I’m not having a good 2020. Most of us aren’t. We’re isolated, disrupted, nervous about finances and health. We’ve been shown just what a fragile illusion our booming economy and disaster preparedness was. The richest nation on earth, ground nearly to a halt by some protein-encapsulated RNA that jumped the species barrier. My mother spent years in healthcare, first working the overstressed and underappreciated role of registered nurse before moving on to analytics so she could see her child during normal daylight hours. She lived alone and retired two years ago to spend time with her young grandkids and be the independent, bustling, and dynamic person that she always was. She was supremely competent in every situation life threw at her.
When this virus hit, she knew how and why to hunker down and ride it out. Two months ago a close friend of hers asked me to do a welfare check on her after a disconcerting radio silence. When I did, I found that a household accident had taken her. She was 67.
My life has since been subsumed with the disassembling of hers. Documents, utilities, subscriptions, unclosed accounts, clothing, furniture, stockpiled canned goods and paper products. I’ve been forced to tell stranger after stranger on the phone of her death and receive the canned condolences, because that’s what you’ve got to do to get paperwork rolling. It’s exhausting. I’ve spent months mulling over years now lost, the perspective and advice my young daughter will never receive. Months trying to ignore the way she was taken out of the game decades early. Note that I’m intentionally glossing right over the personal emotional impacts. We were close, I’m the only child, and she formed a tight bond with my children despite her fierce independence. I’ve since learned from her friends of how frequently she spoke of us, how exceptionally proud she was of us. You can guess what this is like.
As executor, one of the items I’m tasked with is her 2013 Toyota RAV4. The bright red Gramma-mobile, this fit both her extroverted personality and disciplined frugality. It has low miles because she preferred the light rail for getting downtown to her various social and volunteer events. It now sits in my driveway. After months of heavy tasks, heavy thoughts, heavy writing, I need some frivolity. I’m ready to review this car. Why? Because I need to see it as a thing and not a person. Because before we can divest ourselves of it, I need to remove the emotional attachment. Mom would appreciate seeing me come out of the fog, and she can’t get mad at me for saying mean things about it now anyway.
So as a thing, what is it? What is this conveyance we see before us, so common that we don’t really see it at all? A compact crossover. What does that mean? In this case, an AWD Corolla-platformed wagon with Camry passenger volume, Camry powertrains, supra-Camry pricing, and Corolla fit, finish, and refinement. It held the market position of a Camry wagon…unless you wanted the Camry V6. In which case there’s the Highlander, which was a Camry-platformed wagon with Avalon passenger volume, Avalon pricing, and Camry fit, finish, and refinement. The pattern here is that you paid a class up relative to the sedans upon which they were based, gave up some refinement and material quality, but scored AWD and the trendy form factor. It is not a compromise that has appealed to me, but it is market gold, Jerry. Gold!
I think of the RAV4 as the mathematical average of the 4Runner and Camry for buyers who want both yet neither. Conveniently, we own a 2016 4Runner and a 2016 Camry XSE, so we have just the yardsticks against which to measure it. Although my weeks with it have given me full acceptance of why this class of vehicle is popular, I don’t particularly like this thing. At all, really. I’m irked by flaws that time and familiarity are not smoothing over.
We must acknowledge that this is a very good crossover. People buy them because they want SUVs that act like cars, and by that standard this RAV4 is nearly impossible to make an argument against. It acts like an SUV in all the ways most people want small SUVs to act like SUVs. The 38 cubic foot cargo hold is down 20% from the 4Runner but exceeds the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The rear seats fold flat for 73 cubic feet of volume (beating the JGC again), 43 inches of width between the wheel wells, and a low liftover height. Unibody construction allows some brilliant interior packaging and the RAV4 is among the best of the breed in extracting maximum volume from the footprint. This is a handy little moving van that hauled some bulky stuff.
