Proud Woodland owner- love it. Granted I live in suburban Charlotte metro area, who regularly visits the mountains and my family farm… so far the only off-roading I’ve done in it is driving through a sheep pasture😂. The suspension is great, and consistently getting 38-40 mpg is a plus!
Glad to hear that you love it! How does it soak up potholes? I'm thinking of one of these light "Off roaders" just because the streets are so bad where i live...without a doubt worse than the gravel roads in the area. And THANK YOU for writing MPG and not MPGs.
Considering the price of cars recently this feels like a pretty good value for anyone who wants hybrid and lives down lightly maintained roads or wants to get to the state park walking / biking trails. If it wasn’t for the hybrid, would probably go for a cross-trek wilderness myself.
Yeah but a regular hybrid where I live xle used is 25k. Looking at one rn, and yeah I and into modding it so I can do some light trail running but not off-roading. Bike trails, camping etc.
In 25 the Forester will be redesigned and will be available with the Rav hybrid system. We’ll wait for the 26-27 year model (to get the bugs worked out) and sell my wife’s Outback and buy her the Forester Touring Hybrid to use as her commuter vehicle. My 19 Forester Touring has only 13K miles and I’m retired so I seldom drive. I’m sure I’ll be driving my Forester for many years to come.
Yeah, the Woodland not quite as off-road capable compared to the Subarus (both regular and wilderness models) but makes up for it with exceptional economy. Makes me impressed with how Subaru engineer their AWD system and x-mode.
A content idea - put together some compilations of different vehicles tested on the same obstacle. You mention the other vehicles and how much better they did. It would be nice to have some videos showing them all back to back.
also roller testing, "good roller testing", it defeats the purpose if vehicles are sliding on roller frames like it happens on many other diagonal tests channels
@@tallll70 I love TFL but their roller tests usually make my eyes roll into the back of my head. They’ll let the wheels spin until they snag the roller frame and shoot it out behind the vehicle. Then they just go, “Good job, little Toyota. I’m impressed with the way it shifts the power around. On to the next test!”
2023 Woodland owner. I, too, was disappointed with the ground clearance. I opted to address that aftermarket and get up to 9.6". I think it's fair to say that Toyota did what they intended to do with the Woodland. Primarily, a fuel efficient daily driver that can also do easy trails. I strongly considered the Outback Wilderness. It's no debate that the dual X mode is more capable, but I just could not eat the loss in economy. 9,000 miles with the Woodland and I'm at 40.8mpg.
@@officialyasir yep. I gained 1.5" front and rear. Even with the change in aerodynamics I have seen no meaningful change in MPGs. I had it done around 3k miles ago and have tracked Tank Averages. Once the factory AT Trails are done I'm going to get the real AT Trails in 235/60/18 (love the TRD wheels so staying on 18"). That will cost a few MPGs
@@adrianr514 Eibach Pro on the fronts and Northwoods Performance on the Rear. Stage 3 rear because I'll be towing, have some gear, and want to avoid sag
I own this exact model, I did add a leather wheel wrap for 16 dollars and also upgraded my interior shifter, front an rear console with black wood trim and really makes it pop and feels alot better then the stock rubber plastic but again this was done for under $100 bucks. The small screen is all you need if the screen is too large it becomes a distraction. The only thing I see on my screen is my music list for the most part and it is more then enough space. The gas mileage is great and rides very nice seats are very comfortable for long trips front and rear. I paid 33,250 for mine but that was in Feb 2023! The styling of the Forester that you compare is just to boxy and more like a high back station wagon from the early 2000s and not cheap and cannot even get the fuel range of this. The Trails I take it on is more dirt, gravel and alot pot hole urban roads which it is perfect for. Lets get real if your doing off-roading your not using this nor a Forster it would be more of an Outback or Tacoma!
@@RRr-yl8zr I know I agree no one in most urban or suburban area is driving like this. My father in-law would not even do that and he goes deep in the woods for hunting with is 70k Ford F-150.
Another great video, thank you! It’s too bad Toyota doesn’t add a touch of lift on these models as well as, a revised front and rear bumper to increase slightly the approach and departure angles.
Why do people always want a small car/crossover to be a truck. If you want higher ground clearance and better approach and departure angles buy a truck.
@@rdyred5080 only reason I think of those changes is - in the more “off road” geared trim levels it makes sense to me to make some slight modifications to the body to make it a touch more off road capable. An example of the direction I’m thinking of would be, the Wilderness models of Subarus.
Unfortunately, I would not consider this an off-road contender. It's more of a trendy fashion statement. Love the testing as it really points this out! Thanks👍
That's exactly what I was thinking. The "Woodland" moniker mostly seems like marketing to me. At first I was disappointed Ryan wasn't going to test this on the harder course but he obviously knew what he was doing.
I've seen a lot of guys that went from XLE to this say that it's great on rough bumpy roads. That roads they hated and would avoid in the XLE were comfy and smooth seeming in it. So there's that at least.
@@0HOON0 yeah it's "Trd tuned." Shame they didn't do a bit more but it's still a nice vehicle for the price. Probably ends up cheaper than the other trims since the dealers will add 10k of stuff. (Heck I think I've seen XLEs in my area advertised for *$39,000")
Finding this guy’s channel is like me just discovering the Rocky movies last year. DAMN this would have been such a great resource for me with my past two vehicle purchases!!
@@RRr-yl8zr If I wanted to address all those issues, I could go buy a 50,000 truck, but I'm not interested in that price. $35k sounds much better and I'm willing to sacrifice the off-road capability for comfort and mpg.
@@blueridge8992 bronco sport and some of the jeep CUV models are probably more capable than the subaru, but they've got some issues with dealer markups and reliability, the subarus are probably the best balance between cost capability and reliability that's available right now. Honda trailsport is also up there. The toyota offerings are sadly more like badging and tire upgrade packages, I don't think toyota takes crossover overlanding very seriously, and likely they don't want to eat into the market for the 4runner/tacoma
I placed an order 4 months before available on dealers. When I finally got the official specs I was completely disapointed. Not even the sunroof, heated seat, nothing from the model car from May was available. Got a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk fully loaded like the one you tested last year and the car is awesome.
