• HOME
• 
• AUTO LISTINGS
• 
• FINANCE
• 
• NEWS
• 
• DIRECTORY
• 
• REVIEWS
• 
• FORUM
• 
• BLOG
• 

2007 Toyota RAV4 Limited I-4 4WD Road Test

This vehicle is no joke. It's the real deal. It is The Answer. Of course, as isthe way with these sorts of things, it ain't necessarily pretty, but it sure gets the job done. I'm not talking about an overpowered sports car or a massive truck with 600 lb-ft of torque; I'm talking about one of the most ideal vehicles ever created for an average family. If you follow the statistics and credit the average family with two to three kids, then the RAV4 will do the trick of getting everyone safely strapped into their seats (it can be had with five or seven seats), and conveying them in a most expert manner from point A to B, without any undue harshness and everything managed in a most pleasing manner.

This fairly basic RAV4 was an interesting vehicle to drive because it offered me a chance to take the pulse of the motoring masses and evaluate a crossover that is on many peoples' shopping lists, not just wish lists. I had several thorough conversations with people at work when they found out I was driving one, not because it is a marvel of engineering or an object of desire, but because they are seriously considering

It isn't heroically powerful like the V6 RAV4, but we were delighted by the standard four-cylinder model. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

purchasing such a vehicle. This RAV4 came without any spectacular sports packages or massivepower upgrades, just a straightforward four-cylinder engine that proved to be more than up to the task of motivating it in town and on the highway. Better yet, the RAV4 manages the task with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rating of 23 mpg in simulated city conditions and 27 mpg for highway driving.

While I don't often get emotional about compact SUVs, the RAV4 impressed me enough that I could often be found sitting dumbfounded behind the wheel blurting out phrases like “amazing,” “this thing is incredible,” and “did we forget to get milk?” When my answer is “awesome” to the question

For someone looking for a city runabout with good visibility, this is a vehicle we can recommend easily. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

of how I feel about the car I am driving during any given week, it's usually about something outlandish like Audi's RS4, the Corvette Z06, Jeep's freakish Grand Cherokee SRT8 or Toyota's own fun-loving FJ. For once, it was about a very average daily driver and a common sight on our local roads (not to mention roads in just about any other city or town in America - Ed.), especially over the slushy, messy winter months.

Where the FJ just screams “fun” wherever you go, even if it's no farther than suburbia, the RAV4 is all business, with Toyota's new Vibrant Clarity sanitizing the previous model's chunky, angled look. I can't say I had many objections to the previous version, and it was a vast improvement over early generations of RAV4 (2-door RAV4 anyone?), but the new grown-up version wears its sleek, form-fitting body panels sharply, hiding its impressive capacity with

It's high in quality and high in luxury. In short, it's what most people will want. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

a variety of curves, bulges and creases that add up to clearly convey its urban comfort zone. I wasn't personally moved by its looks, perhaps because I find it a little too effeminate, but I can recognize the appeal of its sinewy curves and athletic stance.

Likewise, the interior didn't have me taking pictures of each and every knob and cupholder in appreciation, but it simply oozed quality and durability. Perhaps I'm slightly influenced by my foreknowledge of Toyota'svaunted reputation for reliability, but everything looked like it could withstand the most furious tempest of a three-year-old in the throes of a tantrum for his Barney DVD two hours into a six-hour trip to the cottage (two hours driving, four hours of breaks and meals and traffic). A couple of things did catch my eye, one of them being the horizontally textured silver trim surrounding the gray stereo and HVAC controls. It was different, for sure, but I often caught myself running my fingers along it in appreciation. The other elements that tickled

Digital climate control buttons are a little hard to use at speed, but look cool. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

my fancy were the arrow-shaped grab-handles for the door and the matte graphite backing for the gauges, which looked fabulous and also supported the super-visible-but-not-blinding illuminated gauges at night. I think Toyota dubs it Optitron, but I like to call it Optitr-Awesome!

The version I was driving was the five-seater, so it offered generous space in both rows, enough to accommodate myself sitting behind myself in comfort (I'm about average height at 5'10”), with a flat floor in the second row to ensure equal leg space for all three positions. The seats also easily dropped down to offer plenty of space to load up gear (mountain bikeand rollerblades in this case), but my favorite cargo solution was the suspended net hanging between two rails that allowed me to load groceries with no fear of vegetables getting bruised, cans rolling around or eggs breaking as I carved my way through my neighborhood on the way back from the supermarket. One stretch on the road home is also so bad I would prefer most country gravel roads to the gaping holes and devious lumps on this street, and the net keeps everything in

Funky styling on the console is not per the usual Toyota norm. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

suspended animation as the RAV4 makes a brave effort to tame my route home.

