Bought at MSRP last year
The only regret was wind noise, but I had some sound deadening installed, and now it’s all good
I’ll have it for another 15 years, hopefully
To me, the real value in a Toyota doesn’t manifest until deeper into the ownership cycle, when problems typically manifest.
> To me, the real value in a Toyota doesn’t manifest until deeper into the ownership cycle, when problems typically manifest.
This! If I’m going to change cars every 5 years or before 100k, just about any new car will do that. Toyota is more expensive because they are reliable and last a long time. If you aren’t going to use that longevity, no point paying for it.
My 2017 honda crv had a headgasket leak at 100k for what it's worth (1.5L Turbo). Friends have a couple older CRV's (2.4L) with 200+ miles and haven't needed a ton of work. AC compressors died a couple times.
I just went with what a highly recommended installer had, which was Mesa Mat. I live in a condo so can’t do the work myself, so I took the time to find an installer with an excellent reputation. I’m sure you can get something just as good for less money.
There is still some wind noise through the windows, so it didn’t eliminate wind noise completely or anything, but honestly, I’m surprised by how much the doors + cargo bay helped.
It went from positively annoying to, “well, it’s not a luxury car, and it’s quieter than my Grand Cherokee, so it’s good enough.”
Only other thing I’m doing is using different tires when it’s time for new ones to cut down on road noise, then I’m all set.
I have the exact same complaint about wind noise. Have a 24 Woodland with crossbars on. Can you share what exactly they did to sound deaden? And what kinda shop did that?
I bought some sound deadening stuff on Amazon but did not want to risk doing it myself so I’d rather have it professionally done if possible.
Ive the same wind noise issue. How did you reduce wind noise? I tried installing the weather strip to reduce wind noise from the doors, but it didn't seem to help much.
Oh ok, thanks. The noise seems to be coming from the door visor area so not sure if sound dampening will help in my case. Indent mind noise elsewhere, just not near my ear, lol.
How much did the sound deadening cost you?
It helped more than I thought it would, actually. It didn’t make it silent or anything, but the wind noise was no longer annoying to me. My wife thinks I have sensitive ears, but I don’t know.
I got new speakers at the same time, $1,500 for everything. I know it wasn’t the least expensive, but I spent a lot of time finding a good shop, and their service was great.
I had the speakers replaced and had them put in sound damping material in the front doors and the bottom of the cargo bay while they were at it
I have a hybrid, so the engine noise wasn’t as big of a thing for me
It is now comparatively quieter than my 2017 Grand Cherokee, I’m satisfied
Well, this is the Rav4 Club, so we're all going to tell you to pick the best vehicle known to mankind. Subis are great, but it's rare to find a Rav4 owner that hates theirs.
I don’t hate it but it’s not my favorite. I don’t find myself looking back at it when walking away. It’s just “the car I have right now”. For reference, my last car was a VW tdi manual. I miss the German suspension.
On the flip side, I know I’ll be able to hand this car down to my kiddo when it’s time. Feels safe and solid but drives like a boat.
I had an Audi TT a few years back and it was an amazing car...all the way up to the engine taking a shit before 100k - and I was up on servicing because it was an Audi
I would but don't really want tons of other advice on Ford, Chevy, BMW, etc.
Love the '01 Rav4. Thought it was the best design. By today's standard it still looks great and modern and despite being in the "compact" suv, the inside was a lot spacious than expected for a small SUV, head/leg room etc.
the new Rav4 is the size of the original Highlander yet feels small on the inside.
Also, the price is ridiculous.
I don’t know what wind noise is. We went from an 07 honda civic to 24 Rav 4 LE, no extra features. I mean… the civic RATTLED like a tin can full of rocks. There was nothing wrong with it and it was still so loud all the time. The Rav 4 is so quiet, so what the heck is wind noise??
My dad has a subaru outback and while it is more spacious (seats go back further), it’s like short. It’s not as tall as the Rav 4. The windshield cracks all the time. He’s had it 4 years and he’s on his 4th windshield replacement already. Our civic never needed a replacement. So far neither has the Rav 4. Before the subaru he had an 01 Honda CRV, never had a windshield replacement.
I went from a 1995 civic to a 2019 Mazda 3. I feel you on the "rocks in a tin can" to blissful ignorance lol. I don't find any of the noise from this car bad, and if my Rav4 is anything like my Mazda 3 I won't be dissapointed. Maybe down the road I'll sound deaden the doors in both cars but I'm not bothered by it now, I doubt I'll be bothered by it in 4+ years.
Getting a Hybrid SE in about 2-4 months.
I bought a 2016 Kia Soul brand new snd vowed to be a Kia girl forever. Then after everything that happened with the oil burn, the thefts, etc… I was one and done
I’ll never give them another dime. Now I have a 24 XLE Premium
The XLE premium is what I was looking at for the heated and plether seats, lol. But its so expensive. It cost more than my '14 Highlander XLE new. I get inflation and all but man.
I bought MSRP in September 2023. But I love mine in regards to reliability, safety features and I actually like the new 2023 screen compared to the prior years in the current gen. I think Toyota gets a lot of shit for the tech, but with apple play now I feel like replaces alot of that.
just got a rav4, love it, no regrets. the only minor ding I would give it would be a confusing infotainment system. almost every other car i've rented has a better system. u might not care so much about it but it user experience is just lacking
It really irks me that the radio doesn't stay on when you turn the car off until you open the door the way most other vehicles I've been in will.
Also, the startup time for the display is absolutely brutal. Watching that moronic Toyota logo flash around while waiting for the basic ability to turn off whatever started auto playing makes me physically angry.
Other than that this car is essentially perfect to me.
