Faults:

The engine uses oil, too much according to my opinion, but OK according to the local Toyota dealer. The main light is really poor.

General Comments:

A brief review of the Toyota RAV4 2.2 diesel 136 hp, manual transmission.

I bought my Toyota RAV4 brand new from the local Toyota dealer in Norway in May 2007. Since I live in the middle part of Norway, we have a bit of snow and ice covered roads in 5-6 months each year. The car is OK for driving in the local area. It is even more than spacious for me, my wife and our two children on vacation and holiday trips.

Overall: it is a OK car, but not more than OK.

It should have been better sound isolated, since it is way too noisy while driving on winter roads. The 4x4 system is far from good enough. It is good enough to bring you up and down the hills, yes, but not anything more. Why can’t I turn off the anti spin systems? It would definitely have helped the ability to navigate in bad conditions.

I recently drove 800 km on snow and ice covered roads. The 4x4 system is functions well as long as you drive aggressively, but if you raise your foot off the accelerator pedal, you lose every bit of power on the rear wheels, which results in the sad fact that the car tend to lose its road grip in any curve you hit a little too hard.

What I really can’t understand is why Toyota can’t reprogram this car's 4x4 system to have a switch for permanent 4x4 with a minimum 70/30 distribution between the front and rear wheels.

My recommendation after 75.000 km in my own RA4 on more or less all types of road conditions: If you want a SUV for the average family on asphalt and graveled roads, it is a good SUV. In wintertime it is mainly for driving in your local area, and in case of needing a 4x4 now and then on snow and ice. But if you are driving longer distances on snowy conditions, buy another car with permanent 4x4 systems - for instance a Subaru. The RAV4 system and the equal systems are simply not good enough.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

4x4 system: OK for normal driving, but in 15-20 cm slush/snow the system connects the rear wheels in and out all the time. One notices very well that the system automatically shuts off and on, but this is an extreme situation, but very annoying.

When driving in steep hills covered with a thick ice layer and heavy turns/ starting, the traction controls system is counterproductive, and the car loses engine power and will not go forward since the system reduces the engine speed. I really miss the possibility to turn it OFF…

All in all, it's a 4x4 system for the poor, it is recommended to buy a car with a more permanent 4x4 system, for instance Haldex 4, with a 70/30 distribution between the axles.

Headlight: Miserable, unless you have xenon. Do not buy without xenon, it has been tested in Germany and it has the poorest halogen lights on new cars in Europe. The only lightbulbs that give the car a good light is the Osram (Sylviana) Night Breaker, but they only last for 3 months. And in Norway they cost 365 NOK (approx: 60 USD) per bulb…

Noise: the internal noise level is quite miserable. Toyota could and should have done a much better job. Open the covers over the rear wheel arches and add noise reduction mats, and you will remove the rain noise "by 80%. But there is still way too much noise.

Engine: Very comfortable and good engine, is very good car. During the summer vacation we typically drive between 4 and 5.000 kilometers with a 1.2 ton camping trailer, and the engine is great!

Driving comfort: OK, it is an SUV, and if you could remove the noise, it would have been good/very good.

Driving experience: Under normal conditions, a fun car to drive, but it isn’t good enough in winter conditions during automatic 4x4; Toyota should had given user the choice to select 70/30 distribution between the front and rear axle; the car would had been good with it.

Gear: Good gear, but missing a low gear as the first gear.

Overall: The car is fun, but there are a little hassles with 4x4 system, poor noise and poor lighting. I would not bought a RAV4 today, since there are many cars that are way better. And yes it is my fourth Toyota since 2000, but they are not good enough any more….