Rav4 Isn't Ravenous

From an article in The New York Times - Misers in Disguise: A Dozen Unlikely Fuel Sippers

CONSERVING CROSSOVER

TOYOTA RAV4 V-6

BASE PRICE: $22,245

M.P.G. RATING: 19 city, 26 highway, 24 combined.

COST TO DRIVE 100 MILES: $16.48 (regular fuel)

A YEAR OF FILL-UPS: $2,935

For S.U.V. owners eager to downsize, but who still want a vehicle with reasonable utility, the RAV4 may be a smart place to land.

Those who recall the original RAV4 as a cute trucklet for college sophomores may not realize how roomy and grown-up the third-generation model has become. The base RAV4 has a 4-cylinder engine, but even the conservation-minded might consider Toyota’s 3.5-liter V-6, which not only produces 269 horsepower but is one of the most fuel-efficient 6’s available. The 19/26 mileage rating for a RAV4 with all-wheel drive virtually matches the 19/27 of the 4-cylinder RAV4, yet the V-6 pumps out 103 more horsepower.

The V-6 RAV4 zips from a stop to 60 m.p.h. in just 6.4 seconds. That kind of performance, combined with surprisingly gung-ho handling, makes the RAV4 one of the most entertaining models to wear a Toyota badge.

I love my car!