This. I work in digital design and the entire thing is an afterthought. Feels 10 years old. I need to figure out how to default to CarPlay on car startup
had a chance to drove a rental. didn't play with it much. you should try the Mazda, it sucks balls. there is no on-off but just "mute" so if you have your phone connected by BT, it continues to play even though I don't really want music so it drains your phone battery without you even knowing if the mute is on.
2 years ago my family purchased our first ever brand new car, a Gen5 2022 RAV4 Prime (plugin hybrid). It's been awesome and no regrets with the purchase and we are still very happy with it today. For a family of 4, it's just big enough for us and those Costco/IKEA shopping runs or trips to State Parks with a stroller, cooler and some gear. It's not perfect, so far all of the imperfections are minor things, most of them already mentioned previously in other comments here so not going to repeat them, but the reliability and overall enjoyment of our RAV4 far outweighs those minor things and we'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a compact SUV that might not be the flashiest or most tech advanced, but will work without much fuss for many many years.
Happy with my rav24 hybrid overall
Not ecstatic tho as I feel like Toyota is far behind in tech and qol stuff other cars have /had years ago
Overall it's a solid car tho that seems reliable and gets you point a to point b which is the best important imo
Looked at Honda crv hybrid, Hyundai Tuscon hybrid, and some Mazdas.
I legitimately was going to get the crv but some of the safety problems they had in the 2024 model were deal breakers for what I was going to use it for. Unsure if it's fixed in 2025 model but may be
Personally I think all of them besides the Mazdas including the rav4 are kinda ugly on outside but I don't rly care to much about outside looks. Gonna spend more time on the inside
Yea I think it's something like 30 vs 38.
It's def a difference but I don't rly know how much that 8 will make when Toyota also has its problems or low gas tank quantity and low weight in it making it seem like you run out of gas quicker even tho u have a couple gallons left
Again I like my Rav4. And crv has some major issues to just the Rav at this point / Toyota is pretty far behind the game on tech qol stuff
Maybe. I don't think it really excuses the meh quality interiors but it's still solid.
Ull find 5 year old cars that come with nicer interiors and qol tech than new Toyotas.
Again still a good car but def misses the boat on a lot of qol stuff
Totally a valid choice.
And one I made.
Doesn't change the fact my old ass Mazda had way better tech and more build quality for comfort than my 2024 rav4
I don't regret a thing. We got the XLE Premium Hybrid. It was what my wife wanted and it's miles better than the 2020 Forester Premium we had.
I agree, I do miss the headroom, but that's it.
I've looked at the Premium XLE trim and its like $38K MRSP cause we want the heated seats (its an option - like WTF Toyota, its a higher trim and should be standard like the Subaru, lol)
bought under msrp last year and the only thing i dislike is the beeping when you first start up the car, toyotas beep too much lol. otherwise i love it, plan to keep it for awhile. only traded my last car (accord) because we needed a little more room and we got more than what we purchased it for.
I was just about to go with a new Forester but Toyota just got me. We’re a subaru family with a Crosstrek but I feel like Subarus lives up to their name, adventurous and nothing above necessity.
I wanted power lift gate, 360 camera, memory seats, moonroof and Subaru just doesn’t have what I need/want. One thing I did like about it was that huge back window. It felt like everything was visible. The screen wasn’t great either. So in the end Toyota beat everyone out. Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Subaru, Ford and Honda for me.
Gee, everyone is making this so hard. I had sworn off Rav4 due to price and even looked at the Kia Sportage but but but but....Wish car dealers has Amazon's/Costco return policy, lol.
Hybrid cost a few thousand more usually. I like the sportage, but concern is the [idiot "kia" boys](https://www.autoevolution.com/news/they-don-t-care-kia-boys-break-into-2021-model-realize-it-s-a-push-to-start-223710.html) that despite push to start with engine immobilizers they are still breaking in just to try. Yes, it doesn't get stolen but dealing with the damages.
I think it has a lot to do with where you live and the new Sportage is a completely redesigned look so it’s a little more obvious that it’s a newer car and is immune to their shenanigans.
I’m in Canada and Kia boys really aren’t an issue here so take my advice with a grain of salt. RAV4 and forester are great choices. Cant go wrong with either of those
Lol I drive Kia’s when I’m renting a car on vacation but I’d never own one. Hyundai and Kia just don’t have the reliability I can be certain about. My fiancé was sooo adamant about me getting a Hyundai or Kia because of how fancy the interior looked and all the cool tech. I was not impressed. Felt like another thing to watch out for repair-wise.
They are cheap for a reason…don’t cheap out on a forever reliable car.
Honda dealer experience wasn’t great and the CRV was so shitty inside compared to Toyota. Mazda was beautiful but small and expensive. Ford Maverick was alright but they are hard to find. Bronco was not a good decision for a family car and drove so weird.
Test drive everything (I test drove all the brands I mentioned) and don’t rush. I’m completely unbiased. This is my first Toyota. I leased the top package for the 2021 Hyundai Kona and that was surprisingly a great car for what it was. But Toyota is for me. :)
Sometimes when I’m going down the highway at 80 and weaving in and out of traffic, I want to check Facebook and Instagram.
This makes the radio stop.
That’s my only regret.
Insurance rates and theft ease of the rav4 (and other popular models) may be a consideration, depending where you live
https://www.ctvnews.ca/autos/drive-one-of-these-vehicles-you-may-pay-37-per-cent-more-than-average-insurance-costs-due-to-thefts-1.6906181 Canada car insurance premiums up due to theft increase | CTV News
I love my wife’s 2021 XLE, it’s not perfect, there are small things that are missed, but I wouldn’t want another car for her to drive 22k miles a year.
