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Suspension comfort in RAV4 Hybrid

6K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  Boldlygo 
#1 ·
Hi guys,

I would like to say "Hello!" first and "Thank you!" for many valuable comments in this RAV4 Hybrid thread.

I have just returned RAV4 Hybrid after a day long test drive and while I really like the car overall I find suspension to be rather hard (even when driving in the city over bumps), especially in the second row where the battery is located.

How do you like it in your normal everyday use, is it comfy enough for your kids?

Do you have any practical comparison e.g. with Mazda CX-5?

Many thanks,
Mike
 
#4 ·
This is all about perception, and what you are used to.
By all accounts the HV is a smoother ride than the gas powered model, and both are better than previous years. I can attest to the fact that its a LOT smoother and more comfy than my previous Prius. But it is heavier than all the above, which you're going to feel.
 
#5 ·
As for my wife and myself, we a very happy with our 2016 RAV4 Hybrid Limited, in regard to the suspension and comfort that it provides. It may not be as comfortable as our Lincoln MKX was, but then again it didn't cost $43,000. We have no children, and for our city and highway driving it is just fine. I don't plan to take it off-road. And for senior citizens with some arthritis and back problems, it still fills our needs quite well. The seats are a little stiff as compared to the Lincoln, but not enough to keep us from purchasing it. There may be a more comfortable suv in it's class out there, but we loved everything that we saw in the RAV4, plus we had a great dealer to buy from.
 
#6 ·
Too bad you didn't check the tire pressure. Most often the pressures aren't checked when the dealer receives them and can be 40-50 psi for shipping. Obviously 10-20 psi over inflated can make a huuuuge difference.
I can tell you that the ride is MUCH better in 2016 hybrid limited with 18" wheels than the traded in 2014 xle with 17".

I did actually own a cx5 for 2 years. The gt with 19" wheels. It was a lemon which is beside the point and why I ended up in the rav. The cx5 was probably comparable to what the hybrid limited is for ride quality but much better than the pre 2016 ravs.

The rav still seems to "crash" over some road imperfections at the back end but it has been somewhat improved over 2013 to 2015 years.
 
#7 ·
I recently took an XLE Hybrid for a fairly short drive while mine was having some routine servicing. It was definitely smoother driving than my 2014 Limited, plus the FM radio had Bass response, which my Limited does not! I was impressed with the Hybrid but will need to take it out for a longer drive to see what its like on the highway.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the tip on the tire pressure, I would have never thought to check that. We have had our RAV4 for two weeks and I just checked the tire pressure and it was 33 pounds in all four tires which is only 1 pound over recommended pressure with the 18" tires. I am also aware that substantial over inflation can cause tires to wear prematurely in the center of the tire and is also dangerous if you would hit a pot hole with way over inflated tires. I have two tire gauges and they both read the same.
 
#12 ·
You would've thought Dealer had checked everything is perfect before lending it out to a prospective buyer to test drive. Now it's a potential sale lost.
 
#14 ·
The RAV4 system uses actual air pressure sensors. I can view the air pressure of each tire in real time using my laptop with Techstream. Toyota hasn't used the rolling circumference system since the 4.2 generation RAV4.
 
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