6/10/2023 0 Comments Paintcode on 2014 toyota rav4![]() Perhaps more recent models have addressed some of my concerns. Do I feel I have gotten top-notch value for my $23,000 in 2014? No, but I think there is reasonable value especially in terms of trouble-free operation and probable longevity. But interior content seems to me to be a little wanting - if this is important to you, inspect and survey closely to verify the presence of the stuff you like. This 2014 RAV4 has been entirely trouble-free through 32,000 miles. Overall, the car seems to me to retain legendary Toyota qualities - tight body, good wearing materials, decent seating and reasonable sight lines. Footroom for even 6 foot + occupants is adequate all around. (I am often the only person in the car.) Shoulder width in the back seat is narrow - smaller than the Soul in fact. Interior content does not seem to me to come up to the standards I learned to expect from Toyota in a garden variety Camry, but there is no visible wear at all in the driver's area. The "eyebrow" over the rear window probably prevents the use of most simple bike carriers and it prevents easy cleaning of the glass with the usual filling station squeegee. This is a real nuisance in my view, and I've not universally seen this in similar non-turbo crossovers I have rented for a few days of cross country travel. I have found that turning off the cruise control before even a moderate grade allows me to anticipate the grade, feather the throttle, lose not more than 1 mph and avoid rpms above 2600 with no harsh downshifting. Last critical notes: The reliable 6 speed transmission is set up so that it will dramatically downshift from 2200 rpm to over 3100 rpm even on railway overpasses in the flats of Illinois(!) Very very annoying and hard on drivetrains. Safety for the 2014 model I own is decent, but not great: In particular see the NHSTA front passenger score, and the IIHS Small Overlap score. The bay has a couple of D rings for tethering things. Nonetheless, the space is useful with exactly 6 feet from front seatback to tailgate easily arranged. The rear seats do NOT fold flat, and the front passenger seat does not fold flat forward. Gas mileage is not better than advertised except on long flat runs in the mid 60 mph range, then I get 35mpg or better. Engine power is enough to easily get up to speed on most interstate ramps. The car maintains good firm highway manners with a full load on long trips. Rear discs usually have a grinding noise for the first three - five stops after sitting even one full day of high humidity/rain, but are not wearing prematurely. Brakes are very good with nice modulation and no grabbing. The instruments are hard to see in high contrast daylight. This turned out to be a default setting, and with some hunting through the menus (or reading the manual!) can be turned off. At night I am bothered by what for me is a bright info screen. Other vision-related observations: There are metallic and reflective surfaces on the flat leading edges of the dash which reflect bright sunlight during some hours of the day depending on driving direction. With no navigation feature, the screen is simple and easy to use for the radio. And - surprise - it is practically useless with polarized sunglasses. The screen is hard to see in bright overhead sunlight, and turns into a mirror with low sun from the rear. Thought I would not use the back-up camera but it is very useful. The view out is surprisingly good, but I find the slope of the A pillars to obstruct turning vision in both directions. Engine & exhaust noise are higher than I think they should be in city driving. The interior is not quiet on many highway surfaces. I miss the power seat of the Camry, but I can comfortably live with this basic seat with its height adjustment. The front seat at least for a smaller person (5'6") is comfy, though an adjustable lumbar support would make the seat better. I do not find it tiring to drive 500 miles daily for multiple days. Highway behavior at speeds at least up … to 75 is very good, not subject to buffeting the way my 2004 Camry was, and the suspension set up is good. Quite a change moving from 2004 Camry to a 2014 RAV4! I have adapted to a much stiffer suspension which really shows on poorly maintained urban streets. ![]() ![]() 2/3rds of those have been on interstates and local highways on long trips. Revising my review at 21,000 miles, I've now owned the car 36 months and driven it 32,000 miles.
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