In terms of interior fit, comfort and practicality, the Toyota RAV4 scores quite highly. The front seats are typical Toyota, fairly wide and comfortable with adequate fore/aft and lumbar adjustment. Base and Sport trim RAVs come with a rudimentary sound system and lack features such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel, standard cargo cover, second row HVAC and satellite radio – items that now come standard on many rivals. For second row riders, seat comfort is decent as is stretching space. Aided by a fairly square roofline, there are more than 38-inches of head clearance for the second row and almost 39-inches of leg space, enabling two 6-foot plus adults to sit in quality comfort – there's plenty of space for three kids.
On the road, the Toyota RAV4 displays fairly pleasant driving characteristics. Rated at 269 horsepower and 246 ft-lbs of torque, it turns the RAV into a sleeper - with gutsy acceleration and an accompanying soundtrack. In fact, Toyota rates the acceleration of the V6 model in the six second range! A $160 tow prep package is also offered on the V6 that includes a heavy-duty cooling system, transmission cooler and alternator, enabling the Toyota RAV4 to tow up to 3,500 lbs, making it ideal for towing small boats or watercraft.
4WD versions offer improved grip, but for maximum road contact it's best to step up to larger wheels and tires. The RAV's priorities remain very much tarmac biased. The steering offers decent on center feel during highway driving but under sharp directional changes or fast corners feel a little spongy at slow speeds, however, it's fairly light touch and the RAVs impressive turning circle makes city parking a doddle. Toyota offers a hill start assist and descent control feature that helps hold the vehicle on hills.
The 2011 Toyota RAV4 crossover SUV is available with a fuel-efficient 2.5 liter, four-cylinder engine that racks up a healthy 22 city/28 highway MPG and a slightly less gas stingy V-6 that still logs in an impressive 27 highway MPG.
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| 2011 Toyota RAV4 crossover SUV |
All Toyota RAV4s buyers can choose between both a front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. The smaller engine has a four-speed automatic standard, while the larger engine has a five-speed automatic as standard and that is available on the smaller engine as an option. Acceleration: Zero to sixty timing of 7.2 seconds for the larger engine. The Toyota RAV4 comes standard with stability and traction control, front seat side airbags, antilock disc brakes, full-length side curtain airbags and active head restraints on the front seats. Warranty: Toyota’s warranty is for 3-years/36,000 miles.
Hill Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC)—useful driving aids on- or off-road at low speed—are standard on V-6 models and four-cylinder models with the optional third-row seat. Moving up to the Limited trim gains items such as 17-inch wheels and tires, leather upholstery, a six-disc CD changer, dual-zone automatic climate control, audio controls for the steering wheel, and an eight-way power driver's seat. It includes a six-disc changer, XM satellite radio, steering-wheel audio controls, 17-inch alloy wheels, a roof rack, a moon roof, and various interior and exterior upgrades.