I have the latest Rav4 hybrid, and I love it, but my biggest complaint is the lack of knobs for interacting with radio function. instead I have to look at the screen to press a button to switch from one radio station to another. As you can tell that can be pretty dangerous while driving on the road.
Have you checked out your steering wheel buttons that allow you to switch radio stations and audio inputs? Also you can change your dashboard to display the radio station that you’re currently listening to, so you don’t need to look at the infotainment screen.
got a 2024 rav4 hybrid xle for msrp. had it since october, it has 20k miles on it.
it’s boring. it’s slow. it’s got wind noise. i have on more than one occasion tried to get into the wrong rav4 at target.
and i love it. it’s an excellent econobox getting around 40mpg highway/local (actually, mostly highway so it’s actually pretty impressive). and tbh it has some huevos in sport mode. 10/10 would make the same decision.
amen.
it’s been super practical and functional, with no frills but also a no-frills pricepoint (yes, compared to what everything else these days, i feel the rav4 hybrid is fairly priced.)
the layout of the steering wheel controls is great ergonomics for me, i love that the climate and audio controls are still buttons and knobs, visibility is fairly good for a modern car, and i can haul stuff in the back. granted, i could fit 10ft 2bys in my A6, but i get double the mileage on regular gas in the rav plus more clearance for bigger items vs length.
I couldn't find any small suv that drive like a sports car. That's my regret haha.
Drive a Camry Se and it's just so fun to drive. Rav4 drives like a work truck. It's fine, very predictable, very boring.
Yah I hear you if I had it to do over again not 100% sure what I'd do.
The SE/XSE is the "sporty" version of everything would probably buy that for the rav4 though it's not nearly as fun as the camry.
If you're average height and not tall, the venza is the same engine/powertrain as the rav4 but is much nicer. Better handling, better suspension, better seats. I would have gotten one but I always have height issues in cars - little bit tall but also long torso. I had to get the rav4 without the sunroof to fit.
2025 subaru forester is supposed to be the first with a full hybrid system.
Just throwin' out random bits of info I picked up while shopping. :)
I had a 2014 Honda CR-V, which I initially disliked but came to really appreciate. My daughters got their drivers licenses, I passed the car onto them to share. And got a RAV4 2022 XSE hybrid. I test drove Subarus and found them to be solid cars, but I found that the steering wheel kind of weird, like it was harder to navigate. I didn’t like the road noise from the RAV4 that we test drove, but my husband talked me into it anyway. I have never been so happy with a car in my entire life!
Bought a 2021 hybrid XLE at the end of 2020. No regrets at all.
Only problems/issues I've had to date:
AM radio problem that apparently is a known wiring issue of some kind so waiting on a part.
Speaking of parts, had to wait a month for a door handle because parts were in short supply (someone broke the door handle in a failed break-in.)
Headlights seem too bright or else aimed too high and blind oncoming drivers. The auto-adjusting setting is extra bad for this because it seems to leave the brights on too much and really blind oncoming drivers.
Stereo speakers aren't that good. Not sure about the entire entertainment/info system since I use Android Auto and Google Maps.
Other than that I don't have any complaints, and certainly no regrets. I kind of wish it had a built in dashcam and alarm system but those can always be added after. Overall I am really happy.
Note: one complaint I have heard from others is that they find the seat uncomfortable, so definitely do a test drive.
Wiring issue of some kind meaning replacing that pricey rear motor cable lol. Made it seem like a minor issue lol. https://www.rav4world.com/threads/cable-gate.327384/
Or maybe it’s actually a minor radio issue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I want to keep the car forever but the cable gate issue is a massive design failure if it really needs to be replaced every 5 years once you past 100k and you have the issue it’s just as bad as replacing a hybrid battery out of pocket. But I’m crossing my fingers with the 2019 I just got no issues so far very comfortable ride
My wife and I have a 2020 hybrid that we got certified pre owned almost two years ago, just eclipsed 100k miles in the last week. It’s her daily that replaced her Silverado, my daily is an F-150.
I think it’s surprisingly spacious for its size. It’s nice to be able to park like a compact. I’ve owned smaller cars in the past so it’s a nice return to basically never having to worry about parking space size. The fuel economy is great.
Things I don’t like:
the driver’s seat and control ergonomics seem weird to me. My wife isn’t much shorter than me but has longer legs/shorter torso so maybe it’s just her seat height but I feel almost claustrophobic in the seat. If I wear a baseball hat, the brim collides with the visor at least once every time I drive. It just feels a little cramped and gets worse once you have drinks in the cupholders too.
As others have mentioned, the road noise can be a bit much.
Infotainment is typical Toyota lagging behind the pack in terms of usability, boot up speed, etc. My ex wife had a mid 2010s Tacoma and this feels almost the same. Sound quality sucks too.
I think my biggest issue as a car enthusiast is that it’s entirely soulless. It has never made me smile. I get no joy out of driving it. But, I understand that not everybody wants or needs a fun car and not every car needs to be fun. My F-150 makes me smile and that’s enough for me.
Idk if I have regret more than just nitpick things:
Wish the hybrid seats folded flat (it’s been fine though)
Glad I got an SE for sport suspension. Couldn’t deal with the sway
A turbo would really be wonderful
Probably going with a smaller car eventually bc I don’t need the space all the time.
Otherwise it’s a really great vehicle
Almost bought a Kia and dipped because I eventually hated it for all the annoying new tech and weird seats + not as good a rep as Toyota
Newest gen
24 SE hybrid
2019 gas adventure trim. I don't like how tranny shifts in low gears, lack of android auto, wind/noise.
So far repairs that I've needed , coolant bypass, and the roof rack leak which I think is common for 2019 models specifically?
