2008 Toyota RAV4 Exterior Review [ 2007 ]

• Overall
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Specs
• Photo Gallery

Exterior - What the Auto Press Says

As we mentioned in our Exterior Overview, one area reviewers think the RAV4 really stands out in comparison to the CR-V is its looks. Seen as merely cute when it was introduced more than 10 years ago, the RAV4 now has a more mature look. While most like the SUV's new look, a few reviewers still have gripes about the side-swinging cargo door.

• "Moving from rambunctious teen to professional adult does have its drawbacks, however, and the RAV4's conservative styling might be the most noticeable of those." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "The only misstep -- and not just in the design department -- is the spare tire and cover planted on the rear hatch." -- Cars.com
• "The cargo door gets a demerit because it has no separate-opening glass window. Also, it swings to the right, which can hamper curbside loading." -- Chicago Sun-Times
• "The old RAV4 looked the preppy freshman, with its bow-wake side graphics and perky center tachometer. The new one is a postgraduate, drawn clean with wind-swept lines and an adult face." -- Car and Driver
• "The previous RAV's cute-ute styling has been replaced by sleek, sporty, modernly rugged good looks that fit its longer frame perfectly." -- Motor Week
• "The RAV4 is swept, shapely, and prim." -- U.S. News' Rick Newman
• "One negative is a tailgate that hinges from the passenger side -- Japanese-style -- making it inconvenient for curbside loading and unloading." -- AutoWeek