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The 2017 Toyota RAV4 range of configurations is currently priced from $9,985.
Our most recent review of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 resulted in a score of 7 out of 10 for that particular example.
Carsguide Family reviewer Nedahl Stelio had this to say at the time: If you’re looking for a super easy, basic car to drive around that is good value for money and ticks boxes like maximum safety, great boot space and reliability, then this will be music to your ears: you’ve found your match. I gave the RAV4 GXL a family rating of 7/10, taking points off because I like a little more razzle for my dazzle.
You can read the full review here.
This is what Nedahl Stelio liked most about this particular version of the Toyota RAV4: Interior space, Safety features as standard, Big boot
The 2017 Toyota RAV4 carries a braked towing capacity of up to 800 Kg, but check to ensure this applies to the configuration you're considering.
There are circumstances under which you would stay away from a modern turbo-diesel, but they have more to do with how you’ll use the vehicle than they do with the vehicle itself. The rule of thumb is that you should really only buy a diesel version of a particular car if you plan to use it for at least one decent trip at freeway speeds every three or four weeks at the very least. Along with that is the proviso that you’ll cover enough kilometres each year to balance the higher purchase price and servicing costs of a diesel against the lower fuel costs.
The highway-driving caveat is all about long-term reliability and emissions. Modern turbo-diesels are often fitted with what’s called a diesel-particulate filter (DPF). This filter, designed to trap some of the more harmful exhaust emissions) eventually fills up with the soot from the diesel’s exhaust and, when that happens, it’s designed to burn off that soot and regenerate itself, ready for another go round. But if you only drive short distances or only ever at suburban speeds, the filter can often not get hot enough to perform this burn-off and regeneration. When that happens, the filter warning light on your dashboard lights up and it’s off to the dealership for a – sometimes – costly manual regeneration. In extreme cases, the DPF may even need to be replaced and that’s not cheap either.
So, if you’re not planning regular trips at freeway speeds, conventional wisdom says a modern turbo-diesel is not for you.
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You haven’t specified which model it is, which makes it hard, but even though it is new in your mind it will be regarded as a second hand car. See if you can do a deal with the dealer to buy it back, but anticipate a price of about 10 percent lower than the new price.
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As you say, the choice is bewildering. All the models you have been looking would be suitable; you could also look at the Nissan X-Trail. I would go for either the Mazda CX-5 or the Kia Sportage, but that's not to say the others aren't worth considering. Why don't you go shopping and check each of them out to see how they fit your needs.
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The Toyota RAV4 2017 prices range from $13,530 for the basic trim level SUV GX (2WD) to $29,370 for the top of the range SUV Cruiser (4x4).