Mother Proof's view

It is strange when your children begin to surpass you in size. My 14-year-old son now stands about 5-foot-6, a couple of inches taller than myself and just a few inches shorter than my husband, who is 6 feet tall. In our family, as in most families, the pecking order of seating in the car is adults in the front and children in the back. Now that my son is getting so tall (and his legs seem to make up more than two-thirds of his height), my husband graciously puts himself in the backseat on many trips around town. In some cars this is an exercise in contortionism for him, so much so that the kids call him “Daddy long legs.” I am pleased to report that is not the case in the Toyota RAV4. The back seat can adjust forward and back and leaves an immense 38 inches of legroom for the backseat passengers. Compare that to 41 inches of space for the front seat passengers – not too shabby.

The roominess of this little SUV does not end with passengers. The cargo area is also very generous and I am able to fit two kid bikes in the back and still have room to spare. The all new Toyota RAV4 does offer a choice of a third-row seat, although my test vehicle did not include this option. In lieu of the seat, however, the cargo area has some standard storage compartments located under the carpeted area. These storage cubbies are ample enough to carry emergency equipment such as jumper cables and a first aid kit, but could also accommodate a small diaper or gym bag, just in case.

Not to sound like a broken record, but the RAV4 has even more storage in the front passenger compartment. There are actually two glove compartments, one for all the essentials, and another that accommodates a small purse, a travel-sized box of wipes and an umbrella. The center console has two compartments. The top one is perfect to store a little pad of paper and some pens and the larger compartment below is has enough room to hold a box of tissues and has an auxiliary plug for an iPod or other electronics charger.

Speaking of abundant spaces, the two cup holders in the front seat are actually too big for a standard travel mug or water bottle. My cup never tumbles out, but it does dance around like a dashboard hula girl on every trip. Despite my disappointment in the utility of the front cup holders, I am impressed that the total number of cup holders in this small wonder is a whopping 10, with the optional third-row seat.

I am also pleasantly surprised by the way the RAV4 performs in my day-to-day driving. The engine is peppy and it handles much more like a car than a truck. The climate control system is simple and effective; it even has a micro filtration and pollen removal button. The Limited model has optional heated seats, a touch of luxury in this otherwise modest vehicle.

For all the things that I love about the RAV4 there is one thing that really irritates me. The first is the fact that the middle seat belt for the second row comes out of the ceiling and buckles into two different receptors to make a three-point belt. The first receptor is actually in between the seat belt and the seat belt receptor for the driver’s side rear passenger, so point two on the middle belt actually sits under the child car seat or booster that is behind the driver. The potential of improperly installing a child seat in the back of this car is huge. The design of the middle belt seems like an afterthought, not an integrated feature.

By and large, I really enjoy the Toyota RAV4. It is much more spacious than its predecessor, daddy long legs even likes the ride in the back seat. With the addition of the third row the RAV4 can hold all but the largest of families and it has notable safety features such as side impact and available side curtain airbags. It’s not too shabby that you get all this, toppings out just under 26k.

*For more information on the Toyota RAV4 and its safety features visit Cars.com

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

LATCH Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5/7

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times