2011 Toyota Rav4 Review and Prices

By Chuck Giametta

Table of Contents
2011 Toyota Rav4 Review and Pricing
2009 Toyota Rav4 Review and Pricing
2010 Toyota Rav4 Review and Pricing
2010 Toyota Rav4 Car Quote

2011 TOYOTA RAV4 BUYING ADVICE

• The 2011 Toyota RAV4 is the best car for you if you want a compact crossover with cojones – and good room, reliability, and resale value, too. 

• The 2011 RAV4 qualifies as a crossover by blending car-type unibody construction with SUV ride height and available all-wheel drive (AWD). The RAV4 is by no means unwieldy, but it is among the largest compact SUVs. With room enough for a kid-sized third-row bench seat, it merits seven-passenger status. It’s also available with a powerful V-6 that makes it the fastest modestly priced crossover.

• Should you wait for the 2011 Toyota RAV4 or buy the 2010 Toyota RAV4? Don’t wait. The 2011 RAV4 won’t change enough to make the 2010 obsolete. And with a fully redesigned replacement due for model-year 2012, your 2010 RAV4 will be fresher, longer than a 2011. By shopping sooner rather than later, as well, you’ll capitalize on a market that may not be so buyer-friendly by the time the 2011s roll around. 

2011 TOYOTA RAV4 CHANGES

• Styling: The 2011 Toyota RAV4 carries forward appearance tweaks bestowed upon the 2009 RAV4. Part of a “mid-cycle” freshening of a design that dates to model-year 2006, the changes were subtle, confined mostly to a remolded grille, retouched tail lamps, and some new alloy wheels. The 2011 RAV4 also is very likely to continue in Base, Sport, and Limited models. The Sport should again be eligible for an option that dispenses with RAV4’s tailgate-mounted spare to rely on run-flats. Speaking of tailgates, the RAV4’s is hinged on the right side and opens like a big door rather than swinging up in the “liftgate” manner of most rivals. With no change in size, the 2011 Toyota RAV4 will continue larger than the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, its closest rivals for sales volume, and both five-seaters. However, the 2011 RAV4 won’t encroach on Toyota’s larger crossovers, the five-seat Venza and seven-passenger Highlander. But if off-roading isn’t on your agenda, you may discover the RAV4 a more practical choice than Toyota’s five-seat 4Runner, a genuine SUV with a truck-type chassis and serious off-pavement credentials.           

• Mechanical: Toyota says RAV4 stands for “Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive.” That’s accurate, except for the 4-wheel drive part. The 2011 Toyota RAV4 will continue with a choice of front-wheel drive – favored by about 75 percent of its buyers -- or all-wheel drive. That’s different from four-wheel drive, which can be defined as a rear-wheel-drive-based system that can to share power with the front wheels; the 4Runner has 4WD. RAV4’s AWD is a crossover-typical setup that normally runs in front-wheel drive. It automatically and temporarily reapportions power rearward only when sensors detect tire slip. It does go further than most crossover AWD systems, however, by allowing the driver to lock in a traction-enhancing 50/50 front/rear split up to 25 mph. Still, an AWD RAV4 is not intended for rugged off-roading -- though its 7.5 inches of ground clearance is a big help in deep snow and on rutted trails. Don’t expect the 2011 RAV4 to deviate from a 2010 powertrain roster that offers all models with a choice of two engines. Both engines can be teamed with front- or all-wheel drive. Most buyers will continue to order the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which was rated at 179 horsepower for 2010. Hooked to its mandatory four-speed automatic transmission, the 2.5 is lively enough in light-duty work but can feel strained when your loaded RAV4 is trying to merge onto a fast-moving freeway or ascend a mountain grade. No such worries with the V-6. It uses a five-speed automatic and is potent enough to justify AWD. You’ll appreciate the system’s ability to quickly send power rearward because it offsets the wandering torque-steer you feel with rapid acceleration in a powerful front-drive vehicle. Trailering with a four-cylinder RAV4 is limited to 1,500 pounds with the four-cylinder and 2,000 with the V-6. However, V-6 Sport and Limited models with the optional towing package can trailer up to 3,500 pounds. 

