I have owned this car for almost 10 years. I was a bit tentative about purchasing it, only because the spare tire is enclosed in a carrier on the outside rear of the vehicle. However, this enclosure does leave more room in the cargo area. In fact, I have two extra seats that can be used. These seats are hidden in the bottom of the cargo area, so they are always there if need be. I have learned that this car is reliable, comfortable for 5 people, and gets good gas mileage. I also appreciate how well-built my car seems to be. When the doors and trunk are shut, one hears a satisfying “thud.” I noticed that fact as soon as I bought the car. My former minivan rattled so much in comparison to this Toyota! It is not perfect, in the sense that I can now hear some rattling in the axles, but then again, it is almost 10 years old. Last year, when my son got his driver’s license for the first time, I thought that I would have to relinquish the car so that he could drive it to work and to instead. I was so relieved that he got another car instead!

RAV4 is the only compact SUV or crossover available from Toyota. In other markets, it is the crossover counterpart of the Toyota FJ Cruiser.