RAV-4 vs. CR-V vs. X-Trail

Hey Guys and Gals,

My wife and I are looking into getting a compact SUV. We have the field narrowed down to the Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail.

Uses:
Grocey Getter
Commuting to/from work
We are expecting a baby and will be using the SUV for the seat and stuff (it won't fit in my 350Z!)
We have a 70lb dog we occasionally lug around

So I am looking for feedback from you RAV-4 owners. What do you like dislike about your RAV? Have you had any problems or are there any know problems with the RAV? If any of you have owned or driven the other 2 vehickles on the list, how do they compare? Don't bother to comment on styling as looks are very subjective.

By the way, we are looking at a 2005 RAV with the Plus package.

I will also be posting this on the CR-V and X-Trail forums.

Thanks for your input!

Tim

Tim,

I never owned a Honda or Nissan. We currently own a 97 RAV4 L 4WD with 214,000 miles and are replacing it with a 98 4WD with only 66,000 miles.

We never had any major problems with our RAV4. The only thing I have noticed now is that it burns about 1 quart of oil between 3k mile oil changes. However, having said that, realize the engine is a very small 4-cyl. and we used it at times for towing around an atv, garden tractor and a small boat when needed to. Despite the little 4-cyl., the power is rather impressive. (We also have a roof rack on ours which is handly.)

The vehicle appears to give a nicer ride with the wider tire option (i.e. 16" P235's as opposed to the narrower P215's that came with it). We have a very steep drive way and my wife rarely has to push in the buttom for engaging 4WD getting out in the snow. Keep in mind the RAV4 already has all-time 4WD, but without engaging that little button for 4WD on the dash, the all-time 4WD has 70% pull from the front wheels and 30% from the rear wheels...maybe that's why we rarely ever even need to kick in the 4WD button.

The vehicle has never left us broken down anywheres. Toyota quality is as good as it gets and perhaps going with a Honda or Nissan won't be any worse in terms of quality.

Regarding room, the RAV4 is excellent for families with only 1 or 2 children, including a dog. Keep the dog in the back by getting one of those barriers you can install or just get him a dog carrier.

If you enjoy saving a few bucks, changing the oil, air filter and spark plugs on the RAV4 yourself is as easy as it gets.

I hope thise helps a little.

we have an 03 Rav 4 and it has great gas mileage. you could easily get 500 miles highway driving. We made it to Vegas from southern cali with half a tank but we top it off it to the brink of spilling. Also on hills on freeways you can turn off overdrive which drops a gear getting more power. I'm not sure if your familiar with the 15 freeway where it goes over the sierra nevadas, but there are signs saying slow traffic pull right and with overdrive off it pulls up that hill like theres no tomorrow hitting 80+ easily. and the newer ravs have more horsepower and a bigger engine. The A/C works great, the sound system is good. you could put the dog in the back where there is enough room. It has front airbags, not sure about side airbags. Just Test drives all the cars and see which one you like. And its a Toyota which is reliable. You could get 150,000+ miles out of it easily. even 250,000.

Whatever you choose hope it turns out well.

I own a '04 Rav4 (L) with full-time 4wd, traction control, vehicle stability...and a host of other goodies. I've had it for close to a year with no problems. I love the way that it handles especially on mountain roads. That's where the increased power really surges you up the mountains, even in the rain, we never lost our footing. There's hardly any sloppy role in the turns, and the power is consistent. One night in my neighborhood a tree was downed in the middle of the road. I didn't see it until I was right up on it, and swerved by reflex in the rain. It was as though nothing had happened - never lost control. also going up the B/W pkwy, raging winds had blown snow over the road way for 1/4 mile. I was doing 70 mph, I could feel the wind pushing against the left side of the car, but never felt a hint of a slipping tire.

We just got about a foot of snow in our area, and this is where it really shows off - if only those big sloppy suburbans, excurssions, and navigators would stay to the right. Manuevering in the slippery stuff was nothing for the Rav4. You already know about the slick styling. Power is great w/the larger engine and the 5spd. I wish the shifting was smoother - I've got to concentrate to get it just right especially when trying to outrun someone at the traffic light, but when you shift it right, the truck just leaps ahead. I only have to haul my 10 lb sheltie, but your 70 pounder should fit nicely in the baggage compartment. I'm now trying to locate some tires to take it off-road.

This is a reply back to Tim:
Tim, you have it partly right, but the correction needs to be about the drive system. Rav4 has Full-time 4wd. That means that the power is equally distributed 50/50 at all times, unless (in the newer models) the traction control kicks in. The button (on the 04) is used to disengage the Traction Control, which is always on by default. When the Traction Control is disengaged, you get no more of the fancy computer calculating which wheel is loosing its grip, then compensating- instead you get straight 4WD. I just wanted to straighten the record, because I've been researching this very subject for the last 3 days.

Regards...

For an excellent discussion on 4WD go to http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=107&highlight=4wd

They also discuss why the RAV4 has better traction than the CR-V.