JungleJim

They offer the 3rd row here in the USA. The rear suspension is different on the 3rd row models. I don't think the regular suspension could handle the extra weight.

I4 vs V6, it all depends on what you need it for. For off-roading, you don't need speed. You don't want the wheels to spin. Some of the best off road vehicles have smaller engines. Toyota put a new 4 cylinder engine in the RAV beginning in 2009. When we purchased our 2009, we drove both the I4 and V6. We didn't really feel enough difference to justify the V6. The V6 is only faster when going in a straight line. The basic suspension on the RAV is the limiting factor. We live up here in North America where they offer a "Sport" version with a different suspension (not sure if this is offered there?). The RAV4 Sport drives very differently from the other versions. It's a blast going around corners and driving curvy roads. I wouldn't even consider the V6 without the Sport suspension....the regular RAV suspension just can't handle it. But the Sport suspension is not good for off-roading. When we were out in Yellowstone National Park last summer, just driving up unpaved roads was not pleasant with the stiff suspension. But driving around the mountains on paved roads was a blast. The previous year we took our RAV4 Sport I4 out to Rocky Mountain National Park. We drove on some very steep roads (up over 4000 m altitude) and the I4 engine was outstanding. Never did it leave us wanting more power. The bottom line....the RAV4 is not intended/designed to go off-road. Just because it can temporarily send power to all four wheels does not mean it can go off-road. The RAV4 is a car that looks a little like a SUV/truck. We love ours!

This is my first post on this great forum. I'm over here in the USA. I have a couple of questions regarding towing with a 2009 RAV I4. Over here, the RAV4 I4 is only rated to tow 1500 lbs (about 680 kg). I believe in your part of the world the same vehicle is rated at 1500 kg (about 3300 lbs). For the V6 version, it is rated to tow 2000 lbs (about 900 kg) without the tow package. But with the tow package, it is rated to tow 3500 lbs (about 1600 kg). The tow package consists of the OEM receiver hitch (I think you call it a tow bar), a larger radiator with a built in transmission cooler, and an extra radiator fan. My questions concern the I4 version, since this is what we own. Toyota does not sell a towing package for the I4 here in the USA. They make no mention/recommendation of an additional auxiliary transmission cooler for towing. Does the RAV4 I4 come with any sort of towing package in Australia? Do you have to add an extra transmission cooler to get the rated 1500 kg towing capacity? I'm currently trying to decide whether or not to add an additional transmission cooler. The 2009 was the first year for the new 2.5 liter I4. It does have a small transmission cooler up under the front left fender. Toyota tells me that I can tow up to the max 1500 lbs without any additional transmission cooler (I called Toyota, not the dealer, twice.) We purchased a tent camper with a dry weight of 1000 lbs (~450 kg). It is all aluminum, including the frame. It's called a QuickSilver 10.0, made by a company called Livinlite. LivinLite QuickSilver It has a maximum weight rating of 1500 lbs., which happens to be the maximum the RAV4 over here is rated to tow. I'm wondering why the RAV4 has double the tow rating in Australia. I wonder how the vehicles differ enough to warrant a higher tow rating in Australia. Or maybe it has to do with laws (now I'm just rambling...) Any input would be appreciated. Thanks! Jim