Fourth Generation RAV4

[4482]

I'm on this forum to read about the Fourth Generation 2013 RAV4 and not the 2012 and earlier models. I'd like to buy a 2013 RAV4 and want to know as much as I can about it.

It gets a little depressing to hear mostly from Third Generation owners about how bad they think the 2013 RAV4 is compared to theirs. It's even more depressing to hear other brands of autos being recommended. I thought this was a RAV4 forum? I'd like to hear more from 2013 RAV4 owners now that the car has been out a few weeks.

I do believe there is a forum for Third Generation owners !

[vanib]

Will have to wait for new owners to get on board. I guess it was the same when the 4.3 model came out. Everyone was saying how much better the 4.2 was ... at least this is what I heard.

I also waiting for more feedback from actual owners.

[agirlcalledbob]

I've been looking forward to real-life reviews as well.

I'm waiting for my 2013 XLE FWD in shoreline blue/black to get to the dealership... this feels like forever! I spent just under 2 hours total on my two test drives. I really liked everything about the RAV4. It felt like a great vehicle.

During my 2nd test drive I didn't notice any difference with the Eco mode on while in city, mix, and highway traffic and got decent enough MPG that those worries were at ease (I'm coming from a Corolla btw). The only thing I didn't like about it was that I didn't have the option to add blind-spot monitoring to the XLE (an option I didn't know I wanted until I test drove the 2013 CX-5).

[NewRav2013]

Only a few hundred miles on a Limited AWD and three weeks. Got it Mid-January as one of the first ones sold in our region. It's a great combination of features. We got it instead of a CRV exL AWD. Both retail for about the same.
You can check the Features thread, but the sellers for me : the smartkey, memory power seat, autodim mirror and power liftgate. MOre than willing to trade any perceived value about leather trimmed interior vs. softex, which is very firm and substantial feeling. With VW, BMW and Volvo offering sim-leather it's seems like it's becoming mid level option, more pet friendly/forgiving etc.. The display radio allows driver programmable features to be changed (e.g. auto door lock function, headlight delay shutoff).
As we get more miles on it, I'll keep you posted.

[DenverMR2]

I agree...Hopefully people will reply to this post who have purchased or at least test driven the 2013. I'm tired of hearing about the loss of the V6 and the full size spare. I am trading in my V6 Tacoma for a 2013 Black XLE. I went on 3 test drives, including going up hill (6% grade) at 7000ft in the colorado foothills. The 4.4 has more than adequate power and superb handling. Unless you are towing heavy loads, I can't see why anyone would need significantly more HP. There are dozens of 12' V6's sitting at Colorado dealerships (at huge discounts) as I speak...

[wing_woo]

Honestly, I really like how the new Rav4 looks and it addresses all the issues that I hate about my 3rd gen Rav4.

I love driving manual and seeing that we'll never get that here, I like the fact that they gave us the manual shift mode. I really hate driving my Rav4 cause of the transmission's behaviour and with the manual shift mode, at least I'll be in control. The other thing about the new one I like is the lift up tailgate. I hate the swing out one on mine cause I've had situations where I couldn't open the rear cause some idiot parked up against me.

As for the black cladding on the new Rav4, I absolutely love that look. I'm still trying to convince my wife that we should get the new one. I'll actually enjoy driving it and we can save a bit of gas since it's 4-cyl compared to the V6 I have now.

[vanib]

You should not get the new RAV just for saving gas though. You'll never recup the $ difference. I kind of like the look of the new RAV although I don't like the back much. It might grow on me with time. If my snow blower fits at the back like in my 4.3 RAV4, then I might consider in a few years from now.

[wing_woo]

Well, I'm also waiting for interests rates on it to go down a bit first. I feel that once all the 2012 V6's are sold out, I should be able to negotiate a slightly better trade in value for my V6. I don't expect to save that much gas. I was just saying that it'll just be very marginal, but maybe I won't save any at all cause I'll have it in sport mode all the time if I had it...haha.

