consumers review the Toyota RAV4

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Overall Consumer Review Rating
for the 2015 Toyota RAV4

Good mountain car

By Madeleine written on 12-10-2015

I have had this car about a month. I live in the mountains and wanted a car with decent acceleration that would be good in winter weather. The 2.5 engine has been fine even on steep hills at altitude. I've driven it in snowy, icy conditions (with snow tires) and it handles well and feels smooth. The automatic transmission can slide over to manual and a nudge of the shift lever up or down changes the gear. This gives the car the clutch breaking of a standard transmission and I have used it on icy, snowy downhills when I don't want to brake a lot. At first, I used the sport setting on hills, but I've found it climbs as well on the normal setting. I got the Limited because I love the push button start (I'm a key loser) and the automatic headlights. I also like the vinyl seats which are easy to wipe clean. The technology features are helpful. For example, a yellow light appears on the side mirrors when a car is in your blindspot and, when you're in reverse there is a warning if something is about to pass behind. Update- have the car 8 months- 10,000 miles No mechanical problems. Driving this winter, it was really handy to be able to push a button and go into 4 wheel drive. Twice during snowy, icy weather, I used it on an uphill highway ramp. The second time, a light on the dash flashed "4 wheel drive not on" or something like that--hint, hint. It gave me instant traction and shuts off around 25 mpg. The all wheel drive was really excellent the rest of the time. Pros Roomy. Decent back seats and plenty of storage area. Headlights and fog lights great on dark roads Smooth ride with good feel of the road Two memory settings for the drivers seat! I am 5'2" and everyone has to move my seat. My 6'2" husband is comfortable as a passenger. Cons Radio with Sirius is a touch screen- It takes a lot of attention off the road to change stations or settings and it's impossible to see if the sun is hitting it. Also there are no preset buttons for the radio. I can change preset stations (on the touch screen) from the steering wheel but I still have to look down too much to see what is on. Short back window so the rear wiper only cleans a small area. Overall I'm happy with the car. I haven't had problems with it so far. 12/17 I ended up trading this car because I found the controls unsafe. I do mostly highway driving. The Rav4 had a large busy touch screen that took a lot of attention while driving; not just because of the reflection from sun, but listings of radio stations (I have SiriusXM), for example were small, and I needed to look down at the screen, even with the steering adjustment. The heat mode control was in the center and low, with small stick pictures of the heat/def selected. Also the on/off switch for the blind spot monitor is low on the right of the steering wheel and I accidentally shut it off once getting in with snow pants. I tried to remember to check that the light was on when I started driving. There are no dashboard warnings when it and other features, except for traction control, are off or on. I wanted a car with all wheel drive and I like all the techie features. I got a 2017 Impreza Limited with Eyesight because it had a simple touch screen plus a screen on top of the dashboard, in the middle of the windshield, that shows radio info, heat/AC settings, etc. without looking down. Also dashboard warnings when something is turned off or not working because of weather, etc. It also has CarPlay, an app you can use with an iPhone and use voice commands (Siri) for navigation, etc.

Very happy after 9 months

By susieq33 written on 05-27-2015

I waited to write this review, since I wanted to take a decent road trip. Having just got back from a trip to and from Ohio to SC, I now feel I can write an honest review. This is a great vehicle. I have owned Hondas for the past 25 years or more, the latest being a 2008 CR-V, and was bored with the same interior look and features. I test drove multiple vehicles, SUVs and sedans. The RAV 4 is extremely nice looking (Pearl White) and runs and rides perfectly. Got 29.6 miles per gallon on average, using heat, defrosters and air conditioning through rain, fog, and sleet. The RAV-4 Limited offers a comfortable ride, great handling. The heated seats/lower back are outstanding No complaints. ****UPDATE**** Ater having this RAV4 for almost 3 years now, and after several long road trips, it continues to make me happy. The only problem I've had is that the tire pressure sensors are extremely sensitive and tend to show low air pressure frequently in winter months with temperature changes. Otherwise, the ride, acceleration, and gas mileage is great. Averaged 30 to 31 mpg on our most recent trip from Ohio to SC. The power in the normal mode is so good for passing or entering freeways that I have never switched into sport mode. The economy mode's mpg was equal to using the normal mode, so why have a more sluggish vehicle and not gain anything? I drive in the normal mode all the time and with combined city and highway driving, usually average around 28 mpg and 27 in the winter. Have had many back seat passengers remark on how roomy and comfortable the back seats are. Oil changes are a bit more expensive due to using synthetic oil. The only changes I woukd make to do something with the cup holders, which are too deep for some items, adding a smaller, covered storage area for a cell phone or similar, a button to program the garage door opener, and automatic headlights when windshield wipers are in use, and better speakers as the sound is not the greatest at lower levels. That being said, even without those fixes we would purchase the RAV4 again, without hesitation. UPDATE: May 2018, now have almost 40,000 on the car. Still getting good gas mileage, recently 30 mpg on a trip from Ohio to SC. My only complaint is that the middle dashboard area where the console is has some squeaks and rattles that is annoying. Plastic on plastic, I guess. Otherwise, hauled two boxes with fully assembled outdoor rocking chairs in it a month ago, they fit perfectly. Lots of room I. The cargo area with the seats down. Have driven on many long road trips and the seats are comfortable, the ride is nice and the engine never struggles, even in the mountains. Great acceleration for passing. Overall very happy with this vehicle. In fact, my husband wants me to get a new one so he can have this one, and I am not ready to part with it.

