This wagon version of the Prius offers a very roomy rear seat and a generous cargo area. It's about the size of a Mazda5 but seats just five. The extra weight and a less aerodynamic shape take a small toll on fuel economy, but the V still got an excellent 41 mpg overall in our tests. Despite lower gearing, the electric motor and engine have to work fairly hard, especially when the car is loaded. It drives similarly to the standard Prius, but rear visibility is better than the smaller car. A weight-saving plastic moonroof is optional. First year reliability is above average.
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Toyota Blog Content
Mid-level 2013 Toyota RAV4 joins our test program
One of the more popular small SUVs, the RAV4 has been a top performer in Consumer Reports tests for years. To see how the new model compares against fresh competitors, we just purchased a typically equipped RAV4 for testing. With...
Who owns which car brands?
The auto industry has a very confusing family tree. The past few years have seen partnerships, sales, separations, bankruptcies, and entire divisions killed off, making it difficult to keep up with who owns which car brands. As automakers slim down...
Government proposes that electric and hybrid cars make some noise
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CES 2013 video: Five top products of the show
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New Toyota RAV4's headlight switch design is not so bright
Toyota's redesigned 2013 RAV4 small SUV has many nice qualities and one head-scratching quirk: Daytime Running Lights that don't automatically run in the daytime. A simple safety measure, daytime running lights (DRLs) make cars more visible during the day by...