The AWD system doesn’t compare to the 4Runner’s part-time low-range 4WD off road, but it requires no driver input for winter traction and that’s really all anyone wants from it. You can engage the locking center differential for 50:50 distribution between axles for low-speed situations, and that is somewhat unique and probably never used. It is at odds with the modest 6.3 inches of ground clearance. However, with stubby overhangs and a 29 degree approach angle, it allowed us to easily scale a steep loose-sand stream crossing to an isolated rental property for a family weekend with Mom a few years ago that I, in retrospect, am immensely grateful for. A sedan or minivan couldn’t have done it. So stripes earned.
Down on ground clearance to Subarus, but a better approach angle
The RAV4 also acts like a sedan. This is to say that it doesn’t act like an SUV in all the ways most people don’t want their small SUV to act like an SUV. It has the easy-breezy drivability of a compact car. Everything is approachable, friendly, and low effort. Freeway manners and handling are far more direct than the 4Runner. You slide right into the seats rather than climbing up or dropping down. Big rear door openings and a higher seating position ease the loading of car seats. The backseat is huge, and the front is roomy and airy. I don’t have to exert myself or engage with the vehicle much at all, it practically operates itself. All of this is by design, the classic crossover formula that has won over buyers by making daily life easier. Home run, it is no wonder these sell.
Sitting behind myself at 5’11”. Always match your pants to the upholstery.
However, there are big compromises. Remember that an average is also a dilution of the extremes, and any merit those extremes may have. The 4Runner is in another universe of off-pavement capability, towing, and mechanical durability under hard use. At the other end, the Camry is tangibly superior to the RAV4 on pavement. Steering response and body control are sharper, the ride is less compromised, it’s far more confident in turns and on 80 mph freeways without sacrificing any comfort to the RAV4. I often drive a winding mountain road early in the morning to a local trailhead, and our Camry is surprisingly enjoyable to chuck through the curves well over the limit. This RAV4 simply isn’t, even if the ultimate pace probably is not far off.
Big doors, big legroom, bring on the rear-facing carseats
Nothing about the driving experience is memorable except for the harsh suspension tune that enables this tall wagon to contradict its center of gravity. Abrupt road bumps are met with a jarring THWACK! from the rear end. The ride is generally busy and nervous. Too much wind rush and road roar enter the cabin on the freeway, though not at classic Honda levels. On the plus side, the structure feels quite solid and flex-free given the modest Corolla platform and I haven’t heard any squeaks or chronic rattles.
The ergonomic HVAC array means these get tucked forward of the shifter where they are hard to reach
The RAV4 uses the same 2.5L four-cylinder and 6 speed automatic as the Camry, but the additional curb weight and reduced sound insulation make it feel like a full class down. I’m frequently modulating the accelerator to counter the transmission’s aggressive upshift logic, trying to get it to respond in the more intuitive manner of the Camry, trying to get it to build revs in this heavier car just a bit longer so it doesn’t completely fall out of the power band on the upshift. It feels sluggish in the aggressively yo-yoing traffic of the suburban expressway in a way I can’t explain from the decent 8.5 second 0-60 time that is only a half second off the sprightlier-feeling Camry. Sport mode helps, but shifts become harsher and you have to push the button at each startup. Don’t ever touch the Eco button.
None of the three needles move very quickly
There are some peculiar NVH characteristics with the 2.5L. Whether in the Camry or here, it makes vacuum cleaner noises when operating below 3000 rpm or so. It whirs and it groans, it hums and it moans. In the Camry, the vacuum is operating in the next house…very distant and unobtrusive. In the RAV4, it’s hoovering the bedroom down the hall, and it gets irritating. The solution is to drive it a bit more assertively, so it revs above this weird low-rpm zone and sounds more normal. It still spins up very smoothly, but whatever they yanked out of the hood and firewall took the Camry’s aural refinement with it.
Fuel economy is pretty good, rated 22/29 mpg city/highway. I didn’t have trouble achieving 31-32 mpg during my 70-75mph freeway runs. That’s excellent compared to the burn rate of the 4Runner, but the Camry will get 37mpg under the same conditions and is far less sensitive to headwinds that can drop the RAV4 mileage in a hurry.
The red and two-tone interior look nice on approach
The tan Softex imitation leather pairs with the dashboard brightwork and exterior red paint in a way that leaves a good first visual impression. It’s a pleasant material to touch. Toyota smartly put a big swath of it across the center dash, right in line of sight and right where your hand naturally comes into contact with it when pressing the starter button or using the ergonomically excellent climate control array. The door armrests have it too. It’s nice.