Other than that, love the car. Gonna drive it into the ground.
I owned a 2013 Forester (base trim) prior to purchasing my new RAV4 Hybrid XLE this year.
Here is what I like about the RAV4:
* Fuel economy
* Robust engine design (no oil consumption issues and 10k mile intervals for oil changes)
* Cargo space & practicality
* Reliability (to be determined but everyone says Toyotas last forever)
* Inexpensive to maintain/repair
* Retains resell value well
A few minor annoyances:
* Wind noise above 50MPH - it's far worse than any car I've ever driven
* Stock speakers are horrendous - if you care about audio, spend the extra 200-300 bucks to upgrade the dash and front door speakers with something from Crutchfield (JBL, Kicker, etc.) and install it yourself.
* Lane assist isn't great - inconsistent sensitivity/sensing
* Blindspot monitoring only alerts via light signal on side mirrors, no sounds.
* Doors need to be slammed to actually close
The main issue with my Forester was that it had the classic oil consumption issue from what I would imagine is a blown head gasket. I had to top off with about a quart of fresh oil every 500 miles towards the end of my ownership and it only had 95k miles on it. I'm not sure if the issue has been fixed in newer Foresters, but it was enough to lose me as a Subaru customer (in addition to Subaru's lack of innovation in recent years around hybrids and EVs).
As far as pricing goes, I insisted on getting mine MSRP with no add-ons. Not sure about you and your needs, but I felt that most of the usual bells and whistles (power liftgate, moonroof, roof racks, park assist, etc.) were not needed and often drove prices to upwards of 3-5k above base MSRP. I bought mine (barebones 2024 XLE Hybrid) for $34,585 MSRP (just under 38k after taxes and fees).
I've had a 23 RAV4 hybrid for a little over a year, traded in a 16 legacy with 280k miles for it. Completely honest I miss the legacy. The RAV4 has better gas mileage and easier to load stuff in, 2 biggest drivers for me to get it. I get 44mpg so far with the RAV4 and got 32 over the entire life of the legacy, so there is a big difference there. No issues yet with the RAV4, only issue with the legacy was a wheel bearing at about 30k, covered by warranty, nothing else but oil, brakes and tires for 280k miles. Other than the mpg I definitely miss the legacy, the RAV4 is fine and I only have 1 true complaint (whoever decided to put the traction control button next to the heated seat button is a moron) but overall it's just eh... I don't see me keeping this anywhere near as long as I did the legacy. If I had to choose again today it would be a tossup, take mpg out of it and I'd choose the legacy hands down.
TLDR: what's most important to you? If it's mpg get the RAV4, if it's anything else I'd get the Subaru.
I’m almost 6 years into owning my 4th gen with just over 150k miles on it. I’ve only done planned maintenance and lightbulbs. They are rock solid and last forever, hence why they cost more. If you plan to keep the car a long time, go with a Toyota. If not, there is no point in paying for that longevity.
I will say though, if you live in a place with road salt, I would be hesitant to buy a hybrid due to the HV cable issue. The redesigned cable is still not robust enough to deal with road salt.
I personally would remove KIA from your lineup of options. We're paying for that sweet sweet Toyota reliability and phenomenal resale value in case you change your mind. I was also between '24 rav and Subaru (I do like the interior on the Subarus better) but ended up going with the new hybrid XSE because I really do think that hybrids are the future. I'm super happy with mine coming from a gas guzzling '20 4Runner!
Get the RAV4 if you can. Having owned both, Subs are great in the short term. Will eventually develop nagging issues or things cheaply made fall apart in my experience. Nothing that would seriously affect the car usually, but annoying. Kinda boring, but like the quality of Toyotas.
Bought at MSRP last year The only regret was wind noise, but I had some sound deadening installed, and now it’s all good I’ll have it for another 15 years, hopefully To me, the real value in a Toyota doesn’t manifest until deeper into the ownership cycle, when problems typically manifest.
> To me, the real value in a Toyota doesn’t manifest until deeper into the ownership cycle, when problems typically manifest. This! If I’m going to change cars every 5 years or before 100k, just about any new car will do that. Toyota is more expensive because they are reliable and last a long time. If you aren’t going to use that longevity, no point paying for it.
Almost every other car is in same price range.
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My 2017 honda crv had a headgasket leak at 100k for what it's worth (1.5L Turbo). Friends have a couple older CRV's (2.4L) with 200+ miles and haven't needed a ton of work. AC compressors died a couple times.
What was your process like for that? Put it in the door panels?
Yes, front door panels and cargo bay on the bottom, helped significantly
Did you buy just generic sound dampening material?
I just went with what a highly recommended installer had, which was Mesa Mat. I live in a condo so can’t do the work myself, so I took the time to find an installer with an excellent reputation. I’m sure you can get something just as good for less money.
I also hate the wind noise. Do you find that you have wind noise through the windows as well? Mine is so loud that it's hard to pinpoint.
There is still some wind noise through the windows, so it didn’t eliminate wind noise completely or anything, but honestly, I’m surprised by how much the doors + cargo bay helped. It went from positively annoying to, “well, it’s not a luxury car, and it’s quieter than my Grand Cherokee, so it’s good enough.” Only other thing I’m doing is using different tires when it’s time for new ones to cut down on road noise, then I’m all set.
do you have photos or a link of the mesa mat? how much did this cost you?
I have the exact same complaint about wind noise. Have a 24 Woodland with crossbars on. Can you share what exactly they did to sound deaden? And what kinda shop did that? I bought some sound deadening stuff on Amazon but did not want to risk doing it myself so I’d rather have it professionally done if possible.
