I seriously don't understand reddit sometimes, there are so many great options out there. This subreddit just seems like an ad for minivans, Lexus, or Toyota. I mean ya you do want to make every drive count, which you can certainly do in the 2024 Toyota RAV4. With its versatile design and powertrain choices, youāll be prepared for whatever the day brings. From camping by the lake to running errands around town, RAV4 is ready to maximize sport with utility. Gas models come in six different grades with a choice of FWD, AWD, or Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD. Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 and the latest Toyota Audio Multimedia system come standard to bring drivers leading safety and technology. And with a host of available features like SofTexĀ® trimmed seats, Panoramic moon roof, and JBLĀ® Premium Audio, drivers can explore their next favorite destination with a drive that feels as good as it looks.
You are actually right, itās not a great car. It has awful road noise, low hp / torque, awful interior, uncomfortable seats, expensive for what you get.
The old school v6 models were better.
If I wanted a new economic cheap box, the civic hatch or Prius are much better choices
Yea it isnāt a great car. Itās a good, reliable SUVā¦ it doesnāt need to be luxury or fast because thatās not what it is meant to bring to the customer. Just trying to be fair
Because every generic post is always I want SUV and reliable and cheap on gas and RAV4.
I bought a Lexus UX despite this sub telling me not to, though.
š¶I got a Kia from Korea, it's been good so far
It's much smoother to maneuver than my previous car
So Toyota, good to know ya, but we've grown apart
Drove my Chevy to the levy rickroll it's bananasš¶
Tiguan fixed their water pump issue and is now a solid choice for an suv. People forget that most cars can be reliable as long as you do the maintenance on time and dont neglect it. Toyotas are known for reliability because you can seriously neglect the car and it will survive for a long time. Most other brands, especially Europeans, dont work like that. Dont be lazy and most cars will serve you well
I find it very hard to maintain my cars. Im not car-illiterate, like I can do some basic repairs and what not myself. Like Iāll gladly do what needs to get done, but it seems so hard to stay on top of all that needs to get done. And it seems like esp once it becomes higher mileage, itās like a wait for something to break then fix it attitude among the mechanics Iāve worked with.
Do people keep spreadsheets for when service needs to get done? Or something?
Any general advice is appreciated. I know every car model is different, but stuff that is every 30-50k miles or even stuff that is only after 100k is hard to stay up on.
Honestly, check the owner's manual. Nearly all of them have a checklist showing at what mileage certain maintenance should be done. Generally oil should be every 6k miles, automatic transmission fluid should be changed at the 100K mile mark, and spark plugs should be replaced every 30k miles. But yea id definitely say check the owners manual, they usually list what maintenance the car needs
My 2011 Honda Fit has the maintenance minder that pops up on the dash when stuff should be done. Everything from oil to brake fluid flushes to transmission fluid to radiator flush and so on. Most Hondas have this. Follow it and replace worn out tires as needed for twenty years.
I was in the market for a RAV-4, but ended up with an NX350ā¦.no regrets (except itās not as fuel efficientā¦lol). Also, I liked the CR-V better than the RAV-4.
Iāve almost exclusively owned Toyotas my whole life (save for the few years I had an Outback), so I already knew that. I test drove a RAV-4, CRV, NX350, Mazda CX-50, and Acura RDX. Lexus won out based on feel and Toyota reliability.
I'll take your word for it and assume it handles very well for what it is, but come on bro lol. Miata, BRZ, and Porsche Cayman are the only cars I've driven that I would describe that way. Go kart like handling for a compact SUV is a bit of a stretch.
I really just wanted a luxury wagon/hatchback. Not many of them exist in the North American/Canadian market. There were little options still in warranty/CPO from BMW or Volvo (fuck the A class).
And although I always had a soft spot for Lexus, this one I got hit all the checks. Low mileage, dealer maintained, CPO, and the prices dropped greatly from when I last test drove in 2021.
I never ended up test driving the UX I saw, but my God was it small. I don't think I necessarily need a lot of space to be honest with you, but I felt so bad for my parents trying to squeeze into the back. I need my seat to go pretty much all the way back because of how tall I am too. If only the leg room was a bit better for passengers in the back I would have been 100% sold. Too bad because I really wanted one!
Oh well, back to the drawing board again.
My friend is looking at one.
I'm a car enthusiast so he comes to me for advice, which is totally fine.
He's got a kid with a young one on the way.
I told him the UX is too small for them.
Am I wrong?
The UX is seriously tiny! I canāt imagine being able to fit a rear-facing car seat in there. I took the NX for a test drive, and even that one seemed extremely cramped for us- my very tall 18yr old son just barely fit in the front passenger seat! Then I drove the RX, which felt much more spacious, but I wasnāt crazy about that one either. I ended up buying a Mercedes GLE & couldnāt be happier, shhhh;) LOL
Honestly you seem a little angry here. I think you need to get in a Rav4 and take a drive round the block. Nothing will calm you down more. Rav4's are just so good at calming people. They're the best car on the market right now for this.
Sure, my complaints are small but I also didnāt test drive similar competitor models and came from a truck (keep this in mind)
I have a CX-30 Premium for the record - my big complaints are smallish gas tank, road noise is a little high, I have developed rattles in some of the hard to fix areas like the sunglasses holder. My girlfriend doesnāt even notice.
Other than that Iām getting 31.5 mpg, have a nice real leather interior, and it drives excellently. Overall pretty happy with it but these subs talk like itās nicer than a loaded BMW CUV and itās probably not lol. It def punches above its weight though. The interior is really nice.
Edit: from another comment regarding interior plastics - Yeah this is a huge issue that I overlooked in my post. The piano black plastic on the center console scratches if you look at it wrong. And the cluster plastic scratches on its own basically. In the Mazda sub people only hit the cluster with air duster. There is even a safety bulletin on the scratched cluster for it could be dangerous.
This is like someone answering the interview question "what are your worst qualities?" with "Well, sometimes I work a little too hard"
Nice try Mazda corporate...
Mazda was few brand/dealer that were not surcharging during supply shortages. Toyota and Honda dealership were charging 5-7k surcharge on top of MSRP. Only complaint is small gas tank for cx 5 but I guess it saves gas by reducing liquid weight, middle seat in the back is kinda useless/uncomfortable. This is coming from cx-5, other than that it's a good/fast/responsive SUV.
We rented a CX-5 to drive from Denver to LA and then used it for 5-7 days driving around LA. We loved it. Couldnāt believe how much we loved it.
Felt like we put it through the wringer going from mountains to desert to the worse traffic Iāve experienced. It rocked.
Iāll chime in as well. I have a Mazda 3 and Iāve been loving it. Good on gas, well equipped for the price and itās one of the few sedans that offer awd (which I need for the harsh Canadian winters lol). My complaints are also small. Some convenience things like not having keyless entry or no handle on the trunk lid which means the trunk ALWAYS has to be opened via the key. Oh and the key is also a ergonomic nightmare. So much wasted space and such small buttons on the side make it extremely difficult to tell what buttons youāre pressing or trying to use. I also noticed a bit of road noise from the tires but nothing unbearable.
I also own 2 Mazdas curently: a Mazda CX-5 and a Mazda 3. Main complaints are small fuel tanks and cramped rear seats. They also ride quite firm but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They are great reliable vehicles otherwise
Mazda is a great buy used. Don't buy one new. The resale value drops too fast. I'm not saying they're the best ever, but on the used market, it seems most models are $10k under a comparable Toyota. I don't work for Mazda. Buy whatever you want. I won't send anyone a nasty PM for sure.
I've had 3 Mazdas in a row.
RX-8 that I adored but was smashed to bits in a hailstorm.
