I traded a well loved 2012 Prius V for the a new 2018 RAV4 Hybrid a month ago. The RAV4 is a very comfortable car to drive and live with! Front cup holder is in a funky place but a large drink cup does fit and I'm glad to have the extra cupholder. My only complaint is my car didn't have a built in NAV system and instead uses an Entune app called Scout via my cellphone. My eight year old grandson could design a better navigation app. Otherwise the RAV4 is a joy!
I liked that you actually "reviewed" this vehicle. Very helpful. Put a cup in there etc. Others do extra long videos and not enough real life situations. Thanks
I’d like to know why there are so many used RAV4 hybrids for sale. Makes me nervous. What am I missing. We have a 2013 RAV4 and it’s been flawless but we need to make the switch. Carbon taxes are killing Canada.
I'm excited that it's actually got knobs on the audio - here in Australia, on Gen4 PRIUS, we just get a piece of glass with random buttons which are impossible to find without taking eyes off the road - it's quite poor actually. I'd prefer the way they do the HVAC with knobs/buttons - I find I use them at least a couple of times on each trip, maybe my thermostat is faulty - and I'd hate them to be just spots on a piece of glass.
Yeah, the Prime is knobless as well. And yeah, it takes some getting used to, but that extra screen space for navigation or other information is really sweet.
I have a Rav4 Hybrid AWD and it's an amazing car. I had X5 and Tiguan SUV before. The only bad things Apple car app missing, the design of the GPS and the Gps too slow.
I currently drive a Prius plug in with 160,000 miles.. it only has 12 miles of plug in range... I don't often plug it in.... A plug in Rav4 with extended plug in range would be a winner...!
Yeah, my fault. It wasn’t the mic but a setting I did in production. I was trying to reduce background noise but went too far. If YT would allow me to swap out video I would. So far, I don’t think anyone’s gone deaf so hopefully you’ll be fine.
What bothers me about this review is Tony's attitude. I'm not sure why he thinks he's an authority on automobiles, he's not. He's giving his opinion, which is great, but I could do without the superior attitude bull. I have the 2018 and I really like it, but a few things that bother me are no digital speedometer. This is one of the hardest cars to tell how fast you're going at a glance. They've got digital everything else, why not a speedometer? I also think the gearshift is old-school, and a single straight shifter would be fine with a boot. I'd even be okay with an electronic shifter like the Prius. That to me is actually simpler. Overall, I love the car. Anyway, I appreciate the review but I think less attitude in the future would be welcome. Stop coming across like you're some kind of superior person, it's a turn off Tony!
It's unfortunate that I came across that way. I've owned Toyotas for over 15 years. My involvement with Toyota the company goes beyond ownership and could not be condensed into a RUclips reply. My critiques of the RAV4 are not "holier than thou" complaints but rather things I would like to see in my wife's RAV4 Hybrid when she buys one. The larger screen comment is based on the Prius Prime, which has a large LCD screen. Toyota already knows how to make one of those and should start implementing them into other vehicles. The cupholder complaint is based on the 2004 Prius, which had a 'hidden' drawer under the center console showing that Toyota is capable of amazing space management and creative storage solutions. To go from that cool little drawer to banging the underside of the dash is a step backwards, in my opinion. It's not as though I am comparing the RAV4 to a $100,000 Land Rover; I'm comparing it to things I know Toyota can already do wishing they would do it more. In the end, thanks for watching the video and taking the time to write me a reply.