This panel is tilted perfectly for your hand
That may have been where all of the interior budget went. Even in this top-shelf Limited, everything else is hard plastic. The gated shifter moves with cheapness, the center console armrest is inexcusably flimsy, and if the climate and volume dials have sat in the sun they squeak and bind when turned due to the thermal expansion. That’s a new one on me. The glovebox is unlit and unlockable, the doors lack puddle lamps, the passenger seat is 4-way manual, only the driver’s window has auto up/down, the heated seats are only 2-way. Both front doors resonate with a cheap whango! when closing. These are flaws generally not present in our 4Runner and Camry. The memory driver seat earns back a few points.
I don’t like the compromised nature of this car, but is that a crossover problem or a Toyota problem? Both. Some of this stuff is just baked into the formula. Yet, I think you could have done better with two or three competitors in 2013 if the long term durability this RAV4 has locked down wasn’t your top priority. I’d be looking at the Forester, Escape, and CX-5, in that order. They’ve all got substantial flaws, but a varying list of pros that align more with my preferences. The rest of the field was bleak. The CR-V was as exciting as a bowl of oatmeal and the interior was also cheap, so the decision between Toyota and Honda was GE vs. Whirlpool. Nissan? No. Chevy? No. Hyundai and Kia? Rapidly advancing, but not there yet.
The 2013 RAV4, in typical Toyota fashion, nailed most fundamentals for the segment. It is an exemplary long-term transportation and utility tool for those who do not care about the minutiae that some car people thrive on. However, it provides little else. Perhaps nothing else. There was a time when the RAV4 was spunky and fun, and larger Toyotas were unusually refined. This one is neither. It has the original RAV’s economy vibe without the character, the large Toyota price and competence without the refinement. I’m generally a vocal defender of the brand and tend to scoff when enthusiasts project their niche criteria a little too strongly onto everyday vehicles, but I’m joining their chorus here. Toyota could have done better, for the enthusiast and non-enthusiast alike. As an average of 4Runner and Camry, I feel the sum has been divided by a factor greater than 2.
This was cathartic to write, Mom. It helped me peel away the emotional association with this car so I can handle it as a commodity, rather than feeling as if we are erasing part of you. You didn’t seem to identify very strongly with it, even if your fiscal discipline and future time orientation were evident here. I would have liked to see you ripping away from stop lights every now and then in a 3.7 Mustang or bright red Accord V6 coupe for the same general price as this left-brain choice. Maybe even splurged a bit for the 5.0 GT or a practical 328i xDrive wagon. You deserved it.
Ah well, look who’s projecting now. Your priorities were elsewhere and rightfully so. You were a refutation of the tired enthusiast trope of boring cars are bought by boring people. Unlike this practical runabout, you were a character who will be fondly remembered for a long time by a lot of people. See you on the other side, Mom. We miss you.
What an odd coincidence. My mother also recently passed away at 78 and had virtually the same RAV4 (a 2015 lower trim LE with a black interior, but the same red exterior color). The most noteworthy thing about it was she had just gotten it last year when her beloved old Camry was failing. She was always upset about switching to the RAV4 and never really much liked it. The higher driver position was welcome, but getting in and out of it wasn’t.
What’s that about things happening in threes? My mom passed last month (at age 85 under the least-worst possible circumstances); she had also just recently got a new car, albeit a Honda Fit which was chosen due in large part to my recommendation and easy ingress/egress. She was still on the new-car honeymoon with it and my only regret is having not talked her into spending my inheritance on it sooner so she could’ve enjoyed it for longer.
I’d like to think all three of them are somewhere talking over the afterlife equivalent of a good coffee.
What a gut-wrenching COAL. I don’t mean to join the procession of condolences but I am genuinely sorry for your loss. Your mother sounds a lot like mine – similar age, career and love of family. And a household accident is such a scary thing because it could happen to any of us.