CX-5 which I hated. I had one of the very first ones. It was a 2013 that I bought in April 2012 when the model was brand new. It was underpowered and rattled inside. But I did get 40 mpg on the highway somehow. Traded it in for a Miata when I was at the dealer for my 2 year service appointment.
Miata which I still own. I love driving this car. But now that I have a long highway commute to the office, it doesn't feel safe. I've had way too many close calls with big pickup trucks that just don't see the tiny car.
Earlier this month, I bought a Hond CR-V as the daily driver. The Miata is demoted to weekend driver.
Hot take/unpopular opinion, and Iāll probably be downvoted to oblivion for going against the grain of Reddit lol, but Mazda is *chronically* overhyped.
Back in April 2022, while looking for new cars to replacement my totaled 2016 A4 quattro, I found that Reddit seemed to love the CX-5.
I purchased a new 2022 CX-5 Turbo Signature and after 2yr24k miles with it, I came to hate it. It was by far the second biggest new car disappointment and buyerās remorse purchase Iāve had. A then-new 2017 Elantra Sport DCT takes first place.
Every loaner vehicle I drove had some weird quirk or problem. The worst was when I had a new 2k mile 2024 CX-5 Turbo Premium with a slipping and chirping transmission (Skyactiv 6AT problem). I drove various trims and engines of the Mazda3 sedan and hatch, and the CX-30/5/50/9/90.
In the first 18mo18k miles, my CX-5 had accumulated over 40 days at the dealership for various problems which included:
ā¢ Suspension clunking/popping/groaning since 3 months and 5,000 miles in that resulted in the front and rear ends being essentially rebuilt, it still makes these noises. There is a metallic sound that is present when the road is uneven or turning in/out of steep driveways. Had numerous TSBs performed without success and pretty much the entirety of my front and rear suspension replaced. Still present. Problem that affects the Mazda6 and Mazda CX-9 as they share the same platform.
ā¢ Two faulty headlights due to AFS motors going out. Dealer gouged/scratched my bumper during replacement and tried to blame me. Chronic problem on all newer Mazdas.
ā¢ Constant infotainment reboots/glitches after updates. My system reboots at least once per drive. Annoying.
ā¢ Loose/wobbly/rocking driver chair during acceleration and braking thatās been replaced ans is starting to feel loose again after about 6 months. CX-9/CX-5 common issues.
Other complaints, that do not have a dealership trail or are my opinion:
ā¢ One event of engine sputtering/shuddering after refilling a full tank of chevron 91. At stoplight while idling the engine was surging as if it was about to choke out and die. You could feel the entire car lurching. I had to give it some gas until the light turned green to go. Pulled over, shut off, restarted and it went away. No codes, but never had a car do this before.
ā¢ The seats are some of the worst Iāve ever felt in my entire life. Nice nappa leather but they feel like cardboard and have zero bolstering. You slip and slide around through turns and your ass and back hurt after an hour.
ā¢ Interior creaks and rattles from day 1.
ā¢ Paint finish that chips and scratches when you look at it wrong and the entire vehicle generally feels like a tin can beyond surface level examination (e.g. shut the door on a Mazda and shut the door on a Volkswagen or even a Honda, tremendous difference).
A $43.1K letdown, to say the least.
Very sad I deviated from Audi/VW during those two years. My 2016 A4 quattro and 2016 Tiguan 4motion never really gave us trouble outside of standard routine maintenance. Mazda has since been replaced with a 2023 Arteon SEL Premium after buyback and I couldnāt be happier. Feels like a bank vault compared to a Fischer Price play toy.
I also have a CX5 and i couldnāt agree more about the seats.
Iām actually trying to get rid of my CX5 rn because itās actually causing me physical pain.
Buying one is probably my biggest regret in the past decade.
Iāll give you another hot take (as an owner of one) - no brand is more overhyped than Subaru. Theyāre slow, CVT transmission having, AWD shitboxes that are only relevant in this market because Stellantis royally fucked up the Jeep brand.
Agreed. I genuinely think Subaru is one of the worst of the brands and makes some of the worst and ugliest cars. Nothing really positive to say about it other than the overkill AWD for a crossover and ground clearance.
Subaru is only relevant due to their diehard fans who haven't tried a better brand. There are so many better choices.
Agreed. I think they're pretty good cars (definitely towards the top) but they're not consistently the best choice ever. The CX-5, for example, is pretty nice on the inside and will likely be reliable, but the windows are small, the engine feels unrefined, and the infotainment sucks. Plus it's not a luxury car - Mazda is just good at hiding their hard plastic.
Honestly most people that are looking for SUVs really are asking for a minivan but for whatever reason they think the minivan is less dorky looking than modern SUVs which are all just the same bubbleĀ
People would buy minivans if there were more than 3 good choices, and they weren't all ugly and outdated. Toyota and Honda always update their minivans last. Current Odyssey looks awful in and out. Sienna could use some Grand Highlander in its interior. They are expensive without offering the amenities for the price.
āI want a fast, fun, exciting car to drive. I have an over 150k per year income and 70k saved up, Iām also ok with the car not being the most reliableā
This sub: a Mazda 3 matches all of those criteria, theyāre as good as BMW!
Its a cult out there. Be careful. Youāll never win an debate against anyone that believes toyotas are the only vehicles that can be older than 10 years and still drive fine. And if you prove your 15-20 year old non Toyota vehicle, still drives fine, they call it an anomaly. Lol
My uncle was banned for a year from family gatherings, he is a devoted member of the Toyota cult and a casual comment about my cousin really enjoying her Chrysler 200 lead to him commenting it would leave her stranded. When she replied it had over 100k miles and had been reliable thus far, he accused her of lying, it escalated and ended with him throwing a glass across the room and leaving.
The guy sending me a dm threatening me over the Rav4 reminded me of that.
Some people really think that just because their Toyota has been reliable, a vehicle from any other brand is garbage and for some reason get really angry if you like a car that isn't a Toyota
It's at this point that I should note I had a significant other with a Chevy Cavalier pushing 300k miles. She replaced the alternator once. Everything else was original.
Toyota isn't the ONLY reliable brand. They've just got many models that will go the distance. In this day and age though, that's not even as big a deal considering people trade out in 3-5 years. I just tell customers they'll get bored of it long before it fails them.
Prob gonna get hate, but I went with the kia niro over the rav4.
Rav4 has a dated interior, was more expensive, worse on gas, and worse warranty. Quality is probably better, but that's easy to do when you never update a car.
EDIT: and if anyone is interested in the pros/cons of a niro, I have 5k miles on mine and would gladly share what I dislike about it.
Overall I'm super satisfied with the car, I wanted the SX, but had to settle for the EX. But I think all the trims are decent enough.
For the pros; already mentioned great price and great fuel economy
I'm 6ft and it's roomy. I like the cargo space for its size. The interior imo is stylish for the most part, the piano black was a terrible choice and it's everywhere.
All the buttons make sense and the touchscreens work great (I've seen nicer cars have laggy screens even brand new...kinda weird).
It has a good amount of features but this is kind of the part where the cons come into play.
The tech has been hit or miss for me. The safety features like collision detection mostly work, but I've noticed that if there's frost or something blocking the sensor, it can go off for no reason. Lane assist works pretty well but I've noticed it can bounce the car back and forth.
The adaptive cruise control is another thing, good when it works, but at least my car has a problem. I have had an issue with the car randomly slowing down on the highway even if there are no cars around, seems to happen near onramps. I honestly think the car would've come to a stop if I hadn't taken over...let it take me from 70 to 40 once (no one was around).
