Five-Point Inspection: 2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE FWD

Busy or Stylish, the Interior is Definitely Not Dull

Inside the RAV4 features a new dashboard design that is a mash-up of textures, materials and colors; some find it over-the-top, but we quite enjoy. The design leads to a lot of clever storage nooks and crannies up front, but do hide a few switches like those for the heated seats and Eco/Sport modes.

This isn’t to suggest Toyota has strayed from keeping the new RAV4 simple to use. All of the other controls for both the HVAC and infotainment unit are very easy to operate. The touchscreen system did draw criticism though as the screen is too dull, requiring us to crank the brightness to full so it would not get washed away in sunlight.