Great SUV/CUV, with a few caveats

By tradedcmax written on 05-28-2015

Updated 2 years later: I enjoyed the RAV4 and RAV4 hybrid for just over 2 years, but didn't realize the negative effect the front seat was having with my leg, and how I would develop a problem that could have caused or helped to contribute to neuropathy, something that developed during my RAV4 ownership. I had come to believe the RAV4 was the only car I could drive, without hurting my feet more. By chance I recently drove a Buick Encore, and while the seats were slightly more narrow, the bottom cushion side bolsters pushed up and provided support in a place that needed to be supported. I could not believe how much difference this made. I thought it was a fluke, and tried again and even again. Same thing, less problems with my feet hurting. Now, 4 weeks into this new relationship and I've been able to do more than before. I have reduced the pain meds a bit, and I can go longer without the pain. I don't know if the condition is fully reversible or not, it came on during a 2 year period, so maybe it will take awhile. Maybe never. And maybe nothing to do with it? I don't know. But I do know I'm getting better support with a different car's front seat. And I can get around without as much trouble - the need to limp from the pain is going away. As for repairs, I had the rear tailgate door switch that had to be replaced, and the problem of hitting the switch more than once was still present after the repair. In addition, the left front fog light burned out and was also covered under warranty. The last thing I noticed and didn't have serviced, was an intermittent issue with the brakes acting a bit odd, and without any consistency. It would feel like the left front caliper was grabbing or something. It was too intermittent to take in for service, and had recently passed the state inspection without issue. Is the RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid a great car? Yes...and a great value. The paint on the RAV4 Hybrid, made in Japan, was way better. And the 30mpg average was just incredible. I miss the extra space, and the fact I was saving more gas. What I wish was that the seats were more comfortable, and that Toyota realized that not everyone is a certain shape and size, and plan accordingly with the seats. UPDATE: At about the one year anniversary of owning this great SUV, I traded it in with 18,000 miles on the odometer. Why? I traded it for a 2016 RAV4 Hybrid XLE. I enjoyed it so much that I took a small loss to get into the hybrid version. The gas mileage is anywhere from 31mpg around town and higher speed commutes, to 37.5mpg on a trip from Phila to Baltimore and back - going just about the speed limit using the adaptive radar cruise control. While I gave up the faux leather heated memory seats, I gained a significantly better technology equipped hybrid version. The tech package includes front collision avoidance with cars and pedestrians, lane departure, front and rear parking assist sensors, and of course blind spot monitoring. My wife misses her heated seats for her back issues, but agreed the cloth seats were more amiable to not sweating when hot, and not feeling as cold when it is cold outside. The RAV4 limited (non-hybrid) model did GRRRRREEEAAAAATTTT in the snow, it did a really good job in fact. The hybrid AWD is different, and haven't had a chance to try it in the snow. But the limited non-hybrid was perfect in the snow - hoping for the same with this one. The only thing I found I didn't like on the non-hybrid version, which is made in Canada, was that the paint was as thin a layer as you could imagine and I got alot of chips from driving on the highway. The hybrid is made in Japan and so far, not a single chip. I did have to replace the windshield as a stone must have hit the windshield, and then it spread, but no chips on the hood.....so if you like a good paint job, get the hybrid because they seem like they are better painted as they are made in Japan. I would highly recommend the RAV4 to anyone......from the cargo size, to the quality, to the MPG, to the lack of problems, etc. I'd say the RAV4 is a homerun! All in all, I'm pleased with this vehicle. I upgraded from another smaller wagon cuv with all wheel drive, because it could not handle the speed of I95 in the Philly metro area. I was pleased with the handling of this RAV4, at those highway/rush hour speeds. I haven't tried out the AWD as I bought this in the spring season when there was no snow. But so far, it is doing well. I've had this for about a month and have just over 2,000 miles on it. But this is getting anywhere from 24 mpg on my suburbia trips, up to 28 mpg on the highway (higher speed) drives. I realize I'd get more MPG if I'd be able to go 45-50 mph, but that is not possible.