It's not bad if you approach this as an open-diff front wheel drive vehicle with any push from the rear being a bonus. The side-to-side torque vectoring is still poor however. It should never allow that amount of wheel spin, especially in the dedicated trail mode.
Like others said, it seems like a good value. It illustrates the porblem with the Crosstrek. A nice hybrid powertrain, good reliability, more room, and price very similar to a Crosstrek Limited or Wilderness.
@@RRr-yl8zr Surprisingly, reliability data on hybrids, especially Toyota, is quite good. The only reason it would have a shorter lifespan is, of course, the battery. Not sure how often/expensive it is to replace the battery on a hybrid.
Terrific video! I have been dying to see an off-road test of the RAV4 hybrid. It seems to me that a hybrid or electric vehicle might not need 4-Lo and so a Rav4 or Highlander might compete a bit with a stock 4Runner on mild trails. This video proves it wouldn’t. That’s fine, that’s not what it’s for. I do think it would be a sweet outback vehicle (ala the hybrid system) with the largest tires that will fit in the strut tower. I want one! Except I never go off-road and can’t remotely justify trading in my all-wheel-drive sienna for it. Terrific video!
As a former Forester and current Rav4 hybrid owner, I have no doubt that maintenance costs of Toyota will be half of Subaru, and that is before fuel savings.
I was originally looking at this Woodland Edition as a possible purchase in 2024. The more I watch and read, I just don't know if it is much more capable than an XSE Hybrid. I'm not planning on doing any crazy off-roading, but forest roads in gamelands and wildlife refuges for hiking and photography. Plus, the Woodland Edition doesn't have, available as options, many of the creature comforts of the larger info screens, better stereo, etc. I'm thinking of just putting some better all terrain tires on an XSE and getting some nice options and thinking it should be good enough.
The RAV4 Hybrid AWD has almost the same off-road capability with Corolla Cross Hybrid AWD. Considering the price performance ratio, the CC Hybrid AWD maybe the best compact Hybrid SUV on the market.
The Rav has a lot more legroom front and back than the Corolla Cross. I'm 6-6, I can sit in the drivers seat in the Rav 4 and have 3 or 4 inchs free space between my knees and the front dash and without adjusting the front seat I have the same legroom in the back seat. Amazing ! I'm debating whether to get the Woodland or the Rav SE , I wish Toyota still made the Woodland in Calvary Blue and I wish they had black wheels. That Green with the Gold wheels looks too Suburu for my tastes.Certain people drive them and I'm not one of them. I'm not a crazy off roader looking for trouble , I have rural property in upstate NY and there are times when I'd need AWD with some off road ability. I saw Ryan's video with the Corolla Cross, he went up a nice size hill with stumps, rocks , he went thru his Chicken Pass course and showed how the AWD is suppose to perform. 99.9 percent of people this car would be way more than they need. Crazy anybody would take rides up uneven dirt roads, ride over boulders and think that's fun. Just asking for trouble. Re: the prices- The Hybrid Rav is only about $2000 more in price than the Hybrid Corolla Cross and has a lot more legroom.
@@johnpalmer4996 yes you are right. Rav 4 is definitely more suitable for big guys. The price difference should be higher than $4000 to make them distinctive.
Ryan, To enhance the overall capability of the RAV4 Woodland, Toyota should upgrade to the 245 hp Hybrid powertrain seen in the Highlander and Sienna. That would increase the tow capacity to match the 3,500 lbs rating on the RAV4 TRD/Adventure/Trail. 😁Toyota's odd choice to increase the Woodland rim size to 18 " certainly does not help with rough roads or trails. 🤔
everyone who keeps saying the forester is better i owned a 2020 forester my second subara and my last and my wrx and forester both were a big let down . the Forster is squarely on freeways it doesnt stay in its lane easy .its cheaply built and i was getting 24-25 mpg. I have seen videos that the forester cvt cant muscle through. and it doesn't put the torque down to the wheels, where the ecvt transmission and its rear motor as this video shows does not have that problem. Yes subaru awd system is well known for being top dog I'll give it that.either way they are both grocery getters. with enough ground clearance to miss curbs and deep puddles .i have owned a 2018 4runner and subaru cant even do anything close to what the 4runner can . if they do a 5th gen 4 runner with hybrid it will be w winner ow and add all the tech the rav has .forester interior is very cheap . i do like subaru forester interior space over the rav. the boxer engine is a niche and has its draw backs .For what it is my xse hybrid does the job no 1 vehicle is perfect and can do everything the best .
The hybrid SUVs really intrigue me as a way to improve mileage while still retaining off road capability. This Rav4 woodland doesn't have quite enough capability for me to consider it. That said I can't wait to see the 2024 Tacoma and Land Cruiser reviews to come in, both from a off roading and mileage point of view.
e-AWD on RAV4 is quiet impressive, to my surprise it sends power to rear wheel on inclines even on dry pavement to help traction much like very sophisticated mechanical AWDs like the ones in Audis.
I am referring to behavior on dry pavement not offroading. It is better than some Honda AWD system which need good amount of slip to send power to rear.
These new body style Rav 4's have the most grandparent wheels! They could of at least lifted this version an extra Inch or Inch and a half and added 19 or 20's for the wheels. Now it just looks like a Hipster with a brand new pair of hiking books and skinny jeans.
I think it's pretty ok, most owners of these would be pretty confident driving this under snowy or dirt conditions. If you are planning on something harder than what we just watched. Then you are not aiming for a hybrid crossover lets be real
I am looking to eventually lift it and get chunkier tires but it won't fit in my garage if I did all that. Definitely considering it in the distant future when I move to a warmer state. I'll be picking up my '24 next month. I hope I made the right decision!
Just depends on what you're trying to achieve. No question this all-wheel drive system does not measure up to Subaru, I'll take the reliability and low maintenance of the Toyota hybrid system for my uses any day.