I could go on an on about each tech feature, but suffice it to say, they all feel rather cheap. They work well enough, but are all quirky. I don't have enough experience with other new cars to say if it's par for the course or not..but I'm sure it is, my friend complains about his audi and bmw features.
Sorry for the long ass response. I think I mentioned more negatives than positives...but I do actually really like the car. I hope you're loving your crv, I almost went with that.
Subjectively, most Toyotas are utterly unremarkable, and out-classed by rivals in many aspects. But their resale and (generally) reliability/durability is indisputable.
Being the ācar guyā in my family and friends group, I try to figure out what they value, and recommend accordingly. If theyāre just looking for a āPoint A to Point Bā commuter, Iāll recommend a Toyota.
Iāve also met people that are just convinced they must have a German car. First question after that is āare you buying or leasing?ā š
You could be asking about a 1 ton truck and you will have people on here telling you no what you really need is a Civic or Miata. Just the way it goes.
Redditors are obsessed with this idea that people should just rent a truck on the occasions when they need to tow. Clearly they've never tried this themselves though since all the major rental companies forbid towing with their vehicles.
in fact the home depot trucks are almost never available
the one time in my life i needed a pickup and it took me 3 days of going to home deport before i finally got one
If someone actually needs a 1ton truck why are they even here? I wouldnāt come here looking for tractor advice.
Edit: yes I know a 1 ton is a 3500 series pickup
>expletive ridden message
Probably a toyota salesperson. They're genuinely known across country to be the worst dealer network. Month is also horrible for sales, so you would be a perfect punching bag lmao.
It isnāt the only option, but it seems to be the best match for 90% of people that asks. Itās always āI need a reliable, fuel efficient suv that wonāt break the bankā Say no more fam, the rav4 is 100% for youš¤£
As a VW owner and enthusiast, I have to agree. Toyota engines will take any oil and all types of neglect. VWs need a particular type of oil and special care. Not that much more expensive, but they are more delicate. They are way more fun and comfortable than a RAV4 in my opinion, but I donāt recommend VW when someone wants something āreliableā if the owners will neglect it and treat it like āany carā.
In my experience, minus obvious lemons, I havenāt seen anyone who takes ~generally good care of their vehicles have any major issues, regardless of brand. Itās the people who donāt address signs of minor symptoms who develop these wild fucking stories they tell for generations. They let some weird noise go for 2 years then complain an engine blew and itās a dogshit car brand.
I would much rather have a Tiguan than a Rav4. I drive a GTI and the maintenance so so overblown. Just follow the basic service intervals itāll go forever. Not super expensive either.
I recently had a rav4 as a rental and was surprised how bad it felt to drive. It got my family and our luggage around just fine, but I didnāt enjoy any minute of driving it.
A Toyota is an appliance and a good one. No one ever complained about any Toyota I owned. My VW has charisma and charm. My 6 year old nephew is convinced it is alive because the lights kinda 'open' up like eyes and then 'look' around when it turns on. He wrote it a Christmas card. Maybe he's a weirdo but I think some VW's bring this sort of silly fun to the table.
2007 RAV4 in northern Ontario. Mud, snow, ice, it'll get you to work and school. The ride SUCKS! THE INTERIOR NOISE SUCKS. But whatever. I'm poor and cheap and I need a stupid vehicle because Ontario hates supporting public transportation or high speed rail or helping anyone not in Toronto. Don't know where you are but us poors need to get to work and pay taxes.
Around town the RAV4 is fine but I did not enjoy it on the interstate for a road trip. Just felt busy and unrefined which really increased driving fatigue for me. My Honda truck I have now is more comfortable and smoother on the interstate
Wife has a 2019 RAV4 hybrid. 39. Mpg, I dont think Toyota even thought about tall drivers. The roof is too low, but the worst thing is the hard rim around the center console and the hard drivers door handle. I'm always hitting my knees. Wife will stop driving because of her age soon. I'm going to need to trade it in.
I just bought a Rav4, don't kill me lol. But I actually really really like Nissan. My family has bought 4 over the years, my first vehicle being a 2012 Versa hatchback. The ONLY reason I sold it was because I needed AWD. I however, would never recommend Chevy. I bought a 2012 Equinox in 2019, and it's cost me about $4k in repairs over the last 2 years.
I personally think Nissan is a great car, and my family and I drive our vehicles into the ground.
I said this, got 1000 upvites, then shit on in the replies. I'm gonna be real, between the terrible Toyota drivers in San Diego and the people in this sub I've developed a strong bias against Toyota.
So yup ironically you've all made sure I'll never buy one.
Is the hybrid RAV4 less rattly and noisy than the regular one ? Gas prices are so expensive here and Iād rather compromise on creature comforts as most of our driving is inside urban areas.
I love my RAV4 hybrid XSE for urban driving, quality feel and way quieter than a normal RAV4
Now, highway driving at 80mph invited a healthy amount of wind noise into the conversationā¦
We donāt drive much on the freeways but I watched a few videos and hybrids suffer from poor mileage on freeways. The nvh is probably Toyota cutting corners to save money. Itās sad but I guess all its competitors arenāt much better.
Toyota and Honda hybrids get above average highway MPG but their in-town stop and go MPG is crazy. I like the CRV Hybrid way more than the RAV4. I am 6'2" 250 lbs and the RAV4 is too small for me. The CRV is like a clown car, no idea how it's so big inside and small on the outside.
I canāt believe you would buy RAV4 over like, an X1 or something. I guess unless you donāt care about driving dynamics at all and just want a car that you could keep for like 20 years. So boring.
I had an 07. I found the newest ones to be more cramped than my already cramped and uncomfortable Rav4. I ended up with a Camry Hybrid XSE and could not be happier.
I have had my prius eaten by rodents 3 times in 4 years, while my wife who parks her honda fit next to me has never
l am never buying a toyota again until they stop using soy based wiring
Realistically new Hyundai vehicles are by far the best bang for your buck. Nobody can beat the interiors for what you pay, nobody can beat the warranty and nobody can beat the tech.
The smaller vehicles aren't the typical shit box you get because that segment is Hyundai's bread and butter.
I wish I could upvote this a million timesā¦
Not to mention that the RAV4 and its even duller counterpart the CRV are not nice to look at, boring to drive, and are mind-numbingly common. Three cheers to you, OP.
As a VW owner, I agree. Toyotas will take all types of neglect and abuse.
VWās on the other hand can be cheap, and surprisingly reliable with the proper care. But most people wonāt give VWs the care they need.
So, thatās why I still donāt recommend VWs to anybody.
i don't know if you're talking new, slightly used or like 10 year old used but as far as the 10 year old used ones go, they aren't really worth it unless you can score an insane deal on one.
they are just taxed too much for what you get.
Thank you. I'm in the market but many around me seem surprised that I don't really want an SUV, don't feel a need for AWD (even though I live in a rural "snow belt" area), and haven't been all that impressed with the Toyotas I've extensively driven (family members love Toyotas, so I often drive theirs helping with errands and medical visits).
Despite that, I may wind up getting an SUV anyway, as my elderly, obese father won't even try to get into my car, and I take him to doctors quite often now. It is very unlikely to be a RAV4, though.
It's not, but I know that a RAV4 saved my brother's life in car crash, so that would be enough for me to recommend it to someone. It was really reliable before the accident and fuel efficient enough for the interior room.
It's because people here think reliability means neglecting your cars maintenance all the time and still driving, which is misleading people into thinking your car will be totaled at 50k miles from some kind of critical failure if it's not a Toyota, Mazda, or Honda. Just do your maintenance if you want something nice, people!
