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Gas mileage, and possibly wanting to sell

3K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  mr1114 
#1 ·
All city driving, the 03 RAV 2WD Automatic gets about 20 MPG. 166k miles. Tune up done. A/C on most of the time. Runs excellent. Would this be expected?

That question is more due to being curious and not out of concern, as now Im considering selling to get something similar in body style but with a 6 cylinder in it. Took a long trip this past weekend which included several mountain roads (first time on the RAV), and decided its too underpowered for my taste
 
#2 ·
Can't answer your question about your current mileage - has it been the same since you bought your RAV?


The 4.3 generation RAV V6 has quite a lot of power - perhaps a good used one can be located But there could be a gas mileage "hit" of a mile or two per gallon, on average.
 
#3 ·
Yea its always been around 20 MPG since purchased, but I asked because I have also seen some 4.2 RAV's on here that are getting mid 20s. No idea why or how thats accomplished, when this one seems to be in tip top shape

Its a nice car for city driving, but you can feel the lack of power on the highway, especially mountain roads

Also I should've calculated highway MPG on this last road trip
 
#5 ·
Since your mileage has not changed since you got your RAV there likely is no problem which has developed. Somehow even with the same model and engine type gas mileage can vary from one vehicle to another, and that probably has more to do with different driving conditions. For example, many RAV V6 owners report much better mileage than I get with mine, but that may have to do with the fact that much of my driving is short trips in small-town settings and with much of my highway driving being over mountainous terrain.
 
#6 ·
I've always been satisfied with the power of the Rav4 2 liter *with the exception of long steep hills.*

To remedy this I manually shift the gears if the terrain is hilly. Before a steep hill I will turn O/D off to avoid the transmission hunting gears. Occasionally will even shift down to second gear if some extra umph is needed.

I also find with the A/C on it effects the power at low RPMS.
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys. Yea even with OD off, it still feels like it takes forever for it to get up to speed, even on a mild hill. Figure a V6 Toyota or older Lexus product wouldnt be too far off on gas mileage from what I currently get on the RAV, and would be more fun to drive on a long trip up the mountains
 
#9 ·
When you say "mountains" what kind of elevation are we talking about? Cuz once the air begins to thin, even a V6 engine by the very nature of its design won't help as its power (engines techies can correct me if I'm missing something) is dependent on oxygen intake, the less oxygen there is, the less power you get no matter the V6. You may want to look into something with a "turbo" engine, which is designed differently and derives and sustains power in a better way, befitting high altitudes. Again... if I'm missing something, feel free to correct me.
 
#8 ·
there are a number of things that will affect gas mileage:
1) AC on/off, for better mileage, turn AC off before accelerating from a stop or ascending a hill, I turn the blower on low and recirculate air until up to speed, this also makes for a peppier engine in these situations
2)automatic transmission will give worse mileage, and by quite a bit in city driving
3)auto transmission will also be less peppy in mountains
4) air pressure, I always make sure my tires are ~30-34 psi cold before long trips, I must admit I don't pay much attention otherwise except to check in spring & fall
5)your tires, some tires will give better mileage, but this is a crapshoot, you won't know until after a tire change and even then only if you always monitor your mpg
6) last but not least, ever driver has different habits, you CAN change them :)

BTW, I get 30-32 in summer, 26-28 in winter
driving is city highway mix, I live in the 'burbs
 
#10 · (Edited)
Wow, 20mpg is pretty low for a 2wd. My 4wd 5sp (2005 model) gets between 24-30mpg+ depending on how I drive (and weather). Also mine is a Euro spec'd version so it does not have the 2.4 engine just the updated 2.0 w/ 150hp. Having the A/C on full time will definatly kill your power and fuel economy though. The 4speed automatics are also performance/power killers.


If you are looking for loads of power from a RAV4 I would look at the V6 4.3 (if living in North America) If you are outside the US the RAV4 4.3 2.2turbo common-rail diesel with 177hp ,295lb torque and 6sp manual is a hard one to beat.
 
#12 ·
RAV is for sale. I went back to a Honda Accord V6 (which is what we'll use when we go on mountain roads), gave the GF the Scion (she prefers 4 doors, but still seems to like the TC), and since we dont need 3 cars, the RAV will be leaving us. If anyone's interested let me know. Clean title, no accidents, excellent mechanical condition :)
 
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