@@powerguymark Exactly! Your response is exactly the reason I subscribe to your content. You eloquently turned my frown upside down. I love the wheels on this RAV 4 Woodlands, reminiscent of an 80’s throwback on the “Original Toyota” not the 40th Anniversary edition.
It will be interesting to see if the Mazda CX-50 hybrid is all wheel drive, and how it compares to the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid built at the same factory in Alabama now. Subarus have better all wheel drive, but more reliability problems including spark plug replacement every 30 thousand miles and the safety system behind the windshield can have problems, including thinner windshield glass that cracks easily.
@@RRr-yl8zr Unfortunately, with the 5th gen the rear seat and cargo space of the Prius got a lot worse. Plus, you lose the spare tire. At least where I live, the price difference between the Prius and the RAV4 isn't actually that large.
Thank God for a manual liftgate. I hate, hate, hate power liftgates, with the exception of Chevrolet that you can easily deactivate with a simple accessible button. Anybody who carries longer items will know why I hate power liftgates with a passion.
So the only difference here is the suspension, tire, rim, and roof rack? I can add a roof rack to any trim, and put an all terrain tire on at any point. The suspension is okay I guess, but thats it? It should have at least a HALF INCH more ground clearance than the other trims! That woodland themed stuff is legit tho...
The Rav4 Woodland offers no option packages, and I think that's a mistake. A "Limited" package, offering headed/cooled seats/steering wheel, leather etc would be welcome, as well as an offroading package for a lift + full size spare. Oh well.
2024 has an option package. You can fit a full size spare if you remove a spacer under the temp spare. Good use for one of the factory tires when you replace them.
@@RRr-yl8zryes for more rugged trails best to switch to a full size spare that there is room to add, or at least bring some tire chains so the other tires do better with the doughnut weeny spare added. Maybe wait for the hybrid Mazda CX-50 coming soon, built in Alabama and with much better steering feel. To me the Boosaroos have great brake feel but terrible steering feel, and needing new spark plugs every 30 thousand miles and weaker wheel bearings and front axles are deal breakers. Also terrible gas mileage. Also the Eyesight safety system comes with a thinner windshield that cracks more.
How do you think the vehicle would fair with a 1.5" lift and skid plates? Do you think it's a vehicle worth upgrading to accomplish what other vehicles can without modification, while retaining the advantages of the Rav4 hybrid?
Not a fan of lifting crossovers, changing the angle of the half-shafts can cause unnecessary stress on the system. If you need a lifted RAV4, just get a 4Runner.
Great car. A friend just ordered his second hybrid and thinks it is amazing. If you really need the upgraded interior go with the higher trim level. As for all the Subaru talk I just don't get it. Never been in what I would call a good one. Crude engines and crap longivity touted by the suburbia dog owner set. Talking cars with a good friend recently that has a respectible motor sports background and he pointed out that despite his parents having five Subarus he was totally underwhelmed by all aspects of the car and especially the engines. What I concluded about car reviewers is that they spend so much time in cars whinning about stuff that doesn't matter to the everyday owner that it proves them useless. The numbers don't lie and all the going on by Ryan about entertainment systems turned me from his videos some time ago. Who gives a rats arse about gadgets when reliability and resale are far and away the two biggest determinants.
@@RRr-yl8zr Sedans don't have cargo space and minivans are too big. Hatchbacks usually are economy cars. (with a few exceptions such as a Prius, which is actually longer than a RAV4.) What does that leave? A big hatchback, AKA a crossover (colloquially, "SUV").
Another great review. As a Toyota guy, I’ve wanted so bad to believe in the RAV4 but it continues to underwhelm. Subarus are tough to beat for the lighter duty work that most of us require.
If I get one of these- it would have to be the TURD..(play on trd).. NOTHING against it- I LIKE these- just hope it's as capable as I need it to be-- I've seen videos on here where it DID NOT perform well-- and I'm NOT a fan of that electric powering the back wheels and electronically controlled..
Are you planning on reviewing the new CRV hybrid anytime soon? The Rav-4 Hybrid and CRV Hybrid are the two I am considering the most, and I really value your opinion.
Yeah, it’s too bad these aren’t more capable off road. Some skid plates, a 1’ lift, a bit more travel, and a bit more differential would make these fierce. I suppose that’s where Subaru comes in. The Forrester Hybrid is going to take quite a bit of Toyota’s lunch. Me? I’m waiting for the new 4Runners.
On a side note....i would love to see what a Subaru Impreza would do with some off road testing. Not extreme climbing, just to see what the AWD system can handle with no X-Mode.
All Subaru's are the same, Subaru calls it the SGP or Subaru Global Platform. From Impreza to WRX to Crosstrek to Solterra.. Base trim or Wilderness. The AWD system, CVT, drivetrain, suspension, etc. All shared. There's obviously optional changes like a turbo engine or factory lift kit... but they're all basically the same. The Impreza has the same off-road capabilities as a Outback Wilderness. Just slap some good A/T tires on it.
@sparkyastwo1923 Completely agree. I would never take an Impreza extreme off roading. But I would like to see what the AWD system is capable of. All the videos I've seen are just people plowing through snow. I'd like a little more controlled video with proper camera angles and showing what it can and can't do. I think this channel is one of the best showing the capabilities of vehicles.
@@kevinm594 The AWD system of the Impreza is identical to the AWD system of a Outback Wilderness. Take this channel with a grain of salt, these are advertisements not reviews. Subaru by contract does not allow Ryan to speak of anything negative about their vehicles. Every single "test" is highly planned and reshot countless times to make these vehicles look amazing. Even in this RAV4 video, if you pay attention to the tires, he lowered the tire pressure to around 10-15psi without disclosing it... and it's still having a hard time. Welcome to the world of UA-cam Infomercials.
