The RAV4 Hybrid

THE AUTO PAGE

By John Heilig

• MODEL: 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
• ENGINE: 2.5-liter DOHC I-4
• TRANSMISSION: ECVT
• HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 194 hp total/ 206 lb.-ft. total
• WHEELBASE: 104.7 in.
• LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 181.1 x 72.6 x 65.9 in.
• TIRES: P235/55R18 
• CARGO: 35.6/70.6 cu. ft. (behind 2nd row/2nd row seats down)
• ECONOMY: 34 mpg city/31 mpg highway/22.2 mpg test 
• FUEL TANK: 14.8 gal.
• CURB WEIGHT: 3,950 lbs.
• COMPETITIVE CLASS: Ford Escape, Buick Encore, Kia Sportage
• STICKER: $36,609 (includes $900 delivery, $2,099 options)
• BOTTOM LINE: The new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is smooth running, quiet and comfortable in a package that is a practical size for a SUV.

            Introduced at the 2015 New York International Auto Show in April, the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the latest addition to Toyota’s growing hybrid stable. Adding the fuel economy of a hybrid to what I believe is the almost perfect size for a SUV is just gravy on the mashed potatoes. Larger SUVs may carry more, but for the greater majority of the time a small SUV fits the bill perfectly.

            Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve anything nearly close to the RAV4’s advertised economy numbers, despite the fact that we drove it on Interstates and local roads. I’m not sure what the problem might have been, but 22.2 mpg isn’t bad. Its just isn’t 31-34 mpg.

            Nevertheless, the RAV4 delivered a comfortable ride over all roads. Both the driver and front passenger have power adjustable seats with a lumbar adjustment that helped an achey back from too much golf.

The front seats also were heated (didn’t need in summer) and offered some side support.

            The engine in the RAV4 is a 2.5-liter four rated at 194 total horsepower with the addition of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive. Torque is 206 lb.-ft., a decent number. Acceleration is very good, thanks to the electric motor assist. And, more importantly, the combination is quiet. It doesn’t have the power of a sports car, but the RAV4 can get up and running with the better of them.

            I have a few concerns. The speedometer, for example, is not that easy to read, being hidden by the nacelle surrounding the meter. A digital speedometer would have been a nice addition, but I couldn’t figure out how to program the instrument panel between the tachometer and speedometer to convert to a digital speedometer. However, that info panel did display the cruise control setting, so on our longer trips we kept it in cruise most of the time.

            Speaking of cruise control, the system in the RAV4 is called Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and it adjusts your speed to that of the vehicle in front of you. It will also brake the car if the speed differential is too great. I’m not totally sure if the system will actually stop the car if a collision is imminent. I didn’t have the courage to test it. 

            In place of the tachometer is an “ECO” dial that shows how much power you are using or whether or not you are operating the RAV4 economically or not. 

            The infotainment screen is split between audio and a map. You can touch either to expand it to a full screen view, but after a while in audio it reverts back to the split screen. The navigation system is very easy to program in a new destination.

            I’m a proponent of good interior styling, almost as opposed to good exterior styling, because you see the inside of the vehicle more than the outside. That’s what kept the Pontiac Aztec alive for as long as it did. Anyway, the interior styling of the RAV4 is very nice. There’s a padded panel in contrasting color running from the right of the instrument panel across the dash. The color combination matches the two-tone seats. An added benefit is that the visors have extensions, for those difficult days.

            At the base of the center stack is a panel with switches for EV mode, ECO mode, and Sport mode, with heated seat switches, USB and AUX connections and a 12-volt outlet. A small flat cubby beneath this is ideal for holding keys, since the RAV4 has push button start and stop. 

            The cup holders are different. There’s a normal round one close to the center console/arm rest, but the one closer to the center stack has a different shape to accommodate cups with handles. There is room for two water bottles in each door. 

            Rear legroom is excellent. There are four assist handles, one over each door. In the rear they are excellent for carrying clothes on hangers. There are also hanger hooks, but these are smaller. 

            Behind the power rear hatch is a very good cargo area. We were able to put a golf bag in there horizontally, without having to wedge it in diagonally or fold down a rear seat. The rear seats fold easily to create a flat cargo area. The inside rear hatch release is almost hidden next to the steering column, but it’s there. 

            Safety features include a lane departure warning with an annoying beep, blind spot monitors with lights in the exterior rear view mirrors, rear cross traffic alert, and a “bird’s eye camera” that shows an overhead view of the RAV4 when you’re backing up.

            In a sense it’s hard to evaluate Toyotas because they are all, generally, pretty good and have well thought-out designs. The RAV4 Hybrid is no exception. It does all things well and is a star in its class.

(c) 2016 The Auto Page Syndicate 

Civic Coupe- a course in the basics

While Honda is offering a lot of options these days based on new technology the company still builds a pretty well equipped entry level model. Bumper2Bumpertv has a look at what is inside the box when a driver opts for the basics in the Civic Coupe.
Availability

Scion winds down

Scion, once the social media darling of the Toyota group of automobiles is ending after a 13 year run as a stand alone division. Bumper2Bumpertv has a look at where the brand is and what is left of its automotive legacy.