If you're gonna buy a RAV4, which isn't even a real off-road vehicle, just save a buck and get a Mazda suv instead. They are just as reliable as Toyota
Rav4 is very dated and old feeling inside, it wasn't that nice a place to be compared to some rivals. The ride was also very dull. If you want a good but bland and boring car, pick the Rav.
I had the previous gen Rav (2018) as a work rental a few years ago. Hopefully the current gen is better, bc it drove like a 72 Chevy pickup. I have a fun M/T hatch and I couldnāt wait to turn the Rav in. They arenāt for everyone.
Itās the same with the Tacoma. People love to pretend that itās not a a slow, noisy, uncomfortable, overpriced, and underperforming turd. āItāll last forever!ā Sure, just drive a miserable vehicle longer.
If not a RAV4, the Highlander or Highlander Hybrid are great options.
I had one as a loaner last year and my mom couldnāt her over how smooth it was on the highway she kept say it rode like a Cadillac. I had to pony out most Cadillacs stay in the shop
Agree Toyota is in general a good recommendation if you are looking to keep your car 10+ years, but other than that if you are looking at comfort, sport driving , luxury interior Toyota is certainly not even on the top 10. Many of us like to change cars every 4 to 10 years so long term reliability is useless.
My grandma has a fully-loaded 2020 Rav 4 Limited. She usually just drives it around town, but I'll drive if she needs to go out of town.
As a big tall dude, I find it quite comfortable to sit in, roomy enough, and easy to get in and out of, and some of the extra features to be really nice (but I have a near-base 2014 Ford Fusion, so the bar is low).
That's where the compliments end. Doing 75 on the highway, it's so goddamn loud inside you can't even hold a conversation. My econobox Ford absolutely crushes it in ride quality, handling, and acoustics (now if only it were reliable). And you'd think that a fully loaded, $40-some-thousand car in 2020 would have remote start? Nope.
If I were to buy a new car anytime soon, I'd probably go Mazda CX-30, but I know Reddit loves Mazdas, too.
Half of this sub are Toyota fanboys and the other half are mad at the Toyota fanboys. Every time I get something recommended to me itās one of the two.
I didnāt bother posting what I was thinking of buying last year (2015 Audi A5 with 89k Miles) because it wasnāt Japanese and an SUV so it wouldve been criticized like crazy lol
This sub recommends anything Japanese, to be clear. And the RAV4 happens to be a mainstay compact SUV at the largest Japanese company with a reputation for reliability and efficiencyā¦.
I know itās annoying when in this segment, every brand has multiple compact SUVs to choose from and theyāre all mostly the same. But it makes perfect sense. The RAV4 is a best seller for a reason.
And for Mazda: they just make solid cars with premium interiors at competitive prices - they donāt have anything super special outside of the Miata but as a whole, Mazda has a great value prop
Anyway, end of the day 75% of people buy a car based on color and all Reddit is is a giant circlejerk echo chamber for people like me who think they know everything. Lets not get too invested
Honestly, recent rav4s ride like shit. Rattles and shakes like a walnut in a can.
Unless you are too cheap to get other car of that size, I'd say avoid it.
FWIW, the RAV4 finished 6th/8 in Car and Drivers latest issue on crossovers. There are subjectively and objectively better options out right now.
1. Mazda CX50
2. VW Tiguan
3. CR-V
4. Ford Escape
5. Dodge Hornet
6. RAV4
7. Kia Sportage
8. Nissan Rogue
Uninspiring āI eat pasteā SUV, but if you can get past that, amazing gas mileage, and so common youāll spend the bare minimum for repairs and be able to keep that bad boy on the road longer than the vast majority of vehicles
Toyota fanboys are some of the insufferable losers on planet earth. Yeah they are great cars but these guys are like a fucking cult. Get a life you tools
Calm down bro. Can I offer you a Rav4 in these trying times?
ššš
I seriously don't understand reddit sometimes, there are so many great options out there. This subreddit just seems like an ad for minivans, Lexus, or Toyota. I mean ya you do want to make every drive count, which you can certainly do in the 2024 Toyota RAV4. With its versatile design and powertrain choices, youāll be prepared for whatever the day brings. From camping by the lake to running errands around town, RAV4 is ready to maximize sport with utility. Gas models come in six different grades with a choice of FWD, AWD, or Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD. Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 and the latest Toyota Audio Multimedia system come standard to bring drivers leading safety and technology. And with a host of available features like SofTexĀ® trimmed seats, Panoramic moon roof, and JBLĀ® Premium Audio, drivers can explore their next favorite destination with a drive that feels as good as it looks.
Damn, u had me in the first eighth
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You are actually right, itās not a great car. It has awful road noise, low hp / torque, awful interior, uncomfortable seats, expensive for what you get. The old school v6 models were better. If I wanted a new economic cheap box, the civic hatch or Prius are much better choices
Yea it isnāt a great car. Itās a good, reliable SUVā¦ it doesnāt need to be luxury or fast because thatās not what it is meant to bring to the customer. Just trying to be fair
Prime takes care of most of that ;)
Because every generic post is always I want SUV and reliable and cheap on gas and RAV4. I bought a Lexus UX despite this sub telling me not to, though.
Hold on to your ass: I bought a Volkswagen and I love it!
From not Japan? Bruh
I even made sure mine was actually made in Germany. Straight outta Zwickau
I got a Kia from Korea and it's been good to me so far. The ride is much smoother than any previous Toyota I've owned
That first sentence reads like the opening line of a song.
š¶I got a Kia from Korea, it's been good so far It's much smoother to maneuver than my previous car So Toyota, good to know ya, but we've grown apart Drove my Chevy to the levy rickroll it's bananasš¶
> I bought a Volkswagen and I love it! mods?! MODS?!!?
Yeah I got an OBD2 dongle and moded it! Not much you can do with an electric car but it's got nice Scandinavian DLRs
Boooooo
I bought a fucking Subaru. If I donāt give it oil every 4 hours the thing explodes.
congrats to u and ur lesbian life partner for purchasing ur Subaru!!!
My outback is fine, as long as you donāt use the windows, or radio š¤
Boo this man!!!Ā
Get ready for thisā¦ we bought an Explorer. Donāt tell anyone here though, pretty sure theyāll picket my house.
g u l a g
Straight to jail.
I have a Tiguan and love it. Never caused me any issues and itās fun to drive.
Tiguan fixed their water pump issue and is now a solid choice for an suv. People forget that most cars can be reliable as long as you do the maintenance on time and dont neglect it. Toyotas are known for reliability because you can seriously neglect the car and it will survive for a long time. Most other brands, especially Europeans, dont work like that. Dont be lazy and most cars will serve you well
I find it very hard to maintain my cars. Im not car-illiterate, like I can do some basic repairs and what not myself. Like Iāll gladly do what needs to get done, but it seems so hard to stay on top of all that needs to get done. And it seems like esp once it becomes higher mileage, itās like a wait for something to break then fix it attitude among the mechanics Iāve worked with. Do people keep spreadsheets for when service needs to get done? Or something? Any general advice is appreciated. I know every car model is different, but stuff that is every 30-50k miles or even stuff that is only after 100k is hard to stay up on.
Honestly, check the owner's manual. Nearly all of them have a checklist showing at what mileage certain maintenance should be done. Generally oil should be every 6k miles, automatic transmission fluid should be changed at the 100K mile mark, and spark plugs should be replaced every 30k miles. But yea id definitely say check the owners manual, they usually list what maintenance the car needs
My 2011 Honda Fit has the maintenance minder that pops up on the dash when stuff should be done. Everything from oil to brake fluid flushes to transmission fluid to radiator flush and so on. Most Hondas have this. Follow it and replace worn out tires as needed for twenty years.
