The Toyota RAV4 is the second best selling compact crossover in the United States. While this is technically the last generation Rav4, this car is still highly sought out for by many crossover shoppers. Known as the kind of dull and boring option in the segment, I was curious to find out how the Rav4 still retains enormous popularity despite it’s somewhat lackluster reputation. Is the Rav4 truly the dull, boring crossover that everybody labels it as? Find out below in my written review.
First setting off in the Rav4, I have to say that this crossover does feel bigger compared to how it looks on the outside. The front hood is a little blocky and the dimensions feel somewhat wide. It’s not a bad thing, but it is something to note. Everything responds nicely, though. You notice that the ride feels very soft, the interior is quiet, the engine feels very smooth, the transmission works through its gears with stunning levels of refinement. Everything responds with predictability and tactility. It’s a very relaxing driving experience without feeling outright floaty or lumbering. Overall first impressions, the Rav4 rides and handles nicely for a crossover, the engine feels smooth and decently peppy.
The 4 cylinder engine in the Rav4 makes 176 horsepower and 172 lb. ft. of torque. While those numbers don’t sound like much, the Rav4’s engine is surprisingly peppy, and it moves the car well. It has a smooth wave of torque off the line, and because the transmission is geared up really well, you can beat people to the next red light pretty easily without even pushing the engine that hard. This engine feels perfectly smooth, refined, and linear no matter how high you push the revs up. Granted, the four cylinder feels a little gutless when you floor it, but the engine feels perfect for just cruising around town. It feels pretty quick to rev and the torque builds up smoothly. Even when you keep the revs below 2,500 RPM, the Rav4 delivers fairly brisk acceleration for what it is. I was also impressed at just how quiet and refined the engine is. Even when you floor it, you just don’t hear that much engine noise at all. I originally thought the Mazda CX-5 had the smoothest engine in the compact crossover segment, but I have to say that after driving the Rav4, it’s definitely the quietest and smoothest accelerating crossover that I’ve driven so far.
The 6-speed automatic transmission in the Rav4 is another aspect that took me by surprise about this car. The 6-speed delivers brisk, silky smooth shifts. It just casually works through its gears with the utmost serenity. You quite literally don’t feel the transmission shifting at all. The transmission is also very quick to respond, just dip into the throttle a little and it delivers a brisk downshift, giving you the precise level of power you need to get up a hill or pass someone. It has no problem sending the engine past 4,000 RPM if you go a little harder on the throttle than usual. In stop and go traffic, the 6-speed cycles through its gears with really good precision, and it never jerks of clunks into gear. The transmission does tend to shift into its top gear pretty early, but it’s very easy to get it out of that top gear with just a slight amount of pressure on the accelerator. Overall, I have zero complaints with this transmission. I think it works so much better than the newer 8-speeds in some of the newer Lexus and Toyota products. There’s absolutely no drama, no harshness, and no jerkiness. It maximizes the power from the 4 cylinder engine very well, and each gear is spaced out nice and evenly.
Steering response in the Rav4 is actually not bad. It’s decently heavy, and it is very smooth, refined, and dare I say a little playful in its response. It is a little slow to respond initially, but it feels easy to tell where the front tires are. The steering ratio is more linear and smoothed out compared to most Toyota products that I’ve driven. It kind of reminds me of a Subaru Forester or an Outback, with a nicely weighted but very smooth and refined steering response. The Rav4 points straight for long periods of time with minimal steering correction, and it retains a decent pull towards center when rounding a corner. The on-center feel is nicely weighted, and although it is somewhat electronic feeling, the steering feels natural enough for a crossover. There’s not much road feedback, but the steering is definitely chunkier and quicker to respond than I thought it would be. The Rav4 feels fairly precise and maneuverable as well, and the steering never tracks or tram-lines over creases or indents in the road. Overall, the only complaint I have is that it lacks a little in the initial turn-in response, but everything else about the steering feels satisfactory in my opinion. It’s definitely far better than the overly loose and numb steering from the Nissan Rogue.
Handling of the Rav4 is about average I would say. The suspension is more of a squishy/bouncy setup, but I can respect the fact that there isn’t much body lean in the corners. The Rav4 feels far more assured and buttoned down compared to the Rogue, and you can zip around in the Rav4 just fine without any problems. It feels light and airy, and while the wheels break traction a little easily, you can take regular corners at a decently quick pace without much drama. Even when you’re just cruising normally, the Rav4 has an underlying tone of balance and security. Not once did I feel that the Rav4 felt dicy or floaty, unless I was entering a corner too fast. I wouldn’t want to drive the Rav4 like a BMW M3, but you can drive it similarly to how you’d drive a regular family sedan. It’s not totally flat nor is it as confidence inspiring as something like a Mazda 6, but I have to say that the Rav4 impressed me with its handling capabilities. Going around a corner, both the steering and the body motions feel very smooth, and while I wouldn’t call it sporty, it’s far from the floaty-feeling crossover that I thought it would be.
As for wind and road noise, the Rav4 does really well on that end. I think it’s probably the quietest compact crossover that I’ve driven. You hear a very slight amount of road noise, but nothing much else. The engine remains very quiet in the cabin and the wind noise is never intrusive. You don’t hear any noises associated with cost cutting, either.
Ride quality in the Rav4 is impressive. It is slightly more bouncy than I would like, but the Rav4 does a very good job at isolating you from bumps and potholes. The Rav4 glides over bumps that a Corolla would bust a tie rod over. It’s very easy to see why people choose the Rav4 over smaller cars like the Corolla, as the ride in the Rav4 just feels far more competent and assured.
I liked the response of everything in the Rav4 as well. The accelerator pedal has a very light resistance, but it feels responsive right at the beginning of the pedal travel. You hardly have to go deep into the throttle to get the revs up high or get the transmission out of it’s top gear. Overall, you get a very precise throttle mapping in the Rav4. Braking response is definitely on the mushy side, though. They don’t have the same crisp bite that you’d find in a Camry or a Highlander. They definitely take a little longer to respond and require some legwork into the brake pedal. The pedal chatters a little bit and the pedal resistance is pretty light. Smooth stopping power, but the brakes could inspire more confidence.
Visibility in the Rav4 is great. The pillars are fairly thin, the side mirrors are huge, and you have good sight lines out the back window. You feel nice and high up, and although the hood is a little blocky, you still get a good view of the road directly in front of you. I suppose the dashboard could be a little shorter, but overall I have no complaints with the Rav4’s visibility.
I really don’t have many bad things to say about the Rav4. It kind of delivers on everything that compact crossover shoppers want. Smooth ride, silky smooth transmission, decently peppy (although not powerful) engine, quiet road noise, fairly competent handling, nicely weighted steering, comfortable seats, good rear seat legroom, and a high seating position. Many crossovers on the market fail to hit all these points at once, but the Rav4 really is kind of the jack of all trades and master of all of them. A Mazda CX-5 might give you better handling, but it sort of misses out on the quiet ride and the comfort aspect. The Rav4 doesn’t handle quite as well as the CX-5, but for everything else the Rav4 gives you, I’d say that the slightly reduced handling capabilities are worth it. Overall, the Rav4 is easily a car that I would recommend to anyone looking for a compact crossover.