Passenger & boot space
How it copes with people and clutter
Front space
The RAV4's front leg and head room are fine, but if you’re really long in the leg or body you might want to try the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, all of which are more spacious overall. The RAV4 has a wide interior so you won’t feel your passenger encroaching into your personal space.
There are lots of storage options, including a cubby under the front armrest, decent-sized door bins, a couple of cupholders and trays for keys or your phone in the dashboard.
Another feature missing from the RAV4 is a set of handles in its boot to unlock and fold the rear seats. You get these in the 5008, CR-V, Santa Fe, and Sorento, and they’re helpful at those moments when you're at the boot and realise you need more cargo space.
In the RAV4 you have to put down whatever it is you’re trying to load, walk round, open the rear doors and release the seatbacks by pulling levers next to the rear headrests. It’s a small detail, but this sort of thing can often make all the difference.
Boot space
The RAV4 has a bigger boot than most rivals. In our tests, it managed to swallow an impressive 10 carry-on suitcases below its tonneau cover with the rear seats in place. That's the same as the 5008, Santa Fe and Sorento, one more than the CR-V Hybrid and two more than the CX-5.
