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rdsmith3 wrote:This is a 4 WD vehicle, not an all time all-wheel drive, so I do not understand the poor gas mileage.
I thought they had Traction Control (TRAC) which independently powers based on slippage. Kind of like the Subbie AWD. Though the Subbie is 90%FWD and 10%RWD until it senses slippage and then adjust.
Active Safety (ABS, VSC, TRAC)
A vehicle's safety features or equipment that help avoid collisions.(Examples: ABS, VSC, TRAC, etc.)
Active TRAC (A-TRAC)
Using sensors at all four wheels to monitor a loss of traction, Active TRAC employs brake and throttle control to reduce wheelspin and transfer torque to the wheel with the most traction.
But in the Rav4 you can lock the Diff for true 4WD, which you can not do on the Subbies.
You know better owning one. But the sales guy (though they say what they think you want to hear) said it is closer to AWD than 4WD. He lying?
Re: the 4-cyl vs 6-cyl - The Consumer Reports car issue I bought recommends the six, saying it only got one mpg less than the 4 in their combined mileage course.
We test drove a 6 in the RAV4 and it was sweet! Test drove a CRV this weekend and it was a loser to the RAV4 in ride, power (yes, I know, it is a 4-cyl) and road noise. Acceleration for the CRV was a very labored and noisy affair. Very disappointed, since we have two Hondas in the driveway now.
Although we will probably be buying a sedan, if a small SUV is in our future, it will be the RAV4!
'02 in black - the real BMW color! (Now gone to a new home)
Vann - Lifer No. 295
But in the Rav4 you can lock the Diff for true 4WD, which you can not do on the Subbies.
You know better owning one. But the sales guy (though they say what they think you want to hear) said it is closer to AWD than 4WD. He lying?
I am not sure about the All Wheel Drive. I will have to check it out. I thought it was four wheel drive.
I have owned a Subaru, and I currently own an old Audi A6 Quattro. Those are both full time all wheel drive. We also own a GMC Yukon XL with full time all wheel drive. You can tell you have AWD, for example, when it is raining out and you accelerate from a stop sign. With the Audi (which also lacks torque) I never, ever slip the front wheels, even uphill. With the RAV4 I do get some wheel slippage.
Regarding the locking differential, I seriously doubt that I, or 99.9% of the people who own this vehicle, will ever go off road, so I do not see the point of it.
rdsmith3 wrote:
I am not sure about the All Wheel Drive. I will have to check it out. I thought it was four wheel drive.
I have owned a Subaru.........
Regarding the locking differential, I seriously doubt that I, or 99.9% of the people who own this vehicle, will ever go off road, so I do not see the point of it.
We are looking for AWD, but it can be auto sensing instead of F/T if it saves up 5+mpg. The Subbie AWD is F/T 90/10 then powers rear based on front slippage. But you never feel it slip in the front. It just does not suit our size anymore.
We would do some off-roading, but not serious.
More like dirt/mud/snow roads to get to camp.
Subbie handled it just fine.
Now you guys have me looking at the 6Cyl.
Wife does not fit in '05 and no '06 around in red.
I hate car buying.
We are looking for AWD, but it can be auto sensing instead of F/T if it saves up 5+mpg. The Subbie AWD is F/T 90/10 then powers rear based on front slippage. But you never feel it slip in the front. It just does not suit our size anymore.
Just personal preference, but I greatly prefer the Audi AWD system over Subaru's (at least the one Subaru used for automatic transmission; the manual may have used a different system). The Audi distribution is normally about 50/50 so it does not feel like a FWD car. It feels very balanced. The 96 Subaru Outback I had felt like a FWD car, e.g., it had torque steer, and I do not really like that noticable FWD feeling.
The Subaru MANUAL AWD system does NOT have torque steer. On loose surfaces at speed it simply drifts a little wide rather than understeering. At one stage we had both Subaru AUTO AWD and MANUAL AWD (Both Foresters) in the same household. The manual tracked more surely on dirt, probably due to NOT having a bitumen-oriented 'default' torque split.
In fact, my two manual Foresters (2002 2.0l and 2004 2.5l) have been the fastest dirt road cars I've owned - and I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the Merc 2.7 CRD (400nm@1500 rpm!) and QuadraDriveII. When I went back from the Jeep to the Forester 2.5, I thought I was going slower - until I checked the speedo: the Forester tracks very true at speed. It's a little let down by tire availability - no square-shouldered AT tyre available for that wheel size. Both Foresters were better in Australian snow than any other 4WD I've owned, and I would regularly drive around Audi AWDs going uphill in snow. Audis run out of traction well before the Forester.
Also had a couple of RAV 4s. The best was the original 3 door, 2 litre manual with a Torsen diff in the back. That car was a relevation - I'd never been able to simply drive across varied surfaces with such ease before. The new RAV4s don't have such a competent 4WD arrangement out here, sadly - and not toughened enough for rough roads - so they're right off my list. And I can't get a decent AT tyre for them.
Currently I suffer with a Haldex clutch (4WD on demand) in my partner's Volvo XC70 - it goes well enough, even on rough tracks (200mm clearance in Australia), but it's testament to the superiority of true AWD systems. Simply not a patch on the Forester. OK on snow with Pirelli Scorpion STRs, though - but I'll see this week if it goes around Audis (it's snowtime down under).
... but scary-fun-fast on loose dirt? My 2000 528i with ASC on Michelin Pilot Sports, especially when my little brother thinks I can't see how fast he's driving my car! I might even miss it when I go back to AWD (maybe not if it's the X5 3.0d .. )
Just put in my e-mail offer on a Rav4.
Thanks Rav4World!
You justified my approach and gave me confidence to not put up with sales pressure and 'dickering'. "Here is what I am willing to pay, write me back if you want to sell me a car for no more than that price."
Got my first response same day.
They have to do a trade from another dealer and will let me know this week how they do.
