Overall the RAV4 has been a great car. I bought it before I had children, and it was great for going to work, traveling out of state to visit family, etc. Now that we have two small children, our needs have changed, but the RAV4 has maintain its usefulness. It has been great with two car seats, a trunk full of kid-related gear, etc. So it has turned out to be very versatile, which has been great for our changing needs. It also has been super reliable, needing little more than standard maintenance (with 175,000 miles on it).

The main use of my vehicle is to drive to and from work. It gets pretty good gas mileage, although I'd like it to have a little larger gas tank so I don't need to fill up as often. It has a decent amount of power and great handling for driving on our winding, hilly roads. There is an Eco option that helps with gas mileage on the highway and a Sport option for when I'm out on the unpaved mountain roads. My interior is cloth and a light color. I'd prefer leather and darker colors as I have kids and a dog, but so far it's held up well. The vehicle came equipped with XM Radio, but service goes in and out far more often than in my other vehicle. It is also equipped with navigation, which is quite convenient. It provides a smooth ride and I've had no mechanical issues yet, despite having put on quite a few miles in a short amount of time. I also have plenty of room in the back for two hockey bags - if I'm taking the kids to practice or a game - or for the dog's crate so she can ride safely. We've been surprised at the amount of stuff we can cram into the vehicle.