The Toyota RAV4 gets a modest styling update for 2009, with a restyled grille and front bumper, improved fog light trims, and redesigned tail lights. With either engine, the 2009 Toyota RAV4 is very smooth and refined. The available third-row seats in the 2009 Toyota RAV4 are too small for any adult to use. The RAV4's interior feels spacious and well designed, with an attractive two-tier instrument panel design, good seats, a nice upright driving position, and plenty of storage spaces.
Driver and front passenger front-seat-mounted side airbags, along with first- and second-row roll-sensing side curtain airbags, are standard on all versions of the 2009 Toyota RAV4, along with electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes. All-wheel drive, stability and traction control, and electric power steering come together in a single system with Toyota's VSC stability control. All 2009 Toyota RAV4 V-6 models and all four-cylinder models equipped with a third-row seat come standard with Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC).
There are three 2009 Toyota RAV4 models: base, Sport, and Limited. A more powerful four-cylinder engine, a restyled grille and bumpers and the adoption of active headrests for the front seats mark the changes for the 2009 Toyota RAV4.
The RAV4's four-cylinder engine gets a power boost for 2009, to 179 hp, making it the class leader among rival fours. A new grille and bumper design further modernize the latest RAV4.
The 2009 Toyota RAV4 crossover SUV is available in three trim levels: base, Sport and Limited. Seating for five is standard. Standard features for the base RAV4 include 16-inch steel wheels (17-inch alloys are optional), full power accessories, keyless entry, cruise control, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and a six-speaker stereo with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio jack. Exclusive for the Limited trim are optional heated front seats and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. In performance testing, the RAV4 V6 4WD delivered a very quick 0-60 time of 7.2 seconds.
All RAV4s can be equipped with either front-wheel or four-wheel drive. Front-drive models have a limited-slip differential. Unlike many competing vehicles, the RAV4 offers a true 4WD lock feature that fixes the front/rear power split 50/50, which is useful for driving in snow and light off-roading.
The EPA estimates a four-cylinder, front-drive RAV4 gets 22 mpg in the city/28 mpg on the highway and 24 mpg combined. The 4WD model has a 21/27/24 mpg rating.
Antilock disc brakes, stability control, traction control, active front headrests, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are standard on every 2009 Toyota RAV4. It earned five stars for front- and rear-occupant protection in side impacts. Normal seating capacity is five, while the optional third-row seat bumps it to seven.
Two engines are available in the RAV4. The RAV4 boasts class-leading interior space. Second-row seats are adjustable and offer spacious legroom.
Third-row seating is less comfortable and is best suited for children, but most of the RAV4’s competition doesn’t even offer third-row seating. Available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the RAV4 isn’t exactly ready to conquer serious off-road trails, but its ground clearance and all-wheel drive do allow it to tackle inclement weather with ease. The excellent fuel economy of the four-cylinder, decent driving dynamics, and massive interior space put the RAV4 at the head of its class. Dual front airbags, front-seat-mounted side-impact airbags, side-curtain airbags, front seatbelt pretension, tire-pressure monitoring, anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control are all standard on all RAV4 models.