Background: Toyota, Japan's largest automotive manufacturer, first introduced the spunky RAV4 mini sport utility in the United States in January, 1996. Diminutive sport utilities like the RAV4 fill a growing consumer niche. Larger sport utilities like the Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Explorer with starting prices in the low $20,000 range, are becoming too pricy for many entry-level shoppers; yet these rugged-looking sport utilities remain popular with drivers of almost every demographic. For years Jeep offered its Wrangler mini sport utility while the Suzuki Sidekick and its automotive twin, the Geo/Chevrolet Tracker, entered the scene in the late 1980s; long before RAV4's entree. But RAV4, which stands for Recreational Active Vehicle with four-wheel drive, utilized a fresher styling approach when it debut. The easy-to-drive RAV4's soft exterior curves and good looks appear to an audience who don't necessarily drive off-road, but like being seen a trendy-looking set of wheels. The RAV4; built from a car; not a truck platform; is more at home as a commuter vehicle rather than off-road transportation. Toyota assembles all RAV4s in Toyota city, Japan. It's one of three sport utilities sold at Toyota dealers joining the mid-size 4Runner and full-size Land Cruiser
Trim levels: Several different RAV4 variations are available. The RAV4 comes with a choice of two-wheel or full-time, four-wheel drive. Keep in mind two-wheel drive RAV4s include a front-wheel drivetrain, not rear-wheel drive; the norm of most other, larger sport utilities. RAV4 does not have the towing capacity of larger, rear wheel or four-wheel drive sport utilities. But RAV4's front wheel drive, better suited for superior gripping on snowy roads during Chicago winters than two-wheel rear drive, is desirable for drivers seeking front-wheel-drive benefits with little off-road cravings. Both drivetrain systems are available in two-door and four-door editions. Toyota also introduced a two-door, removable, manually operated soft-top edition last spring for drivers seeking open-air driving experiences. Soft tops replaced the hard tops in all two-door editions. This model year, Toyota introduced four-door, RAV4L special edition packages with leather seating surfaces and special badging for a touch of elegance.
Safety features: Dual front air bags, side impact door beams and front seat belts with pretensioners that cinch during impact come standard in all editions. Four-wheel antilock brakes and daytime running lights are optional in four-door RAV4s, but not available in two-door editions. Also, RAV4s with optional power windows now include jam protection, which interrupts closing if little fingers or other obstacles maneuver in the way.
Engine: The sole powertrain in both two and four-door models is Toyota's 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, dual overhead cam, 16-valve, electronically fuel injected engine delivering 127 horsepower. The RAV4 offers no low-range four-wheel gear shift box useful in generating added traction during off-road excursions.
Standard equipment: Because it's an entry-level model, Toyota minimizes standard equipment while offering a longer list of options to keep starting prices down. Power steering, reclining front bucket seats, rear defogger, and front and rear intermittent wipers come standard. Four-door models add tilt steering wheels as regular fare.
Options: The relatively extensive list of options includes air conditioning, cruise control, cassette or compact disc players and aluminum wheels. Power sunroofs, not offered in two-door models thanks to the new soft top, are optional in four-door editions. Four-speed, electronically controlled automatic transmission comes optional in all editions except in four-wheel drive, two-door RAV4s. Several value package combinations are available to mix and match other options, including power mirrors, locks and doors.
Pricing: The lowest priced model, a two-door, two-wheel drive version, includes a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $15,438; but keep in mind air conditioning, automatic transmission and many other popular options are extra. Our test vehicle of the week, a four-wheel drive four-door, five-speed manual version included a base price of $17,778. After factoring in anti-lock brakes, value package #2 (including air conditioning, compact disc player, cruise control, power windows, door, mirrors) and $420 destination charge, the bottom line totaled $20,980.