I appreciate the response Tony. You sound a lot more down to earth in your reply. I was initially turned off by you pointing, and the expression on your face. I like reviewers with a sense of humor and smile and are inviting. Not some attitude. You're a person just like the rest of us. A lot of these reviews are just information. My favorite is Alex on autos. There's a guy who thoroughly does his research, and then covers all bases by making comparisons to other vehicles. Even on the vehicles he's not crazy about he doesn't really have a condescending attitude. I suspect that Toyota could have put the climate control onto a touchscreen, but there's a lot to be said about more analog buttons. I think there's quite a bit that does get changed there too. Unless you want to leave your controls on defrost all the time or leave your controls on foot well all the time, you're changing those buttons. They've also got a built-in air filter, so that's a separate button too. FWIW, there is an aftermarket 10.1 inch screen available, and it does encompass climate control. It's not android auto, but it is android at least, and also has a canbus, so it gives you all the stock vehicle information. The cupholder thing is not really a dealbreaker for me. The one behind the shifter is fine for me, and I use the front one for my garage door opener or smart phone. I agree it could be designd better. I find the lack of a digital speedometer more annoying than the cupholder though. I'll probably mount my smart phone up on the dash with an app to display speed. Other than that I think the vehicles an absolute joy to drive, quiet, refined, smooth riding, and even the electric steering doesn't bother me. I kind of like sitting up higher, visibility is good, interior is super roomy and easy to get in and out of, seats are comfortable. Admittedly I just have the LE version, so would love to have heated seats, but wasn't worth several thousand dollars more just for that. Toyota has a whole host of safety features in the base model. I'm in Alaska so we'll see how well this does in the winter here, but I got by with the Prius for the last 15 months. Other than ground clearance it did quite well with studded snow tires. I suspect the RAV4 is going to be better than that, and I purchased a set of blizzak tires. Anyway I appreciate the response and will say I'm sorry for the harsh comment. Sometimes the way things come across on video are not really an indication of what a person is like in person. As I said you seem like a pretty down-to-earth guy to me, so appreciate the review and sorry for the harsh words Tony.
Yeah. I know. As I mentioned in another comment, the mic wasn’t working and there was road noise, I tried to use noise reduction in editing but... I think I might try again and post another version if I can get it any better. Or go with the road noise otherwise.
I traded a well loved 2012 Prius V for the a new 2018 RAV4 Hybrid a month ago. The RAV4 is a very comfortable car to drive and live with! Front cup holder is in a funky place but a large drink cup does fit and I'm glad to have the extra cupholder. My only complaint is my car didn't have a built in NAV system and instead uses an Entune app called Scout via my cellphone. My eight year old grandson could design a better navigation app. Otherwise the RAV4 is a joy!
I liked that you actually "reviewed" this vehicle. Very helpful. Put a cup in there etc. Others do extra long videos and not enough real life situations. Thanks
Thanks!
Thank you for commenting on the impractical features, such as the cup holders.
Where can i get that black strip between the taillights- it would look great on my Euro spec Excel Hybrid
I’d like to know why there are so many used RAV4 hybrids for sale. Makes me nervous. What am I missing. We have a 2013 RAV4 and it’s been flawless but we need to make the switch. Carbon taxes are killing Canada.
Absolutely do not remove the climate controls! Maybe you should grab the coffee mug from its side, not the top. Drive it hard, you will be surprised.
I agree with everything that you said in this review, except wanting to replace the physical buttons with a larger infotainment display.
Great job , Tony. Thanks. I have a 2016 version of the same vehicle.
Thanks, Al. I think I said "nice" way too much but yeah, it's really nice. The perfectionist in me is frustrated with the audio. But whatever.
I'm excited that it's actually got knobs on the audio - here in Australia, on Gen4 PRIUS, we just get a piece of glass with random buttons which are impossible to find without taking eyes off the road - it's quite poor actually.
I'd prefer the way they do the HVAC with knobs/buttons - I find I use them at least a couple of times on each trip, maybe my thermostat is faulty - and I'd hate them to be just spots on a piece of glass.
Yeah, the Prime is knobless as well. And yeah, it takes some getting used to, but that extra screen space for navigation or other information is really sweet.
I have a Rav4 Hybrid AWD and it's an amazing car. I had X5 and Tiguan SUV before. The only bad things Apple car app missing, the design of the GPS and the Gps too slow.
I have a Lexus nx hybrid. Great crossover, but a very stiff ride. I wished the nx had a softer suspension.
I wish the new Rav4 would be produced as a Plug-in Hybrid with a Lithium Ion Battery..
Yes! Yes! OMG, Yes! I've been saying that for years!
I currently drive a Prius plug in with 160,000 miles.. it only has 12 miles of plug in range... I don't often plug it in.... A plug in Rav4 with extended plug in range would be a winner...!
Greatest car of all time
I would lovew to watch the video, but the audio quality is so horrible my ears are bleeding :(
What mic do you use?
