2009 Toyota RAV4

RAV4 gets rave reviews from dog lovers

Sun, Apr 26th 2009

I had a busy driving week all ahead of me that included lots of cargo challenges along the way.

So you can imagine how excited I was to learn that I’d be testing the newly redesigned 2009 Toyota RAV-4. Having not been in the RAV since it was a little pup, I was curious how the new, expanded version would hold up to securely storing canine crates and other cargo.

The RAV gets rave reviews in that department. With an interior length of 61 inches and a wheel-well width of 44 inches, there’s just enough space for two mid-size carriers side-by-side, with wall hooks for securing straps or cords. The slightly slanted tail of the RAV forces the crates inward if the middle row of seats are folded flat, making it a 2X2 sport utility vehicle (two humans and two dogs).

Plus, if you order without the third-row seats, you get a nice hidden storage area that’s concealed under the rear cargo floor by a water-repellent, foldable deck board. It’s a great place to store extra food and toys. And the second row seats move front to back to provide a little extra room for your pups in back. They fold flat with the touch of a fold-down lever on the seat backs or in the cargo area.

For entry into the rear of the RAV4, the tailgate door opens like a conventional door, sideways from left to right. This allows for easy access to the rear cargo area, yet seems to have been better-placed to open from right to left to make it easy for access from the sidewalk.

All-in-all, the RAV4 not only lives up to its predecessor’s five-paw status in our last review, it exceeds the grade with an extra tail wag.

- - Keith Turner

Another View: A few quibbles (and bits) about the RAV4

Keith has already said it all, so I will just add a few dog-friendly details, plus a couple of quibbles.

I loved the touch-screen GPS, perfect for finding your way to that new dog park or to a dog show in an unfamiliar city. In reverse, a backup camera appears on the rear-view mirror for easier maneuvering./

And the RAV4 is indeed spacious. It easily held my two crates--one medium size and one small—with plenty of room left over for additional gear or groceries. I didn’t have an opportunity to test it with a large crate, but just eyeballing it, I’m pretty sure that a single 400 or similar size carrier would fit with the rear passenger seats folded down. With the seats folded down, a large or giant dog could also ride comfortably in the cargo area sans crate, especially if he’s secured by a cross tie, such as the Kurgo Auto Zip Line (reviewed previously).

The V-6 engine provided good acceleration, but the ride was not especially smooth.

Now for the quibbles: As Keith notes, the RAV4 has fold-down levers in the cargo area for lowering the rear passenger seats. To me, they felt flimsy, and unless the passenger seats were positioned just right, the levers didn’t work. My husband was able to get one of them to work after adjusting the seat, but no matter how much I fussed with the other one, it stayed stubbornly upright.

On the plus side, the rear seats were on a rail, allowing them to be moved forward or backward. This is great if you need a little additional space in the cargo area but don’t want or need to put the seats down.

I didn’t care for the design of the dashboard. The fuel gauge and temperature gauge were combined in a single instrument display, so it was somewhat confusing to look at. The sun visor on the passenger side has an extension to provide extra protection to the eyes, but when fully extended it intrudes onto the rearview mirror. But those minor criticisms don’t affect the RAV4’s suitability as a DogCar.

-- Kim Campbell Thornton

CARGUY COMMENTS: The 2009 Toyota RAV4 comes in three grades: Base, performance-oriented Sport and the top-of-the-line Limited editions. Two engines are available as well: the 2.5-liter four cylinder (179 horsepower) or the 3.5-liter V6, generating 269 horsepower. Both versions are available in two or four-wheel drive configurations.

- Keith Turner, The Family Car

BARKING LOT BANTER: Toyota keeps pumping out DogCar favorites and the RAV4 is clearly in the litter. Fold-flat seats and lots of tie-downs give the RAV4 rave reviews