When I first started shopping for a new SUV, I drove several different makes and models. None of them really succeeded in helping me part with my money until I test drove the RAV. The vehicle construction feels solid. No 'cheap' feeling about it. There is plenty of head space and cargo space. The rear seats lay down giving me even more cargo room. It is very quick to accelerate and great on gas for an SUV of its size (27mpg minimum highway). It handles very nicely and brakes quickly, in contrast to other SUVs of its size. There are a couple 'wish I hads' with this vehicle. The less than desirable tow capacity being my main gripe: 3500lbs doesn't give me many options. I could tow a jet ski or two with it I suppose. In contrast to something like a 4Runner, this feels weak. The 4WD disengages once you hit 25mph. Enough to get you out of a hole but not good enough to make me feel safe driving in bad weather conditions. Overall, I have never been this satisfied with a vehicle before, and I have driven a lot of them. I've never had to replace anything on it (outside normal maintenance items). The negatives far outweigh positives for me. Great on gas and plenty of SUV benefits but if you want to haul toys, go with something a bit beefier.

I like my 2012 Rav4 very much. It has a third-row seating - my favorite feature. So that is great for a small family like ours when we need to fit in more persons on some occasions. Otherwise we can simply fold the third row and that gives us a ton of storage space. At its price point, the Rav4 with third row is the best SUV in the market. I remember driving over 200 miles to get delivery of this car. However, since this model is discontinued, there were only a few colors available to pick from. Also, it doesn't have a back-up camera.