@texasstormchaser Now you’re just being a jerk. None of that is correct. There’s no “contract with Subaru” and we don’t do reshoots to make any vehicle look better. You need a new hobby beyond pestering UA-cam channels
You can't lock the center diff in a Toyota AWDe vehicle (like this one) because there is no center diff. Also, both axles are open diffs, so a crawling gear would just result in one wheel spinning fruitlessly.
Getting ~35mpg in city driving in a very practical vehicle is not trivial, I am guessing the gas only model does 25mpg in the city. I bet the gas model does the chicken ranch better. I also bet that Ryan knew this but wanted to do the test for his viewers. That's actually very generous of him. Reviewers don't like to waste time testing dogs and they def. are careful not to bad-mouth the manufacturers.
Buy the Outback Wilderness Turbo for alot less, the ride is better, Outback is loaded front to rear. Took our first trip today and running speed limit 70 mph here in Florida averaged 27-29 mpg. Bought it on the 18th after looking at Crosstrek, just to noisy and rough ride. 2024 Outback Wilderness rides like a dream. And we have drove Subaru's forever.
Sorry ... no good reason to give the Rave4 a pass on the Washington course!!! That's what I (we) want to see ... and the sooner the snow shows up the better! If the Impreza ,,, oops, I mean Crosstrek can go on it, there really is no GOOD reason why you shouldn't have taken the Rave4 too! C'mon man.
I was recently in a brand new Toyota RAV4 rental (not a Woodland) and I have to say I was underwhelmed. Noisy ride, short front seat pans, and the interior was not impressive. I am wondering if I need to keep it on my shortlist with Honda, Subaru and Mazda. The Honda is hybrid and Mazda and Subaru will soon have more fuel efficient options.
Probably you don’t have manufacturing plant there. Toyota have it in US and Canada. More then over its best selling vehicle in US after F150, Silverado and Ram pick up trucks.
Not really. Rav4 hybrid gets 41 mpg and the Forester wilderness gets 25 mpg. Forester is better off road but most people keep these on road 99% of the time.
@@Redhawk24 This is about off-roadability. Therefore in that aspect, it is a competitor to the wilderness edition. Obviously one is a hybrid( although very mildly) and one is not.
I would say the Adventure or TRD Off Road models are more of a competitor with the wilderness trims. This vehicle isn’t going where I’ve seen wilderness trims go.
@@Redhawk24 No... your LIES stand. This is a wannabe Forester with a hybrid setup. The Forester is NOT a hybrid, but it GETS THE JOB DONE, and it gets noticeably MORE than 25mpg. Stop being a high school Toyota fanboi. It's not our faulta that you bought one of these overrated tin boxes.
Proud Woodland owner- love it. Granted I live in suburban Charlotte metro area, who regularly visits the mountains and my family farm… so far the only off-roading I’ve done in it is driving through a sheep pasture😂.
The suspension is great, and consistently getting 38-40 mpg is a plus!
👏👏
Glad to hear that you love it! How does it soak up potholes? I'm thinking of one of these light "Off roaders" just because the streets are so bad where i live...without a doubt worse than the gravel roads in the area.
And THANK YOU for writing MPG and not MPGs.
because prius's cant handle a simple dirt roat lmfao
Well, at least it probably gets better gas mileage than any other car that comes from the factory with all-terrain tires.
Considering the price of cars recently this feels like a pretty good value for anyone who wants hybrid and lives down lightly maintained roads or wants to get to the state park walking / biking trails. If it wasn’t for the hybrid, would probably go for a cross-trek wilderness myself.
Yeah but a regular hybrid where I live xle used is 25k. Looking at one rn, and yeah I and into modding it so I can do some light trail running but not off-roading. Bike trails, camping etc.
The problem is that Toyotas just don’t exist right now, and if they do, dealers mark them up out of their value proposition
You can do that with any car offered at any car dealership sold today.
In 25 the Forester will be redesigned and will be available with the Rav hybrid system.
We’ll wait for the 26-27 year model (to get the bugs worked out) and sell my wife’s Outback and buy her the Forester Touring Hybrid to use as her commuter vehicle.
My 19 Forester Touring has only 13K miles and I’m retired so I seldom drive. I’m sure I’ll be driving my Forester for many years to come.
Yeah, the Woodland not quite as off-road capable compared to the Subarus (both regular and wilderness models) but makes up for it with exceptional economy. Makes me impressed with how Subaru engineer their AWD system and x-mode.
A content idea - put together some compilations of different vehicles tested on the same obstacle. You mention the other vehicles and how much better they did. It would be nice to have some videos showing them all back to back.
also roller testing, "good roller testing", it defeats the purpose if vehicles are sliding on roller frames like it happens on many other diagonal tests channels
@@tallll70 I love TFL but their roller tests usually make my eyes roll into the back of my head. They’ll let the wheels spin until they snag the roller frame and shoot it out behind the vehicle. Then they just go, “Good job, little Toyota. I’m impressed with the way it shifts the power around. On to the next test!”
2023 Woodland owner. I, too, was disappointed with the ground clearance. I opted to address that aftermarket and get up to 9.6".
I think it's fair to say that Toyota did what they intended to do with the Woodland. Primarily, a fuel efficient daily driver that can also do easy trails. I strongly considered the Outback Wilderness. It's no debate that the dual X mode is more capable, but I just could not eat the loss in economy. 9,000 miles with the Woodland and I'm at 40.8mpg.
Dang, you are still getting 40 mpg even after the lift?!
@@officialyasir yep. I gained 1.5" front and rear. Even with the change in aerodynamics I have seen no meaningful change in MPGs. I had it done around 3k miles ago and have tracked Tank Averages. Once the factory AT Trails are done I'm going to get the real AT Trails in 235/60/18 (love the TRD wheels so staying on 18"). That will cost a few MPGs
incredible mpg for a vehicle like that, i think you made a great purchase imo. Enjoy!
What suspension did you go with?
@@adrianr514 Eibach Pro on the fronts and Northwoods Performance on the Rear. Stage 3 rear because I'll be towing, have some gear, and want to avoid sag
Finally!!! I have been waiting all year for this!!