Yeah, my fault. It wasn’t the mic but a setting I did in production. I was trying to reduce background noise but went too far. If YT would allow me to swap out video I would. So far, I don’t think anyone’s gone deaf so hopefully you’ll be fine.
What bothers me about this review is Tony's attitude. I'm not sure why he thinks he's an authority on automobiles, he's not. He's giving his opinion, which is great, but I could do without the superior attitude bull. I have the 2018 and I really like it, but a few things that bother me are no digital speedometer. This is one of the hardest cars to tell how fast you're going at a glance. They've got digital everything else, why not a speedometer? I also think the gearshift is old-school, and a single straight shifter would be fine with a boot. I'd even be okay with an electronic shifter like the Prius. That to me is actually simpler. Overall, I love the car.
Anyway, I appreciate the review but I think less attitude in the future would be welcome. Stop coming across like you're some kind of superior person, it's a turn off Tony!
It's unfortunate that I came across that way. I've owned Toyotas for over 15 years. My involvement with Toyota the company goes beyond ownership and could not be condensed into a RUclips reply. My critiques of the RAV4 are not "holier than thou" complaints but rather things I would like to see in my wife's RAV4 Hybrid when she buys one.
The larger screen comment is based on the Prius Prime, which has a large LCD screen. Toyota already knows how to make one of those and should start implementing them into other vehicles. The cupholder complaint is based on the 2004 Prius, which had a 'hidden' drawer under the center console showing that Toyota is capable of amazing space management and creative storage solutions. To go from that cool little drawer to banging the underside of the dash is a step backwards, in my opinion.
It's not as though I am comparing the RAV4 to a $100,000 Land Rover; I'm comparing it to things I know Toyota can already do wishing they would do it more.
In the end, thanks for watching the video and taking the time to write me a reply.
I appreciate the response Tony. You sound a lot more down to earth in your reply. I was initially turned off by you pointing, and the expression on your face. I like reviewers with a sense of humor and smile and are inviting. Not some attitude. You're a person just like the rest of us. A lot of these reviews are just information. My favorite is Alex on autos. There's a guy who thoroughly does his research, and then covers all bases by making comparisons to other vehicles. Even on the vehicles he's not crazy about he doesn't really have a condescending attitude.
I suspect that Toyota could have put the climate control onto a touchscreen, but there's a lot to be said about more analog buttons. I think there's quite a bit that does get changed there too. Unless you want to leave your controls on defrost all the time or leave your controls on foot well all the time, you're changing those buttons. They've also got a built-in air filter, so that's a separate button too.
FWIW, there is an aftermarket 10.1 inch screen available, and it does encompass climate control. It's not android auto, but it is android at least, and also has a canbus, so it gives you all the stock vehicle information.
The cupholder thing is not really a dealbreaker for me. The one behind the shifter is fine for me, and I use the front one for my garage door opener or smart phone. I agree it could be designd better.
I find the lack of a digital speedometer more annoying than the cupholder though. I'll probably mount my smart phone up on the dash with an app to display speed.
Other than that I think the vehicles an absolute joy to drive, quiet, refined, smooth riding, and even the electric steering doesn't bother me. I kind of like sitting up higher, visibility is good, interior is super roomy and easy to get in and out of, seats are comfortable. Admittedly I just have the LE version, so would love to have heated seats, but wasn't worth several thousand dollars more just for that.
Toyota has a whole host of safety features in the base model. I'm in Alaska so we'll see how well this does in the winter here, but I got by with the Prius for the last 15 months. Other than ground clearance it did quite well with studded snow tires. I suspect the RAV4 is going to be better than that, and I purchased a set of blizzak tires.
Anyway I appreciate the response and will say I'm sorry for the harsh comment. Sometimes the way things come across on video are not really an indication of what a person is like in person. As I said you seem like a pretty down-to-earth guy to me, so appreciate the review and sorry for the harsh words Tony.
That’s an interesting thought. I’m going to figure out how to make humorous but informative reviews.
Your sound... no good!
Yeah. I know. As I mentioned in another comment, the mic wasn’t working and there was road noise, I tried to use noise reduction in editing but...
I think I might try again and post another version if I can get it any better. Or go with the road noise otherwise.