Her and His Reviews
October 2010
2010 Toyota Rav4 4x4 LTD
There are always two sides to everything, right? Well, the truth is there are many more than that!
To keep our car reviews innovative and well-rounded, we are providing you with not just one, but two points of view on the same exact vehicle –
Her and His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate,women-drivers.com
His: Chuck Kerber, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| Anne | Chuck |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| MSRP:$32,973.00 | MSRP:$32,973.00 |
| Performance | |
| Mechanical equipment on the 2010 Toyota Rav 4 includes 3.5 Liter DOHC Dual Valve VVT-I Engine, 269 Horsepower, 246 Ft. Pounds of Torque, 5- Speed ECT Automatic Transmission with Electric On-Demand 4-Wheel Drive, Traction Control and a hefty 3500 pound towing capacity.
You will enjoy smooth sailing in this vehicle. It handles with aplomb and very quick responsiveness. The V6 has excellent pick up, responsive disc braking and handles very powerfully in all types of road conditions. This vehicle is rated highly on 'Reliability' by JD Powers. The vehicle rates a 5 star (out of 5) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Driver Crash and Side Crash testings. Driving is very quiet and conformable. 17" Alloy wheels ride well on any surface. Smaller 17" steering wheel easy to maneuver and reach on-steering wheel controls. |
3.5 Liter DOHC Dual Valve VVT-I Engine
269 Horsepower, 246 Ft. Pounds of Torque 5- Speed ECT Automatic Transmission with Electric On-Demand 4-Wheel Drive 3500 Pound Towing Capacity The new Rav-4 has plenty of power. Considering the small size of the car, and 3.5 liters of engine performance, power and speed are achieved briskly with minimal effort. Handling is above average considering it's a small SUV. Power-assisted steering aids the driver, but doesn't feel overly soft. The 17" tires provide plenty of support on regular surfaces, and good traction in poor weather. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| 19 MPG City, 26 MPH Highway | 19 MPG City, 26 MPH Highway |
| The Car | |
| The 2010 Rav-4 hasn't seen a complete retool in years. While the interior is clean and roomy, the car design utility has a 'universally vanilla' appeal both the inside and out. Nothing flashy or risk taking, but with very clean lines. Nonetheless, know that this vehicle is a steady-eddy, is powerful, yet quiet and remains preferred by women. With good fuel economy, this car boasts plenty of compartments like the dual-compartment glove box.
The side opening rear hatch is awkward - need to have alot of room behind the Rav4 to open it, and prefer this would change to an up-down format. The 8-way adjustable power seats are comfortable and allow for customized seating. Leather perforated seats keeps family warm/cool in all seasons. The dash and all controls are well positioned, easy to reach and read. Back seat passengers can make more leg room with adjustable seats and have 60/40 split. Moon roof included in our vehicle. The optional third row seating is petite. Plenty of cargo space in the Rav4 and a catch all net included to secure items. |
The 2010 Rav-4 is unchanged from last year. The body and interior are a bit boring, and don't provide the driver with any new curves. If you see a Rav-4 on the road, it looks just like any other car in its class, but less refined. The edges have gone from angular, to soft- the overall shape of the car screams mediocrity.
The 8-way adjustable power seats are comfortable. The interior of the vehicle unappealing to say the least. Large plastic surfaces abound, and the lack of refined materials is painfully obvious. The gauges are at eye-level, and easy to read and navigate. Leg-room is a-plenty in front, rear. One HUGE design flaw- the spare tire still rides on the outside of the rear hatch. Picture yourself parked, on a slope with the car pointing downwards... just try and open the rear hatch! With the combination of the spare tire, and weight of the door, it's close to impossible to open! Honda got rid of the spare, why can't Toyota? Tow Prep Package (V6 models only) [4] with 3500-lb. towing capacity -- includes upgraded radiator, fan coupling and alternator |
| Safety | |
| This vehicle is rated highly on 'Reliability' by JD Powers. The vehicle rates a 5 star (out of 5) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Driver Crash and Side Crash testings. No wonder this remains a best seller; with plenty of top quality and safety assurance features including: Stability Control with Traction Control, ABS Brakes, Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags & Side-Curtain Air Bags, Tire monitoring system, Second Row CRS Lower and Top Tether Anchors. | Vehicle Stability Control with Traction Control
Anti-Lock Braking System Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags Driver and Front Side-Curtain Air Bags Second Row CRS Lower and Top Tether Anchors Direct Tire Monitoring System |
| Technology | |
| Smart Key System, CD & Stereo System with Hands-Free Bluetooth and 9 Speakers including Sub-Woofer with pretty jamming sound! Sirius Satellite Radio with enough genres to make all in the family happy.
MP-3, I-pod Interface Jacks, Moon-roof with Sunshade Dual-Zone AC with Micro-Dust Pollen Removal- innovative and truly appreciated by those with allergies! Down-Hill Assist Control (DAC). Back up rear camera that has an amazingly tiny (2" x 3") viewer in the rear view mirror. I needed my 'readers' as images are miniature. This 'backup camera' feature is becoming standard on so many 2010 and 11 models- this is an unbecoming way to incorporate this on a $32K vehicle. |
Dual-Zone AC with Micro-Dust Pollen Removal- great for those of you with allergies!
Smart-Key System CD in Dash JBL Stereo System with Hands-Free Bluetooth and 9 Speakers Including Sub-Woofer Integrated Sirius Satellite Radio MP-3, I-pod Interface Jacks Power-Tilt Moon-roof with Sunshade Down-Hill Assist Control (DAC) The 2010 Toyota Rav-4 comes with an optional back-up camera, but here's the kicker... the video stream appears in the rear view mirror. Not only is the view of what's behind the vehicle too small (it takes up half of the mirror), it also impedes the driver's view; what a conundrum! |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| Again, the Rav4 is an universally appealing vehicle. There certainly isn't anything smart or stellar about it design-wise, and that is by design. It's a best seller designed to perform and be relied upon. With that in mind, it gets top marks. | The Rav-4 isn't aesthetically pleasing. The 2010 model has nothing new and exciting in regards to current, or contemporary vehicle design. The exterior is plain, with plenty of curved, unnoticable lines.
The interior repeats much of the same... more blah. Although it has many of the up-to-date technological gadgets, it doesn't seem to showcase them. As mentioned before, the over-use of common, cheap-looking plastics cheapen the car. |
| Warranty | |
| 36 months/36,000 miles; power train warranty is 60 months/60,000 miles. | Basic: 36 months/36,000 miles (all components other than normal wear and maintenance items).
Powertrain: 60 months/60,000 miles (engine, transmission/transaxle, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, seatbelts and airbags). Rust: Through 60 months/unlimited miles (corrosion perforation of sheet metal). |
| Non-tangibles / Other | |
| Toyota has plenty of competition in this class at several levels - design, price, warranty, and amenities for the family and children. Let alone whatever attrition occurred in the 2010 recall fiasco. This car continues to have very good resale prices. | The 2010 Rav-4 is a capable and reliable SUV. For 30k one would expect a more current design, and better exterior and interior materials.
If you're considering the Rav 4, take a look at the Nissan Rogue, and Honda CRV. |