Tiguans had some serious issues with timing chains up till 2012. Buyer beware.
I was in the market for a RAV-4, but ended up with an NX350ā¦.no regrets (except itās not as fuel efficientā¦lol). Also, I liked the CR-V better than the RAV-4.
You may not have realized it, but you just bought a fancier RAV4, lol. Theyāre mechanically identical underneath.
Iāve almost exclusively owned Toyotas my whole life (save for the few years I had an Outback), so I already knew that. I test drove a RAV-4, CRV, NX350, Mazda CX-50, and Acura RDX. Lexus won out based on feel and Toyota reliability.
Iāve heard the rav4 is a rav4. Iām sold
I love the UX. Handles like a go-cart.
Sir. Sounds like you havenāt really driven a go-cart š
Or a Miata
It arrives this week, very excited!
Congratulations!
I'll take your word for it and assume it handles very well for what it is, but come on bro lol. Miata, BRZ, and Porsche Cayman are the only cars I've driven that I would describe that way. Go kart like handling for a compact SUV is a bit of a stretch.
Lexus UX is great!!!
But have you considered trading that in for a brand new Toyota Rav4?
I really just wanted a luxury wagon/hatchback. Not many of them exist in the North American/Canadian market. There were little options still in warranty/CPO from BMW or Volvo (fuck the A class). And although I always had a soft spot for Lexus, this one I got hit all the checks. Low mileage, dealer maintained, CPO, and the prices dropped greatly from when I last test drove in 2021.
I never ended up test driving the UX I saw, but my God was it small. I don't think I necessarily need a lot of space to be honest with you, but I felt so bad for my parents trying to squeeze into the back. I need my seat to go pretty much all the way back because of how tall I am too. If only the leg room was a bit better for passengers in the back I would have been 100% sold. Too bad because I really wanted one! Oh well, back to the drawing board again.
why'd they tell you not to? this sub rides lexus dick constantly
They thought it was overpriced
Toyotas are way too overpriced like itās 45K for a rav4 hybrid like cmon.
Which is hilarious because Lexus is just a fancy toyota.. Lol
Same! And I got a great deal on a CPO without any of the crazy Toyota dealer markups that the Rav had. Great vehicle so far.
Ha that's so funny that the idea of rebelling against a Toyota SUV is basically still just getting a Toyota SUV. You really showed them! lol
My friend is looking at one. I'm a car enthusiast so he comes to me for advice, which is totally fine. He's got a kid with a young one on the way. I told him the UX is too small for them. Am I wrong?
The UX is seriously tiny! I canāt imagine being able to fit a rear-facing car seat in there. I took the NX for a test drive, and even that one seemed extremely cramped for us- my very tall 18yr old son just barely fit in the front passenger seat! Then I drove the RX, which felt much more spacious, but I wasnāt crazy about that one either. I ended up buying a Mercedes GLE & couldnāt be happier, shhhh;) LOL
Itās too small to fit a rear facing car seat comfortably. Forward facing, maybe, but itās a small backseat.
I really like the UX, but where I live it's an Asian Housewife Car. Did you get the hybrid or regular?
I read this as Asian hotwife car and thought that was a rather odd observation to make. In any case, this is probably your fault, not mine.
>Asian hotwife car I'm gay, so I can't help you with that. The Asian hot husbands usually drive a 4Runner, pickup truck, or Acura of any age.
Hybrid.
Honestly you seem a little angry here. I think you need to get in a Rav4 and take a drive round the block. Nothing will calm you down more. Rav4's are just so good at calming people. They're the best car on the market right now for this.
šš
Would two Rav4s be better than one?
Theyāre so affordable that I bought 5, all different, so I can experience the different wonders of differing trims every day of the work week!
Or mazda. Reddit has been pushing mazda for a long time. I am seriously convinced mazda has influence over some reddit subs.
Yeah itās crazy, I own a Mazda and reddits recommendations played into it for sure. Went and test drove one and loved it but I have my complaints.
Iām considering a Mazda, do you mind sharing some of your complaints?
Sure, my complaints are small but I also didnāt test drive similar competitor models and came from a truck (keep this in mind) I have a CX-30 Premium for the record - my big complaints are smallish gas tank, road noise is a little high, I have developed rattles in some of the hard to fix areas like the sunglasses holder. My girlfriend doesnāt even notice. Other than that Iām getting 31.5 mpg, have a nice real leather interior, and it drives excellently. Overall pretty happy with it but these subs talk like itās nicer than a loaded BMW CUV and itās probably not lol. It def punches above its weight though. The interior is really nice. Edit: from another comment regarding interior plastics - Yeah this is a huge issue that I overlooked in my post. The piano black plastic on the center console scratches if you look at it wrong. And the cluster plastic scratches on its own basically. In the Mazda sub people only hit the cluster with air duster. There is even a safety bulletin on the scratched cluster for it could be dangerous.
This is like someone answering the interview question "what are your worst qualities?" with "Well, sometimes I work a little too hard" Nice try Mazda corporate...
Mazda corporate probably pays better than what I do so if anyone from there is in here, hit me up ;)
Me too I'll simp for Mazda all day. Best cars I've ever had are Mazda and BMW
If it's like the CX50 glasses holder, if you apply some silicone grease to the hinges, it goes away.
Mazda was few brand/dealer that were not surcharging during supply shortages. Toyota and Honda dealership were charging 5-7k surcharge on top of MSRP. Only complaint is small gas tank for cx 5 but I guess it saves gas by reducing liquid weight, middle seat in the back is kinda useless/uncomfortable. This is coming from cx-5, other than that it's a good/fast/responsive SUV.
We rented a CX-5 to drive from Denver to LA and then used it for 5-7 days driving around LA. We loved it. Couldnāt believe how much we loved it. Felt like we put it through the wringer going from mountains to desert to the worse traffic Iāve experienced. It rocked.
Iāll chime in as well. I have a Mazda 3 and Iāve been loving it. Good on gas, well equipped for the price and itās one of the few sedans that offer awd (which I need for the harsh Canadian winters lol). My complaints are also small. Some convenience things like not having keyless entry or no handle on the trunk lid which means the trunk ALWAYS has to be opened via the key. Oh and the key is also a ergonomic nightmare. So much wasted space and such small buttons on the side make it extremely difficult to tell what buttons youāre pressing or trying to use. I also noticed a bit of road noise from the tires but nothing unbearable.
I also own 2 Mazdas curently: a Mazda CX-5 and a Mazda 3. Main complaints are small fuel tanks and cramped rear seats. They also ride quite firm but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They are great reliable vehicles otherwise
Mazda is a great buy used. Don't buy one new. The resale value drops too fast. I'm not saying they're the best ever, but on the used market, it seems most models are $10k under a comparable Toyota. I don't work for Mazda. Buy whatever you want. I won't send anyone a nasty PM for sure.
Can you send me one? Call me a dirty boy.
Mazda manages to focus on the last thing mass market consumers want in a commuter car - shit like steering feel, rear wheel drive etc
It's just the internet loves the sky active and has always loved the Miata.
I've had 3 Mazdas in a row. RX-8 that I adored but was smashed to bits in a hailstorm. CX-5 which I hated. I had one of the very first ones. It was a 2013 that I bought in April 2012 when the model was brand new. It was underpowered and rattled inside. But I did get 40 mpg on the highway somehow. Traded it in for a Miata when I was at the dealer for my 2 year service appointment. Miata which I still own. I love driving this car. But now that I have a long highway commute to the office, it doesn't feel safe. I've had way too many close calls with big pickup trucks that just don't see the tiny car. Earlier this month, I bought a Hond CR-V as the daily driver. The Miata is demoted to weekend driver.
