Great car for a young family (Toyota RAV4 2.0 5 dr XT3)

Member Name: count_zero

Product:	Toyota RAV4 2.0 5 dr XT3
Date:	11/07/06 (2698 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Size, driving experience, build quality

Disadvantages: Not really an off roader

Model: RAV4 XT3 5dr petrol
Year: 2004 (54 plate)

The buying decision: I needed a four door family car with a good sized boot to cope with baby seats, push chairs and all the other bits and pieces that go with it. I wanted a car that was nice to drive, good value and reliable.

The choice: Small family hatches like the Focus or Mercedes A Class turned out to be a bit too small, often requiring the rear seats to be folded to accommodate the pushchair which isn't much use. Medium saloons like the Mondeo or Audi A4 have bigger boots but these are not overly accessible. This leaves the 4x4s, MPV's or an estate car. With only one child at the moment the MPV option remains one for the future and estate cars feel a bit too 'professional' for me. This leaves the 4x4s.

The decision: Looking under £20k the choice came down to a Nissan, Honda or Toyota. The first two were a bit long in the tooth and on test drives didn't match the RAV4 for driving experience or ergonomics. With 3 year old examples on the forecourt up for £16k we bought a new model, after haggling, for £17.5k.

Ownership:
The positives: You wouldn't know you were driving such a big, heavy car. Every aspect of driving is excellent, the gear change is smooth, the brakes solid and the steering responsive. Performance is good, it's quick off the mark and surprisingly nippy around town. It's comfortable in traffic and will happily travel at motorway speeds for long periods. As you'd expect visibility is good with nice big mirrors and minimal blind spots. Noise is low, even at high speeds. The service from Toyota has been faultless. All staff I have dealt with have been courteous and helpful, they always phone back and respond swiftly to any demands.

On the inside the car feels big, there is lots of room between the front seats and plenty of headroom front and back. The boot is a good size, wide enough to easily take a pushchair and high enough to take a lot of luggage etc. without removing the parcel shelf. The rear seats split 50/50 and can be individually slid forward and back approx 4/5 inches. This can make a significant difference to the boot size. However, if you have adults or older children in the back this will not be possible. The rear seats can be folded over, down or removed completely if you need the extra space occasionally. Internal storage is OK but I think more cubby holes could be built in.

The build quality is fantastic, there is a real sense of solidity about this car with no rattles or poorly fitted trim. The seats are comfortable and the dashboard well laid out. The stereo controls on the steering wheel are nice touch. The car has been back to the garage only once for a faulty door hinge and this was fixed on the same day.
The height of the vehicle is useful, and not just from a driving point of view. With a child seat in the back a baby/toddler can be lifted into and out of their seat without any bending or crouching and this can make a surprising difference.

The negatives: Apart from the odd field I have never taken this car off road, nor have I any intention of doing so and I suspect it wouldn't be that brilliant at it. Fuel consumption isn't great, the onboard computer says I'm averaging 34.5 mpg but it doesn't always feel as good as that. It's not that scary but it does seem that I'm filling it up every 300 miles or so. The only other negative is the whole Chelsea Tractor / soft roader image these cars have which makes them just a little bit naff but this is out weighed by it's practicality.

Summary: A spacious family car that is a pleasure to drive

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