I’m glad writing this article helped you. At the end of the day, this wasn’t some classic she restored and proudly polished every night. You shouldn’t feel bad about getting rid of it because you’re right, she wouldn’t want you to feel bad.
I hope you’re doing ok and don’t be afraid to seek out someone to talk to. Please take care of yourself man.
Thanks William. I’m doing pretty well now. I’ve had a lot to keep me busy and focused, a supportive family and circle of friends, and I’m feeling a lot of peace right now.
Life isn’t fair and death is even less so, those taken early so often seem to be less deserving of the fate compared to numerous others most could name…I’m very sorry to hear about your mom, but this was a wonderful tribute and I hope writing it helps in some small contributory measure.
The RAV4 though, your mom picked the best color with the best interior combination, looking like a brochure photoshoot model. I liked the styling of this generation, but didn’t myself ever really warm up to the interior, Softex has always felt a little weird to me – we have it in the Highlander and I can get past it but some areas such as the door pulls where it’s used as a covering but isn’t firmly glued to the underlying substrate make it feel like it moves when grasped and a little creepy somehow.
Perhaps the average is less than the result suggested by the denominator due simply to how the two were blended? The 4Runner and the Camry are both deeply flawed in the eyes of many for myriad reasons but stand above the rest of the pack in specific ways that are deemed critically important to many of its actual owners relative to the other aspects. Perhaps when the blender was turned on it was different things that became of importance, i.e. the solidity and off road capability of the 4Runner is vastly important to you but less so to most people hence part of it is in there but too much would have spoiled the soup. Same with the Camry but in different ways. Hard to describe but I think you get the gist of it. The other contenders in the class that you mentioned all focus on different aspects differently, but generally to the exclusion of something else (CX5 and Escape yes for general athleticism, but Escape with worse interior, Frontier for better offroadability at the expense of perhaps some refinement etc). Obviously the market has spoken, the RAV outsells both the Camry and 4Runner and Toyota’d be stupid to massively change things in their golden goose, every one has their own priorities and this average seems to work for the, well, average buyer.
Very enjoyable review of a car that is usually grudgingly accepted as a popular product but generally/often panned as a comparative choice when/where specific features are highlighted to the exclusion of the overall package.
Amen! :-\
Thanks Jim. Writing has helped immensely, it keeps me from bottling the emotions and reactions up.
I get what you mean about the blending of the facets of this car. I imagine capturing that balance is a very difficult task for an automaker. Toyota’s recipe here certainly works for many many people. A notch more refinement in the suspension tuning, sound insulation, and some perceived quality areas would have gone a long way in making it more appealing to me.
I love your review of the car, and I am sorry about your mom. Typed words from a stranger aren’t much help, I know, but I audibly gasped when I got to that line. Everyone who reads this is with you in spirit!
Much appreciated, Importamation. Funny thing is, words from a stranger do have a positive impact. One thing I learned from this process is that I’ve been too cautious and reticent in offering condolences to people I didn’t know well, fearing that I would botch it or that it somehow wasn’t my place. After receiving support and well wishes from folks, I now see I was wrong on that.
I’m sure it wasn’t easy to write, but this is a great piece and terrific review.
I like the looks and the packaging of this generation and I often think about getting one of these as a replacement for my ’09 5spd Forester. I know it would be far less costly to maintain.
I think I would happily trade some fun factor for greater reliability and comfort. How much does the 2016 refresh of RAV4 fix the shortcomings described here?
I test drive the RAV 4 Hybrid from this generation, and recommended it to my green-minded, Earth-saving Daughter. She bought a Forester anyway, because dogs and love. ; >
I took a short drive in the Hybrid and liked what I experienced, but I’m a hybrid driver already. Several professional reviews called it the best choice in the RAV 4 line, with much more get up and go than the base engine. My biggest surprise was how, despite the exterior curves, the dash seemed like something a carpenter built, all straight horizontal lines. The windshield view was a perfect rectangle, like I’ve never seen in a car. It certainly wasn’t beautiful, but it seemed non-distracting.
Thank you. I haven’t driven the refreshed 2016+ version, but I heard that the non-SE trims had a softer suspension tune that would probably eliminate my complaints about harsh ride quality. I think some interior touchpoints were improved as well. I also prefer the refreshed styling. As mentioned below, I think a 2016+ Hybrid is probably the way to go with this generation.
