Rav 4 vs Venza

Dependable? It's brand new but I think the motor was previously used on other vehicles and they haven't had any troubles.

I don't like the way the transmission engages. It is really slow from park to reverse to drive. There is a low pitched whine slowing down from 50+ mph. The hood shakes like it isn't latched. The carbon fiber looking plastic crap scratches WAY to easy. The wipers do not wipe fast enough in a good down pour. Need some rain-x on there or something.

Price seems to be high. Check out edmunds true car price.

We looked at the CRV because we wanted a tried and true dependable car. Something Honda and Toyota are known for. We also looked at the escape but the back seats were to small for us. I wished we would have looked at the new CX5 before buying the RAV. They seem to be really nice and get great reviews.

I only worry about the transmission with this vehicle and will purchase an extended warranty. Overall we are happy with the purchase of this vehicle. We also average around ~23-25 MPG mostly city driving.... XLE AWD 2K miles on the clock.

Hope this helps,

Nate

The new RAV4 should be as dependable, reliable and durable as any other Toyota. It's not perfect, but good value for money.

That said, RAV4 is built on a different platform than the Venza. Venza, Highlander, Camry, Sienna and Lexus ES and RX are all derived from the same platform. It's a mod-size platform designed for comfort. RAV4 is derived from a small-size platform, originally derived from the Corolla (although they have evolved apart over time). It's shared with other small-size CUV/MPV like the Scion xB.

I have never owned a Venza, but my wife drive a Highlander. There is a noticeable difference in ride comfort, noise and handling between the RAV4 and the Highlander. The Highlander is much more "plushy" and the suspension is very comfortable, providing excellent ride comfort on rough roads. The RAV4 suspension is much harder / rougher. They are clearly in different "class", "small" vs. "mid-size".

Take the RAV4 for a good test drive. After the comfort of Venza your wife may not be pleased with the "downgrade".

A lot will depend on your personal preferences. There are people who love "gadgets" - moonroof, premium sounds, satellite radio, etc. and don't really care about the fundamentals as long as the car has enough "bling". On the other hands, there are people like me who don't care at all about "bling" but are more concerned about what's under the hood / floor. Personally, I will always chose a basic model of a larger car (platform), even if it very "austere", over nicely equipped premium model of a lesser car.

At least with the Venza buyers can still get the V6! :thumbs_up:

We looked at the Venza and Rav and decided on the Rav. The Venza is a longer and smoother ride, but we found the seats more comfortable in the Rav. Overall though, we didn't think the few thousand dollar difference was worth it for the smoother ride and longer space in the back.
Also a lot of people complaining on the rough test drives could be attributed to the high tire pressure in the wheels. When tire pressure is down to where it should be, it's a better ride.

As for price, like others have said, go to one of the many car sites like Edmunds and look it up. You could also go through AAA or Costco and they will get you a low price from local dealers. You could use those as a starting point to negotiate.

-d

I had the 2013 Rav4 for few months and liked the way it handled (maybe too bompie) and loved the interior and I think it would be very reliable.

Just drove the XC5 with the 2.5 engine and IMO it drives nicer than the Rav4, more fun.

Safety is another issue with the Rav4 since it performed poorly on the last test.

The one thing I don't like about the CX5 is the front and the interior, I take the RAv4.

I got a 2014 Subaru Forester XT (turbo) different animal and love it.