back in medias, but company stepped up and is diligently correcting its errors. I have several warrenty enhancements for my Camry Hybrid by now, so it is mostly covered for another 60 000 miles, with 110 000 on ticker now. I actually respect this, everyone makes mistakes, not everyone steps up to correct them.
We were sort of Honda/Toyota family but after owning several Hondas, including late models, we moved into Lexus/Toyota brand. They simply feel better made to us. See, we do not go by looks, like Mazdas. We go by practicality and reliability + good mpg. I honestly do not know a better brand to recommend, esp if it were made in Japan vehicle.
To the first bolded part, no. That doesn't make any sense. Northeaster covered the point rather succinctly, though.
While I appreciate the initial opinion on the vehicle, you drive a Toyota, not an Aston Martin. No need to be so smug.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for the input so far. I am going to look at some Highlanders, the CX-5, and maybe the Tucson or Sorento if they have good reviews online.
I would avoid the Santa Fe or Sorento if it has the 2.4 or 2.0T engine, they just aren't turning out to be very durable. The V6 models are probably okay.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