Great Honest Review! That's why I love watching all of your video's! This one is not for me, but would fit other peoples needs. Thanks Ryan!
I own this exact model, I did add a leather wheel wrap for 16 dollars and also upgraded my interior shifter, front an rear console with black wood trim and really makes it pop and feels alot better then the stock rubber plastic but again this was done for under $100 bucks. The small screen is all you need if the screen is too large it becomes a distraction. The only thing I see on my screen is my music list for the most part and it is more then enough space. The gas mileage is great and rides very nice seats are very comfortable for long trips front and rear. I paid 33,250 for mine but that was in Feb 2023! The styling of the Forester that you compare is just to boxy and more like a high back station wagon from the early 2000s and not cheap and cannot even get the fuel range of this. The Trails I take it on is more dirt, gravel and alot pot hole urban roads which it is perfect for. Lets get real if your doing off-roading your not using this nor a Forster it would be more of an Outback or Tacoma!
@@RRr-yl8zr I know I agree no one in most urban or suburban area is driving like this. My father in-law would not even do that and he goes deep in the woods for hunting with is 70k Ford F-150.
Another great video, thank you! It’s too bad Toyota doesn’t add a touch of lift on these models as well as, a revised front and rear bumper to increase slightly the approach and departure angles.
They want their mpg numbers..
Why do people always want a small car/crossover to be a truck. If you want higher ground clearance and better approach and departure angles buy a truck.
@@proshepherd totally get that part
@@rdyred5080 only reason I think of those changes is - in the more “off road” geared trim levels it makes sense to me to make some slight modifications to the body to make it a touch more off road capable. An example of the direction I’m thinking of would be, the Wilderness models of Subarus.
I'd also like to see more anodized copper accents.
Unfortunately, I would not consider this an off-road contender. It's more of a trendy fashion statement.
Love the testing as it really points this out! Thanks👍
That's exactly what I was thinking. The "Woodland" moniker mostly seems like marketing to me. At first I was disappointed Ryan wasn't going to test this on the harder course but he obviously knew what he was doing.
I've seen a lot of guys that went from XLE to this say that it's great on rough bumpy roads. That roads they hated and would avoid in the XLE were comfy and smooth seeming in it. So there's that at least.
Different suspension tuning?
@@0HOON0 yeah it's "Trd tuned." Shame they didn't do a bit more but it's still a nice vehicle for the price. Probably ends up cheaper than the other trims since the dealers will add 10k of stuff. (Heck I think I've seen XLEs in my area advertised for *$39,000")
I enjoy driving the woodland edition on gravel and dirt roads quite a bit. Handles washboarding well.
at 11:39, the relaxing grandpa subaru would think "this is how far 30 years of technology has brought you"
Your videos are among the best created on UA-cam. That's a pretty high compliment
Please do another video test of this RAV4 in the snow!
Yes please!
Have the same one in green with the cold weather package, love it. 👍🏻
Finding this guy’s channel is like me just discovering the Rocky movies last year. DAMN this would have been such a great resource for me with my past two vehicle purchases!!
I really hope Subaru brings a hybrid like this to the Foresters in 2025!!
@@RRr-yl8zr If I wanted to address all those issues, I could go buy a 50,000 truck, but I'm not interested in that price. $35k sounds much better and I'm willing to sacrifice the off-road capability for comfort and mpg.
A great car for getting around everywhere except a fire road, primitive road, or off road ! I like it a lot!
The 2024 trim with army green and the black roof is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Please do another video test of this RAV4 in the snow!)))
Still think the subaru wilderness editions are the best in class for this type of vehicle
Agreed!
Bronco Sport Badlands is probably the most capable outright, but the Wilderness Subarus are definitely right there with it.
@@blueridge8992 bronco sport and some of the jeep CUV models are probably more capable than the subaru, but they've got some issues with dealer markups and reliability, the subarus are probably the best balance between cost capability and reliability that's available right now. Honda trailsport is also up there. The toyota offerings are sadly more like badging and tire upgrade packages, I don't think toyota takes crossover overlanding very seriously, and likely they don't want to eat into the market for the 4runner/tacoma
Yes, capability wise but no comparison in mpg!
And reliability
I placed an order 4 months before available on dealers. When I finally got the official specs I was completely disapointed. Not even the sunroof, heated seat, nothing from the model car from May was available. Got a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk fully loaded like the one you tested last year and the car is awesome.
It's not bad if you approach this as an open-diff front wheel drive vehicle with any push from the rear being a bonus. The side-to-side torque vectoring is still poor however. It should never allow that amount of wheel spin, especially in the dedicated trail mode.
I'm amazed it can be this bad. I can imagine a basic firmware update could fix that but it may never come.
Like others said, it seems like a good value. It illustrates the porblem with the Crosstrek. A nice hybrid powertrain, good reliability, more room, and price very similar to a Crosstrek Limited or Wilderness.
@@RRr-yl8zr Surprisingly, reliability data on hybrids, especially Toyota, is quite good. The only reason it would have a shorter lifespan is, of course, the battery. Not sure how often/expensive it is to replace the battery on a hybrid.
Terrific video! I have been dying to see an off-road test of the RAV4 hybrid. It seems to me that a hybrid or electric vehicle might not need 4-Lo and so a Rav4 or Highlander might compete a bit with a stock 4Runner on mild trails.
This video proves it wouldn’t. That’s fine, that’s not what it’s for. I do think it would be a sweet outback vehicle (ala the hybrid system) with the largest tires that will fit in the strut tower.
I want one! Except I never go off-road and can’t remotely justify trading in my all-wheel-drive sienna for it.
Terrific video!
As a former Forester and current Rav4 hybrid owner, I have no doubt that maintenance costs of Toyota will be half of Subaru, and that is before fuel savings.
Militance? Did you mean maintenance?
@@proshepherd That was AI powered autocorrect in action
@@arunmaroli let me guess.. iPhone? Lol
car's still boring as shit
Did you mean repairs? Because maintenance, like oil changes, spark plugs, etc, shouldn't be any different.
