Page 76 - Motor Trend (May 2020)

MT GARAGE The Toyota RAV4
thankfully doesn’t rely on a
touchscreen for everything.
Its buttons and knobs have
2019 Toyota RAV4 a satisfying rubbery feel.

Service life:
3 mo/6,781 mi • Avg Fuel Econ: 26.9

“It may be an SUV for the
masses, but the RAV4 definitely
has its quirks.” Kelly Lin

Avg CO2 0.72 lb/mi Energy cons 125 kW-hr/100 mi
Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0
Normal-wear cost $0 Base price $29,945 As-tested $31,509
EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 25/33/28 mpg
Real MPG 24.2/39.1/29.2 mpg city/hwy/comb

e’ve doled out makes it easy to toggle to just touchscreen on our XLE tester
W plenty of praise the right temperature. Under- isn’t a multicolor display, only
and criticism to the neath the climate controls is a featuring blue and white, and
RAV4 in previous reviews. We’ve handy slot for your phone. Most it’s a bit slow to respond.
commended its sharp styling important, our XLE tester has If you’re playing media from
and spacious second row but cozy fabric seats. Neither too your device, we hope it’s not
lamented its coarse engine and soft nor too firm, they keep us an Android. Android Auto is
transmission. Now that we’ve comfortable for a few hours of not available on 2019 models,
spent a few months in the small driving at a time. The cargo area isn’t as big as a but Toyota remedied this error
crossover, we can nitpick some When it’s time to take a road CR-V’s, but it’s still spacious. for 2020, making the feature
of the finer details. trip, the RAV4 offers plenty of standard.
Sometimes, pressing a room for your gear in the trunk, Inevitably, there are a few And although we appre-
physical button is better than though it’s not as spacious as features that can use improve- ciate the RAV4’s interior
fiddling around with a touch- the Honda CR-V’s cargo bay. ment. The power tailgate design, with its clean layout
screen. We like the physical On a road trip to Reno, Nevada, is slow to open and close and eye-catching dash-
HVAC knobs on the RAV4 not photography director Brian compared with other vehicles, board stitching, the doors
only because they’re large Vance was able to fit luggage which gets a little annoying are uncomfortable to close
but also because they have a for four in the cargo area, plus when you’re loading your gear because of the slanted angle
grippy, rubbery surface that a portable crib and stroller. in a hurry. The standard 7.0-inch of the handles.

When you need space for odds and
2018 Nissan Kicks ends, the Nissan Kicks has it.

Nissan claims the Kicks has
25.3 cubic feet of cargo space
with all seats in place and
53.1 cubic feet with the 60/40
split-folding rear bench down.
Respectable, but those dimen-
sions don’t take into account the
lip between the cargo floor and
the seat back, which prevents
you from laying long or large items flat across. You can remedy
Service life: the situation slightly by getting the two-level accessory floor, but
8 mo/14,991 mi • Avg Fuel Econ: 30.2 mpg you still need to deal with the angled seat backs.
To get the 57.0-inch-long shelf package in, I had to move the
“Nissan’s subcompact Kicks crossover driver’s seat forward slightly. The wide hatch provided more
passed my practicality test, but not wiggle room to maneuver bulky furniture, and the low liftover
with flying colors.” Stefan Ogbac height meant I didn’t have to strain my back as I was loading
it in. The Kicks’ tall greenhouse makes transporting tall
Avg CO2 0.64 lb/mi Energy cons 112 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved objects or stacking suitcases a cinch with the rear seats folded.
problems None Maintenance cost $190.05 (2-oil change, If all seats are taken, however, the rear window’s angle limits how
inspection, tire rotation) Normal-wear cost $0 high you can stack your bags and boxes.
Base price $21,635 As-tested $23,000 EPA City/Hwy/Comb For its size, the Nissan Kicks has a spacious interior, but its
Fuel Econ 31/36/33 mpg Real MPG 28.7/39.8/32.8 mpg
packaging could use some improvement. Competitors like the
Kia Soul and conventional hatch-
I love Ikea. If I need something for my house, I go there first backs like the Volkswagen Golf
have superior cabin packaging with
before exploring other options because 99 percent of the
time, Ikea has a solution for my home needs. Plus, I can chow
down on some tasty meatballs and smoked salmon before I generous underfloor storage, flat
load floors, and fewer intrusions,
peruse the showroom in search of my next piece of stylish (and giving you more flexibility for hauling
affordable) Swedish furniture. When the time came for a new your wares. In the Kicks, you need to
shelf, I brought along our long-term 2018 Nissan Kicks assess its get a little creative when carrying
practicality chops. oversized or odd-shaped items.

76 MOTORTREND.COM MAY 2020