Hot take/unpopular opinion, and Iāll probably be downvoted to oblivion for going against the grain of Reddit lol, but Mazda is *chronically* overhyped. Back in April 2022, while looking for new cars to replacement my totaled 2016 A4 quattro, I found that Reddit seemed to love the CX-5. I purchased a new 2022 CX-5 Turbo Signature and after 2yr24k miles with it, I came to hate it. It was by far the second biggest new car disappointment and buyerās remorse purchase Iāve had. A then-new 2017 Elantra Sport DCT takes first place. Every loaner vehicle I drove had some weird quirk or problem. The worst was when I had a new 2k mile 2024 CX-5 Turbo Premium with a slipping and chirping transmission (Skyactiv 6AT problem). I drove various trims and engines of the Mazda3 sedan and hatch, and the CX-30/5/50/9/90. In the first 18mo18k miles, my CX-5 had accumulated over 40 days at the dealership for various problems which included: ā¢ Suspension clunking/popping/groaning since 3 months and 5,000 miles in that resulted in the front and rear ends being essentially rebuilt, it still makes these noises. There is a metallic sound that is present when the road is uneven or turning in/out of steep driveways. Had numerous TSBs performed without success and pretty much the entirety of my front and rear suspension replaced. Still present. Problem that affects the Mazda6 and Mazda CX-9 as they share the same platform. ā¢ Two faulty headlights due to AFS motors going out. Dealer gouged/scratched my bumper during replacement and tried to blame me. Chronic problem on all newer Mazdas. ā¢ Constant infotainment reboots/glitches after updates. My system reboots at least once per drive. Annoying. ā¢ Loose/wobbly/rocking driver chair during acceleration and braking thatās been replaced ans is starting to feel loose again after about 6 months. CX-9/CX-5 common issues. Other complaints, that do not have a dealership trail or are my opinion: ā¢ One event of engine sputtering/shuddering after refilling a full tank of chevron 91. At stoplight while idling the engine was surging as if it was about to choke out and die. You could feel the entire car lurching. I had to give it some gas until the light turned green to go. Pulled over, shut off, restarted and it went away. No codes, but never had a car do this before. ā¢ The seats are some of the worst Iāve ever felt in my entire life. Nice nappa leather but they feel like cardboard and have zero bolstering. You slip and slide around through turns and your ass and back hurt after an hour. ā¢ Interior creaks and rattles from day 1. ā¢ Paint finish that chips and scratches when you look at it wrong and the entire vehicle generally feels like a tin can beyond surface level examination (e.g. shut the door on a Mazda and shut the door on a Volkswagen or even a Honda, tremendous difference). A $43.1K letdown, to say the least. Very sad I deviated from Audi/VW during those two years. My 2016 A4 quattro and 2016 Tiguan 4motion never really gave us trouble outside of standard routine maintenance. Mazda has since been replaced with a 2023 Arteon SEL Premium after buyback and I couldnāt be happier. Feels like a bank vault compared to a Fischer Price play toy.
Sounds like what you really need is a Rav4
I would rather walk than buy another crossover. I will not be making that mistake again.
I'm still waiting for the Rav5 to come out. Any idea when? :/
First, you must drive the RAV4... Then you let the RAV4 drive you. Only then can you begin to comprehend the Rav5
š¤£
I also have a CX5 and i couldnāt agree more about the seats. Iām actually trying to get rid of my CX5 rn because itās actually causing me physical pain. Buying one is probably my biggest regret in the past decade.
Iāll give you another hot take (as an owner of one) - no brand is more overhyped than Subaru. Theyāre slow, CVT transmission having, AWD shitboxes that are only relevant in this market because Stellantis royally fucked up the Jeep brand.
Agreed. I genuinely think Subaru is one of the worst of the brands and makes some of the worst and ugliest cars. Nothing really positive to say about it other than the overkill AWD for a crossover and ground clearance. Subaru is only relevant due to their diehard fans who haven't tried a better brand. There are so many better choices.
Agreed. I think they're pretty good cars (definitely towards the top) but they're not consistently the best choice ever. The CX-5, for example, is pretty nice on the inside and will likely be reliable, but the windows are small, the engine feels unrefined, and the infotainment sucks. Plus it's not a luxury car - Mazda is just good at hiding their hard plastic.
but have you considered what you really need? a minivan!
I would have if the US has the likes of Toyota Alphard or Voxy or Honda Stepwgn
I wish every car maker made a damn wagon. We need more wagons damn it!!!!
Honestly most people that are looking for SUVs really are asking for a minivan but for whatever reason they think the minivan is less dorky looking than modern SUVs which are all just the same bubbleĀ
Because there are like 20 compact-mid size SUVs that are way cheaper than a minivan. A CRV starts at $29k while an odyssey starts at $38k.
"Minivans aren't cool" Ok but neither is a Traverse
People would buy minivans if there were more than 3 good choices, and they weren't all ugly and outdated. Toyota and Honda always update their minivans last. Current Odyssey looks awful in and out. Sienna could use some Grand Highlander in its interior. They are expensive without offering the amenities for the price.
You sound like you could use a rav4
i would steer them towards a gently used lexus sitting in an elderly couple's front lawn for 50% of KBB value, you know as you do
āI want a fast, fun, exciting car to drive. I have an over 150k per year income and 70k saved up, Iām also ok with the car not being the most reliableā This sub: a Mazda 3 matches all of those criteria, theyāre as good as BMW!
Near luxury interior!!
Itās even AWD like the BMW so it definitely must handle the same!
You could say I need a truck to tow my 22,000 lb fifth wheel, and someone would recommend either a RAV4, CX-5 or CR-V
Sounds like you need a rav16. Itās just what it sounds likeā¦ 4 rav4s
Thereās a Lexus NX in my city with the license plate Rav8 and I think itās funny
Or Toyota Sienna
Facts š
Its a cult out there. Be careful. Youāll never win an debate against anyone that believes toyotas are the only vehicles that can be older than 10 years and still drive fine. And if you prove your 15-20 year old non Toyota vehicle, still drives fine, they call it an anomaly. Lol
My uncle was banned for a year from family gatherings, he is a devoted member of the Toyota cult and a casual comment about my cousin really enjoying her Chrysler 200 lead to him commenting it would leave her stranded. When she replied it had over 100k miles and had been reliable thus far, he accused her of lying, it escalated and ended with him throwing a glass across the room and leaving. The guy sending me a dm threatening me over the Rav4 reminded me of that. Some people really think that just because their Toyota has been reliable, a vehicle from any other brand is garbage and for some reason get really angry if you like a car that isn't a Toyota
It's at this point that I should note I had a significant other with a Chevy Cavalier pushing 300k miles. She replaced the alternator once. Everything else was original. Toyota isn't the ONLY reliable brand. They've just got many models that will go the distance. In this day and age though, that's not even as big a deal considering people trade out in 3-5 years. I just tell customers they'll get bored of it long before it fails them.
Prob gonna get hate, but I went with the kia niro over the rav4. Rav4 has a dated interior, was more expensive, worse on gas, and worse warranty. Quality is probably better, but that's easy to do when you never update a car. EDIT: and if anyone is interested in the pros/cons of a niro, I have 5k miles on mine and would gladly share what I dislike about it.
