2010 Toyota RAV4

• Overall
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• Exterior
• Interior
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Interior - What the Auto Press Says

The 2010 Toyota RAV4 boasts plenty of cargo room and an optional third-row seat. In addition, most reviewers find the cabin offers adequate enough quality. However, a select few prefer what they see as the more quality feel of the Honda CR-V's cabin. In addition, the RAV4 doesn't offer anything in the way of children's entertainment. A rear DVD system is not available on the RAV4 or CR-V. Consider the Mazda CX-7 if this option is important to you.

• "The cabin isn't as plasticky as previous-generation RAV4s, but it still has a budget feel compared to competitors like the CR-V, Rogue and Santa Fe. Nevertheless, the Toyota offers a highly practical design." -- Edmunds
• "The interior of the RAV4 is OK -- neither impressive nor stark. The mix of textures on the doors and dashboard is nicely done and doesn't look cheap." -- MSN
• "The two-level dash is high sculpted with lots of curves and furbelows and it's definitely not boring. The instrument panel is equally stylish with overlapping dials. The heater/air conditioning controls are unconventional but surprisingly easy to use, and we found that the HVAC system maintains a constant temperature without continual fiddling." -- -- Washington Examiner

Seating

Reviewers find the RAV4's first and second seats comfortable enough, and several praise the kid-friendly, optional third row -- a rare feature within its class. However, several others find that row too cramped, so it's best to try it out yourself to see if it's worth it. The Mitsubishi Outlander also offers an available third row at an even more affordable price - but it lacks the raw power and interior quality of the RAV4.

• "The seats look expensive and are comfortable for hours. Same with the back seat, where the Honda [CR-V] and the Toyota -- the two lightest vehicles in this group -- tied for two- and three-man comfort." -- Car and Driver
• "Just keep in mind that the third row rests on the vehicle floor. So, when I sat back there, my knees were up near my chest. I didn't have any forward view, but at 5 feet 4, I had better headroom than I expected." -- MSN
• "Ample headroom and legroom for 2nd-row occupants on a comfortable bench. Entry to the 3rd row requires a high step-in, and only the passenger-side 2nd-row seat folds forward to provide access. The 3rd-row is a convenience in a pinch, but it fits only small children." -- Consumer Guide
• "The rear seat is second class -- it keeps the kids from getting uppity -- but comfortable. Our tester did not have the optional third row of seating but gauging from the available room it wouldn't be useful for other than kids and it would take all of the erstwhile cargo room." -- Washington Examiner

Interior Features

The 2010 Toyota RAV4 offers lots of standard equipment. However, other than the third row, it doesn't offer too many family-friendly features. Although all but the base trim offer an optional navigation system, you might save yourself some money by choosing a portable device instead. Check out our GPS reviews to find out more.

• "Standard features for the base RAV4 include...rear tinted windows, full power accessories, keyless entry, cruise control, a tilt-telescoping steering wheel and a six-speaker stereo with CD/MP3 player and auxiliary audio jack." -- Edmunds
• "The gauges have large, legible markings. The controls easy to locate and simple to use." -- Consumer Guide
• "Some of the digital readouts, as for the temperature and time, are almost impossible to read in any light." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• "The nav system works well enough and has a large, highly visible screen but it interferes with radio operation. There are no presets available when the nav screen is active." -- Washington Examiner

Cargo

Cargo space is plentiful in the 2010 Toyota RAV4 -- 73 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded down, 36.4 cubic feet behind the second row, or 12.3 cubic feet with all three rows in use. These figures beat nearly every other compact SUV, including the Honda CR-V's 72.9 and 35.7 cubic feet of space. A downside, however, is the side-swinging cargo door. Many reviewers find it difficult to use when loading cargo.

• "The RAV4 not only has more cargo room than the redesigned Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and other compact SUVs, it has more room than the Jeep Grand Cherokee and upcoming Ford Edge, both of which are larger vehicles overall. Toyota can honestly tout its 'best in class cargo room' because nothing else comes close." -- Cars.com
• "The load floor is also quite low for this class, and minimizes the strain of loading a week's worth of groceries." -- Edmunds
• "Impressive cargo room in five-seat versions, which have two convenient storage wells in the rear floor area for added utility. Lightweight split 2nd-row-seat sections are easy to fold. Seven-seaters have better than expected space behind the 3rd row, which folds fully to create a flat load floor. ... Ample cabin storage includes a bi-level glovebox." -- Consumer Guide
• "The second row folds easily with a pull of a latch and goes back up easily too. The load floor isn't completely flat, however, which we find makes large items harder to load." -- Washington Examiner