A proven classic- the Ford Explorer

THE AUTO PAGE

By John Heilig

• MODEL: 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum 4WD
• ENGINE: 3.5-liter Ecotec V6
• TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with SelectShift
• HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 365 hp @ 5,500 rpm/350 lb.-ft. @ 3,500 rpm 
• WHEELBASE: 112.8 in. 
• LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 198.3 x 78.9 x 71.0 in. 
• TIRES: P255/50R20
• CARGO: 21.0/43.9/81.7 cu. ft. (3rd row seatbacks up/down/2nd row seatbacks folded)
• ECONOMY: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway/16.3 mpg test
• FUEL TANK: 18.6 gal.
• CURB WEIGHT: 4,571 lbs.
• COMPETITIVE CLASS: Acura MDX, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee
• STICKER: $54,760 (includes $945 destination, $845 options (2nd row bucket seats and console)
• BOTTOM LINE: When it comes to standard SUVs, the Ford Explorer stands with the best of them. It is large and solid and offers great ride quality.

          When I started on this journey more than 32 years ago, the first vehicle I tested was a Ford Bronco II. This was what we would now call a mid-size SUV with two doors and a manual transmission.

          The successor to the Bronco II was the four-door Ford Explorer, introduced in 1991, and which has grown a bit over the years. I remember the first Explorers as being mid-sizeish and comfortable.

          The 2016 version of the Explorer (or the Exploder as it’s called internally because of its sales success) seems large, although there is also the Expedition, which is larger. However, with that size, comes a great ride and plenty of room to either carry people and all their luggage, or lots of cargo. And isn’t that what a SUV is supposed to do?

          We had an interesting week behind the wheel of the Explorer. As grandparents, our assignment was to drive to Penn State and pick up our granddaughter from gymnastics camp, then drive her home to Virginia so that her father wouldn’t have to make an 11-hour round trip. Simple enough. Unfortunately, I became sick before we even left State College and spent a couple of nights in the (great) hospital there. Subsequently, my wife had to drive the Explorer back and forth from the hotel with my granddaughter. 

          My wife usually doesn’t drive at night and this was in a strange vehicle where she was unaware of even how to start it (push button) or adjust the mirrors. But when she got acclimated, she did well. Fortunately, a daughter who was on vacation detoured on her way home and drove the Explorer home from Penn State. She also had trouble adjusting the mirrors. 

          Both women liked driving the Explorer, despite the size differential from their normal cars. My daughter commented that the brakes worked extremely well, which is something you want for a large vehicle. They tended on the tacky at times, but that’s better than the other extreme.

          I had a chance to be a passenger, first in the front seat and then in the second row. Both seats were comfortable individual buckets with good side support. I liked the “Platinum Edition” styling of the seats, with diamond-shaped pleating on the sides.

          In the rear there is plenty of legroom. I guessed this since my granddaughter didn’t complain during her short stint back there. The second row shoulder belts inflate in the case of a collision, acting like a small air bag. No, we didn’t test this out.

          Driving the Explorer is comfortable. It seems like a much larger vehicle, but that may also be a misconception of mine because I have been driving small and mid-size SUVs recently. The 3.5-liter Ecotec V6 seems more like a V8, and it delivers 365 horsepower. There was never any need for more power.

          Handling is very good. We drove the Explorer on our tight hill climb course and enjoyed the ride. There was no need to use paddle shifters (they weren’t there) or manually shift the gearbox. It just wouldn’t have been in keeping with the character of the vehicle. 

          Cargo capacity is great. With all the seats up, there is a deep well behind the third row. The third row seats power down into the well when you need more cargo. Fold the second row seats and you have an enormous cargo volume, nearly 82 cubic feet, with 12 tie-downs.

          For convenience there is a large, deep center console/arm rest. A large cubby at the base of the center stack has USB and SD plugs plus 12-volt power. At the rear of the center console there are 2 USB plugs plus a 110-volt outlet. Dual sunroofs add brightness for both front and second row passengers.

          I had a few complaints. The speedometer is way too confusing and almost impossible to read, with KPH inside the MPH outer ring. I’m sure there is a way to eliminate the KPH, but I couldn’t figure it out. A digital speedometer in the center of the instrument panel would have been ideal.  Again, this may have been possible, but I couldn’t figure it out. 

          There are  no assist handles, and, therefore, no large hanger hooks in the rear. There are small hanger hooks, but they were inadequate for the amount of clothes we had. There are assist handles on the front passenger A pillar and on both B pillars in the rear to ease entry and exit. 

          I can see the Explorer as a good vehicle for families who travel, as an alternative to a minivan, for example. In our unique situation, it was ideal and I was grateful for the size. 

(c) 2016 The Auto Page Syndicate

Ed Welburn, a design leader.

One of the people who has had a major impact on the look of General Motors vehicles is Ed Welburn. Bumper2Bumpertv has a look at his career at the automaker and gets his thoughts on what may be coming next.