For the price it's really not bad, more of rural winter vehicle though.
I liked and subscribed for the old Legacy. And the thorough testing of the Woodland drive system.
Likely good for wet roads and gravel. So, it's probably good for 90% of suburban families.
sooo like any car that isn't marketed to yoyos that thinks this is actually capable
Thanks for making this video. Seems the textured sidewalls are a nice addition to the Rav4 hybrid. 😉
I was originally looking at this Woodland Edition as a possible purchase in 2024. The more I watch and read, I just don't know if it is much more capable than an XSE Hybrid. I'm not planning on doing any crazy off-roading, but forest roads in gamelands and wildlife refuges for hiking and photography. Plus, the Woodland Edition doesn't have, available as options, many of the creature comforts of the larger info screens, better stereo, etc. I'm thinking of just putting some better all terrain tires on an XSE and getting some nice options and thinking it should be good enough.
The RAV4 Hybrid AWD has almost the same off-road capability with Corolla Cross Hybrid AWD. Considering the price performance ratio, the CC Hybrid AWD maybe the best compact Hybrid SUV on the market.
The Rav has a lot more legroom front and back than the Corolla Cross. I'm 6-6, I can sit in the drivers seat in the Rav 4 and have 3 or 4 inchs free space between my knees and the front dash and without adjusting the front seat I have the same legroom in the back seat. Amazing ! I'm debating whether to get the Woodland or the Rav SE , I wish Toyota still made the Woodland in Calvary Blue and I wish they had black wheels. That Green with the Gold wheels looks too Suburu for my tastes.Certain people drive them and I'm not one of them. I'm not a crazy off roader looking for trouble , I have rural property in upstate NY and there are times when I'd need AWD with some off road ability. I saw Ryan's video with the Corolla Cross, he went up a nice size hill with stumps, rocks , he went thru his Chicken Pass course and showed how the AWD is suppose to perform. 99.9 percent of people this car would be way more than they need. Crazy anybody would take rides up uneven dirt roads, ride over boulders and think that's fun. Just asking for trouble. Re: the prices- The Hybrid Rav is only about $2000 more in price than the Hybrid Corolla Cross and has a lot more legroom.
@@johnpalmer4996 yes you are right. Rav 4 is definitely more suitable for big guys. The price difference should be higher than $4000 to make them distinctive.
Great review! You have a gorgeous property, very picturesque indeed.
we have 2021 rav4 45mpg average since new mostly city driving , amazing car!!!!!!!
Would love to see a Top 3 video of SUV's and Trucks
Ryan, To enhance the overall capability of the RAV4 Woodland, Toyota should upgrade to the 245 hp Hybrid powertrain seen in the Highlander and Sienna. That would increase the tow capacity to match the 3,500 lbs rating on the RAV4 TRD/Adventure/Trail. 😁Toyota's odd choice to increase the Woodland rim size to 18 " certainly does not help with rough roads or trails. 🤔
The back seat has 2 positions it can be in. More upright and more laid back.
Yeah it’s kind of telling when he barely tries to adjust the seat and then makes a snarky comment. Makes you wonder about his opinions in general
Please do a mountain course review on this car.
everyone who keeps saying the forester is better i owned a 2020 forester my second subara and my last and my wrx and forester both were a big let down . the Forster is squarely on freeways it doesnt stay in its lane easy .its cheaply built and i was getting 24-25 mpg. I have seen videos that the forester cvt cant muscle through. and it doesn't put the torque down to the wheels, where the ecvt transmission and its rear motor as this video shows does not have that problem. Yes subaru awd system is well known for being top dog I'll give it that.either way they are both grocery getters. with enough ground clearance to miss curbs and deep puddles .i have owned a 2018 4runner and subaru cant even do anything close to what the 4runner can . if they do a 5th gen 4 runner with hybrid it will be w winner ow and add all the tech the rav has .forester interior is very cheap . i do like subaru forester interior space over the rav. the boxer engine is a niche and has its draw backs .For what it is my xse hybrid does the job no 1 vehicle is perfect and can do everything the best .
Seems like a lift kit and a larger tire might do well for this vehicle
The hybrid SUVs really intrigue me as a way to improve mileage while still retaining off road capability.
This Rav4 woodland doesn't have quite enough capability for me to consider it. That said I can't wait to see the 2024 Tacoma and Land Cruiser reviews to come in, both from a off roading and mileage point of view.
Yeah, I can’t wait until people can get behind the wheels of those
RAV4 TRD off road with the Regular hybrid powertrain sound be amazing. Not using the separate electric motors in the rear.
e-AWD on RAV4 is quiet impressive, to my surprise it sends power to rear wheel on inclines even on dry pavement to help traction much like very sophisticated mechanical AWDs like the ones in Audis.
I am referring to behavior on dry pavement not offroading. It is better than some Honda AWD system which need good amount of slip to send power to rear.
i get through my tree farm just fine in it even in clear spots without a road and a foot of snow
These new body style Rav 4's have the most grandparent wheels! They could of at least lifted this version an extra Inch or Inch and a half and added 19 or 20's for the wheels. Now it just looks like a Hipster with a brand new pair of hiking books and skinny jeans.
A full size spare does fit in the hybrid rav4. So you can replace it.
I think it's pretty ok, most owners of these would be pretty confident driving this under snowy or dirt conditions. If you are planning on something harder than what we just watched. Then you are not aiming for a hybrid crossover lets be real
This one wouldn't be off road capable enough for me, but it is a really good looking vehicle.
Thanks
So I have a woodland which I have a lift with bigger tires and it does pretty well on trails like this, but does really good in the snow
I am looking to eventually lift it and get chunkier tires but it won't fit in my garage if I did all that. Definitely considering it in the distant future when I move to a warmer state. I'll be picking up my '24 next month. I hope I made the right decision!
Is there a snow performance video for the woodland edition?
Once again, another great unbiased review. Although beautifully accented vehicle, this RAV 4 lost me when it lacked ground clearance.
