Small hybrid SUVs

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Messages
387
Location
York, Pa.
My wife will be getting a new vehicle in the next few months, and she is very interested in getting a hybrid. She sat in the RAV4 and the Escape at an auto show and was more comfortable in them than the other smaller SUVs. She has not driven the RAV yet but has driven the Escape hybrid. I also drove the Escape and liked it more than the Toyota which I had driven last fall.

Having been on the RAV4 forums, it seems this new generation of RAV is having it's share of problems. The hybrid is the better of the RAV trims, but it also is having problems. Since I have driven both and liked the Escape better, that is what I would steer her towards. But of course she needs to drive the RAV before any final decisions are made.

Any reasons to avoid the Escape hybrids?
 
Shhh Your not allowed to diss Toyota here,

Though I will say I never want to be an early adopter on the first model year I doubt incomplete fueling and the rarer engine block crack issue are show stoppers, as long as it's new they will fix at least one of those issues.

In terms of infotainment system issues those never work anyway, not worth worrying about.


The older Escape hybrids are very reliable, no idea about newer ones though

Good Luck
 
Last edited:
RAV was a total bed-soiling moment for Toyota. I am wondering if the RAV4 Prime will pull off a W for them, or if they haven't learned.
 
Originally Posted by Ws6
RAV was a total bed-soiling moment for Toyota. I am wondering if the RAV4 Prime will pull off a W for them, or if they haven't learned.


I would argue the older RAVs that always blew the transmission before 100,000 miles were worse.

Toyota has had "bladder" problems since at least 2004 on all models, I don't know of a single Toyota you can fill fully due to the bladder and Toyota keeps using the same failed evap solution.

The block crack issue is more serious but will get fixed, tank bladder doubtful.

Besides these issues and the same poor infotainment system I'm not aware of anything else on the new RAV, am I missing something?
 
I like driving our new Rav4. Since we have had first and second generation Rav4s, it's hard to call the current model a small SUV. It's much larger than they used to be. It's very comfortable and rides nice. The things that could be improved are mostly trivial things. It has Apple Car Play and Android Auto but you have to use a physical cable to get that working. The navigation with bluetooth doesn't work. I'll have to see if the dealer can get that to work. Some things should be easier in winter driving. For example, if you're driving in snow, there is a snow button to get tranny start in 2nd gear, there is a defroster switch to activate the rear defroster and side mirror defrosters and there is another button to activate the windshield wiper heaters. They could have combined all this into one button. At least the defroster and wiper heater could be the same button. One button is beneath the radio and another is under and to the left of the steering wheel.

The inside is very dimly lit. I put in all LED bulbs to brighten things up.

The dealers will wheel and deal on the non-hybrid models but there were not much discounting on the hybrids.

Rav4 was the most sold vehicle last year not counting full size pickup trucks. Not sure what Toyota needs to learn or change.
 
Originally Posted by Rmay635703
Originally Posted by Ws6
RAV was a total bed-soiling moment for Toyota. I am wondering if the RAV4 Prime will pull off a W for them, or if they haven't learned.


I would argue the older RAVs that always blew the transmission before 100,000 miles were worse.

Toyota has had "bladder" problems since at least 2004 on all models, I don't know of a single Toyota you can fill fully due to the bladder and Toyota keeps using the same failed evap solution.

The block crack issue is more serious but will get fixed, tank bladder doubtful.

Besides these issues and the same poor infotainment system I'm not aware of anything else on the new RAV, am I missing something?


The adventure trim has an issue with the rear diff/driveshaft with the AWD system that's specific to that trim. I was seriously about to trade my focus in until I saw these issues on their forums.
 
The CR-V hybrid is imminent. I'd wait and check one of those out. Recent Honda hybrids have been quietly beating EPA numbers and have been very reliable.
 
I almost bought the RAV4 Hybrid as a gift for my father's home care giver. Nobody does hybrids like Toyota...
Problem was, nobody would discount the Hybrid more than $500 off MSRP; they sell faaaaast around here.
The ICE cars are easy to discount.

I prefer the CR-V; it's bigger inside and drives better, in my opinion.
The Hybrids will be out in July or later. Discounts will be hard to come by.

I like hybrids, but from a cost standpoint, you gotta drive a lotta miles to make up the price difference.
The Honda Sense is pretty advanced; it's a really good system.
 
The Forester gets high marks in actual professional car reviews. If I want biased info, I go to the forums on the car to hear the whining from those who are on a mission. Either to bash it or praise it. Waste of time IMO.
 
Originally Posted by Farnsworth
The Forester gets high marks in actual professional car reviews. If I want biased info, I go to the forums on the car to hear the whining from those who are on a mission. Either to bash it or praise it. Waste of time IMO.


Professional car reviews (if we're talking about sites like MT, Edmunds, Car & Driver, etc) rarely keep the car for more than just the test suites. If I want a real-life expectation of the car that I'm looking to buy then I want a real review from the owners.

For example, none of the professional car reviews stated anything about the Rav4 adventure's rear diff issue, but after just 1000 miles is when the issue rears it's ugly head. Imagine buying a car that C&D said was amazing but ends up breaking a critical drivetrain part 1000 miles after you buy it.

Another example, professional reviews on the evo praise it. But what they didn't state (because they don't actually keep the car long enough to even do an oil change) is the weak rear diff, weak transfer case, loud injectors, cracking manifolds, and the DCT burning up in normal driving under 100K miles because of poor factory transmission tuning.
 
Originally Posted by gofast182
The CR-V hybrid is imminent. I'd wait and check one of those out. Recent Honda hybrids have been quietly beating EPA numbers and have been very reliable.


+1

Exactly what I was going to post.
 
In the all gas versions, there are YouTube videos comparing the Toyota RAV4 to the Honda CR-V. The Honda is quieter and more of a laid back relaxed ride, the Toyota is nosier and more of an aggressive teenager sportier ride. I like a quiet drive the living room couch down the road ride. Also while in the past both Toyota and Honda have had a very good reputation as making reliable vehicles that last a long time, if you check the forums several of the Toyota models have had questionable reliability and some lack customer satisfaction.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top