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Buying a used 2015 Toyota RAV4 in Birmingham, AL

Save up to $491.75 on over 73 used 2015 Toyota RAV4's for sale across 352 dealers near Birmingham, Alabama. Edmunds has over 5,002,263 cheap new and used car, truck, and SUV listings, available in the following submodel types: SUV. 2015 Toyota RAV4s in your area are available in following trim types, including (but not limited to): LE, Limited and XLE. 2015 RAV4s in your area are priced ranging from $16,000 to $24,700 with mileage ranging from 0 to 89,829 miles. The 2015 Toyota RAV4 is a vehicle with a 4-cylinders engine, all wheel drive drive train and AUTOMATIC transmission. The 2015 RAV4 has an average Edmunds Rating of 3.5 and an average consumer rating of . The nearest dealership is Jim Burke Pre-Owned Supercenter, approximately 1.35 miles away with 630 used 2015 RAV4's in stock. The highest rated dealer in your area with a used 2015 Toyota RAV4 for sale is Jim Burke Pre-Owned Supercenter, with an average user dealer rating of 5 and 630 used 2015 Toyota RAV4's in stock for sale.

Options and features available on used 2015 Toyota RAV4's available near Birmingham typically include:

Features: Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel , Aux Audio Inputs , Back-up camera , Bluetooth , Fold Flat Rear Seats , Rear Bench Seats , Stability Control , Tire Pressure Warning , Trip Computer , USB Inputs , Auto Climate Control , Multi-Zone Climate Control , Sunroof/Moonroof , Navigation , Heated seats , Keyless Entry/Start , Power Driver Seat , Power Liftgate/Trunk , AWD/4WD , Upgraded Stereo , Blind Spot Monitoring , Lane Departure Warning , Remote Start .

Engine/Mechanics: 4 cylinders .

Transmission: Automatic .

Fuel Type: regular unleaded .

Drivetrain: front wheel drive , all wheel drive .

Edmunds offers users detailed expert ratings and reviews, pricing, consumer reviews, features and specs, interior and exterior vehicle pictures and videos, as well as special offers, gas cards, and other perks. Find your perfect used 2015 Toyota RAV4 at edmunds.com.

Used 2015 Toyota RAV4 for Sale in Birmingham, AL

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$19,940^*

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$22,177^*

$18,572^*

$17,990^*

$18,880^*

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$19,998^*

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$16,000^*

$17,250^*

$20,762^*

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consumers review the Toyota RAV4

consumers review the Toyota RAV4

Buying a used 2015 Toyota RAV4 in Birmingham, AL

More Used Toyota RAV4 Near Birmingham, AL

Used 2015 Toyota RAV4 for Sale in Birmingham, AL

$16,600*

$19,940*

$17,998*

$16,780*

$22,177*

$18,572*

$17,990*

$18,880*

$19,295*

$19,998*

$17,882*

$19,900*

$16,000*

$17,250*

$20,762*

$20,481*

$20,590*

$17,550*

consumers review the Toyota RAV4

consumers review the Toyota RAV4

Buying a used 2015 Toyota RAV4 in Birmingham, AL

More Used Toyota RAV4 Near Birmingham, AL

$16,600^*

$19,940^*

$17,998^*

$16,780^*

$22,177^*

$18,572^*

$17,990^*

$18,880^*

$19,295^*

$19,998^*

$17,882^*

$19,900^*

$16,000^*

$17,250^*

$20,762^*

$20,481^*

$20,590^*

$17,550^*