The 2014 Toyota Rav4 Does What It Does Best

Anyone familiar with the Toyota Rav4 knows what it stands for. This compact SUV is built to be an affordable utility vehicle, and many people decide it’s the perfect size and power for their purposes. The 2014 Rav4 features much of the same design that made it so popular, but it has plenty of refinements that make it worth checking out as well.

Practical

The 2014 Rav4 remains just as practical as its predecessors. Sure it is a little larger, but it’s still affordable, and efficient in its performance. You won’t find an oversized engine under the hood of this SUV and acceleration isn’t anything remarkable with 0-60 taking just under 10 seconds to achieve, but the vehicle is still enjoyable to drive. There is plenty of space for a family of 4 to sit comfortably. There is plenty of storage room as well, making it perfectly possible to store all the luggage for a family camping trip with ease.

Performance

The Rav4’s performance isn’t going to take your breath away but it’s enjoyable. The acceleration is

smooth and even and not overly sluggish. The handling is comfortable and responsive. Unlike many trucks and SUVs out there the Rav4 focuses on cabin comfort and noise levels extensively. There is a dual setting automatic climate control system making it easy to keep each section of the vehicle the temperature that you want. The inside of this vehicle is whisper quiet and rides very smoothly on rough or uneven roads.

If you need a vehicle that is good in both nice and poor driving conditions this SUV is ideal. The available AWD makes this vehicle even more adept on snowy or icy roads and you don’t have to worry about losing grip in even the harshest of conditions.

Reliable

It’s impossible to predict how reliable the latest batch of Rav4’s will be, but if the past is any indicator consumers will have nothing to worry about. Most consumers rated older models of the Rav4 as very reliable and many have stated owning their vehicle for five or six years without any serious issues to worry about.

Toyota is well-known for building reliable vehicles and the Rav4 is certainly no exception to this rule. Many compact SUV owners will switch to this vehicle to improve the reliability for what is probably a daily driver.

If you decide that you want a practical commuter with the space to hold your family comfortably, good handling and a great record of past reliability the 2014 Rav4 is a good option. It isn’t particularly flashy, but it is very affordable for what you get.

Toyota Makes Zero (emissions)

The 2014 Toyota Rav4 EV

The new 2014 Toyota Rav4 EV was shown off at the Maker Faire, and it shows what exactly is possible with a lot of engineering and time to make things right.

This vehicle is oozing with commuting potential, and when you look under the hood it becomes apparent how efficient this little vehicle is when you are given access to the simplicity underneath, compared to a normal fuel-driven vehicle.

Benefits of the Rav4 EV

Toyota engineers had two years to retrofit an existing Rav4 with an all-electric system and they succeeded through the challenges creating a vehicle that comes with quite a few benefits. First of all it produces little to no pollution while running because it isn't burning fuel, sure it consumes electricity that is sometimes created by burning fuel, but it is more efficient which causes less emissions to be released into the atmosphere.

This vehicle is also much more affordable to operate because electricity is cheaper than gasoline is. You simply charge it up at home, or a charging station and then take the short trip around town while enjoying the fact that you didn't pay for a drop of gasoline to do it. Compared to other EV's on the market, the Rav4 is also quite spacious and it can easily cart around a family of 5 to their local destination.

The Downfalls

There are two major downfalls with this vehicle as well, and they are what will stop many people from picking them up. The first is that the range is 100 miles, which keeps many local destinations within reach, but you won't be taking a roadtrip in this EV anytime soon unless you are willing to track down charge stations and take significant breaks ever 100 miles. The other downfall is the charging process, which can take a few hours to complete. This is a major setback to the vehicle, but when used for local commuting it really isn't much of an issue.

Engineered for Distance

Even though the Rav4 is quite large it achieves its impressive range thanks to advanced engineering efforts. The shape of the vehicle, along with the long rear spoiler, and the special side-view mirrors cut the drag coefficient down to .30 which is lower than any other SUV in the world.

This vehicle will be an excellent option for those looking to lower commute costs, it will take some time before EV's are replacing fuel-driven vehicles for long-distance traveling.