Just depends on what you're trying to achieve. No question this all-wheel drive system does not measure up to Subaru, I'll take the reliability and low maintenance of the Toyota hybrid system for my uses any day.
@@powerguymark Exactly! Your response is exactly the reason I subscribe to your content. You eloquently turned my frown
upside down. I love the wheels on this RAV 4 Woodlands, reminiscent of an 80’s throwback on the “Original Toyota” not the 40th Anniversary edition.
It will be interesting to see if the Mazda CX-50 hybrid is all wheel drive, and how it compares to the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid built at the same factory in Alabama now. Subarus have better all wheel drive, but more reliability problems including spark plug replacement every 30 thousand miles and the safety system behind the windshield can have problems, including thinner windshield glass that cracks easily.
@@RRr-yl8zr Unfortunately, with the 5th gen the rear seat and cargo space of the Prius got a lot worse. Plus, you lose the spare tire.
At least where I live, the price difference between the Prius and the RAV4 isn't actually that large.
Hope you can test the Outlander PHEV!
Thank God for a manual liftgate. I hate, hate, hate power liftgates, with the exception of Chevrolet that you can easily deactivate with a simple accessible button.
Anybody who carries longer items will know why I hate power liftgates with a passion.
Please revisit the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk on your new trails! Maybe do a head to head with the Crosstrek Wilderness?
So the only difference here is the suspension, tire, rim, and roof rack?
I can add a roof rack to any trim, and put an all terrain tire on at any point. The suspension is okay I guess, but thats it? It should have at least a HALF INCH more ground clearance than the other trims!
That woodland themed stuff is legit tho...
Looks good at the mall but can’t handle the dirt. Maybe get Prius with dirt tires! 😂
The Rav4 Woodland offers no option packages, and I think that's a mistake. A "Limited" package, offering headed/cooled seats/steering wheel, leather etc would be welcome, as well as an offroading package for a lift + full size spare. Oh well.
2024 has an option package. You can fit a full size spare if you remove a spacer under the temp spare. Good use for one of the factory tires when you replace them.
@@RRr-yl8zryes for more rugged trails best to switch to a full size spare that there is room to add, or at least bring some tire chains so the other tires do better with the doughnut weeny spare added. Maybe wait for the hybrid Mazda CX-50 coming soon, built in Alabama and with much better steering feel. To me the Boosaroos have great brake feel but terrible steering feel, and needing new spark plugs every 30 thousand miles and weaker wheel bearings and front axles are deal breakers. Also terrible gas mileage. Also the Eyesight safety system comes with a thinner windshield that cracks more.
How do you think the vehicle would fair with a 1.5" lift and skid plates? Do you think it's a vehicle worth upgrading to accomplish what other vehicles can without modification, while retaining the advantages of the Rav4 hybrid?
Not a fan of lifting crossovers, changing the angle of the half-shafts can cause unnecessary stress on the system. If you need a lifted RAV4, just get a 4Runner.
pretty good design of this car
😂🤣🤣😅😂😂
I'd just put RX seats in a rav4 rather than getting a forester 😂
Я там на Жигулях проеду везде...😂
Question? Can you review the Audi A4 Allroad?
can you test the buick envista off road
Great car. A friend just ordered his second hybrid and thinks it is amazing. If you really need the upgraded interior go with the higher trim level. As for all the Subaru talk I just don't get it. Never been in what I would call a good one. Crude engines and crap longivity touted by the suburbia dog owner set. Talking cars with a good friend recently that has a respectible motor sports background and he pointed out that despite his parents having five Subarus he was totally underwhelmed by all aspects of the car and especially the engines.
What I concluded about car reviewers is that they spend so much time in cars whinning about stuff that doesn't matter to the everyday owner that it proves them useless. The numbers don't lie and all the going on by Ryan about entertainment systems turned me from his videos some time ago. Who gives a rats arse about gadgets when reliability and resale are far and away the two biggest determinants.
I tend to skip over portion of videos covering interiors regardless who the reviewer is
@@RRr-yl8zr Sedans don't have cargo space and minivans are too big. Hatchbacks usually are economy cars. (with a few exceptions such as a Prius, which is actually longer than a RAV4.) What does that leave? A big hatchback, AKA a crossover (colloquially, "SUV").
Lots of smoke! Those floor mats and roof rack really helped. Come on Toyota, you can do better.
It's more of a tall Prius than a true off-roader. Which is fine for many people and useless for others.
Would you consider this a good choice OR buying a Rav4 hybrid and throwing TDR parts on it????
What do you say Mazda CX-50 ???
What is your favorite hybrid suv for off trail? I am not impressed with the first test
I suspect the fwd Chevy Trax could take on those challenges. If so, massively for efficient then bloaty hybrid for 1/2 the price.
Does Toyota 2023 have Auto Lane centering Cruiser control?😊
When will you review the Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek edition? It's been awhile! Or the Nissan Rogue, they're both boast of off-road capabilities.
Another great review. As a Toyota guy, I’ve wanted so bad to believe in the RAV4 but it continues to underwhelm. Subarus are tough to beat for the lighter duty work that most of us require.
If I get one of these- it would have to be the TURD..(play on trd).. NOTHING against it- I LIKE these- just hope it's as capable as I need it to be-- I've seen videos on here where it DID NOT perform well-- and I'm NOT a fan of that electric powering the back wheels and electronically controlled..
Are you planning on reviewing the new CRV hybrid anytime soon? The Rav-4 Hybrid and CRV Hybrid are the two I am considering the most, and I really value your opinion.
We released a video on the CRV Hybrid a couple months ago.
Thank you so much, I just found it and will watch.
Am I the only one who would prefer not to have any multimedia display? in my opinion, the smaller the better
Backup cameras are federally mandated, so there has to be some sort of screen.
My man is 6’1 legs to torso proportionate
Yeah, it’s too bad these aren’t more capable off road. Some skid plates, a 1’ lift, a bit more travel, and a bit more differential would make these fierce. I suppose that’s where Subaru comes in. The Forrester Hybrid is going to take quite a bit of Toyota’s lunch. Me? I’m waiting for the new 4Runners.
