Our '06 Toyota RAV4 V6 looks like a nice, normal compact SUV, but there's serious conflict going on beneath its placid exterior. Pretty much all of it can be traced to its 3.5-liter V6. As you've read many times on this blog, acceleration is brisk and exciting in our RAV. But over the weekend I realized the extent to which the V6 ruins its dynamics...
Yet... I find our Toyota RAV4 so pleasant and practical to drive around town. The reason you're seeing another photo of a long-term vehicle in my carport is because the RAV is ridiculously easy to park, thanks to its carefully tuned electric-assisted steering and narrow body. It also has excellent brake pedal feel -- there's a nice progression to it. The driving position is also very good by SUV standards, with useful sightlines in all directions, and the seats are surprisingly well-shaped and comfortable for a Toyota product.
As an urban runabout, the RAV4 is very, very easy to like. But I just don't think its behavior is desirable or acceptable at higher speeds. Another editor called it "hateful." I wouldn't go that far, but I do know that a V6-equipped RAV4 wouldn't be my first choice for a family vehicle -- and its lack of highway decorum is the reason. If I wanted power in a small SUV, I'd look to the Outlander or a turbocharged Subaru Forester.
Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor, 18,022 miles
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