Faults:

Nothing mechanical... yet.

General Comments:

I was looking for a used Honda CRV, but they were out of my price range. I came across this RAV 4 with a good deal and good mileage.

I'm starting to think I should have looked further and don't think I will keep this much longer.

The ride is harsh.

The cabin is very noisy.

When you close the doors it sounds like a lid on a metal garbage can.

Seats are extremely uncomfortable on long rides.

The engine is loud and sounds like it works too hard.

Anybody want to buy it?

Faults:

The warranty expired at 4 years and the rear differential coupler went bad. The car had 87,000 miles on it. Had it at the dealer for service, as I was assured by the service men that it was not related to any neglect or misuse on my part. I was irritated that a car would have such a costly repair (estimated at $1600) after 2 months of the warranty expiring. They warranty it for 4 years or 125,000 miles. I was well below the miles, but 2 months over on the year. I have 3 Toyota's in my yard, and if Toyota cannot produce a vehicle that lasts longer than 100,000 miles, then I do not see a future for their product in my garage.

The technicians hired by Toyota to service vehicles agreed that the problem was with the craftsmanship, not owner abuse or neglect. However Toyota disregarded their hired experts' opinion and laid the cost on customer. When I contacted Toyota, they said if more complaints were filed they may open a recall on the issue, but not at this time. I assured them that if this is the best quality I can get from a Toyota at 87,000 miles, I would not be buying any more. A car that has been well maintained should get at least 100,000 miles before costly repairs are made.

I am very disappointed that Toyota, who agreed that the car should have gotten at least 125,000 miles before needing costly repairs, would tell a customer sorry you are 2 months out of warranty.

Faults:

The tire pressure light came on to indicate the spare needs attention.

General Comments:

We love our Ford Focuses; we own two fully loaded hatchbacks. They drive like go-carts; quick, nimble and a lot of fun. For a smaller car they have excellent ergonomics, passenger and storage space, and power. The main reason we initially purchased them was for the savings at the gas pump, and their passing power compared to other similar small vehicles. We traded mine in because we needed a larger vehicle now that our family is growing. I already knew that I didn't want a full size SUV. I also wanted something that had a larger engine than my car and handled similarly. By 2013 Toyota has stopped selling the RAV4 with a V6. The last year they sold it with the larger engine was 2012. I settled on a 2010 model because there were no newer models with the V6 to be found, due to the incredible lease rates that Toyota has offered on the 2011 and 2012. By the time of my purchase, the 2010s were coming off lease.

I have a 2010 RAV4 V6 AWD Limited. This will be my 6th vehicle in my 33 years on this earth. This is exactly what I wanted. It's roomy, comfortable, excellent power, and handles very well for a larger vehicle. I love this auto! It inspires confidence on the road, and is inconspicuous... which is a good thing because it's so smooth that I find myself unintentionally driving faster that I should be. While we typically don't keep our cars for more than 6 years, I plan to keep this beauty for a very long time.

In making the decision to buy the RAV4, we also evaluated the following 2013 model year vehicles; all were the highest trim offered, as we were looking to buy new initially:

Ford Escape - New look is nice, comfortable seats, wonderful electronics, lots of power, but the interior didn't look like it quite fit together correctly. Also, expensive for what it is compared to the others.

Subaru Outback - Very spartan feeling, but everything was definitely there. Excellent cabin ergonomics. Very stable handling. This vehicle was the runner-up. It lacked the power of the RAV4, but was my favorite for cabin layout to driver as well as storage.

Volksvagen Tiguan - Very nice feeling interior, well appointed and fitted. Didn't like the way the vehicle looked, it did not have very good power, and the storage was lacking. Great leg room for passengers however. Good handling.

Mazda CX-5 - Based on all the rave reviews I had watched and read, I really thought this would be the one... until I drove it. It was my favorite handling vehicle out of all of them, a lot of fun to drive because it's so stable. The fit and layout for the driver was very nice. It looks really good for a small SUV, but ultimately lacked performance compared to the RAV4.

Honda CRV - Very similar to the RAV4 in all aspects, but couldn't keep up in terms of power. Handled better though.