Toyota RAV4 (US) review

You won’t be surprised to hear that the RAV4 interior is very utilitarian. Some higher trim levels will add a little extra flair but they’re essentially all business either way you slice it. The cabin isn’t cavernous but fits four large adults well enough while leaving ample cargo space for luggage, groceries and the like. With the seats up, there’s a solid 37.5cu ft available and 69.8 cu ft when they’re folded down, which is nice.

Regardless of trim, the RAV4 keeps the interior tidy with a handful of inputs on the center console for the HVAC and drive modes, a few big chunky switches, and a bunch of buttons on the wheel. Second-row seaters won’t have much to do but charge their phones and gaze wistfully out the window.

Any gizmos in this thing?

In terms of tech, the bases are certainly covered. On the lower end of the scale, interiors have a seven-inch digital gauge cluster and an eight-inch infotainment screen. Higher trims add a 12.3-inch gauge cluster and a 10.5-inch tablet on the dash. All of them have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and are SiriusXM-ready.

This is where the disparity in trim levels starts to stand out. Beyond the bigger screens, the pricier packages score an 11-speaker JBL sound system and a 360-degree parking camera, the latter of which is very much missed when it’s not there. Same goes for the Drive Connect suite that includes the native navigation functions (absent without a subscription) along with all the other non-safety related connectivity services.