Is the 2018 Toyota RAV4 a better buy than Honda CR-V?

Toyota RAV4 is marketed as a car with easy-to-handle, large cargo space, and the standard active safety features. RAV4 will not really give an exciting and dynamic performance and the exclusion of the active safety features push it down in the terms of the rating. Toyota RAV4 has been in the market since 2007. This midsized SUV has been a vehicle of choice for many small families who do not want to invest in the luxury SUVs and are having a tight budget. The car is priced at an average rate and the features and the performance do justice to the 2018 Toyota RAV4 MSRP.

What are the advantages of buying a Toyota RAV4?

There are not many advantages or disadvantages that can be looked at. It is an average car with average performance. However, if we talk about the few advantages of buying Toyota RAV4, there are a lot of active safety features, to begin with. These standard active safety features are included in all the trim models rather than discriminating them based on the line-up. The car is also known for its expansive cargo space. The mid-sized SUVs do not see a lot of cargo space for that matter.

What is new for the 2018 model?

One of the major drawbacks of the car is that it lacks the interior styling. The features included in the interiors of the cabin do not feel comfortable and luxurious. Even the materials used in the cabin lack soft touch and the quality that should ideally be there. However, the new 2018 model has a few new additions too. A new trim level has been added to the line-up. This trim level is called Toyota RAV4 Adventure. There is an enhancement in towing capacity of the car too. It could tow up to 1500 pounds which has now been increased to 3500 pounds.

Features and Specifications

2018 Toyota RAV4 is a mid-sized SUV perfectly designed for a small family of 4 to 5 members. It has two rows and can accommodate 5 passengers in the cabin. The front row can accommodate 2 passengers including the driver and the second row can accommodate 3 adults. Talking about the fuel economy of the car, it gives an average of 22 to 23 mpg on the city roads. This average is increased to 28 to 30 mpg when driven on the highway. The car is available in two different drivetrains. You can select from the front-wheel-drive and the all-wheel-drive model. The engine is not very powerful but can deliver a decent amount of power. The engine is rated at 174 horsepower.

Interior

Toyota RAV4 can accommodate 5 passengers in two rows in the cabin. the front two seats are however the most comfortable ones. The cabin is not spacious enough and is designed in such a way that it is narrow from the inside. Considering it is a compact SUV, this kind of design is normal. The interiors of the cabin are made pretty well. However, most of the parts use hard plastic which takes away the comfort of the soft touch in the cabin. a plus point is the expansive cargo space. It is one of the roomiest in this segment. With the rear seats still in place, the space offered by the car is 38.4 cubic feet. When the rear seats are down, the cargo space increases to 73.4 cubic feet.

When it comes to the infotainment system, every RAV4 is equipped with a touch screen for easy-to-use Toyota Entune Infotainment System. The infotainment system has been upgraded to allow the synchronization of the smartphone. The passengers can do this with the help of the Entune App Suite. You will also get access to the iHeartRadio Stations.

It is a decent buy for the small to the mid-sized family not really expecting the car to do much in this price tag.