2008 Toyota RAV4 User Reviews

Pros

Practical, good in snow

Cons

Stiff and not real comfortable

Purchased As New

This is one noisy box, have to say, drove it NY to Boston and back yesterday, by the time we got back we were nearly deaf, were it not for this uncomfotable conditon this would be a great car. Why is this car so noisy, has less than 5000 miles and have to say this will drive us nuts.

Pros

Great MPG - Perfect Size - All about the family.

Cons

Yes, cup holders are an afterthought. Rear hatch window should slide down.

Purchased As New

This was absolutely the perfect choice. I am 6'1" and have leg-room to spare. The rear seats slide back to create more room for passengers. The reclining rear seats are a god-send for my 5 and 4 year old kids on long trips. Over-all after long weekends researching different models, I'd say this was a great buy....read morehide

Cons

Not as good a deal on pricing due to third row seat.

Purchased As New

We recently purchased a 2008 Rav 4 which we have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy for years to come. Our car came with the car care vehicle package with included road noise protection and paint protection.

We opted for the elusive fold-flat third row seating which gives us some flexibility, but this added to the price of vehicle and we didn't get as good a deal as we had hoped for. The third row seat is great because it is split and you can have one or both seats up. Amazingly with the third row seat up there is still some cargo room.

I would consider this a good investment if you are looking for a smaller SUV. Even though we purchased a new vehicle, I think we may look at purchasing a used one in the future since used vehicles would be a little more economical. I would encourage those looking in the smaller SUV category to look at the Rav4....read morehide

Pros

Fuel economy, style & space

Cons

None

This is my first Toyota and I love it! There's an incredible amount of space to carry things, the vehicle is built solid, and the ride is smooth. I test drove a few other small SUVs & the Prius and utlimately decided on this for the space, style, comfort and value. I purchased the Limited Edition & the interior feels very high end with heated leather seats & the moon roof . Additionally, I elected to purchase a 4 cyclinder FWD to save on gas mileage and don't feel I'm missing out on pickup or handling! It snowed 7 inches here yesterday and I got around perfectly fine in it. My only regret is I didn't purchase this vehicle sooner!...read morehide

Pros

Excellent handling, noise free, great mileage

Cons

Really none !

I am a Toyota fan and always bought Toyota, but buying SUV for sirst time, seriously thought about other cars like Honda CR-V and Subaru. Again I concluded Toyota had best to offer, and Toyota didn't play on me. The car has excellent handling, lot of storage space for its size and has everything on-board on SPORT edition, plus lot bigger and wider wheels than other SUV. 90mph is very smooth, easy and quiet speed. With city+hgwy driving, mileage ticks in at constant 23-24mph. Again Toyota doesn't cheat on it !...read morehide

Pros

noisy on the road

Cons

should really get better gas mileage-bumper is weak like most newer cars.

I like everything else about this vehicle, the first non-American vehicle I have owned. It is responsive, quick, carries everything I need to carry and then some. I would not have the door swing up and down-being short, the side swing is much more efficient for me and easier to use.

Pros

Good performance and low mpg. good bang for the buck

Cons

warranty seen a bit short

I'm very please with this car. Fun to drive and has good pick up, and the gas milage I get is higher than the rating (I get about 22mpg city) that was a nice surprice. the car is not the most contable car that I've ever own but it is contable enough. the only think that I can think need some improvement is the road noise about 60 mph. It isn't terribly bad but is noticeble enough to bother some people. I defenetly recomend this suv....read morehide

Pros

fuel economy, great handling, storage, features

Cons

rear door

During the summer, at the height of the gas price crunch, I was able to get close to 30 mpg (being really careful about how I drove), with mostly suburban driving! When I am not careful, I get 25-26 mpg suburban, 28-30 highway. Rear door has its pros and cons. Nice wide opening to store things, side swing-out is not an issue in suburbia where you rarely parallel park, but not crazy about the top of the tire blocking out a small portion of rear view. The side swing rear door would be a real issue for me if I lived in a city where I did a lot of parallel parking.

I was agonizing between a CR-V and RAV4, and chose the RAV4 for the following reasons:

1) Better mpg
2) Much reduced blind spot (although it still exists), and better all-around visibility
3) Acceleration with the 4-cylinder. It felt compromised in the CR-V (there was a great deal of engine hesitation when going from 3rd to 4th at around 25-40 mph, which would make accelerating onto a highway an adventure). The acceleration and shifting on the RAV4, especially from 3rd to 4th, is smooth.
4) Power - no problem going up steep hills with 4 cylinder.
5) Center console in base model
6) Better dashboard indicators
7) Lower price with comparable features (not even considering that you cannot get the center console in the base CR-V; you have to upgrade to leather to get it).

The capper was that when I test drove the RAV4, it felt right (I had been a Honda guy for over 30 years, and test drove both the old and new CR-V several times, and was never convinced that either were "the car for me"). I would have liked to test drive the '09 Forester, but it was not out when I was buying my car. I have heard positive and negative things about the Subaru, but it is certainly worth considering. Honda, Subaru and Toyota are all very good cars.

I really enjoy driving the vehicle, and love the way it handles. I noticed some bounce when I first started driving it (I have the 17 inch tires), but got used to it. Some folks say the interior is a bit cheap, but it is just fine for a base model. I have read so many other reviews that are so picuane concerning the features, and I advise anyone thinking about this car to ignore those and just see if it feels right for you....read morehide

Pros

Good MPG, good interior, pretty exterior

Cons

ride is a little boring

I think this small suv is a perfect example of efficiency and functionality. The new inline four will get 2 more MPG on the highway and in the city but, the asking price will also be a good amount higher. Doing city driving, I averaged 27 MPG with mine. You may find it just as cost efficient to purchase the old one due to premiums placed on the new model, or wait one more year to wait for the 2010 models to be in the marketplace. Anyway, I really like my '08 Toyota small suv and I hope you enjoy yours :)...read morehide

Pros

Good Handling, Great Powertrain, Good Fuel Economy, Lots of room for family trips,

Cons

Some road noise, Rear door should swing up or down,

My RAV4 has been a blast to own. It carries 99% of the stuff we need to carry. It's taken the family cross country with ease, all while being frugal with fuel. I traded a 2005 4x4 Tundra in for mine. The RAV4 V6 is more refined than the Tundra V8. I average a combined 22+ mpg. We love our RAV4....read morehide