2007 Toyota RAV4 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Attractive styling makes the latest RAV4 an appealing alternative to some of this Toyota’s competitors, though it looks less purposeful than the previous-generation model did. At least the spare tire remains on the rear cargo door, underscoring the fact that the RAV4 is an SUV and not a station wagon. Sport trim is especially appealing thanks to 18-inch aluminum wheels, fog lights, and body-colour fender flares.

Form takes no backseat to function inside of the RAV4. True, the layered dashboard is a model of ergonomic simplicity and useful practicality, but round air vents, a dual glovebox design, and funky triangular trim around the front door releases lend this SUV a sense of style.

Unfortunately, in order to keep the RAV4’s price down, Toyota panels everything in hard plastic. On the one hand, it’s not shiny, which would make it look worse. But the matte finish on the black upper portion of the dashboard easily shows scratches and smudges. Even running a finger across it appears to leave a trail of smeared dust mixed with dry skin flakes. Yuck.

Thankfully, all of that hard plastic might be the worst thing about the 2007 RAV4. Mechanically, at least, this SUV impresses.

The standard engine is downright indestructible, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder making modest power specs of 166 horsepower. A four-speed automatic transmission transfers the power to the RAV4’s front wheels, and an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system is an option (some literature refers to this drivetrain as four-wheel drive (4WD)). With AWD, a Lock function evenly distributes the power between the front and rear wheels in order to maximize traction at low speeds.

We recommend the optional 3.5-litre V6, which runs an extra $2,500, give or take, depending on trim level and equipment. That’s a big price premium, but this engine is good for 269 hp. Just try finding that in a Honda CR-V. Plus, the V6 can easily tow up to 1,587 kilograms (3,500 pounds) of trailer.

For the record, the V6 engine uses a more sophisticated five-speed automatic transmission, which helps it achieve fuel economy numbers close to those of the four-cylinder. The four-cylinder engine is estimated to consume 10.1 litres per 100 km in city driving and 7.8 on the highway, while the RAV4 V6 consumes 11.1 litres per 100 km in the city and 7.7 on the highway. How can that be? The V6 doesn’t need to work as hard to motivate the 1,587-kilogram (3,500-pound) RAV4.

Based on test-driving the Sport AWD with the V6, the RAV4 puts into bold, capital letters the ‘SPORT’ part of sport-utility. Pull up next to an unsuspecting driver in a Honda Civic Si, and you’ll roast the sport compact. You might even surprise someone behind the wheel of a V8-powered Mustang. According to some publications, the V6 rockets this SUV to 60 mph in just over six seconds flat. (0-to-100-km/h estimates are not available.)

Stomping on the RAV4 Sport V6’s go pedal is enormously satisfying, and this Toyota can take corners with grace, too, thanks to its sport-tuned steering and suspension. Skip the V6 and the Sport trim and the RAV4 is decidedly less invigorating to drive, but it still proves satisfying in the mechanically refined manner common to Toyotas.

As is true of most compact SUVs, the base RAV4 gives you everything you need and nothing you don’t. It has air conditioning, cruise control, a tilt/telescopic steering wheel, front and rear cupholders, and power windows, locks, and heated side mirrors. The stereo includes a CD/MP3 player and comes with an auxiliary input jack. This version of the RAV4 rolls on purposeful 17-inch painted steel wheels.

Sport trim adds 18-inch aluminum wheels, fog lights, sport-tuned steering and suspension components, and a new optional power moonroof. The yummy V6 engine is an option. Get it.

The Toyota RAV4 Limited includes some Sport features, but it also downgrades to 17-inch alloy wheels. Nicer interior materials, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a CD changer are standard, and both leather seats and a premium JBL sound system are options.

Up front, the RAV4’s seats are acceptably comfortable, and the Limited’s power seat adjustment certainly helps. Unfortunately, though, the hard plastic on the upper front door panels really takes a toll on your elbows if you rest them there. Backseat passengers enjoy plenty of legroom, and the seat slides on a track to expand legroom for third-row occupants or to maximize cargo space.

Speaking of which, there is 1,017 litres of cargo area behind the second-row seats, and without the third-row seat option, the cargo floor is quite low to the ground, making it easier to load the SUV. The side-hinged rear door, however, is less than ideal, even if it does give Toyota a place to hang the spare tire to keep it easily accessible while at the same time maximizing cargo space. Fold the rear seats down, and the RAV4 holds up to 2,073 litres, as much as some midsize SUVs.

Standard safety equipment for the 2007 RAV4 includes antilock brakes, traction control, stability control, dual front airbags, dual front side-impact airbags, and side curtain airbags. This year, the side airbags are standard rather than optional. That’s a good move on Toyota’s part, because with these extra supplemental restraints, the RAV4 performs well in crash tests.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the RAV4 "Good" ratings in the frontal moderate overlap test and in the side-impact test. Roof crush strength measures "Acceptable," while the seats and head restraints get a "Marginal" rating from the IIHS.

This SUV gets high marks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), too. It earns 5-star ratings in all assessments except for the front passenger in a frontal-impact collision, for which the SUV receives a 4-star rating. The rollover resistance rating is also 4 stars, which is fine for an SUV.

Prices for the 2007 Toyota RAV4 as a new car in Canada start at $29,300 and rise to $36,970 for a Limited V6 AWD. Is this allegedly compact SUV worth the money?

We think so, and especially with the V6 engine. In exchange for about $2,500 and a barely perceptible dent in fuel economy, a RAV4 V6 speaks softly but carries a big stick. Plus, the RAV has proven over time to be exceptionally reliable and to hold its value well.

The question isn’t why you should buy a Toyota RAV4. Rather, it’s why wouldn’t you?

Note: Images show a US model.