[4482]

I took a test drive in the 2013 NAV4 LTD and really liked it. I own a 2010 Lexus RX with NAV etc. The warranty is up in April. Right now it appears I can get the 2013 RAV4 LTD fully loaded for about an even exchange. I'm taking one more long trip shortly with the RX from Ohio to Key West and around Florida putting about 3000 miles on my car before I sell it.

At my age (75) I think my long trip days are about over. I like the RAV4 because it is much like my RX, but smaller. I never did like the spare tire stuck out on the back. I like the power hatch which is now like the one I have on my Lexus. I also like the room in the back to carry my lawn mower to the shop when needed etc. Having AWD in my Lexus it's a MUST in the RAV. As far as the MPG I'll be saving money there also. At my age I no longer need a lot of HP. I'm retired from a job I could just about drive as fast as I wanted/needed for over 30 years.

I've had Toyota products for years and have had great success with them. As my warranty is about to expire on my Lexus it would be nice to pick up the added 3 years for next to nothing cost wise. The only down-side of me owning a RAV4 is that my wife will be driving it. She's never driven the RX because she says it's "too big". She drives a Corolla.

Can anyone tell me if they've seen the two-tone interior as shown in the RAV4 brochures?

Keep the reviews coming !

[bigbird1]

Originally Posted by agirlcalledbob

During my 2nd test drive I didn't notice any difference with the Eco mode on while in city, mix, and highway traffic

What? Are you serious?
I just got back from my first test drive of a new LE AWD. I went by myself as I know the sales manager, so he just threw me the keys and said take as long as you want. As I accelerated onto the street I thought there was something drastically wrong with the engine/trans. Pressing on the gas pedal resulted in very little acceleration. Sure, I now drive a V6 LTD, but this was ridiculous. Looking at the dash, there was a green Eco light on the left side of the tach and another green Eco Mode light on the right side. I quickly realized that the previous test driver had left the trans in the Eco Mode. I pressed the Eco Mode under dash switch and the RAV came to life. Your stating that you could not tell the difference between Normal and Eco modes suggests that seeing the left hand eco light, you thought you were driving in Eco Mode but you were actually in Normal mode. If you drive fuel efficiently in Normal mode, the Eco light will come on. Be aware of this confusing light issue.
Sport mode resulted in the LE behaving in an entirely different manner. Upshifts were delayed and of course everything was noisier. The vehicle certainly responded in a more acute manner to all driver inputs. I quickly
put the trans back into Normal Mode.
Other observations: The seats, even on the base LE, were light years
more comfortable and form fitting than the flat boards on my '11 LTD. The rear view camera was also light years better than the tiny backup camera on my rear view mirror. I sat in a LTD with the Softex. I really liked the texture and feel of it. I would have no problem with Softex in a LTD. The french stitched black dash on the LTD is nowhere near as hellacious looking as the Terra Cotta colour of the LTD on Toyota's website pictures. You really need to see the interior in person before passing judgment based on website pictures. To sum it up, I really like the redesigned RAV4. I have no hesitation in the dealer buying the last year of my lease a year early to get out of my '11 V6 4WD LTD and getting into a '13 AWD XLE. I really don't need the LTD. The power rear hatch was pretty slow.
Right across the street from the Toyota dealer is a Hyundai dealer. I immediately went and drove a '13 Sante Fe in the AWD Premium with 2.0L turbo and also a 2.4L. I was very NOT impressed. The 2.0L turbo idled coarsely with a definite low frequency reverberation throughout the vehicle. It did have an outstanding and classy dashboard display. That test drive lasted maybe 2 minutes before I said I couldn't tolerate the noise and vibration. Then I tried the 2.4L. Leaving the parking lot, I touched the brakes and I almost went through the windshield. The brakes on this 2.4 were hair trigger touchy compared to the 2.0 T. Of course the salesman said everything was normal. So, Hyundai is off my list. I haven't driven the Escape yet, but my small SUV list is now down to two; the XLE RAV4 and Honda CRV EX, both in AWD. They are both very worthy rides.
Drive a new RAV4 before knocking it compared to the 4.3 models.
BTW, my dealer had only 1 each of LE, XLE, and LTD in stock. He said middle of next week he'll have 30, with all colours in all models.