My condolences to you and your family as well….she was taken too young. I can relate to the complexities of settling an estate and how difficult and exhausting it is, even in the best of circumstances. I can tell you are a good son.
I wonder what the percentage of female buyers the RAV4 has? Probably very high. Toyota has always excelled targeting the RAV4 and most of their products at the car= appliance buyer, and are hugely successful at that as this is what most consumers want. This is the safe choice, a blue chip stock.
I compare this to our 2011 Equinox which has not aged very well in most respects. While it still does it’s job at 130,000 miles without complaint, it’s shocking how much better the RAV4 is in every respect.
Thanks Carlsberg. It’s quite a process, isn’t it?
This is a fantastic review. Sometimes great pressure can create diamonds.
My Father-in-Law owns a RAV4 Hybrid Limited, and your observations are spot on. There are patches of luxurious faux leather (complete with fake stitching), surrounded by swaths of the nastiest, hardest plastic you could ever hope to see, completely ruining the effect they were working so hard to achieve with the soft material in the first place.
The instrument panel is an ergonomic nightmare. Many of the controls are poorly labeled and seemingly scattered randomly through the interior, like the heated seat controls tucked under the dashboard.
It does have a nice low load floor in the back, but the seats (which are not removable) when folded are much higher, which causes everything to angle towards the back. If you are hauling anything long with the hatch open, you have to be careful not to have things slide out.
Thank you Tom!
My condolences for your loss. Losing a parent is a terrible, wrenching rite of passage a price to pay for having people in our lives. Thank you for your touching tribute , if it helps, some internet strangers are thinking of your mom and what she meant to you and your family. I’ve lost both my dad (earlier this year) and a very close family friend, my son’s de facto grandmother about 2 months ago. I’m not sure how 2020 can get much worse for many of us.
Your mom looks very happy and content in the pictures, I’m sure she was proud of you and loved all of you very much.
Thank you, Seventeen. A group of strangers can indeed help, particularly when they are the right group.
I’m sorry your year is going down this path as well, I truly hope it picks up in the latter half.
Please accept my condolences as well. I lost my own mother in December, and still have not figured out which is better/worse – my experience of five long, hard years of dementia, strokes and decline, with all the time in the world to wind things down, or your experience of a sudden passing with no time to prepare and having to close out the affairs of an active life.
I totally understand the need to separate the car from the person. And I had the same experience, coming to despise a perfectly good Buick Lacrosse in spite of the warm associations. My middle son is still driving that one. And what it is about senior citizens and that color combo. Is it that they spent a lifetime getting to choose a color on a car and took the only one left in a sea of white, black and silver? Or is there something about a zest for life shown in that red?
I get what you say about the aggressive upshifts from the autobox. My stepmom’s Camrys have all done this in recent years, and it is a trait that I simply HATE. It is not so bad with a fat, gutsy V6, but when mated to a four that is a little short on torque at low revs, it is a near-dealbreaker with me.
Thanks JP, and I’m sorry about your mother. Your comment about weighing the impacts of a long goodbye with no goodbye at all is very well stated, and has been a very frequent thought in my mind since this happened. And I don’t know where I stand yet either.
I’m most sorry about your loss. She was the same age as I am. Having recently finished putting a metal roof on the very top of our house, which involved tall ladders and climbing up a steep roof, mortality from “household accident” does sometimes come to mind.
This is by far the best review I’ve ever read about a vehicle that’s so utterly ubiquitous that most of us don’t really send much time thinking about in such detail. It’s an appliance, but a mostly well-though out one, and with its inevitable compromises.
But then that’s pretty much the reality of all best-selling vehicles, no?
Thank you Paul, and thanks for the chance to publish it. Good for you for not slowing down, but be careful on those ladders nevertheless!
I’m so sorry that your mother passed away at such a young age. Being 66 I consider 67 still young enough. I do have an idea what that is like. My younger sister, 61, passed away suddenly last December on my birthday from a congenital aneurysm. I was there at the hospital for the end and I don’t recommend it twice, sister and father, in 10 months.