• Features: The 2011 Toyota RAV4 would benefit from the addition of Bluetooth wireless connectivity and by having a USB port instead of an auxiliary plug to interface with iPods. Toyota could also migrate some upscale features previously reserved for the Sport and Limited to the Base model -- or to a new interim edition to commemorate the approaching end of this third-generation RAV4. Otherwise, the 2011 RAV4 will continue with a fine array of standard safety features and a slightly less-impressive suite of convenience items. On the safety front, every RAV4 gets antilock four-wheel disc brakes with brake assist, plus traction and antiskid control. The head-protecting curtain side airbags cover only the first two seating rows but include rollover sensors. RAV4s equipped with the V-6 or third-row seat add hill ascent/descent control. Sport models have 18-inch wheels and handle well but ride stiffly. The other models lean more and grip less in fast turns, but their more absorbent tires and suspension settings are welcome on bumpy roads. A height-adjustable driver’s seat, tilt/telescoping steering, remote keyless entry, and power mirrors, windows and locks will again be included in the base price of the 2011 RAV4. A power sunroof and a DVD-based navigation system are options that have been exclusive to the Sport and Limited models. Leather upholstery with heated front seats and rear-seat DVD entertainment have been available only on the RAV4 Limited.

2011 TOYOTA RAV4 PRICES

• Toyota won’t release 2011 RAV4 pricing until shortly before the model goes on sale in 2010. But based on recent RAV4 pricing, the 2011 RAV4 Base model should start around $22,750 with the four-cylinder engine and $22,800 with the V-6. AWD adds about $1,400 to any RAV4 model. (Base prices listed in this report include Toyota’s mandatory destination fee, which in 2010 was $745 for trucks. Toyotas in some southeastern states are delivered by independent suppliers and may carry different destination fees.)

• Estimated base price for the 2011 Toyota RAV4 Sport is around $24,400 with the four-cylinder and $26,400 with the V-6. Estimated base price for the 2011 Toyota RAV4 Limited is about $25,750 with the four-cylinder engine, $27,600 with the V-6.

• Among 2011 Toyota RAV4 options, the navigation system should add $1,300-$1,600, depending on model, leather upholstery about $2,000, and a sunroof about $1,000. The third-row seat costs around $850-$950, depending on model.

2011 TOYOTA RAV4 FUEL ECONOMY

• With no change to powertrains, 2011 Toyota RAV4 fuel economy ratings should mirror those of 2010. For the four-cylinder RAV4, that means 22/28 mpg (city/highway) with front-wheel drive and 21/27 with all-wheel drive. Those figures beat some four-cylinder rivals that have ostensibly more fuel-efficient five-speed automatic transmissions.

• A 2011 Toyota RAV4 equipped with the V-6 should also continue among the most fuel-efficient crossovers in its competitive set. Its EPA ratings are likely to remain 19/27 with front-wheel drive, 19/26 with all-wheel drive. Both RAV4 engines use 87-octane gas.

2011 TOYOTA RAV4 RELEASE DATE

• Look for the 2011 Toyota RAV4 in showrooms by autumn 2010.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE TOYOTA RAV4

• Toyota might choose the 2011 RAV4 to preview a change or two it has in mind for the 2012 redesign. One change might make the four-cylinder RAV available with a five-speed automatic transmission in place of the four-speed. That would boost both fuel economy and perhaps engine response.

• Otherwise, look ahead to the 2012 RAV4. It’ll kick-off the fourth-generation of an SUV family that debuted for model-year 1996. Each RAV4 generation has grown in size, but the 2006-2011 models seem to have reached an ideal that provides interior roominess without exterior bulk. The 2010 RAV4 might grow wider, but it isn’t likely to get much longer or taller. Its styling could actually become a bit truckier, however. RAV4 buyers seem to appreciate a look that’s a bit tougher than the crossover norm without crossing over to artificially aggressive.

• Similarly, the 2012 redesign won’t jeopardize RAV4’s reputation for stout V-6 performance, though Toyota may feel pressure to improve four-cylinder performance if it doesn’t harm fuel economy. Handling might be sharpened via a wider track and craftier suspension tuning. As for the prospects of a hybrid RAV4, Toyota has said that by 2020 it’ll offer a gas-electric version of each vehicle it sells. That would include the RAV4, though not necessarily the fourth-generation model. 

2011 TOYOTA RAV4 COMPETITION

• Honda CR-V: America’s best-selling SUV is this five-seat crossover that beats the RAV4 for handling, but not for acceleration. Honda reliability, build quality, and resale value are draws, as well. The current-generation CR-V went on sale as a 2007 model and will be fully redesigned for model-year 2012 or 2013.

• Subaru Forester: A model-year 2009 redesign elevated this five-seater from compact-wagon sized to the compact-crossover category. Its flavor is still more car than SUV, but that pays off in the best handling in the class, though fuel economy isn’t a strong point. AWD is standard. Forester’s next full redesign won’t come before model-year 2014.

• Volkswagen Tiguan: Maybe not the first alternative that comes to mind, but one with appeal for RAV4’s demographic. A genuine German driving feel, lively turbo power, and a roomy five-seat cabin are balanced by VW’s subpar reliability ratings. Still, Tiguan is too cool to be dismissed without a test drive.