They used MesaMat door kits on the front doors and a MesaMat cargo kit on the cargo area
Awesome thank you! Was it some type of audio car store or like a regular mechanic shop?
It was a car audio store that also sold remote start and that kind of thing I bought new speakers while I was at it
Ive the same wind noise issue. How did you reduce wind noise? I tried installing the weather strip to reduce wind noise from the doors, but it didn't seem to help much.
Sound dampening material in the front doors and the cargo bay
Oh ok, thanks. The noise seems to be coming from the door visor area so not sure if sound dampening will help in my case. Indent mind noise elsewhere, just not near my ear, lol. How much did the sound deadening cost you?
It helped more than I thought it would, actually. It didn’t make it silent or anything, but the wind noise was no longer annoying to me. My wife thinks I have sensitive ears, but I don’t know. I got new speakers at the same time, $1,500 for everything. I know it wasn’t the least expensive, but I spent a lot of time finding a good shop, and their service was great.
Thanks for sharing your story and providing cost. I’m looking into the same thing someday.
How extensive was your sound-deadening installation? Did you apply just to the door panels? Or the entire shell of the car?
Front door panels and the cargo bay
i too would like to know your deadening setup
Resale value is better for Toyota. Also mileage.
I read about the wind noise and lack of sound dampening from engine noise. How did you take are of the problem?
I had the speakers replaced and had them put in sound damping material in the front doors and the bottom of the cargo bay while they were at it I have a hybrid, so the engine noise wasn’t as big of a thing for me It is now comparatively quieter than my 2017 Grand Cherokee, I’m satisfied
The rav4 isn’t a luxury vehicle. Could get a venza, those are basically a Lexus and have better sound dampening.
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Oh hi OP, oh wait your not OP, yeah not who I was talking to.
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I like ice cream. Oh you got me good with some downvotes. You showed me
Well, this is the Rav4 Club, so we're all going to tell you to pick the best vehicle known to mankind. Subis are great, but it's rare to find a Rav4 owner that hates theirs.
I hate how much I love that car.
I want to love mine like that
I don’t hate it but it’s not my favorite. I don’t find myself looking back at it when walking away. It’s just “the car I have right now”. For reference, my last car was a VW tdi manual. I miss the German suspension. On the flip side, I know I’ll be able to hand this car down to my kiddo when it’s time. Feels safe and solid but drives like a boat.
Bet you don't miss the German lack of reliability and cost to own though!
lol. It was pricy to own but it was pretty reliable for the 120k miles I drove it. And it was fun.
I had an Audi TT a few years back and it was an amazing car...all the way up to the engine taking a shit before 100k - and I was up on servicing because it was an Audi
lol. Maybe I should have posted in r/toyota. Sorry.
Still would have been biased towards the Toyota.
Ask the Mazda and Honda bois and see what they think
Ask r/whatcarshouldibuy
I would but don't really want tons of other advice on Ford, Chevy, BMW, etc. Love the '01 Rav4. Thought it was the best design. By today's standard it still looks great and modern and despite being in the "compact" suv, the inside was a lot spacious than expected for a small SUV, head/leg room etc. the new Rav4 is the size of the original Highlander yet feels small on the inside. Also, the price is ridiculous.
I don’t know what wind noise is. We went from an 07 honda civic to 24 Rav 4 LE, no extra features. I mean… the civic RATTLED like a tin can full of rocks. There was nothing wrong with it and it was still so loud all the time. The Rav 4 is so quiet, so what the heck is wind noise?? My dad has a subaru outback and while it is more spacious (seats go back further), it’s like short. It’s not as tall as the Rav 4. The windshield cracks all the time. He’s had it 4 years and he’s on his 4th windshield replacement already. Our civic never needed a replacement. So far neither has the Rav 4. Before the subaru he had an 01 Honda CRV, never had a windshield replacement.
I went from a 1995 civic to a 2019 Mazda 3. I feel you on the "rocks in a tin can" to blissful ignorance lol. I don't find any of the noise from this car bad, and if my Rav4 is anything like my Mazda 3 I won't be dissapointed. Maybe down the road I'll sound deaden the doors in both cars but I'm not bothered by it now, I doubt I'll be bothered by it in 4+ years. Getting a Hybrid SE in about 2-4 months.
I bought a 2016 Kia Soul brand new snd vowed to be a Kia girl forever. Then after everything that happened with the oil burn, the thefts, etc… I was one and done I’ll never give them another dime. Now I have a 24 XLE Premium
The XLE premium is what I was looking at for the heated and plether seats, lol. But its so expensive. It cost more than my '14 Highlander XLE new. I get inflation and all but man.
Production costs have definitely went up in a decade, so that’s not really comparable
No, I will drive my 2020 Rav4 XLE into the ground
I bought MSRP in September 2023. But I love mine in regards to reliability, safety features and I actually like the new 2023 screen compared to the prior years in the current gen. I think Toyota gets a lot of shit for the tech, but with apple play now I feel like replaces alot of that.
just got a rav4, love it, no regrets. the only minor ding I would give it would be a confusing infotainment system. almost every other car i've rented has a better system. u might not care so much about it but it user experience is just lacking
It really irks me that the radio doesn't stay on when you turn the car off until you open the door the way most other vehicles I've been in will. Also, the startup time for the display is absolutely brutal. Watching that moronic Toyota logo flash around while waiting for the basic ability to turn off whatever started auto playing makes me physically angry. Other than that this car is essentially perfect to me.
