Road Test: 2015 Toyota RAV4 LE

A Balanced Small Crossover

With more than 20 small or compact crossovers on the market, consumers can’t be blamed looking for minute differences before purchasing one model over another. The 2015 Toyota RAV4 plays the comparison game very well with a balanced offering of interior size, fuel economy and price. In the market for a 30-MPG Club compact crossover? Maybe the RAV4 is right for you.

Drivetrain

The front-drive and all-wheel drive 2015 Toyota RAV4 comes with a 2.5L Direct Injection, 16-valve I-4 engine that runs on unleaded regular. Mated to a smooth operating six-speed automatic transmission, it puts out 176 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque. Clean Fleet Report’s two-wheel drive RAV4 was EPA rated at 24 City / 31 Highway / 26 Combined. In 488 miles of 75-percent/25-percent highway/city driving we averaged 28.8 mpg, which, if the 15.9 gallon fuel tank was run dry, would have taken us 561 miles down the road. Here in Southern California our 75-percent/25-percent highway/city driving pattern is far more real world and is why we report it to you.

Driving Experience: On the Road

Our RAV4 LE weighed in at a solid 3,435 lbs.; the 2.5L engine ran smooth, quiet and was not buzzy, but when really needed, it just doesn’t deliver enough power. With transmission settings of ECO and Sport, using Sport will get you 0 – 60 in just over nine seconds. That’s respectful enough, but certainly not a speed burner and, when negotiating freeway onramps, a little bit more oomph would be welcome. Before the 2013 redesign, the RAV4 had a V-6 engine option, but now only the four-cylinder is offered. For everyday around-town driving and once up-to-speed on the highway, performance was fine. Load it with five passengers plus their gear, and the need for more power will become apparent.

The ride was firm, but not stiff or harsh, even over bumps and road irregularities. I found the ride to be smooth on the highway and around town, but the electric-assist power steering was a little vague with understeer present, but easily manageable, during hard or high-speed freeway cornering. Understeer is when entering into a corner the front end of the car wants to continue straight. In racing terms this is called pushing. Of course, this can be remedied by taking turns and corners slower, but, in the real world of driving, we don’t always take a corner slow enough to avoid the front end of the car wanting to go straight while the road is turning. Body roll was acceptable for a small crossover but I did notice a bit of floating at freeway speeds when the road would undulate. It took a few seconds for the suspension to compensate before the RAV4 leveled off again. Wind noise was nearly non-existent.

The RAV4’s planted feeling on the road came from the 17-inch wheels (18-inch come with the Limited trim level) and 225/65R All-season tires, MacPherson struts up front, a double wishbone rear suspension and stabilizer bars all the way around.

Stopping was straight, but a bit lengthy, from the four-wheel, power-assisted solid disc brakes with Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Smart Stop Technology (SST) – all part of Toyota’s Star Safety System.

Driving Experience: Interior

With three trim levels to choose from—LE, XLE and Limited—Clean Fleet Report drove the LE version and came to like the asymmetrical dash layout and the simple, straight-forward gauges and controls within easy reach of the driver. We are big fans of knobs and switches for the radio and climate controls, and Toyota did not disappoint in this area. There is a combination of hard and soft plastic on the dash and door panel surfaces, with seating for five and ample rear head and leg room. We appreciated that Toyota resisted the urge to cram a third row of seats into the RAV4 and that the rear seats both recline and fold flat. Storage is ample with the rear seat up, but expansive when the 60/40 rear seat is folded flat. Access to the storage area is through a manual liftgate (power on the Limited model) and a convenient low lift-over load height leading to a flat floor.

Toyota describes the RAV4 interior as a “cavernous cabin,” a statement with which we cannot disagree. Available in four colors (based on trim level) our RAV4 interior was two-toned black and gray with sturdy fabric seat coverings on a six-way adjustable driver’s seat and four-way adjustable passenger seat. We also liked the center armrest’s correct height and large storage area and the eight cup holders throughout the cabin.

There was no challenge finding a comfortable seating position with the tilt and telescopic steering column. Once there, the steering wheel-mounted audio controls for the Entune Multimedia Bundle made running the system, which includes a 6.1-inch touchscreen color display that handled the backup camera, SiriusXM (three-month trial subscription), AM/FM/HD/CD/MP3 driving six speakers, USB port with iPod connectivity, Aux-in jacks, advanced voice recognition, Bluetooth streaming audio and hands-free telephone, a breeze.

Other nice interior features are A/C, power windows and door locks, power outside mirrors, carpeted floor mats, rear shelf cover, exterior temperature display, remote keyless entry system, day/night rearview mirror and 12-volt accessory outlets.

Driving Experience: Exterior

The RAV4 was completely redesigned for 2013 with the 2014 and 2015 model years continuing the new styling. The new design has a softer front end with minimal chrome accent pieces and projector beam headlights. The hood sweeps up-to the laid-back windshield onto a rail-equipped roof that ends with a built-in spoiler over the rear hatch glass. We weren’t all that excited about the shelf-like rear tail light design as it gave the rear end a stumpy look that betrayed the otherwise aerodynamic flow. Gone in the new design is the rear gate-mounted spare tire and the left hinged gate.

Safety and Convenience

The 2015 RAV4 has a 5 Star government safety rating and comes with safety and convenience features including six air bags, remote keyless entry, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control System (TCS) and the previously mentioned four-wheel disc Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with brake assist. Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic and Lane Departure Alert systems were not on our LE model and only come with the Technology Package, available on the Limited trim level.

Pricing and Warranties

Pricing for the 2015 Toyota RAV4 2WD begins at $23,680 with the AWD version starting at 25,080. Clean Fleet Report’s RAV4 2WD LE had an MSRP of $25,420, excluding the $885 Delivery Processing and Handling Fee.

The 2015 RAV4 comes with these warranties:

• Comprehensive – three-year/36,000-mile

  

• Powertrain – five-year/60,000-mile
• Roadside Assistance – two-year/25,000-mile
• Factory Scheduled Service – two-year/25,000-mile
• Corrosion Perforation – five-year/unlimited-mile

Observations: 2015 Toyota RAV4 LE 2WD

The 2015 Toyota RAV4 is selling in about the fourth place among its compact SUV competitors. It’s chasing the Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox and Ford Escape, but ahead of the Nissan Rogue, Jeep Cherokee, Subaru Forester and many more. You can see the RAV4 has some pretty impressive competition. To standout from this crowded field, the RAV4 holds its own by offering more interior room than the others and just enough driving pleasure, technology and fuel economy at a good price and value. Toyota also has used the RAV4 underpinnings as the basis for its upscale NX crossover line.

Since there are so many very good vehicles in this segment, your consideration list will be and should be quite long. The beauty of the RAV4 is the interior space, so if you have a third of a baseball team to haul around all the time and don’t want to step-up to a larger SUV, the RAV4 just might be the right family hauler for you.

Whatever you buy, Happy Driving!

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