Materials & Controls
The old RAV4’s interior was nice but nothing special, and the new one toes the same line. It isn’t a huge leap ahead in terms of materials; there’s still hard plastic throughout, including the door armrests on all but the top Limited trim level. A new protruding dash panel and the center console armrest are the lone areas of cushiness.
The interior gets points for layout and design, however, with a more modern, handsome look. A color-blocked, two-tone theme is attractive across all trim levels, as are houndstooth-patterned plastic trim pieces. Midline XLEs get bolstered sport seats, and uplevel Limited versions get imitation leather seats and classy-looking French stitching on the dash. For 2013, Toyota’s Softex imitation leather replaces last year’s real stuff.
The previous gen’s climate buttons have been replaced by large, clear dials that are a bit closer to the driver for easier control. A long vent high on the dash is also new to the setup, and Toyota says it helps heat and cool the backseat quickly.
The multimedia interface should look familiar, as it’s similar to the old optional unit. All RAV4s now come with a 6.1-inch touch-screen radio and a backup camera; Bluetooth is again standard. Optional on XLEs and Limiteds are navigation and Toyota’s Entune multimedia system. On the Apps menu, I tested the Pandora internet radio interface and found it intuitive. Same goes for the regular radio controls. Most functions are controlled through the touch-screen, but there’s also traditional knobs for volume and station tuning.
The optional navigation system was easy to use, though it’s not in the most logical menu. Rather than a button that says “Nav,” the maps and directions are in the “App” menu. The screen size is fine for most radio functions, but when reading the map it seems small.
