2010 Cute-Ute Throwdown: Rav4 wins again!
01-20-10, 09:30 PM
#1
2010 Cute-Ute Throwdown: Rav4 wins again!
Terrain vs. CR-V, RAV4, Tiguan, Mariner, Outlander, Forester, Grand Vitara - Comparison Tests
The (Just) O.K. Corral: We gallop through Bluegrass Country, exercising eight SUVs that are not so much quarter horses as miniature ponies.
BY JOHN PHILLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC URBANO
January 2010
Car And Driver Comparison Test
The (Just) O.K. Corral: We gallop through Bluegrass Country, exercising eight SUVs that are not so much quarter horses as miniature ponies.
BY JOHN PHILLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC URBANO
January 2010
Car And Driver Comparison Test
Eighth: 2010 Mercury Mariner V-6 AWD
Seventh: 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara V-6 Limited 4WD
Sixth: 2010 GMC Terrain SLE
Fifth: 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT S-AWC
Fourth: 2010 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited
Third: 2010 Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD
Second: 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan SE
First: 2010 Toyota RAV4 Limited 4x4
Seventh: 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara V-6 Limited 4WD
Sixth: 2010 GMC Terrain SLE
Fifth: 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT S-AWC
Fourth: 2010 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited
Third: 2010 Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD
Second: 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan SE
First: 2010 Toyota RAV4 Limited 4x4
In truth, one doesn’t associate raging carnivorism with these docile vehicles, which Americans still view as SUVs but we regard as tall wagons. Why not a Camry wagon instead of a RAV4 or an Accord wagon instead of a CR-V? Whenever we’ve proffered that argument, however, we’ve been met with blank stares. So here we go again with the “mild horses,” strong on practicality but mostly less fun than that pony your parents rented for your sixth birthday.
This time around, we’ve deleted the Jeep Liberty and the Nissan Rogue, which didn’t win previously and are unchanged. We included no Hyundai because an all-new Tucson is looming but not yet available. And GM’s envoy on this outing was the new GMC Terrain. To that mix we added a couple of turbocharged newcomers: VW’s Tiguan and Subaru’s recently updated Forester.
We opted for automatic transmissions, the highest-output engine, and all-wheel drive. Alas, we could locate only front-drive versions of the Terrain and the Tiguan. Sorry.
Given the insurance claims following our most recent mini-SUV test, we went to great pains this time to assure a damage-free outing. Did you know that horses enjoy eating side-view mirrors, windshield wipers, $12,000 Nikon cameras, and paint right down to bare metal? Neither did we.
This time around, we’ve deleted the Jeep Liberty and the Nissan Rogue, which didn’t win previously and are unchanged. We included no Hyundai because an all-new Tucson is looming but not yet available. And GM’s envoy on this outing was the new GMC Terrain. To that mix we added a couple of turbocharged newcomers: VW’s Tiguan and Subaru’s recently updated Forester.
We opted for automatic transmissions, the highest-output engine, and all-wheel drive. Alas, we could locate only front-drive versions of the Terrain and the Tiguan. Sorry.
Given the insurance claims following our most recent mini-SUV test, we went to great pains this time to assure a damage-free outing. Did you know that horses enjoy eating side-view mirrors, windshield wipers, $12,000 Nikon cameras, and paint right down to bare metal? Neither did we.
01-20-10, 09:35 PM
#2
And the winner:
In 2008, a four-cylinder RAV4 defeated all of its closest competitors. Twenty-four months later, a six-cylinder RAV4 repeats the feat. By day two of our four-day drive, no one knew which vehicles would finish in second through eighth places. Yet everyone knew where the Toyota would finish.
Despite its size, what the RAV4 does best is drive like a car, and nearly like a sports sedan, in fact. Its platform is shared with no other vehicle, so it’s not too surprising that every component feels custom-built and perfectly integrated, as if the engineers who designed the drivetrain talked to the engineers who tuned the chassis who talked to the engineers who dialed in the steering who talked to the engineers who calibrated the brakes.
Fitted with the most-powerful-in-class V-6, the RAV4 is the quickest to 60 mph, is the fleetest through the quarter-mile, and offers the greatest top speed. Yet it is also the smoothest of the bunch and—this is the incredible part—managed to tie the Honda’s little four-banger for best observed fuel economy despite having two more cylinders.
