Weekend Athlete Takes Toyota RAV4 to Grand Haven Triathlon

This summer, I’ve mostly done new races I’ve never done before. It’s fitting, then, that I’d get a new car to drive to one, too. The race was a blast, but what about the RAV4?

Car: 2009 Toyota RAV4 base with all-wheel drive

Destination: Grand Haven (Mich.) Triathlon Distance: About 355 miles Fuel cost/average mpg: $33.95/24.4 mpg

The trip: I drove to Michigan on Saturday morning, taking a mix of toll roads and normal highways. My rented four-cylinder, all-wheel-drive Toyota RAV4 kept up with traffic well and delivered good mileage. Once I got into town, I found the little SUV easy to see out of, easy to park and peppy enough for quick maneuvers.

Ch-Ch-Changes: 2009 Toyota RAV4's New Engine, Face

The most important upgrade to the 2009 RAV4 is its new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which increases power to 179 hp, versus the 2008’s 166 hp. Mileage remains unchanged at 22/28 mpg city/highway for the two-wheel-drive RAV4 and 21/27 mpg for the four-wheel-drive version. The 3.5-liter V-6 also remains unchanged.

Toyota also made some tweaks to the exterior. The front of the RAV4 gets a more angular look that better resembles recently redesigned models like the Tundra and Matrix. The rear gets new taillights and a minor change to the bumper. 

Other upgrades are standard active front head restraints, new colors and new interior fabrics.

These aren’t drastic changes, but they should maintain the RAV4’s status as one of the most popular compact SUVs on the market. The 2009 is on sale now, and base prices remain unchanged from 2008. Sport and Limited models see slight price bumps for 2009. Check out our new-car configurator here to check prices, build a new 2009 and find inventory in your area.

More photos below.

Honda Still on Top in U.S., Says Consumer Reports

For the second year in a row, Consumer Reports has named Honda the automaker selling the best vehicles in the U.S., based on factors ranging from reliability to vehicle comfort.

Toyota and Subaru ranked second and third, followed by BMW, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen. No domestic nameplate appeared on the list.

Cars.com Small SUV Faceoff

Last year we had the Toyota RAV4 take on the Honda CR-V and Mitsubishi Outlander in a battle royal of cute utes. The Toyota won, which means it now has to defend its title against two newcomers: the Nissan Rogue and the Saturn Vue. It was stiff competition, but in the end the winner was an easy choice. Check out the results.

Cars.comparison: Small SUVs, Take II

Weekend Athlete: 2007 Toyota RAV4

The RAV4 has grown into a larger SUV than it was when it first hit the market, but will bigger mean better in a competitive Weekend Athlete world?

Once you fold the rear seats, the cargo area is flat, which is nice, but not one of the things I add or subtract a lot of points for. What I do care about is how large the cargo area is and the size of the opening through which you must pass your gear. Here the RAV4 scores points because both are large.

Where it loses points is on the seat mechanism and the rear door.

Friday Fleet Notes: 7.27.07

This week we had a lot of different cars come in and out of the fleet, but we decided to let Mike wax poetic about the Civic Hybrid’s mileage in his own post. That left everyone clamoring for seat time in the new Mercedes C-Class and a few of us revisiting an old Faceoff winner.

2008 Mercedes-Benz C300

Considering the C300 is the less-powerful trim level, I thought it accelerated pretty well. It’s no rocket, but it certainly benefits from the seven-speed transmission. It takes off smoothly and quietly, seeming to start out in second gear when in Drive, an old Mercedes practice. Even in the Sport version, it didn’t live up to the BMW 3 Series or the Infiniti G35, but it was pretty satisfying to drive — and not every luxury automaker can chase the same goal.

Compact SUV Faceoff Tests CR-V, RAV4, Outlander

Mike Hanley and I pitted three of the most popular new or redesigned compact SUVs on the market against each other to see which rules this competitive segment. We were both a bit surprised at the results and how one vehicle could be so good in one department but fail in the others. Check out the full faceoff, complete with video and the eventual winner. 

Cars.comparison: Compact SUVs

Reader Review of the Week

This week we get some real-life feedback from a new Toyota RAV4 owner who opted for the four-cylinder model. Since Cars.com recently tested the V-6 RAV4, this is a good way to hear from someone who opted for the less powerful version and find out why.

Lou B. from Fayetteville, Ark., gets the nod this week because of his real-life feedback of both the buying and driving experience. You can read and submit your own new- or used-car review any time.

2007 Toyota RAV4: My Take

The Toyota RAV4, which David Thomas recently reviewed, was redesigned for the 2006 model year and is so far selling strongly. I also had an opportunity to drive this no-longer-little SUV.

The RAV4 looks stylish to my eyes, though like Dave I'm not a big fan of the spare tire on the back of the cargo door. Buyers do get a full-size spare with this setup, though, and that's definitely a nice-to-have feature. 

The 3.5-liter V-6 feels very strong and not at all burdened by the SUV's weight, though there's some mild torque steer under hard acceleration. The V-6 isn't daunted by a full load of passengers, either, and its gas mileage estimates are impressive: 22/29 mpg (city/highway) for FWD versions and 21/28 for 4WD models. During a 100-mile stretch of flat highway driving at speeds between 75 and 80 mph, I averaged 26 mpg in a 4WD Sport.