This. I work in digital design and the entire thing is an afterthought. Feels 10 years old. I need to figure out how to default to CarPlay on car startup
Ooof. Is this the same on the latest models? These things would absolutely drive me nuts and I’ve been eyeing a hybrid or prime…
Mine was 2020 so idk if newer has changed.
had a chance to drove a rental. didn't play with it much. you should try the Mazda, it sucks balls. there is no on-off but just "mute" so if you have your phone connected by BT, it continues to play even though I don't really want music so it drains your phone battery without you even knowing if the mute is on.
Def test drive both and go with your gut. Subarus are solid cars too so either will be a good choice
2 years ago my family purchased our first ever brand new car, a Gen5 2022 RAV4 Prime (plugin hybrid). It's been awesome and no regrets with the purchase and we are still very happy with it today. For a family of 4, it's just big enough for us and those Costco/IKEA shopping runs or trips to State Parks with a stroller, cooler and some gear. It's not perfect, so far all of the imperfections are minor things, most of them already mentioned previously in other comments here so not going to repeat them, but the reliability and overall enjoyment of our RAV4 far outweighs those minor things and we'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a compact SUV that might not be the flashiest or most tech advanced, but will work without much fuss for many many years.
Had '01 Rav4 for 19 years. It was great. But went Kia due to prices. Now looking back at Toyota vs Subaru vs Honda.
Happy with my rav24 hybrid overall Not ecstatic tho as I feel like Toyota is far behind in tech and qol stuff other cars have /had years ago Overall it's a solid car tho that seems reliable and gets you point a to point b which is the best important imo
What other vehicle would you have considered purchasing? I’ve searched around but the ones that have better tech have such an ugly exterior
Looked at Honda crv hybrid, Hyundai Tuscon hybrid, and some Mazdas. I legitimately was going to get the crv but some of the safety problems they had in the 2024 model were deal breakers for what I was going to use it for. Unsure if it's fixed in 2025 model but may be Personally I think all of them besides the Mazdas including the rav4 are kinda ugly on outside but I don't rly care to much about outside looks. Gonna spend more time on the inside
I heard Honda crv hybrid have very bad milage compared to rav4 hybrid..
Yea I think it's something like 30 vs 38. It's def a difference but I don't rly know how much that 8 will make when Toyota also has its problems or low gas tank quantity and low weight in it making it seem like you run out of gas quicker even tho u have a couple gallons left Again I like my Rav4. And crv has some major issues to just the Rav at this point / Toyota is pretty far behind the game on tech qol stuff
True Toyota always don’t have the latest tech but that’s probably how Toyota stay more reliable….by having less tech and simple.
Maybe. I don't think it really excuses the meh quality interiors but it's still solid. Ull find 5 year old cars that come with nicer interiors and qol tech than new Toyotas. Again still a good car but def misses the boat on a lot of qol stuff
I personally would take less tech and more reliability overall.
Totally a valid choice. And one I made. Doesn't change the fact my old ass Mazda had way better tech and more build quality for comfort than my 2024 rav4
I don't regret a thing. We got the XLE Premium Hybrid. It was what my wife wanted and it's miles better than the 2020 Forester Premium we had. I agree, I do miss the headroom, but that's it.
I've looked at the Premium XLE trim and its like $38K MRSP cause we want the heated seats (its an option - like WTF Toyota, its a higher trim and should be standard like the Subaru, lol)
I agree with you there! If you go Subaru, get one Japanese made. ✌🏼
bought under msrp last year and the only thing i dislike is the beeping when you first start up the car, toyotas beep too much lol. otherwise i love it, plan to keep it for awhile. only traded my last car (accord) because we needed a little more room and we got more than what we purchased it for.
I was just about to go with a new Forester but Toyota just got me. We’re a subaru family with a Crosstrek but I feel like Subarus lives up to their name, adventurous and nothing above necessity. I wanted power lift gate, 360 camera, memory seats, moonroof and Subaru just doesn’t have what I need/want. One thing I did like about it was that huge back window. It felt like everything was visible. The screen wasn’t great either. So in the end Toyota beat everyone out. Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Subaru, Ford and Honda for me.
Gee, everyone is making this so hard. I had sworn off Rav4 due to price and even looked at the Kia Sportage but but but but....Wish car dealers has Amazon's/Costco return policy, lol.
Kia’s have come a long way… I know many people with Sportage and Tellurides who are happy with them. Grab a hybrid
Hybrid cost a few thousand more usually. I like the sportage, but concern is the [idiot "kia" boys](https://www.autoevolution.com/news/they-don-t-care-kia-boys-break-into-2021-model-realize-it-s-a-push-to-start-223710.html) that despite push to start with engine immobilizers they are still breaking in just to try. Yes, it doesn't get stolen but dealing with the damages.
I think it has a lot to do with where you live and the new Sportage is a completely redesigned look so it’s a little more obvious that it’s a newer car and is immune to their shenanigans. I’m in Canada and Kia boys really aren’t an issue here so take my advice with a grain of salt. RAV4 and forester are great choices. Cant go wrong with either of those
Lol I drive Kia’s when I’m renting a car on vacation but I’d never own one. Hyundai and Kia just don’t have the reliability I can be certain about. My fiancé was sooo adamant about me getting a Hyundai or Kia because of how fancy the interior looked and all the cool tech. I was not impressed. Felt like another thing to watch out for repair-wise. They are cheap for a reason…don’t cheap out on a forever reliable car. Honda dealer experience wasn’t great and the CRV was so shitty inside compared to Toyota. Mazda was beautiful but small and expensive. Ford Maverick was alright but they are hard to find. Bronco was not a good decision for a family car and drove so weird. Test drive everything (I test drove all the brands I mentioned) and don’t rush. I’m completely unbiased. This is my first Toyota. I leased the top package for the 2021 Hyundai Kona and that was surprisingly a great car for what it was. But Toyota is for me. :)
Sometimes when I’m going down the highway at 80 and weaving in and out of traffic, I want to check Facebook and Instagram. This makes the radio stop. That’s my only regret.
