Howdy, first I'll offer a contrasting perspective, then circle back to the Rav 4.
Optioned up Rav 4's are priced well into Volkswagen AllTrack and Tiguan territory, and based on my ownership experience the Volkswagen product is without a doubt light years ahead in build quality, comfort, and performance. The new VW 1.8T and 2.0T drivetrains are exceptionally reliable as well. My Lady owned 4 generations of Toyota Carola, until she test drove a new Golf TDI back in 2013. She's now on her second VW (2016 GTI) and we/she will never go back to paying "Toyota Tax" for another one of their compact vehicles. But i digress. Hear me out...
This is not a suggestion to buy a Volkswagen instead of a Toyota! Although it's not a terrible idea, it isn't exactly a fair comparison. My point is, a lot of the Rav's out there aren't exactly a bargain and there might be cars in a “nicer” segment at the same price point.
“Nice” isn’t everything though. Some people want a car that they can pass on to their grand children without breaking the bank on maintenance. So i’ll circle back to more direct comparisons. Subaru, Mazda, Kia and Hyundai come to mind as great alternative options that offer more vehicle for equal or less money with excellent safety and reliability records.
That said, I'd buy a 2016 Subaru Forester or Outback over any Toyota equivalent. From my limited test drive experience, the Rav 4 is a good vehicle. For my money and intended use, Subaru products are even better. The 2016 Forester for example has more fuel range, better ground clearance, an equally robust drivetrain and an arguably more capable AWD system, for a lower purchase price. It still has strong residual resale value as well. Subi interiors aren't the best however, and I bet the Rav 4's headlights are better.
If you plan to own a vehicle for 5 - 10 years or 60-100k miles, a 200 mile drive to a Subaru dealership isn't very far in the grand scheme of things.
Sometimes its useful to drive and price different brands. Other times its useful to just buy into our brand loyalty for peace of mind, or because it's simply what our Wive's want ? regardless of value proposition. The Rav 4 is a good choice. They feel and drive like you'd expect. No frills. No surprises. Choosing between the 2015 and 2016 is just a matter of price and appearance package as far as I can tell. They'll both get the job done well.
Check out Edmunds.com for detailed specifications.
Looking forward to seeing the car when the time comes!
