2012 Toyota RAV4 Strong and Luxurious Review ~ blackcarracing

Want to know what Toyota RAV4 stands for? The answer is “capable.” Sure, if you want to get out of town, it can get you to plenty of camping spots. But the real story is that it will fit into nearly any parking spot. It’s available with seating for up to seven people, but it won’t require them to chip in for gas. And while Toyota RAV4 has remarkable cargo capacity, it’s hardly just a delivery van. With available features like a powerful V6 and pavement-gripping 4WD, it’s a vehicle you’ll want to drive even when you’re not headed to the big-box store. Best of all, despite its compact size, Toyota RAV4 is big on safety features. Easy to load up. Easy to drive. Easy on gas. And hard to beat.

There are a number of reasons you’ll find the 2012 Toyota RAV4 so advanced. It comes standard with features such as hands-free phone capability and music streaming via Bluetooth wireless technology, a USB port with iPod connectivity, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and Optitron instrumentation. In addition, RAV4 Limited features standard Smart Key System and dual zone automatic climate control. And Toyota RAV4 is available with a backup camera and a moonroof. This impressive navigation system includes a 6.1-in. touch-screen, AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, SiriusXM Satellite Radio capability (includes three-month trial subscription to XM Select Package), HD Radio with iTunes Tagging, auxiliary audio jack, USB port with iPod connectivity and control, and hands-free phone capability, phone book access, advanced voice recognition and music streaming via standard Bluetooth wireless technology.

The available Entune system is a collection of popular mobile applications and data services integrated with select Toyota vehicles. Entune includes three years of complimentary access to apps and services delivered via most smartphones and some feature phones. (After three years, access charges will apply; excluding Pandora.) Once the phone is connected to the vehicle using Bluetooth wireless technology or a USB cable, the features of Entune are operated using the vehicle’s controls or, for some services, by voice recognition. Entune is scheduled to have mobile apps for Bing, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable and Pandora. The data services of Entune include fuel guide, sports scores, stocks, traffic and weather.

With the rear seats folded flat, the versatile 2012 Toyota RAV4 offers a voluminous 73 cubic feet of cargo space. Room to carry just about anything you have in mind. Or, with the available 50/50 Split & Stow 3rd Row seat, room for seven passengers. Do you need a vehicle that’s specifically engineered to handle cargo, or one that’s been designed to accommodate passengers? If the answer is yes, consider the versatile Toyota RAV4. It offers a spacious 73 cu. ft. of cargo space, an under-floor storage compartment, and a 60/40 split, sliding, reclining and fold-flat second row. So you can carry unwieldy cargo without having to roll the window down, and still bring passengers without having to flat-pack them first. Toyota RAV4’s available backup camera helps you back out of driveways or into parking spaces. Augmenting the outside mirrors, the camera displays what it sees behind you on the available auto-dimming rearview mirror.

No matter how you look at it, the2012 RAV4 does a variety of things extremely well. The standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder provides an EPA-estimated 28 highway mpg rating1 while still producing 179 horses. Even more multitalented is RAV4’s available V6, which boasts an EPA-estimated 27 highway mpg rating and a remarkable 269 hp, while providing you with the sure-footed traction of available Electronic On-Demand 4WD. Electronic On-Demand 4WD controls the distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels, allowing the vehicle to automatically switch seamlessly from 2WD to 4WD mode. The result is enhanced traction, control and fuel economy.

When you’re stopped on a steep incline, Toyota RAV4 can help you get going again. Its available Hill Start Assist Control helps prevent the vehicle from rolling backward as the driver switches from the brake to the accelerator. When activated, HAC holds the brakes for approximately three seconds, giving the driver time to engage the accelerator. Designed to help provide a controlled descent on steep inclines, available Downhill Assist Control works by setting a target vehicle speed of approximately 2-4 mph. To help maintain that target speed, DAC sends a signal that automatically modulates RAV4’s powerful brakes.