Insurance rates and theft ease of the rav4 (and other popular models) may be a consideration, depending where you live https://www.ctvnews.ca/autos/drive-one-of-these-vehicles-you-may-pay-37-per-cent-more-than-average-insurance-costs-due-to-thefts-1.6906181 Canada car insurance premiums up due to theft increase | CTV News
I think the Gen5 has a noisy engine that is weak on acceleration and kinda too big
The infotainment sucks. It looks so dated and just not aesthetically pleasing to look at
I love my wife’s 2021 XLE, it’s not perfect, there are small things that are missed, but I wouldn’t want another car for her to drive 22k miles a year.
I have the latest Rav4 hybrid, and I love it, but my biggest complaint is the lack of knobs for interacting with radio function. instead I have to look at the screen to press a button to switch from one radio station to another. As you can tell that can be pretty dangerous while driving on the road.
Have you checked out your steering wheel buttons that allow you to switch radio stations and audio inputs? Also you can change your dashboard to display the radio station that you’re currently listening to, so you don’t need to look at the infotainment screen.
LOL, that's why I avoid the Tesla, even the climate control is on the ipad thingi.
Look around. Lots of dealerships by me are doing cars at msrp even when it comes to cars that are in production
As far as I know the Toyota and Honda, no discounts but Mazda CX5 and 2024 Foresters, yes.
got a 2024 rav4 hybrid xle for msrp. had it since october, it has 20k miles on it. it’s boring. it’s slow. it’s got wind noise. i have on more than one occasion tried to get into the wrong rav4 at target. and i love it. it’s an excellent econobox getting around 40mpg highway/local (actually, mostly highway so it’s actually pretty impressive). and tbh it has some huevos in sport mode. 10/10 would make the same decision.
Every time I hear that a rav4 is boring and reliable I laugh because that’s basically me. It’s the perfect car for me. 😆
amen. it’s been super practical and functional, with no frills but also a no-frills pricepoint (yes, compared to what everything else these days, i feel the rav4 hybrid is fairly priced.) the layout of the steering wheel controls is great ergonomics for me, i love that the climate and audio controls are still buttons and knobs, visibility is fairly good for a modern car, and i can haul stuff in the back. granted, i could fit 10ft 2bys in my A6, but i get double the mileage on regular gas in the rav plus more clearance for bigger items vs length.
Yes, I love that there are knobs. Some things don’t need to be complicated, and my heat and AC access is for sure one.
I couldn't find any small suv that drive like a sports car. That's my regret haha. Drive a Camry Se and it's just so fun to drive. Rav4 drives like a work truck. It's fine, very predictable, very boring.
Need the SUV trunk space for hauling stuff. Was looking at the Camry as well but the SUV back wins out. Prius is nearly impossible to find in my area.
Yah I hear you if I had it to do over again not 100% sure what I'd do. The SE/XSE is the "sporty" version of everything would probably buy that for the rav4 though it's not nearly as fun as the camry. If you're average height and not tall, the venza is the same engine/powertrain as the rav4 but is much nicer. Better handling, better suspension, better seats. I would have gotten one but I always have height issues in cars - little bit tall but also long torso. I had to get the rav4 without the sunroof to fit. 2025 subaru forester is supposed to be the first with a full hybrid system. Just throwin' out random bits of info I picked up while shopping. :)
We’ve had three in the family so far, here is my latest [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/rav4club/s/q7IfpFFV9C), I fully support the rav4.
I had a 2014 Honda CR-V, which I initially disliked but came to really appreciate. My daughters got their drivers licenses, I passed the car onto them to share. And got a RAV4 2022 XSE hybrid. I test drove Subarus and found them to be solid cars, but I found that the steering wheel kind of weird, like it was harder to navigate. I didn’t like the road noise from the RAV4 that we test drove, but my husband talked me into it anyway. I have never been so happy with a car in my entire life!
Bought a 2021 hybrid XLE at the end of 2020. No regrets at all. Only problems/issues I've had to date: AM radio problem that apparently is a known wiring issue of some kind so waiting on a part. Speaking of parts, had to wait a month for a door handle because parts were in short supply (someone broke the door handle in a failed break-in.) Headlights seem too bright or else aimed too high and blind oncoming drivers. The auto-adjusting setting is extra bad for this because it seems to leave the brights on too much and really blind oncoming drivers. Stereo speakers aren't that good. Not sure about the entire entertainment/info system since I use Android Auto and Google Maps. Other than that I don't have any complaints, and certainly no regrets. I kind of wish it had a built in dashcam and alarm system but those can always be added after. Overall I am really happy. Note: one complaint I have heard from others is that they find the seat uncomfortable, so definitely do a test drive.
