Toyota RAV4 2.5l – 7 Reasons Why It Is a Perfect Family Vehicle

There is a world-wide trend of car users switching to SUVs as a daily mode of transport and as a family car. Over in Europe, people are switching from station wagons to SUVs and MPVs, while 40% of passenger vehicles sold in the US are SUVs. Thus it came about that I am often asked, “Can I use a SUV as my family car?” In particular, I have lately been asked the same question, but in regard to the Toyota RAV 4. As a comparison, we use the current 2019 Toyota Camry as a comparison.

1. The RAV4 offers more space – The RAV4 is built on the same platform as the Camry. That means the chassis members, and the suspension parts are of D-segment In terms of dimensions, and strength of materials, which also means the RAV 4 has a strong chassis. Besides, there are additional reinforcements for additional torsional strength. Compared to the Camry, the RAV4 is taller by a good 240mm (9.4 in.) The actual additional height increase is only about 7 inches or so as 53mm (approximately 2.0 in) is attributed to the increase in the ground clearance.

Head room is increased while the rest of the interior space is roughly the same as in the Camry, but the biggest boon would be the rear luggage space that is 580 litres, compared to that of the Camry sedan at 524 litres. In addition to that, the rear seats fold down to offer a huge and unobstructed expanse of space for outdoor sports equipment, and would not have problems for IKEA purchases. Note though, that the RAV4 wheelbase is shorter than the Camry by 134 mm (2,690mm VS 2,834mm), and overall length is 285mm shorter than the Camry (4,600mm Vs 4,885 mm) – I suspect that this is to maintain a certain level of handling characteristics. However, whatever you lose in terms of lateral dimensions is made up for in vertical dimensions.
In a nutshell, the RAV4 does offer more space, not so much for the driver and passenger, but more for carrying capacity, which is great for families.

2. RAV 4 offers Higher Ground Clearance For mild off-road -The RAV4 stands at 1685mm, which is 240mm or around 9.5 inches taller. Of this, around 56 mm is taken up by the increased ground clearance (200mm Vs 144mm) that the RAV4 has over the Camry. The rest is taken up by a taller body (+184mm).
Higher ground clearance means you can clear obstacles on the road better – for travel in the boondocks, this makes a big difference as it allows you to do minor off-roading (to the dusuns and durian farms) without fear, but for city-slickers, think of the flash floods and occasional road debris as an aftermath of torrential rains.

3. Commanding View of Traffic Ahead – The best benefit from a higher sitting position is of course the ability to look over the tops of other cars and see the road and traffic conditions ahead. From a road safety and defensive-driving point of view, this is a great feature. We don’t have minibuses around now, but back in the days, I would have told you that you can see eyeball to eyeball with the minibus driver.

4. As a family vehicle the RAV4 offers outstanding fuel economy – The RAV4 2.5 is equipped with Toyota’s Dynamic Force engine, which has a remarkable 40% thermal efficiency. Thermal efficiency, in layman language refers to how much of your fuel becomes energy – the higher the thermal efficiency, the more efficient your engine is. The Dynamic force engine is highly efficient and thus will mean good fuel economy for the user.

5. RAV4, being an SUV, offers versatility in space utilization – As with most SUVs. The RAV4 seats can be split, folded and adjusted in numerous ways, offering greater versatility and space utility options than a sedan ever can. Thus the RAV4, in this sense, will make a great family vehicle.

6. Built on the TNGA Platform, the RAV4 offers Comfort Yet Supple Handling – They say you can’t have your cake and eat it. I am referring to the common belief that ride will suffer if you want good handling characteristics, but with the RAV4, it seems you can have both. The TNGA platform is built to be more rigid, which in itself promotes good handling. In addition the inclusion of a trialing arm wishbone suspension layout at the rear, the RAV4 handles very well and provides excellent ride comfort.

For use as a family vehicle, ride comfort is always a priority, but unlike other vehicles, the RAV4 not only provides superior comfort, but offers excellent handling characteristics as well – it means greater safety, less fatigue, and happy families inside the vehicle, and the journey becomes part of the fun. No more “Are we there yet?” questions.

7. The RAV4, with Toyota Safety Sense is safer to use as a family vehicle – The RAV4 2.5l comes with the full complement of Toyota Safety Sense. To recap, it has Pre-Collision System (PCS), which has an audible warning, and autonomous emergency braking, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) that works from standstill and throughout all speeds, Lane Departure Alert (LDA), and Lane Tracing Assist (LTA). LTA senses the traffic lane and keeps your vehicle in the centre with gentle steering movements.

For night driving, your visibility is maximized whilst not blinding other road users through the Automatic High Beam (AHB)
Other safety features include Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), 3D Panoramic View Monitor, front and rear Digital recorders, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with Traction Control (TRC), Trailer Sway Control, in the event that you need to tow a trailer, Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with EBD and BA, Front and rear parking sensors, 7-airbags (including a knee-bag), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Isofix, and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

All of the above, including the fact that you are seated higher up in a much stronger vehicle, makes the RAV4 possibly one of the safest vehicles you can have for your family.