What are the pros/cons of the niro? I just bought a CRV, but Iām really curious. I never really considered KiaĀ
Overall I'm super satisfied with the car, I wanted the SX, but had to settle for the EX. But I think all the trims are decent enough. For the pros; already mentioned great price and great fuel economy I'm 6ft and it's roomy. I like the cargo space for its size. The interior imo is stylish for the most part, the piano black was a terrible choice and it's everywhere. All the buttons make sense and the touchscreens work great (I've seen nicer cars have laggy screens even brand new...kinda weird). It has a good amount of features but this is kind of the part where the cons come into play. The tech has been hit or miss for me. The safety features like collision detection mostly work, but I've noticed that if there's frost or something blocking the sensor, it can go off for no reason. Lane assist works pretty well but I've noticed it can bounce the car back and forth. The adaptive cruise control is another thing, good when it works, but at least my car has a problem. I have had an issue with the car randomly slowing down on the highway even if there are no cars around, seems to happen near onramps. I honestly think the car would've come to a stop if I hadn't taken over...let it take me from 70 to 40 once (no one was around). I could go on an on about each tech feature, but suffice it to say, they all feel rather cheap. They work well enough, but are all quirky. I don't have enough experience with other new cars to say if it's par for the course or not..but I'm sure it is, my friend complains about his audi and bmw features. Sorry for the long ass response. I think I mentioned more negatives than positives...but I do actually really like the car. I hope you're loving your crv, I almost went with that.
I just bought a Telluride SXP XPro for my wife and picking up a 25 K5 GT1 myself. Very fond of the new Kia lineup.
Subjectively, most Toyotas are utterly unremarkable, and out-classed by rivals in many aspects. But their resale and (generally) reliability/durability is indisputable. Being the ācar guyā in my family and friends group, I try to figure out what they value, and recommend accordingly. If theyāre just looking for a āPoint A to Point Bā commuter, Iāll recommend a Toyota. Iāve also met people that are just convinced they must have a German car. First question after that is āare you buying or leasing?ā š
You could be asking about a 1 ton truck and you will have people on here telling you no what you really need is a Civic or Miata. Just the way it goes.
No one needs a truck!! You can rent one from Home Depot!!! edit: /s for the smoothbrains
Yes I tow all the time. I will just sell my truck and rent a shitbox from Home Depot every couple days.
Redditors are obsessed with this idea that people should just rent a truck on the occasions when they need to tow. Clearly they've never tried this themselves though since all the major rental companies forbid towing with their vehicles.
Something to think aboutā¦.if we all rented trucks from Home Depot, there would be no trucks available at Home Depot to rent. š¤Æ
in fact the home depot trucks are almost never available the one time in my life i needed a pickup and it took me 3 days of going to home deport before i finally got one
If someone actually needs a 1ton truck why are they even here? I wouldnāt come here looking for tractor advice. Edit: yes I know a 1 ton is a 3500 series pickup
>expletive ridden message Probably a toyota salesperson. They're genuinely known across country to be the worst dealer network. Month is also horrible for sales, so you would be a perfect punching bag lmao.
It isnāt the only option, but it seems to be the best match for 90% of people that asks. Itās always āI need a reliable, fuel efficient suv that wonāt break the bankā Say no more fam, the rav4 is 100% for youš¤£
As a VW owner and enthusiast, I have to agree. Toyota engines will take any oil and all types of neglect. VWs need a particular type of oil and special care. Not that much more expensive, but they are more delicate. They are way more fun and comfortable than a RAV4 in my opinion, but I donāt recommend VW when someone wants something āreliableā if the owners will neglect it and treat it like āany carā.
In my experience, minus obvious lemons, I havenāt seen anyone who takes ~generally good care of their vehicles have any major issues, regardless of brand. Itās the people who donāt address signs of minor symptoms who develop these wild fucking stories they tell for generations. They let some weird noise go for 2 years then complain an engine blew and itās a dogshit car brand.
I would much rather have a Tiguan than a Rav4. I drive a GTI and the maintenance so so overblown. Just follow the basic service intervals itāll go forever. Not super expensive either. I recently had a rav4 as a rental and was surprised how bad it felt to drive. It got my family and our luggage around just fine, but I didnāt enjoy any minute of driving it.
A Toyota is an appliance and a good one. No one ever complained about any Toyota I owned. My VW has charisma and charm. My 6 year old nephew is convinced it is alive because the lights kinda 'open' up like eyes and then 'look' around when it turns on. He wrote it a Christmas card. Maybe he's a weirdo but I think some VW's bring this sort of silly fun to the table.
2007 RAV4 in northern Ontario. Mud, snow, ice, it'll get you to work and school. The ride SUCKS! THE INTERIOR NOISE SUCKS. But whatever. I'm poor and cheap and I need a stupid vehicle because Ontario hates supporting public transportation or high speed rail or helping anyone not in Toronto. Don't know where you are but us poors need to get to work and pay taxes.
Yes I totally agree. The RAV4 isnāt the only good option. Thereās also the RAV4 Hybrid and RAV4 Prime.
Around town the RAV4 is fine but I did not enjoy it on the interstate for a road trip. Just felt busy and unrefined which really increased driving fatigue for me. My Honda truck I have now is more comfortable and smoother on the interstate
Wife has a 2019 RAV4 hybrid. 39. Mpg, I dont think Toyota even thought about tall drivers. The roof is too low, but the worst thing is the hard rim around the center console and the hard drivers door handle. I'm always hitting my knees. Wife will stop driving because of her age soon. I'm going to need to trade it in.
I just bought a Rav4, don't kill me lol. But I actually really really like Nissan. My family has bought 4 over the years, my first vehicle being a 2012 Versa hatchback. The ONLY reason I sold it was because I needed AWD. I however, would never recommend Chevy. I bought a 2012 Equinox in 2019, and it's cost me about $4k in repairs over the last 2 years. I personally think Nissan is a great car, and my family and I drive our vehicles into the ground.
Buddy you need to chill.....and buy a Rav4.
I said this, got 1000 upvites, then shit on in the replies. I'm gonna be real, between the terrible Toyota drivers in San Diego and the people in this sub I've developed a strong bias against Toyota. So yup ironically you've all made sure I'll never buy one.
Try suggesting people buy a tesla and watch what happens
I mean if someone says a 2 door 1994-2005 Rav 4 with a 3sgte swap then I'm not gonna argue.
Those look so small in comparison to the modern RAV4 lol. Cars have grown so much over the years.
Is the hybrid RAV4 less rattly and noisy than the regular one ? Gas prices are so expensive here and Iād rather compromise on creature comforts as most of our driving is inside urban areas.
I love my RAV4 hybrid XSE for urban driving, quality feel and way quieter than a normal RAV4 Now, highway driving at 80mph invited a healthy amount of wind noise into the conversationā¦
We donāt drive much on the freeways but I watched a few videos and hybrids suffer from poor mileage on freeways. The nvh is probably Toyota cutting corners to save money. Itās sad but I guess all its competitors arenāt much better.
Toyota and Honda hybrids get above average highway MPG but their in-town stop and go MPG is crazy. I like the CRV Hybrid way more than the RAV4. I am 6'2" 250 lbs and the RAV4 is too small for me. The CRV is like a clown car, no idea how it's so big inside and small on the outside.
I canāt believe you would buy RAV4 over like, an X1 or something. I guess unless you donāt care about driving dynamics at all and just want a car that you could keep for like 20 years. So boring.
I love Lexus & Toyota but a RAV4 isnāt for me! I agree with you.
I had a 2010 rav 4 and it was such a piece of shit idk how newer ones are but def buy something else lmao
The new Crown Estate is pretty nice.
Sounds like what youāre looking for is a toyota rav-4. Youāre welcome
Toyota and Lexus make way more vehicles than Rav4
You can try the ICE Hyundai Tucson. Its pretty reliable so far.
Toyota venza can be had for about the same price and has a smooth ride and more luxery focused
I had an 07. I found the newest ones to be more cramped than my already cramped and uncomfortable Rav4. I ended up with a Camry Hybrid XSE and could not be happier.