And the kudos for this compact SUV didn’t stop there. The Toyota’s transmission was deemed the slickest, never drawing attention to itself. The chassis imposes disciplined body motions on the vehicle while simultaneously delivering a ride as plush as the Mariner’s. The RAV4 tied the CR-V for greatest rear-seat comfort. At idle, the V-6 proved so velvety that several of us tried to start an already running vehicle. And if you’re in the habit of carrying multiple cases of beer—who isn’t?—the Toyota’s cargo bay will swallow the most.
Complaints were few. The headliner is cheesy, and the plastic-clad A-pillars need to be covered in fabric. The black cargo tonneau cover is fiddly and appears to have been made from a Glad garbage bag. And the base of the shifter travels through a flimsy plastic sliding panel, when a traditional boot would have been friction-free and easier on the eyes.`
Otherwise, this Toyota is good-looking, reliable, well-built, and enjoyable—what most of us seek in a spouse. At the Tokyo motor show, Akio Toyoda said of his company’s cars, “We’ve got to make them fun.” He won’t have to work too hard on this one.
Despite its size, what the RAV4 does best is drive like a car, and nearly like a sports sedan, in fact. Its platform is shared with no other vehicle, so it’s not too surprising that every component feels custom-built and perfectly integrated, as if the engineers who designed the drivetrain talked to the engineers who tuned the chassis who talked to the engineers who dialed in the steering who talked to the engineers who calibrated the brakes.
Fitted with the most-powerful-in-class V-6, the RAV4 is the quickest to 60 mph, is the fleetest through the quarter-mile, and offers the greatest top speed. Yet it is also the smoothest of the bunch and—this is the incredible part—managed to tie the Honda’s little four-banger for best observed fuel economy despite having two more cylinders.
And the kudos for this compact SUV didn’t stop there. The Toyota’s transmission was deemed the slickest, never drawing attention to itself. The chassis imposes disciplined body motions on the vehicle while simultaneously delivering a ride as plush as the Mariner’s. The RAV4 tied the CR-V for greatest rear-seat comfort. At idle, the V-6 proved so velvety that several of us tried to start an already running vehicle. And if you’re in the habit of carrying multiple cases of beer—who isn’t?—the Toyota’s cargo bay will swallow the most.
Complaints were few. The headliner is cheesy, and the plastic-clad A-pillars need to be covered in fabric. The black cargo tonneau cover is fiddly and appears to have been made from a Glad garbage bag. And the base of the shifter travels through a flimsy plastic sliding panel, when a traditional boot would have been friction-free and easier on the eyes.`
Otherwise, this Toyota is good-looking, reliable, well-built, and enjoyable—what most of us seek in a spouse. At the Tokyo motor show, Akio Toyoda said of his company’s cars, “We’ve got to make them fun.” He won’t have to work too hard on this one.
Trending Topics
01-21-10, 12:51 PM
#8
Lexus Test Driver
Those 1st, 2nd and 3rd place rating is right on the nose. The RAV is such a nice SUV, my wife had 2 of them. The RAV can carry cargo that my GX470 cannot and yet still go from 0-60 in about 6 seconds and get 24 MPG on low octane gas. We also look at the VW and the CRV as well, both are very nice SUVs.
01-21-10, 01:31 PM
#13
The older generation Rav4 were based on the Camry.
Currently, the '06-'10 Rav4 is a unique platform to the Toyota family, although it does share the ubiquitous 3.5L V6, and for '09+, the new I-4 engine found on the Highlander and Venza.
01-21-10, 01:36 PM
#14
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 3,370
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If they step up the interior to the new 4Runner's level, and put a 6 speed in it, tweak the engine for a few more horses, economy & emissions, keep a nice design and the weight down, it will be the champ for yet another generation.
01-21-10, 01:37 PM
#15
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 3,370
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Toyota Matrix and Scion xD (and the Pontiac Vibe) all share the same Corolla platform.
The older generation Rav4 were based on the Camry.
Currently, the '06-'10 Rav4 is a unique platform to the Toyota family, although it does share the ubiquitous 3.5L V6, and for '09+, the new I-4 engine found on the Highlander and Venza.
The older generation Rav4 were based on the Camry.
Currently, the '06-'10 Rav4 is a unique platform to the Toyota family, although it does share the ubiquitous 3.5L V6, and for '09+, the new I-4 engine found on the Highlander and Venza.