2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD

Just to cover a few frequently asked questions; Yes, the spare tire has been moved from the outside of the vehicle to the rear cargo area of the fourth generation RAV4- and no, a personal Genie did not come with this week’s all wheel drive SUV which Toyota loaned to me.


This year’s RAV4 is in its fourth generation of design and changes. The first generation was introduced in 1994 and made available in the US in 1996. The vehicle was designed for consumers wanting SUV benefits- like cargo room- along with the fuel economy of a compact car. The second generation came along in 2000 and the third generation was released in 2005. Each generation brought a little more length to the chassis, modern face lifts and a variety of body styles for each release including 2 and 4 door options.

I talked to a couple RAV4 owners to ask their opinion about the fourth generation in comparison to their second and third generation models they own. Each owner appreciated different benefits including a smoother ride, better fuel mileage, more room between the front and rear seats and the rear hatch door swinging upwards rather than to the side with an attached spare tire. The XLE comes with a backup camera, touch screen and a one-touch open/close sunroof, of which both guest reviewers gave positive feedback. The backup camera helped compensate for some of the rear visibility that both reviewers claimed was limited compared to their older models. The same reviewers both thought the upgraded running boards added to the overall look and design of the fourth generation RAV4, although one of the guest reviewers did not understand the necessity of such a feature due to the vehicle’s short stance.

The RAV4 is rated to get 22 city MPG and 29 on the highway. The 2.5 liter, 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine with dual VVT-I pushes 176 horsepower through the 6-speed automatic transmission and comes with eco and sport driving modes. The latter mode changes the feel of the throttle to be more responsive. I drove the RAV4 from Salt Lake City to Logan after resetting the digital fuel economy gauge located in the instrument cluster on the driver side dashboard. Within this 90 mile stretch of freeways and highways through valleys and over mountains, the RAV4 averaged an impressive 30.6 MPG on this trip.

Similarly impressive is the range of motion within the fabric trimmed 6-way adjustable driver seat with phone connectivity through Bluetooth technology. Streaming music from a mobile device via the Bluetooth connection was easy to connect through Toyota’s audio system.

Toyota has held true to their original quest with the RAV4 pertaining to cargo space. After folding down the 60/40 split rear seats, one of the guest reviewers exclaimed “I wish my RAV4 had this much space in it.”

You can find the 2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD at Ensign Toyota Honda Scion at 1945 North Main, Logan. 435-214-4160

Base MSRP: $25,690
Price as Driven: $27,084