   2014 Toyota RAV4 FWD LE seating & trunk. Click image to enlarge |
The transmission shifts smoothly, the ride soaks up the worst bumps and once up to speed on the highway the RAV4 is stable and serene, showing just 2000 rpm at 110 km/h.
With Eco mode selected, throttle response is dulled considerably. I found Normal to be just fine, with perky throttle tip in and good shift points. Sport ups the ante a bit, hanging on to gears longer, but as far as I can see the payoff is only more noise and less economy.
  2014 Toyota RAV4 FWD LE. Click image to enlarge |
This new RAV4’s ace in the hole is its capacious hatch with low floor height – something my ageing Golden Retriever truly appreciated. If you’re hoisting heavy items like bags of soil, cases of beer or bulky bass amps, the benefits of this feature cannot be understated. A high load floor is the bain of most vehicles in this class.
Behind the rear seat is a massive 1,090 litres. The spare tire is now under the floor but there is narrow a panel just aft of the seats that lifts to reveal some secret storage. The split second row folds almost flat and opens up 2,080 litres.
A word of caution – the hatch is so long that you have to step back when opening it for fear of getting whacked in the mid-riff. That’ll happen just once, then you’re trained. Rear seat room is class-competitive, and said seats have a recline function.
Fuel economy for the front drive RAV4 LE is rated at 8.7 L/100 km city, 6.4 L/100 highway and 7.7 L/100 km combined. I saw a respectable 9.2 L/100 km.
The Ontario, Woodstock-built RAV4 is currently third on the compact crossover sales chart in Canada, behind the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape. It’s a solid, middle-of-the-road choice – not too spicy and not too sweet. Like comfort food, it gets the job done with consistent reliability and leaves no aftertaste. Or ring of fire.
Toyota is vowing to build no more boring cars. Not so sure about that. This RAV4 is good and boring, which is a formula that has served Toyota very well so far.
|
Related Articles: Manufacturer’s Website: Photo Gallery: |
Pricing: 2014 Toyota RAV4 FWD LE
Base price: $23,870
Optional: $1,500 Upgrade Package: 6 speakers, 6.1-inch display, heated front seats, back-up camera, privacy glass, silver painted roof rails, cargo area tonneau cover
A/C Tax: $100
Destination charge: $1,690
Price as tested: $27,160
Competitors:
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Escape
GMC Terrain
Kia Sportage
Hyundai Tucson
Mazda CX-5
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