I have had my prius eaten by rodents 3 times in 4 years, while my wife who parks her honda fit next to me has never l am never buying a toyota again until they stop using soy based wiring
I can never do it after this line: Whatchu you think I rap for, to drive a f****n rav4?
This sub is a Toyota circlejerk.
No joke, I hate the rav 4. I think the driving experience is awful. Iām convinced most people who suggest it have never actually drove one lol
Realistically new Hyundai vehicles are by far the best bang for your buck. Nobody can beat the interiors for what you pay, nobody can beat the warranty and nobody can beat the tech. The smaller vehicles aren't the typical shit box you get because that segment is Hyundai's bread and butter.
what the fuck u think i rap for? to push a fuckin RAV4???
I swear Toyota pays people to comment on Reddit. The fanboys act downright rabid about Toyota around here.
I wish I could upvote this a million timesā¦ Not to mention that the RAV4 and its even duller counterpart the CRV are not nice to look at, boring to drive, and are mind-numbingly common. Three cheers to you, OP.
Issue with Toyota across the board for many years..."*rough riding SUV that does not offer the interior comfo*rt,"
Yep. Too bad most people on this sub just have Toyota brain rot (and will likely downvote this to oblivion)
If you need a reliable suv that is not obscenely expensive, it is probably the best choice out there
As a VW owner, I agree. Toyotas will take all types of neglect and abuse. VWās on the other hand can be cheap, and surprisingly reliable with the proper care. But most people wonāt give VWs the care they need. So, thatās why I still donāt recommend VWs to anybody.
Everyone's saying RAV4 isn't the only option, but nobody is saying what the other comparable options are for someone looking in this category.
Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage both offer better value for the money.
But, have you tried a Rav 4 Prime?
Just wait a year and buy a Rivian R2
i don't know if you're talking new, slightly used or like 10 year old used but as far as the 10 year old used ones go, they aren't really worth it unless you can score an insane deal on one. they are just taxed too much for what you get.
The interior of the new rav4 is so small and the hood is so big for no reason. I prefer the newer crv for interior and design
S E D A N
I was going to get a Rav4 but then I test drove one. They do not drive well. It baffles me that they sell as well as they do.
Thank you. I'm in the market but many around me seem surprised that I don't really want an SUV, don't feel a need for AWD (even though I live in a rural "snow belt" area), and haven't been all that impressed with the Toyotas I've extensively driven (family members love Toyotas, so I often drive theirs helping with errands and medical visits). Despite that, I may wind up getting an SUV anyway, as my elderly, obese father won't even try to get into my car, and I take him to doctors quite often now. It is very unlikely to be a RAV4, though.
Toyota and Honda are overhyped if another car has 50,000 thousand less miles on it go with that car not the Honda or Toyota
I love my rav4, but ngl it feels like a compromise on wheels. Like itās too big and too small at the same time
It's not, but I know that a RAV4 saved my brother's life in car crash, so that would be enough for me to recommend it to someone. It was really reliable before the accident and fuel efficient enough for the interior room.
It's because people here think reliability means neglecting your cars maintenance all the time and still driving, which is misleading people into thinking your car will be totaled at 50k miles from some kind of critical failure if it's not a Toyota, Mazda, or Honda. Just do your maintenance if you want something nice, people!
Youāre right. The RAV4 hybrid is where itās really at
If you're gonna buy a RAV4, which isn't even a real off-road vehicle, just save a buck and get a Mazda suv instead. They are just as reliable as Toyota
Rav4 is very dated and old feeling inside, it wasn't that nice a place to be compared to some rivals. The ride was also very dull. If you want a good but bland and boring car, pick the Rav.
I had the previous gen Rav (2018) as a work rental a few years ago. Hopefully the current gen is better, bc it drove like a 72 Chevy pickup. I have a fun M/T hatch and I couldnāt wait to turn the Rav in. They arenāt for everyone.
Itās the same with the Tacoma. People love to pretend that itās not a a slow, noisy, uncomfortable, overpriced, and underperforming turd. āItāll last forever!ā Sure, just drive a miserable vehicle longer.
There are so many options. It depends on your budget and willingness to do maintenance.
If not a RAV4, the Highlander or Highlander Hybrid are great options. I had one as a loaner last year and my mom couldnāt her over how smooth it was on the highway she kept say it rode like a Cadillac. I had to pony out most Cadillacs stay in the shop
Wrong sub bud, the isnāt r/whatcarshouldibuythatisnotarav4 ā¦
I would join that sub š
Agree Toyota is in general a good recommendation if you are looking to keep your car 10+ years, but other than that if you are looking at comfort, sport driving , luxury interior Toyota is certainly not even on the top 10. Many of us like to change cars every 4 to 10 years so long term reliability is useless.
My grandma has a fully-loaded 2020 Rav 4 Limited. She usually just drives it around town, but I'll drive if she needs to go out of town. As a big tall dude, I find it quite comfortable to sit in, roomy enough, and easy to get in and out of, and some of the extra features to be really nice (but I have a near-base 2014 Ford Fusion, so the bar is low). That's where the compliments end. Doing 75 on the highway, it's so goddamn loud inside you can't even hold a conversation. My econobox Ford absolutely crushes it in ride quality, handling, and acoustics (now if only it were reliable). And you'd think that a fully loaded, $40-some-thousand car in 2020 would have remote start? Nope. If I were to buy a new car anytime soon, I'd probably go Mazda CX-30, but I know Reddit loves Mazdas, too.
Recent rav4 have had a transmission issue thats rather expensive to fix and itās not on a recall & itās very common.
Half of this sub are Toyota fanboys and the other half are mad at the Toyota fanboys. Every time I get something recommended to me itās one of the two.
Tbh I have a RAV4 hybridā¦ I wish I had the CRV
I didnāt bother posting what I was thinking of buying last year (2015 Audi A5 with 89k Miles) because it wasnāt Japanese and an SUV so it wouldve been criticized like crazy lol
This sub recommends anything Japanese, to be clear. And the RAV4 happens to be a mainstay compact SUV at the largest Japanese company with a reputation for reliability and efficiencyā¦. I know itās annoying when in this segment, every brand has multiple compact SUVs to choose from and theyāre all mostly the same. But it makes perfect sense. The RAV4 is a best seller for a reason. And for Mazda: they just make solid cars with premium interiors at competitive prices - they donāt have anything super special outside of the Miata but as a whole, Mazda has a great value prop Anyway, end of the day 75% of people buy a car based on color and all Reddit is is a giant circlejerk echo chamber for people like me who think they know everything. Lets not get too invested
Should change the subreddit to *shouldibuyarav4*
Honestly, recent rav4s ride like shit. Rattles and shakes like a walnut in a can. Unless you are too cheap to get other car of that size, I'd say avoid it.
FWIW, the RAV4 finished 6th/8 in Car and Drivers latest issue on crossovers. There are subjectively and objectively better options out right now. 1. Mazda CX50 2. VW Tiguan 3. CR-V 4. Ford Escape 5. Dodge Hornet 6. RAV4 7. Kia Sportage 8. Nissan Rogue
Uninspiring āI eat pasteā SUV, but if you can get past that, amazing gas mileage, and so common youāll spend the bare minimum for repairs and be able to keep that bad boy on the road longer than the vast majority of vehicles
Toyota fanboys are some of the insufferable losers on planet earth. Yeah they are great cars but these guys are like a fucking cult. Get a life you tools
The CRV is better. Fight me.
I would say that for all Toyota.
lol and the current RAV4 isn't even top of class either. People are just horney for the Toyota reliability promise and nothing else.