There was no will yet as she was taking care of Mom with dementia who never comprehended. Everything left to my nephew and niece to sort out while I sorted out my mother’s financial issues as my sister had power of attorney. My sister also had a 2 year old metallic gray Toyota Rav 4 which still sits covered in the garage of her house. My niece will be taking over the Rav 4 rather than selling it. I kept my father’s 2004 Buick.
Thank you, and best wishes to you. That is a lot of loss to absorb in a single year.
Very sorry for the loss of your Mother. I’m about her age, and though my Mother is still with us, I’ve gone through terrible years like 2016 when my Dad, and his 2 brothers (one of them 15 years younger than he the oldest was) all died within 6 months of each other. Eight years before that I lost my youngest sister to ovarian cancer at age 37 (we’re pretty spread out in age). I guess it is bad when the go unexpectedly, but even when you know they’re ailing, you don’t want to think about them being gone. My Mother has taken to frequent falls (so far no doctor has been able to determine why except her age), and I’ve been spending the weekends with her since the start of the Covid shutdown in March, when she had a particularly bad fall.
Per the RAV4, I guess the attraction is a vehicle that can seemingly do a lot with a single vehicle…I guess the alternative is to have many specific-purpose vehicles, but of course that gets expensive and takes quite a bit of space to house them. Though we used to live up in Vermont many years ago, we’ve since migrated to central Texas, even back then front wheel drive was considered at least a bit better than the lightweight rear wheel drive Datsun 710 I had for my undergraduate years up there, and I don’t go offroad, so I’ve stuck with a FWD hatchback as my only car. Fewer things to go wrong…wish I could have bought my current Golf without power windows and locks, they’ve been one of the annoying failing things that I’ve lived with as I’m not about to remove the window regulator to access the failing power lock module. It is nice to have configurable storage space versus a sedan, but I haven’t felt the need to go the SUV route to get it….though I do understand that oldsters like the higher seating position they have.
It’s been 3-1/2 years since we moved Dad to a care facility for his dementia, and 1-1/2 since he passed. Your beautifully-written piece honors your Mom, and brought back a flood of memories for me as well.
Dad owned a Buick LeSabre and a Ford Ranger at the time we moved him, and my brothers and I agreed to gift the Buick to my nephew and the truck to my youngest brother. Both are still in use today, as is the Nissan Sentra that was my Mom’s when she passed in 2010 (also went to a nephew).
Thank you, Ed. And what a great picture!
Petrichor, please add me to the lists of not only heartfelt condolences, but also as the son(-in-law) of a RAV4 owner who passed too soon. My mother-in-law was a wonderful, funny woman with a mischievous streak that would catch you by surprise if you weren’t careful. Her 2017 RAV4 was her fourth RAV4 and 10th Toyota since her 1980 Corolla. Unfortunately, poor health and the looming retirement of a husband she couldn’t stand (so they could spend even more time together!) took away most of those qualities in her last few years to the point that her passing was more relief than grief.
She generally liked her RAV4s, and her only complaint about this one was it’s weird brownish-grey color. My father-in-law turned in his company car and drives it now.
I see Toyota as being where GM was in the early 1970s. GM had grown as big as it was ever going to get, therefore the only way to increase profits was to cut costs. The 1971 B- and C-body interiors, which were awash in cheap, fast-fading plastic was an early example of this. Toyota is a much better run company than GM, so I don’t foresee 1990 Lumina-like interiors in Toyotas, but it will be interesting to see how far Toyota is willing to go with its cost cutting and how much the Toyota faithful is willing to accept.
Thank you Adam. I have to smile at your story, because Mom never remarried precisely because she didn’t want to be in that situation, of having to retire and deal with some irritating husband who couldn’t keep up.
This is probably the best, most even-handed, CUV review that I’ve ever read, despite (or perhaps because of) the emotional undercurrents behind it. Thank you for the review, and for the very fitting tribute to your family.