With a modest 2.4L inline four producing 166 horsepower, it might sound underpowered, but its snappy throttle, 4WD and light steering combined to make it feel peppy, energetic and even robust when I tried charging from average cruising speeds up to passing speeds on the highway. Unlike the CR-V, the RAV4 always felt powerful enough and eager to stretch its legs when tested. The RAV also offers an option of a deliriously powerful V6, which seems bordering on unnecessary, but would be a great option if you wanted to stay in the compact segment and still be able to tow your fishing boat or trailer up to the rougher neck of the country.

While it features automatic four-wheel drive and even a 4x4 lock to help get you through those rougher, tougher and muddier patches, leave the rock-crawling and mud-slinging to the FJ. The RAV4, on the other hand, just eats up any challenge the inner-city permanent construction zone can throw in its way with aplomb and grace. It rides quietly and comfortably in just about any situation, only getting upset at large, unfinished holes in the ground and otherwise smoothing over any potholes, expansion joints, roughpavement and

Optitron instruments were a source of admiration. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

semi-completed roadwork.

Its comfort level is almost uncanny, with a ride that would satisfy anyone but a Lexus LS 460 owner, but where it truly shines and what impressed me most was its range. Not only can it smoothly and effortlessly maintain its composure over rough roads, but it is one of the best in the segment (I'd have to give a slight edge to the Subaru Forester—which is unfair since it is so low it could almost be considered a wagon) for taking to corners with complete confidence. It might not communicate like a sports car, either through chassis or steering feedback, but it can hold a line through a corner like it's nobody's business. Porsche, BMW and Acura can go nuts with their jacked-up sports-car utes, but the RAV4 handles as well as anything that tall needs to in order to offer a failsafe in accident-avoidance situations, with vehicle stability control, traction control and anti-lock brakes providing added assurance.

When an accident is unavoidable, the RAV4 is still one of the safer places to be, ranking in the top three in its segment according to IIHS ratings (narrowly missing a coveted Top Safety Pick Rating because of Marginal performance in rear-impact simulations), with a five-star/four-star rating from the NHTSA in frontal crash tests and five-star/five-star rating on side crash tests. What's it

RAV4 does everything we're looking for in a compact SUV. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

all mean? It means the RAV4 is very safe, but it should be said that the Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V performed slightly better in these tests. Nonetheless, Toyota is showing a desire to satisfy its customers and keep them safe, adding side airbags to the list of standard equipment for the 2007 model year, where they were only optional before.

Lexus may be the brand that claims Pursuit of Perfection as its ethos, but it clearly stems from Toyota's desire to make the best cars and trucks in every segment. Despite a wave of crossovers flooding the market, this RAV4 builds on Toyota's previous experience building urban-oriented small SUVs with a taste for efficiency. Normally, Toyota's staid family offerings don't move me, with the Camry being a little too soft, the Corolla clearly outdated, and the Yaris just a bad fit for me, but the RAV4 absolutely won me over with its near perfect execution of the compact SUV. For city life with a family on board and plenty of activities to get to, the RAV4 executes its tasks with unparalleled precision, and while I didn't get a chance to experiment with its playful side, Trevor assures me that it is plenty capable in the mud (see archives for the 2006 Toyota RAV4 Road and Trail Test, February 1st, 2006). But for me, it was all business and no play, which makes Jonny a dull boy. Next time I get something less impressive, I'll try to entertain you more, but this vehicle is just too good. Seriously good.

Page:  1

AUTOMOBILE REVIEWS BY MAKE

Acura  Audi   Bentley   BMW   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Chrysler   Daewoo   Dodge   Eagle   Ferrari   Ford   Geo   GMC   Honda   Hummer   Hyundai   Infiniti   Isuzu   Jaguar   Jeep   Kia   Lamborghini   Lexus   Lincoln   Lotus   Maserati   Mazda   Mercedes-Benz   Mercury   MINI   Mitsubishi   Nissan   Oldsmobile   Plymouth   Pontiac   Porsche   Saab   Saturn   Scion   Subaru   Suzuki   Toyota   Volkswagen   Volvo