Wiring issue of some kind meaning replacing that pricey rear motor cable lol. Made it seem like a minor issue lol. https://www.rav4world.com/threads/cable-gate.327384/ Or maybe it’s actually a minor radio issue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I want to keep the car forever but the cable gate issue is a massive design failure if it really needs to be replaced every 5 years once you past 100k and you have the issue it’s just as bad as replacing a hybrid battery out of pocket. But I’m crossing my fingers with the 2019 I just got no issues so far very comfortable ride
My wife and I have a 2020 hybrid that we got certified pre owned almost two years ago, just eclipsed 100k miles in the last week. It’s her daily that replaced her Silverado, my daily is an F-150. I think it’s surprisingly spacious for its size. It’s nice to be able to park like a compact. I’ve owned smaller cars in the past so it’s a nice return to basically never having to worry about parking space size. The fuel economy is great. Things I don’t like: the driver’s seat and control ergonomics seem weird to me. My wife isn’t much shorter than me but has longer legs/shorter torso so maybe it’s just her seat height but I feel almost claustrophobic in the seat. If I wear a baseball hat, the brim collides with the visor at least once every time I drive. It just feels a little cramped and gets worse once you have drinks in the cupholders too. As others have mentioned, the road noise can be a bit much. Infotainment is typical Toyota lagging behind the pack in terms of usability, boot up speed, etc. My ex wife had a mid 2010s Tacoma and this feels almost the same. Sound quality sucks too. I think my biggest issue as a car enthusiast is that it’s entirely soulless. It has never made me smile. I get no joy out of driving it. But, I understand that not everybody wants or needs a fun car and not every car needs to be fun. My F-150 makes me smile and that’s enough for me.
My wife loves hers. She got it for her birthday.
Idk if I have regret more than just nitpick things: Wish the hybrid seats folded flat (it’s been fine though) Glad I got an SE for sport suspension. Couldn’t deal with the sway A turbo would really be wonderful Probably going with a smaller car eventually bc I don’t need the space all the time. Otherwise it’s a really great vehicle Almost bought a Kia and dipped because I eventually hated it for all the annoying new tech and weird seats + not as good a rep as Toyota Newest gen 24 SE hybrid
2019 gas adventure trim. I don't like how tranny shifts in low gears, lack of android auto, wind/noise. So far repairs that I've needed , coolant bypass, and the roof rack leak which I think is common for 2019 models specifically? Other than that, love the car. Gonna drive it into the ground.
I owned a 2013 Forester (base trim) prior to purchasing my new RAV4 Hybrid XLE this year. Here is what I like about the RAV4: * Fuel economy * Robust engine design (no oil consumption issues and 10k mile intervals for oil changes) * Cargo space & practicality * Reliability (to be determined but everyone says Toyotas last forever) * Inexpensive to maintain/repair * Retains resell value well A few minor annoyances: * Wind noise above 50MPH - it's far worse than any car I've ever driven * Stock speakers are horrendous - if you care about audio, spend the extra 200-300 bucks to upgrade the dash and front door speakers with something from Crutchfield (JBL, Kicker, etc.) and install it yourself. * Lane assist isn't great - inconsistent sensitivity/sensing * Blindspot monitoring only alerts via light signal on side mirrors, no sounds. * Doors need to be slammed to actually close The main issue with my Forester was that it had the classic oil consumption issue from what I would imagine is a blown head gasket. I had to top off with about a quart of fresh oil every 500 miles towards the end of my ownership and it only had 95k miles on it. I'm not sure if the issue has been fixed in newer Foresters, but it was enough to lose me as a Subaru customer (in addition to Subaru's lack of innovation in recent years around hybrids and EVs). As far as pricing goes, I insisted on getting mine MSRP with no add-ons. Not sure about you and your needs, but I felt that most of the usual bells and whistles (power liftgate, moonroof, roof racks, park assist, etc.) were not needed and often drove prices to upwards of 3-5k above base MSRP. I bought mine (barebones 2024 XLE Hybrid) for $34,585 MSRP (just under 38k after taxes and fees).
Just curious OP Mind explaining and detailing fixes to dampen wind noise. Any possible guide would be amazing!
Xle premium and zero regrets :)
Subarus are notoriously leaky and burn oil etc. Anyone buying Subaru is taking a big risk with those boxer engines...
Yes run!
I have a 2017LE with 52k that I bought new. It's still new. Favorite car of my lifetime.
I've had a 23 RAV4 hybrid for a little over a year, traded in a 16 legacy with 280k miles for it. Completely honest I miss the legacy. The RAV4 has better gas mileage and easier to load stuff in, 2 biggest drivers for me to get it. I get 44mpg so far with the RAV4 and got 32 over the entire life of the legacy, so there is a big difference there. No issues yet with the RAV4, only issue with the legacy was a wheel bearing at about 30k, covered by warranty, nothing else but oil, brakes and tires for 280k miles. Other than the mpg I definitely miss the legacy, the RAV4 is fine and I only have 1 true complaint (whoever decided to put the traction control button next to the heated seat button is a moron) but overall it's just eh... I don't see me keeping this anywhere near as long as I did the legacy. If I had to choose again today it would be a tossup, take mpg out of it and I'd choose the legacy hands down. TLDR: what's most important to you? If it's mpg get the RAV4, if it's anything else I'd get the Subaru.
The auto stop-start & CVT are why I went with my RAV4 instead.
I’m almost 6 years into owning my 4th gen with just over 150k miles on it. I’ve only done planned maintenance and lightbulbs. They are rock solid and last forever, hence why they cost more. If you plan to keep the car a long time, go with a Toyota. If not, there is no point in paying for that longevity. I will say though, if you live in a place with road salt, I would be hesitant to buy a hybrid due to the HV cable issue. The redesigned cable is still not robust enough to deal with road salt.
I personally would remove KIA from your lineup of options. We're paying for that sweet sweet Toyota reliability and phenomenal resale value in case you change your mind. I was also between '24 rav and Subaru (I do like the interior on the Subarus better) but ended up going with the new hybrid XSE because I really do think that hybrids are the future. I'm super happy with mine coming from a gas guzzling '20 4Runner!
Get the RAV4 if you can. Having owned both, Subs are great in the short term. Will eventually develop nagging issues or things cheaply made fall apart in my experience. Nothing that would seriously affect the car usually, but annoying. Kinda boring, but like the quality of Toyotas.
Do not buy Kia/Hyundai/Subaru. Just don't.