It’s interesting how even an anonymous car can reveal a great deal about its owner’s personality. This week I’m spending a lot of time driving my in-laws’ 1997 F-150. A silver 2WD F-150 like zillions of others – as ubiquitous as your RAV4, though entirely different. In spite of its ordinariness, every inch of that truck oozes my in-laws’ personalities. From the low-key color, to the low-spec interior options (vinyl bench seat with an Indian-style seat cover), to the well-chosen mechanicals (5.4 V8, trailer towing, etc.). And, unfortunately, to the well-worn condition, a byproduct of years of their declining health, where vehicle maintenance has taken a back seat. But the F-150 has never let them down.
Sounds like your mother made an excellent vehicle choice for herself. And I hope that writing this outstanding article has helped you in dealing with this year’s troubles.
Thanks Eric. Yes, the owner’s personality always comes through, whether it is the color or spec list or the crazy stuff you find squirreled away in the glove compartment. Mom apparently had a phobia of being caught without 2 or 3 pairs of sunglasses within arm’s reach. One of those things you get to chuckle about.
For my in-laws, its maps. Earlier this week I vacuumed out their truck, since that hadn’t been done in years. I found maps of the US, state maps, maps of various cities, etc.
This can be explained because they’re both retired geologists, and know the value of good maps. You can never have too many maps…
Oh, my God. I am so sorry for your loss. All of the heartbreak and devastation came through in your writing. I’m happy y’all were close and had a good relationship and she had a good relationship with your children. I will pray for her and you all.
I rented a Camry in Las Vegas in February and was surprised at how cheap and chintzy the interior materials were. My brother’s hand me down 2006 Altima, which wasn’t anyone’s idea of a luxury car, felt much more nicely kitted out. There’s a lot of pressure on manufacturers to cut costs and keep prices down (which is why comparing the same car with the same equipment levels, prices haven’t moved a whole lot over the last 20 or even 25 years) but just as food manufacturers reduce container sizes to cut costs, the manufacturers end up using lower and lower grades of materials and cutting things like sound deadening and light up window switches to reduce costs.
Thank you, Savage. The good relationship we had with her certainly added to the immediate grief, but results in very few regrets and we’re grateful for that.
My condolences to you and your family. What a sad, sad story, combined with such an excellent review of your mom’s car. Good combination of interior and exterior colors too, very tasteful. It stands out in a sea of all-grey exteriors and all-black interiors.
Thank you, Johannes!
Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss. I lost my mother almost three years ago after a 15 month battle with cancer so your review brought back so many memories. This is a club that none of us want to join but we all eventually do when you lose your mom. My mom was a Subaru driver but she preferred the Legacy to the crossovers and felt all wheel drive was important for when she went out in inclement weather albeit rarely. Also, she needed a 6 cylinder to get up those western Pennsylvania hills and a moonroof to let in the sun on sunny days. My dad drives it now.
Your review really encapsulated my own feelings about the RAV4 and crossovers in general. I can understand the appeal but I don’t really want one. That said, I respect the RAV4 for what it offers its legion of fans and I feel that we are so fortunate to have so many choices for our automotive needs.
Thank you Kevin. You’re absolutely right, this is a club we never want to be a part of even though we all knew our membership application was in the mail somewhere.
So sorry for your loss Petrichor, but what a nicely written article. My mother lived five years longer ( to be the age I am now) and I always thought she was taken too soon.
I thought the original RAV 4 was “WTF” but by gen 2 I was starting to understand, and thought about steering my better-half in the RAV 4 direction. She fiercely resisted until hip/back trouble forced her to think again. She now has an HRV auto and accepts the compromise.( The original HRV was aimed at the youth market but became known as the “hip replacement vehicle).
I am also familiar with having to sell-on a vehicle that a deceased relative has cherished and looked after, which doesn’t suit my tastes/needs, but nevertheless needs to go to a good home.
Thank you, Uncle Mellow. I suspect that I would also have felt like it was too soon if it was a decade from now, it’s never easy. My great grandmother lived to be 98 and lived independently until 95, and I still felt bad she didn’t cross the centenarian mark.
I had to laugh at your HRV acronym!
