2013 Toyota RAV4 consumer reviews

We are the proud owners of a new rav diesel and I am pleased to say that that it is a delight to drive our trip from the dealers to home on the freeway averaged 5.5L/100 km and is whisper quite .Cannot fault the fit and finish however some brands like Hyundai put more effort into upholstery detail .We are stepping out of a 2002 s60 volvo and we find the seats to almost as good as the volvo . It represented a more practical car than a hybrid vehicle . With the vehicle set on cruise control 100 km/ hour on country roads it was un stoppable having mountains of toque to negotiate steep inclines..

I have had my Rav4 XLE almost 3 weeks. LOVE IT, fun to drive. I had a Ford Edge and the gas milage was killing me. So happy Toyota changed the style of the exterior.

This car is just the right size. Performs very well. I get great gas mileage. I'm averaging about 25 miles per gallon. It handles great in the snow. That is the number one reason I bought the Rav 4. I wanted all wheel drive. The technology in this car is fantastic. from the great sounding radio to the blind spot monitor, the backup screen, and the nav system and of course the Bluetooth for my phone and music. I really like the apps, such as Pandora. Overall, this is one of the best cars I have ever owned and would recommend it. Toyota's service is second to none and that is extremely important in owning this vehicle.

I have owned my Rav4 for six months and have owned many different cars and trucks in almost 50 years of driving . This is by far the vehicle with the worst ride I have ever owned.

I love my 2013 rav4 xle. Bought for my wife and wished it was for me. Great mileage and great exterior body. The only negatives is no leather or heated seats. camera works good when it doesn't snow or rain. Love the touchscreen on the dash. very impressed, i'm a honda person and glad i didn't buy crv. I live in Virginia and drive to Kansas and myrtle beach once a year. Drive for fun to D.C., Richmond alot. Love the white paint.

I traded in my 2010 Rav4 for the 2013 model so I feel I can make a valid comparison. My 2010 LTD was a V6 so I knew going in that I was giving up excellent acceleration for a s0-so 4 cyl. But when considered against the new features of the 2013 I decided to trade it in. I got tired of the large swing door and lack of technology as found in the newer models. But here's where they cut some corners: 1. The spare tire is now inside (nice) but is no longer a full size tire and wheel but a temp. 2. The 2010 had real leather seats, now they employ something called "soft-tek" leather substitute. 3. The center console no longer two levels, just one large box. 4. On the 2010 there was a secondary glove box that had a push button release. Replaced by an open bin. 5. The interior and dashboard use more cheap looking plastic and no one will be fooled into thinking the carbon fiber surface is real. 6. One less 12V outlet and no 110V a/c outlet. Even with all of the above, I don't regret buying this car. It's a good reliable vehicle with some nice technology. The price is lowest in it's class and the mileage is great. I get 28 mpg overall and it uses regular gas. However, if they brought back the V6 I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Stranded at the dealership with a Uhaul in tow I asked the Sales guy to take me on a test drive with something comparable to my luxury vehicle which just decided to "break up with me". He suggested a Toyota Rav 4 Limited and I laughed saying I don't think so. I wanted comfort, a smooth ride, leather heated seats, auto seat adjustment with memory, navigation, performance with some get up and go. And decent gas mileage. No way was I expecting this in the Rav4 but I was wrong. Words that do not normally come out of my mouth. The Rav4 Limited is Awesome! Great ride, super cool looking, the performance is far beyond what I expected. Hugs the corners, has some power for a 4 Cylinder when in the Sport Mode. Surprising sound system, navigation and voice commend system is very nice and easy to use. Got a lot in this vehicle without the high ticket price of it's well known luxury model that I use to drive. Surprise, surprise. I love my Toyota Rav4 Limited.

Let me start by saying that this may in fact be the right car for some but I will tell you about my experience with my current RAV4. We found the Rav4 attractive for numerous reasons. We liked the overall styling of the exterior, though more black plastic than I liked but this seems to be a way for car manufactures to make some extra savings. I worried about it fading over time, which it will. I wasn't a fan of the rear end and I still do not care for it. this wasn't a deal breaker for me because what the exterior lacked the interior made up for it. You get a lot of standard features on the XLE and that is why we chose it. Automatic Dual climate controls, roof rails, touch scree, back up cam, neat two tone color fabric, and so on. We compared this to the escape (to small) and the CRV (noisy over the road). PROs: smooth power train and enough power for the whole family. Me +3. roomy seating for all unless you squeeze 3 in the back. It's REALLY tight with three! Great cargo room even with the stroller. Road noise is minimal for this class compared to the competition. Nice interior and decent exterior. This is why I'm rating this car so low and I have lost a lot of respect for Toyota quality. CONS: The fake carbon fiber scratches extremely easy but the Toyota dealership replaced the scratched piece. Pretty nice of them. The ride is absolutely terrible! We did our initial test drive over some pretty smooth roads but once we got to driving it (after purchase) on other less improved surfaces, the ride was very noticeable. I'm pretty sure it's the rear suspension as it crashes over the smallest imperfections. The hood shakes and rattles all the time no matter the speed. There is a "whine" noise coming from the transmission when slowing down from 45+ mph. I also have some oil residue developing around the valve cover gasket. Toyota cannot find a leak. The transmission has a hard time on hills. Cruising at 70 mpg and climbing up a grade will case the transmission to downshift very hard once it finally engages. So hard that it woke my sleeping passengers and them asking if we hit something. All of these issues were brought to the dealerships attention and Toyota corporate. After several weeks and the car staying at the dealer for over two weeks, Toyota was unable to identify any problems. They took note of it and agreed with my complaints but say that these are characteristics of this vehicle. TOn top of all this, the bolts to the back hinge struts for the gate are developing rust and it is creating a rust streak down the column. Got to take it back to the dealer for this... yay, yet again. After all of this I am pursuing the arbitration process and will try to get my money back. I cannot recommend this vehicle to anyone until they address these common issues with this model. Do a quick search or look on the forums and you will find I'm not the only with theses exact same problems. I hate to say this, because I'm a Toyota fan, but do not buy this vehicle. If you choose to take anyways, PLEASE look for the problems I'm having as many others are experiencing the same. It's not worth it.... even for a Toyota.

The Toyota scion dealership in Apex NC made my car buying experience really smooth and fast. There was no pressure nor any hidden fees. I am very satisfied with overall experience. I will definitely recommend this place for new car buyers to try it out.

I purchased a 2013 RAV 4 XLE with great expectations. What attracted me to this car was the exterior styling, well laid out and functional interior, back up camera, six speed automatic transmission, fairly peppy speed especially from the starting position, and good value for the price. My disappointment has been the rear suspension "slamming" when driving over even modest speed bumps and breaks in the road, choppy transmission shifts especially in stop and go driving, loud muffler, and that incessant high pitched winding sound when accelerating that is so common to all Toyotas. Of course when I asked the dealer to check out these aggravations, they predictably said it was "normal". I previously owned a 2008 Honda CR-V and now wish I went with my gut and purchased a 2013 Honda CR-V. I hope someone in authority from Toyota reads this review, takes it seriously, and start to make corrections to an otherwise very fine car.