"Off Road" in this case mean you'll probably clear the curb in front of your parking space you forgot about, but that's bout it.
how favorable is it off offroading?
This guy strikes me as a guy who yells at wait staff at restaurants 😂
On a side note....i would love to see what a Subaru Impreza would do with some off road testing. Not extreme climbing, just to see what the AWD system can handle with no X-Mode.
In my opinion, the Impreza is more of a sport sedan and not an off road vehicle.
All Subaru's are the same, Subaru calls it the SGP or Subaru Global Platform. From Impreza to WRX to Crosstrek to Solterra.. Base trim or Wilderness. The AWD system, CVT, drivetrain, suspension, etc. All shared. There's obviously optional changes like a turbo engine or factory lift kit... but they're all basically the same. The Impreza has the same off-road capabilities as a Outback Wilderness. Just slap some good A/T tires on it.
@sparkyastwo1923
Completely agree. I would never take an Impreza extreme off roading. But I would like to see what the AWD system is capable of. All the videos I've seen are just people plowing through snow. I'd like a little more controlled video with proper camera angles and showing what it can and can't do. I think this channel is one of the best showing the capabilities of vehicles.
@@kevinm594 The AWD system of the Impreza is identical to the AWD system of a Outback Wilderness. Take this channel with a grain of salt, these are advertisements not reviews. Subaru by contract does not allow Ryan to speak of anything negative about their vehicles. Every single "test" is highly planned and reshot countless times to make these vehicles look amazing. Even in this RAV4 video, if you pay attention to the tires, he lowered the tire pressure to around 10-15psi without disclosing it... and it's still having a hard time. Welcome to the world of UA-cam Infomercials.
@texasstormchaser Now you’re just being a jerk. None of that is correct. There’s no “contract with Subaru” and we don’t do reshoots to make any vehicle look better. You need a new hobby beyond pestering UA-cam channels
These offroad worthy crossovers need a crawl gear, an ultra low 1st gear, so offroading would be easier
You can't lock the center diff in a Toyota AWDe vehicle (like this one) because there is no center diff. Also, both axles are open diffs, so a crawling gear would just result in one wheel spinning fruitlessly.
@@FawfulDied LOL
Getting ~35mpg in city driving in a very practical vehicle is not trivial, I am guessing the gas only model does 25mpg in the city. I bet the gas model does the chicken ranch better. I also bet that Ryan knew this but wanted to do the test for his viewers. That's actually very generous of him. Reviewers don't like to waste time testing dogs and they def. are careful not to bad-mouth the manufacturers.
The hybrid is much more popular than the gas, so it's totally fair to test the hybrid.
Buy the Outback Wilderness Turbo for alot less, the ride is better, Outback is loaded front to rear. Took our first trip today and running speed limit 70 mph here in Florida averaged 27-29 mpg. Bought it on the 18th after looking at Crosstrek, just to noisy and rough ride. 2024 Outback Wilderness rides like a dream. And we have drove Subaru's forever.
Is this more reliable than the Forester?
Sorry ... no good reason to give the Rave4 a pass on the Washington course!!! That's what I (we) want to see ... and the sooner the snow shows up the better! If the Impreza ,,, oops, I mean Crosstrek can go on it, there really is no GOOD reason why you shouldn't have taken the Rave4 too! C'mon man.
Early in da morn vid.
So no commentary on the road performance while on-road driving? What about handling, acceleration, cabin noise, etc.
We’ve done several reviews of the RAV4. This one is no different. The Toyota OEM Wildpeak Trail Tires are so mild they’re basically all-seasons.
@@drivingsports Mildpeak!
It seems like the CR-V hybrid performed better, even on all season tires.
My Forester would have no problem with your Chicken Run.
I was recently in a brand new Toyota RAV4 rental (not a Woodland) and I have to say I was underwhelmed. Noisy ride, short front seat pans, and the interior was not impressive. I am wondering if I need to keep it on my shortlist with Honda, Subaru and Mazda. The Honda is hybrid and Mazda and Subaru will soon have more fuel efficient options.
You didn't play with the back seat correctly. It has multiple positions upright and reclined, maybe even a middle position.
Too bad the JBL sound system is not included in the Woodland Edition with cloth seats. The standard audio system should be abolished.
That’s the problem, up charges by dealers which is criminal and astronomical prices!
That is as far as you can push it? I have a 2018 Crosstrek that would fly over all this stuff with no problem.
I like watching these offroad videos but at the same time I’m always left wondering “why not just use the flat ground right next to you?”
😉
How is possible in US the cars to cost half the price in Europe? RAV4 hybrid cost around 45-50k minimum 😮
Probably you don’t have manufacturing plant there. Toyota have it in US and Canada. More then over its best selling vehicle in US after F150, Silverado and Ram pick up trucks.
In the US they don't have a Value Added Tax. In Europe you pay roughly the same price for the car and then 20% on top of that.
for costco parking lot off road only or that HOA road
Good morning, Ryan. This sounds like a competitor (kinda) to Subaru's Winderness edition.
Now, back to the video..
Not really. Rav4 hybrid gets 41 mpg and the Forester wilderness gets 25 mpg. Forester is better off road but most people keep these on road 99% of the time.
@@Redhawk24 This is about off-roadability. Therefore in that aspect, it is a competitor to the wilderness edition. Obviously one is a hybrid( although very mildly) and one is not.
@@Kiss__Kiss it’s a review and my facts stand.
I would say the Adventure or TRD Off Road models are more of a competitor with the wilderness trims. This vehicle isn’t going where I’ve seen wilderness trims go.
@@Redhawk24 No... your LIES stand. This is a wannabe Forester with a hybrid setup. The Forester is NOT a hybrid, but it GETS THE JOB DONE, and it gets noticeably MORE than 25mpg. Stop being a high school Toyota fanboi. It's not our faulta that you bought one of these overrated tin boxes.