Very sorry to hear of your loss, and it’s heartening that you were able to tie your mothers’ memories to a personal vehicle. Cars are more than just a means to transport people and objects – and they are tied with our personal lives. You’ve done a great job with describing the RAV4’s tradeoffs and its market appeal. Makes me think about whether I should consider the RAV4 or the Highlander next (as a current Camry owner)…where should the tradeoffs lie? What does our family most need?
Thanks, silverkris. Regarding this RAV4’s tradeoffs and appeal, I must admit that it does so many daily things so well that I’m genuinely curious how the new RAV4 addresses the shortcomings. Reviews suggest the current hybrid model is a very good vehicle with more personality and fewer compromises than this one.
My deepest sympathies. I too am an only child and although my parents have been gone many years I remember there seemed to be a different level of grieving when you are the only one left of that family unit.
I liked your thoughts that something sportier might have suited your mum’s personality better.
If you are in the financial position a suggestion. Use the money from the rav4’s sale to buy something in that vein for you and your family. Then you and your girls can still ride around in “grandma’s car” but the memories you make will be yours.
Thanks William. Yes, being an only child during this has made me aware of how small our family is, how much of it is lost when only one departs, and how the support of siblings could make the process a bit easier.
I’ll have to give your recommendation due consideration. Burnouts in memory of grandma certainly has some appeal 🙂
Sorry to hear of your loss. I have been there, also as the only child to deal with my mom’s estate. 25 years later it is still a life-changing experience.
Due to dementia, mom had to give up her car a few years before passing.
I enjoyed the review of the RAV4 since many folks in my universe have them. Oddly I have never ridden in one!
I wish you peace and healing going forward.
My condolences to you for your loss Petrichor. I lost my mother in a household accident five years ago and still feel her loss. It’s amazing what we find cathartic and healing in this process, and your beautifully written unvarnished review certainly seems a part of that.
Life isn’t always fun and games, but our losses sometimes bring the positives into greater focus. Kind of like the bitter and the sweet. Thank you for the heartfelt COAL.
I’m far too late to this post. All I’ll say is…stay strong Petrichor. I’m sure your mom was proud of having you for a son. I hope her memory brings you as much happiness as possible.
As for the Rav4, my guess is Toyota’s TNGA has improved things to the point where the older models feel a bit quaint. In terms of driving dynamics anyway. I sat in a new Rav4 hybrid in March and wasn’t impressed with the interior. But the new Hybrid and Prime models have great powertrains and they’re probably good enough to overcome any type of spartan cabin appointments.
What an amazing tribute to your mother. Perhaps because a car is such a major purchase, the thought that goes into selecting one leads it to trigger more memories than lesser objects.
My mother’s VW was sold when she quit driving 6 years ago. She had always wanted a white Cadillac hardtop. Seeing a car she never owned is more likely to trigger thoughts of her than the silver VW she actually had.
I’m lucky. My mom is still with us at 101. Condolences on a mother taken far too early. You’ve written a beautiful remembrance that is part eulogy, part car review.
Wow, what a beautifully written tribute yet thorough review. I bet your mom is smiling. To continued strength and peace in the days ahead…..
We have two of these in our garage, one red and one blue (2016s, so they had a very slight refresh). We originally just had Blue, but after my Civic blew its water pump on a distant worksite visit, I hopped into a Carmax and hopped right back out in a few hours with Red. It’s nice to compare their performance and maintenance against each other.
Everything in this review is true. They’re at once good at everything and great at nothing. The ergonomics are awful, the engine does sound like someone vacuuming upstairs, the ride is bouncy…But, we expect them to be in service until the 2030s, their air-conditioning is cold, they’re comfortable enough for long road trips, they routinely beat 30 MPG, and they have one of the last “normal” transmissions (with aggravating shift logic, of course). I don’t LOVE them, but I like them, and it’s freeing to never have to worry about them.
I just need to put a trailer hitch on one so I can rarely pick up bulky items. And, maybe I’ll lower the other one by an inch or so, and get it some better tires…
I’m sorry to hear about your mother, she sounds like a lovely person who gave her best to you and your family.
Oof, this one got me.
Going though all your old reviews just now. Some of the finest stuff since the golden days of C&D and Automobile.
67… life is not fair. Enjoy what you got.