First Glance at a 2006 Toyota RAV4 Limited
Maybe they should call it the RAV5. When the 1st edition appeared I was one of the RAV4's admirers. It offered some of an SUV's advantages in a compact package that was agile, handled well, and provided good gas mileage. You could order it with 2WD or 4WD but either way the price was right. Then came Gen2 and suddenly the cute-ute was not so compact, though it did get high marks for styling. The 2006 RAV4, however, has moved up an entire size and in doing so abandons the rationale that once made sense.Yes, the RAV4 is spacious and now adds a folding third seat to a list of extra-cost options. Yes, the Camry-based 4-cylinder engine is even more powerful and a V-6 can be ordered (with 5-speed instead of 4-speed automatic). And yes, if you choose the RAV4 Limited and toss in a couple of extras, you can turn it into a near-luxury vehicle. The various electronic aids help it to handle safely though you'll have to pay extra for front seat-mounted side airbags and front-and-second-row roll-sensing side curtain airbags. I suspect the average American family might prefer those to some of the gadgetry. Eventually I adjusted to the size but most of my driving was in a small town/country environment. City driving would be a different story.
