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 Corolla vs Ford Focus

Toyota Corolla vs Ford Focus

When you are looking at a midsized car you are probably thinking about the extra space to get your children around town, more than you are the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, but fuel efficiency still matters.

When you examine the fuel efficiency of a vehicle, it is very important to look at the trend that the manufacturer is going in for that specific model. In this test study I've taken information from an automatic 4-cylinder Toyota Corolla, and an automatic 4-cylinder Ford Focus and compared their fuel efficiency over the last five years.

Corolla - 4 Cylinders (Automatic)

2009 - 27/35

2010 - 26/34

2011 - 26/34

2012 - 26/34

2013 - 27/34

The Toyota Corolla starts out well ahead of the Ford Focus in 2009 and they remain in the lead up until 2012, but there is actually a negative trend where the fuel efficiency decreases over that time, when they start to focus on adding more power to the vehicle.

Focus - 4 Cylinders (Automatic)

2009 - 24/33

2010 - 24/34

2011 - 25/34

2012 - 27/37

2013 - 27/38

The Ford Focus starts out behind the Corolla and it would have made more sense to purchase the Corolla in 2009 than it would have the Focus if you are concerned about fuel efficiency alone, but the Focus makes some dramatic improvements over the next five years, steadily improving the fuel efficiency until they surpassed the Corolla.

If you are interested in power you may want to look at the Corolla over the Focus, but the Focus gets better fuel efficiency. Only time will tell if the next iteration of the Corolla shows improvements on their fuel efficiency, but it is likely to come soon since there is a competitor in the lead at the moment. Toyota has been working to improve fuel efficiency in many of their vehicles, and the Corolla could be the next target.

Used Car Comfort

Finding Comfortable Used Cars

Most people know to look for any mechanical problems when they are shopping in Reno for a used car, but few people actually put that much thought into the comfort of the vehicle until after they have made the purchase.

If you are going to be driving this vehicle a lot, you have to make sure it fits your body properly after you have adjusted it. This means that you should have enough room to sit up straight in the seat, and still see out the windshield without a problem.

The steering wheel should be at a comfortable position after you have adjusted it as much as you can. You also have to pay attention to whether or not the steering wheel blocks either the gauges or the windshield when you have it adjusted to the right spot for your personal comfort.

Finally you have to think about how comfortable the seat is. Minor problems such as a seat that is noticeably too hard, or a seat that doesn't support your back, can become major issues after driving for an extended period of time. Pay attention to how your body feels while you are sitting in the seat and you will know whether or not the vehicle is something you could be comfortable sitting in for a longer trip.

It's vital to find a car that is going to run well throughout the year, but a car that is comfortable is also very important, and you should be taking your time to make sure that you are getting something that you will actually enjoy driving. When you drive a car that actually fits your body it makes the experience much more enjoyable. You will be thankful that you took the time to assess the comfort of the vehicle, before making the decision to buy it.

Silent Walk Around?

Choose Cars Known for Being Undervalued

If you take your time and figure out which vehicles are really being undervalued in Las Vegas before making a used car purchase, you are going to save some serious money. There are always vehicles that aren't very popular with the general public, but that are still great cars. If you aren't worried about your public image, and you just want a great car, getting one of these less popular options can really pay off.

Look around online to see which cars have been listed for the longest period of time. You will see that some cars just aren't selling very well, and this changes depending on where you live at the time. If a car is priced affordably and people just aren't interested in it, it could be a good candidate for you.

Head over to your local used car dealership and see if they have any of those models hanging around the lot. If you have found the right car they are going to be eager to sell this vehicle to you. They will be willing to negotiate the price, and it will probably already be more affordable than the more popular options on the lot.

Rental Cars

Rental cars take a fair amount of abuse, but not nearly as much as the public perceives. Since most people won't go near these vehicles out of fear that they are going to fall apart, they tend to depreciate very quickly. Look for a lower mileage vehicle that is advertised as once being a rental car. If you find any of these vehicles available there is a good chance that you will get them cheaply. Go to the deal ready to bargain with them, and don’t offer any more than you think the vehicle is worth. The dealership may realize that they are pricing their ex-rental too highly and be willing to drop down the price when they are called out on it, but they won't drop that price down voluntarily.

By tapping into the beliefs, and desires of the used car market, you can find great vehicles that the general public just doesn’t want. Sure many of these cars may be ugly, but they will get you back and forth to work for years at half the price of something more popular, and that is where the true value lies for those who aren't concerned with aesthetic appeal.

TOYOTA VS. NISSAN

The Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab Compared to the Nissan Frontier King Cab

When you are shopping around for a small pickup truck you will probably have trouble deciding between the 2013 Toyota Tacoma regular cab and the 2013 Nissan Frontier King Cab. Both vehicles have their benefits and drawbacks, and it is up to you to look at the facts to decide which is the best option.

Price

The price of vehicles is always a concern for buyers, but in the case of the Tacoma versus the Frontier the price difference is relatively small. The Tacoma is the cheaper option with an MSRP of $18,470 while the Frontier is listed at $18835, but when going to local dealerships there is a good chance that prices will fluctuate between the two.

Payload Capacity

Many people purchase trucks for their ability to bulky and heavy items around. When you are getting a truck it makes sense to look for the option that will carry the heaviest items in case you need that extra carrying power later on. The Tacoma has a maximum payload capacity of 1335 lbs, while the Frontier maxes out at 971 lbs. It is important to note that both vehicles can tow up to 3500 lbs behind them.

Fuel Economy

 With fuel prices constantly going up, fuel economy is always an issue to those looking at vehicles. The Tacoma gets 21 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. The Frontier gets 19 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. With a combined mpg of 23 versus the Frontier's 21 the Tacoma will cost you less in gas to drive around.

Although both the Tacoma and the Frontier are close to one another on nearly everything there are a few major differences between the two. The Frontier sits four people while the Tacoma only sits three, the Tacoma carries much more weight in the bed of the truck than the Frontier, and the Tacoma is better on gas than the Frontier.

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.