Interior: Toyota updated RAV4's instrument cluster for 1999. Two circular analog dials, a left-side speedometer and right-side tachometer, surround a smaller oval with gas and temperature gauges. Headlights monitor from the turn signal while a right-side steering column stalk includes windshield wiper controls for front and rear windshield wipers. Optional cruise control also operates from a square, right-side steering wheel appendage. The ignition cylinder rests on the steering column at a 45 degree angle. Toyota places a square, stand alone digital clock high up on the center dashboard. Below, one finds temperature controls with sliding levers monitoring fan speed, temperature and fan direction. The stereo, with small preset buttons, is positioned below temperature settings, but high enough as not to interfere with cups or cans nestled in dual beverage holders, that retract down from the lower section of the central dashboard. Between front bucket seating lies a hand-operated parking brake and coin corral. A third individual cup holder, accessible by back seat riders, situates behind the parking brake. A remote lever, unlocking the fuel tank door, is on the floor left of the driver's bucket seat.
Seating comfort: Cloth seats upholster the interior. Cushy leather seating comes only in uplevel RAV4L special editions. As with sport utilities of any size, headroom abounds no matter where one sits. Visibility in our four-door test-drive edition was excellent in all directions with minimal blind spots. Although RAV4 includes a 7.5-inch ground clearance higher than conventional compact sedans resulting in a higher seating position, maneuvering into seats requires a sit down, not a step up motion found in some larger sport utilities. While Toyota promotes the shapely RAV4 as a five seater, two full-size adults fit most comfortably in back. Three would result in a squeeze play. Rear seat backs (with a 50/50 split) can be folded down, then the entire seat assembly flips forward, opening up 57.9 cubic feet of cargo room in four-door RAV4s. Because of its shorter dimensions, two-door versions have less than half of the four-door's cargo volume with back seats up. Four-door 1999 models now add an auxiliary power outlet in the rear cargo area. By comparison, Honda's CR-V mini sport utility has 67.2 cubic feet of cargo room with rear seats folded down.
Exterior: Toyota's RAV4's exterior ranks as one of the most visually appealing sport utility of any size on the road. As with many other Toyota vehicles, the manually, retracing radio antenna slides diagonally in and out from the driver door's A pillar area. Toyota mounts the full-size spare tire on hatch doors right side. Normally this creates interference with peering into the rear view mirror, but the tire's low placement, thanks to a virtually bumperless rear, opens up a clear viewing area. The hatch door, hinged on the right, swings out, not up, when opening from a left-side door handle. Body colored, flush mounted door handles create a smooth look. A square, locking fuel tank door is built into the driver's side rear quarter panel. Sixteen-inch tires, large for a compact-style vehicle come standard. Aluminum alloy wheels are optional.
Dimensions: (four-door model) Wheelbase: 94.9 inches Overall length: 163.8 inches Overall width: 66.7 inches Overall height: 65.4 inches Weight: 2,789 pounds
Fuel economy: Our four-door edition coupled with five-speed manual transmission included fuel estimates of 22 miles per gallon in city driving, and 25 m.p.g. highway; decent for a vehicle with four-wheel drive. The two-door, two-wheel drive edition coupled with five-speed manual transmission reigns as the fuel economy champ with 24 m.p.g. city and 29 m.p.g. highway. Regular, 87 octane unleaded fuel is recommended when filling the 15.3 gallon tank.
Final thoughts: Toyota's RAV4 re-energized the mini sport utility after its 1996 debut. Since than, other rivals have frantically been playing catch up, with tempting results. Honda introduced its car-based CR-V mini sports ute about a year after RAV4's introduction followed closely by Subaru's Forester. The CR-V comes solely as a four-door offering while RAV4 offers a choice of two or four doors. This year, Suzuki introduced its Sidekick sport utility replacement, the Vitara, which shares the same automotive platform as the all-new 1999 Chevrolet Tracker. Vitara and Tracker, built from a truck platform, offer better off-road traveling nuances. Like the RAV4, Tracker and Vitara also offer a choice of two and four-door models. More wind and tire noises invade RAV4's interior than is usually found in other Toyota models. It's also one of the more expensive mini sport utilities on the road, but Toyota's reputation for quality and high resale values may justify the difference. |