- suv 134,715
- 1,977 below average
- 7,950 great
- Kalispell, MT
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- autoshopper.com
- 1,977 below average suv 134,715 red automatic
2008 toyota rav4 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Powerful v6 and three-row seating available. introductionthe vehicle that pioneered the cute-ute segment is all grown up. Ever since its last total overhaul (for the 2006 model year), the toyota rav4 has offered seating for seven, cargo capacity comparable to some mid-size suvs, and v6 performance near the top of its class. True to its family-friendly role, the rav4 comes standard with a long list of safety equipment. so what was once the cute baby of the family is now the family car. the available 269-horsepower v6 tops most of the rav4's competitors. It's more than the rav4 needs, really; but it allows the rav4 to really scoot while carrying as many as seven people and all their associated stuff. A coefficient of drag (cd) of 0. 33 is among the best in its segment and a major factor in minimizing wind noise and maximizing fuel economy. only small details have changed for 2008. All v6 rav4s come with downhill assist control (dac) and hill-start assist control (hac). all three trim levels are available with a 3. 5-liter, 269-hp v6 and five-speed automatic transmission, and when so equipped msrps are as follows: base 23,285), sport 24,740), and limited 25,420). The v6 is upgraded with p225/65r17 tires on styled steel wheels. The tow package increases the rav4's pulling capacity from 2000 to 3500 pounds. the rav4 sport adds a handling-tuned suspension and p235/55r18 tires on alloy wheels, plus fog lamps, a roof rack with cross bars, heated outside mirrors; color-keyed trim outside and unique charcoal fabric inside. Options expand to include a jbl premium stereo with nine speakers, a six-cd changer, xm satellite radio, bluetooth, and steering-wheel controls 890); and a power tilt-and-slide glass sunroof 900). But the third-row seat is not offered on the sport. the limited model upgrades with dual-zone automatic climate control, premium cloth upholstery, power-adjustable driver seat, six-cd changer, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, leather-wrapped shift knob, cargo area net and tonneau cover, full-hard spare tire cover, the new engine immobilizer, and other amenities. Outside, limited is distinguished by a chrome grille and p225/65r17 tires on six-spoke alloy wheels; and a full, hard-shell spare tire cover. Options include the third-row seat 700-810, depending on engine and drive combination), leather upholstery 1,050), heated front seats 440), plus the same jbl stereo 640) and sunroof available on sport. A rear-seat entertainment system 1,705) is available only on limited v6. safety features on all rav4s include dual-stage frontal airbags, side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags, latch child safety seat anchors, antilock brakes (abs) with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution (ebd), electronic stability control (vsc), traction control (trac), and a tire pressure monitor. walkaroundno longer a cute ute, neither is the 2008 rav4 anywhere near a brute ute. Still, the overall design of the current model is more serious and more substantive than those built a few years ago. There are fewer superfluous curves and less cladding, presenting a more finished appearance. the rav4's truck-like front end is tautly composed. Visually, the fenders are separate elements from the engine bay, a situation emphasized by a tight rectangular grille that seems to sit comfortably atop the wider bumper slits below. Headlights are compact and focused. A wide track gives the rav4 a solid stance visually, while resisting rollovers in emergency maneuvers. the side view is oblong, a mix of boxy and oval, the better to accommodate that third-row seat. The fat, triangular c-pillar with the taillight at its base reminds us of the subaru tribeca, a larger, seven-passenger suv priced a notch or two above the rav4. An understated indent runs along the bottom of the rav4's doors, softening the visual impression of bulk. As in the tribeca, taillights are positioned fairly high on the rear fenders. The spare tire bolts into a recess offset to the right in the swing-gate, and doesn't dip below the bumper line. The rear license plate, sunk into the lower left side of the swing-gate below the handle, visually balances the spare. interiorinside, the 2008 rav4 is as good as ever, which is to say functional if a bit eccentric in style. placement of the gauges will be familiar to anyone who has owned a previous rav4. The position and function of the controls populating the center stack is virtually the same as it has always been, which means very good; that also applies to the arrangement of the hand brake and the shift lever. The current dash is sharply split by a horizontal gash running the width of the car. About the only plus we found in this garish feature is a bi-level glove box, with an upper bin covered by a retracting lid and a lower bin fitted with a traditional, bottom-hinged cover. materials are high quality, if not lexus level. Fit and finish is toyota grade, which means excellent. All three trim levels share the same motif, with contrasting but complementary colors and brushed metallic trim elements around the stereo and climate controls, surrounding the shift gate and swooping around the door handles. The standard side-curtain airbags still allow a passenger assist grip, which folds down from the headliner over each door. the front seats are supportive but not overly firm, with modest bolsters and decent thigh support. The tilt-and-telescope steering wheel and height-adjustable driver's seat enables almost any size driver to find a comfortable fit, and without the added complexity (and cost) of adjustable pedals. The relatively high seating position, low cowl and sloping hood make for good visibility to the front. The lengthy side windows ease lane checking. Fully retracting head restraints in the second row and optional third row seats improve the viewing range through the inside mirror. the second-row seats are less padded than the front seats, without bolsters. It's no surprise, really, seeing as how that seat has to fit three people in a pinch. the optional third row seats barely qualify as such, with flat bottoms and equally featureless backs and head restraints. Access to that back row, by folding and tilting the outboard second-row seats, is not especially easy, but it isn't as much of a strain or as awkward as in some larger, full-sized sport utilities. Still, the 104. 7-inch wheelbase of the current rav4 allows significantly more interior room than in pre-2006 models. the honda cr-v, the rav4's closest competitor, was redesigned for 2007, but the toyota still either leads significantly, or trails by a mere fraction, in headroom and legroom, both front and rear. But the cr-v does not offer a third-row seat. Maximum cargo volume (with all seats stowed) is nearly identical: 73. 0 cubic feet for the toyota, 72. 9 for the honda. the only competitor that comes with a standard third-row seat, the suzuki xl7, was also all-new for 2007. It provides more headroom than the rav4, particularly in the third row (by a significant 1. 6 inches). In legroom, the xl7 gives up half an inch to the rav4 up front, but gets that half inch back in the second row, and betters the toyota by almost a full inch in the third row. But in hip room, it's the xl7 that loses by 1. 6 inches up front, gains a scant 0. 7 inch in the middle, and then loses to the toyota by a whopping 5. 1 inches in the third row. storage areas are plentiful. Beyond the glove box, the doors have fixed plastic map pockets, the backs of the front seatbacks wear net pouches Climate Control✔ AM/FM✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Cruise Control✔ CD Changer✔ Bluetooth✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Alloy Wheels
7,950 Kalispell, MTKalispell, MT at autoshopper.com