The 2011 Toyota RAV4

there are so many compact small and midsized SUVs that it is hard to settle which car brand came up with the idea of car-based SUVs. Notable however, is the Toyota Celica-based RAV4 that brought about this segment over a decade ago. The rivals it had beaten to the punch include the  CR-V Honda.

Fifteen years later, 2011 Toyota RAV4 comes in 36 styles for buyers to choose from with available choices for the engine. These include the 4-cylinder and V6 with drivetrain choice being FWD, 4WD fuel types include Gasoline. By size, the RAV4 is more of a midsize SUV and therefore bigger than its predecessor. With all that seating space it impressively delivers better fuel economy ratings (1mpg more) than the original Toyota RAV4.

The interior has several notable goodies such as MP3 Player, third row seats, satellite radio, Bluetooth (optional) and side/ curtain air bags.

Powerful yet thrifty, Car enthusiasts love this SUV but agree that it lags newcomers such as the Kia Sorento at handling and driver engagement. The Chevy Equinox provides a roomier backseat and classier look. The Subaru Forester also has a greater turbo-charged punch. The new Honda CR-V proves to be nice on the inside and quicker to respond to driver commands. That said, the RAV 4 is still a must have on many Test drivers’ drive lists.

Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 engine. An automatic five-speed  transmission is an alternative for RAV4′s all trim levels. The engine packs a 269 hp punch and 246 lb for every feet of torque. From a stop it hustles to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds-notably quick for this class of weight and size. Its fuel consumption is a smoking 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway while for combined front-wheel drive RAV4, it is 22 mpg. This values lower by a mere 1mpg for highway. In 4WD models the power is transmitted to front wheels until tire slippage is detected after which it is channeled to rear wheels.

Safety-wise, the standard 2011 RAV4 comes with antilock disc brakes, traction control, stability control, whiplash reducing front -seat side, headrests, air bags and side curtain air bags. V6 equipped models and optional third row seats come with hill descent and hill-start assist control.

The RAV 4 V6 can pull as heavy a load as 3,500 pounds if the tow package alternative is chosen and drives well in low-traction conditions. TheNHTSA conducted tests for frontal impact driver protection and passenger protection. It earned five stars and four stars respectively. For protection of front and rear occupants  in side impacts it managed to get five stars. In the IIHST top ratings of “good” for both side-impact and frontal-offset impact crash tests. Roof strength tests on it gave a value of “acceptable”

The base prices for the Toyota RAV4 for 2011 range from $21,925 to $ 28,235.