This 2021 Toyota RAV4 Flaw Could Really Annoy Your Family

by Gabrielle DeSantis

When it comes to selecting the right family vehicle, it’s important to find one that has a capable balance of connectivity, convenience, reliability, safety, and space. Sometimes you need something bigger for a large family. But it’s entirely possible to find a vehicle that has all of those qualities and still be flawed. The 2021 Toyota RAV4 is, for the most part, a great vehicle for a family. There’s just one really annoying problem it presents.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4

The highly versatile 2021 Toyota RAV4 can be many things. It can be upscale or rugged, budget-friendly, or opulent. You can even get one equipped for the road less traveled. 

The RAV4 has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine under its hood mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It comes with front-wheel drive standard, but you can get all-wheel drive with the LE, XLE, XLE Premium, and Limited models. AWD is standard on Adventure and TRD Off-Road models.

Its shape calls to mind the 4Runner and Tacoma. But while it looks a little like that SUV and truck, it has a car-like base that provides a far smoother ride than either of them. There’s plenty of room inside and the materials are both good quality and durable.

Just keep in mind that the base model doesn’t offer a lot of the popular convenience features like blind-spot monitoring, power-adjustable seats, push-button start, and more.

Just one annoying problem

For all that the Toyota RAV4 has going for it, it has one very annoying problem: engine noise in the cabin.

If you have little ones and taking them for a drive with white noise in the background will help you get them to sleep? You’re in luck. Otherwise, if you have teenagers trying to listen to music on the daily commute or you’re having trouble listening to your favorite podcast, it might be a deal-breaker.

If you want a quieter, comparable option, you might check out the 2021 Mazda CX-5. It has one of the quietest cabins in the class thanks to the quiet performance of its naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter engine and six-speed automatic transmission. The CX-5 also has amazing predicted reliability ratings across many model years.

You might also consider the 2021 Chevy Equinox. Not only is it quiet, but it’s also affordable. Powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, the Equinox is a quiet, well-executed compact SUV for the money. It doesn’t have the stellar predicted reliability ratings as the CX-5. But if that’s an acceptable risk for you, it offers great value.

The best compact SUV for families

The team at U.S. News named the 2021 Toyota RAV4 the best compact SUV for families. They appreciated its practicality with its abundance of both cargo and passenger space and its strong safety ratings. 

If you have small children, you should know that the latest RAV4 offers two sets of LATCH connectors which got a Good rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Car seats for the little ones are easy to install. It also offers a rear seatbelt reminder to let you know when someone isn’t buckled up yet before you start your trip.

Active safety features are an integral part of the RAV4’s design. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite of driver-assist features is standard across the lineup. Within that suite are automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and pedestrian detection. It also has a lot of great comfort and convenience features like USB ports in the back, heated rear seats, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Despite its annoying engine noise problem, it’s not unwise to consider the 2021 Toyota RAV4 for your next family SUV.

RELATED: The Most Popular 2021 Toyota RAV4 Trim Isn’t Exactly the Best

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The Rivian R1T Is the Coolest Electric Pickup Truck Due to These Rad New Camper Features

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Rivian has been the talk of the town for a couple of years now. Although Tesla is the poster child for the EV movement, Rivian is the company that is putting a fine polish on the segment. Every step of the way, Rivian has proven that its number one concern is building the coolest electric pickup truck that people actually want. From EV chargers in the woods to the most recent addition, camper features built into the Rivian R1T. 

Rivian R1T front 3/4 | Rivian

The Rivian R1T is the coolest electric truck thanks to these camper additions

Rivian has proven over and over that it really wants to build an electric truck that isn’t just hype and buzz words. The R1T is the coolest electric pickup truck because it’s a living monument to practicality and fun. Unlike most other EV manufacturers, Rivian seems to listen to what 4×4 and EV customers want and what they need to be and mix the two beautifully. 

The newest addition to the already impressive features list for the Rivian R1T is a set of all-new camper conversion features. 

The Rivian R1T is the coolest electric pickup truck

Rivian R1T is the coolest electric truck with its camper van mode featuring the Adventure Gear line.
Rivian R1T in camper mode | Rivian

The Rivian R1T is now offered with the Adventure Gear line. This set of optional extras adds to the already incredibly capable electric truck. According to New Atlas, the Adventure Gear line includes a bed-mounted rooftop tent, slide-out kitchen, Snow Peak cooking set, and other accessories, creating an all-terrain electric camper for as little as $72K.

From day one, the Rivian R1T was not only marketed as one of the earliest electric pickups but was also meant for the adventure travel crowd. If these overlanding/camper additions feel like Rivian is simply riding the current camper trend, guess again. 

When the Rivian R1T debuted in 2018, it did so with a roof-top tent. Adventure has always been the spirit of Rivian. The following year at Overland Expo West, Rivian showed up with a full-blown overlanding kit complete with the electric kitchenette. All that’s happening now is those features have been officially added to the online configurator. 

Will the R1T be a good overlander? 

Rivian R1T fitted with roof tent and electric kitchen
Rivian R1T | Rivian

Now that the Rivian R1T can officially be bought with a shelter and kitchen, the overlanding potential is pinging off the redline. Rivian decided to go with the King of roof-mounted gear, Yakima. 

This custom Yakima SkyRise HD Medium rooftop tent was made specifically for the Rivian R1T. When fully deployed, this tent can sleep up to three people. Like any good tent, the Yakima has openable mesh windows with rollable weather covers. The mounting system can be easily moved from the bed to the roof, depending on the load. On the roof, the Rivian crossbars can hold up to 250lbs. 

The kitchen is the real show stopper

Rivian Electric camp kitchen
Rivian Kitchenette | Rivian

OK. Calling it a “kitchen” is maybe a stretch. In true Rivian fashion, the slide-out kitchenette is practical, clever, and super cool. Let’s be honest; any truck can have a roof-top tent. The real overlanding camper aspect is this kitchenette. 

Unlike other campers, the kitchenette doesn’t take up any of the living space in the tent or cabin of the truck. It slides out of a compartment just in front of the passenger side rear wheel well. It is so cool and clever that it almost feels too good to be true. 

Keep your eyes on Rivian

Rivian has been consistently pushing the boundaries and making really great calls on product development. If the Rivian R1T and Rivian R1S are half as good as they seem to be, Tesla better watch its back. Unlike the Tesla Cyberturck – which has shown zero indication that it will/can do anything that it’s promised – the Rivian seems to keep delivering on its incredibly cool promises.

Make way for Rivian, world. 

RELATED: Rivian Is Preparing a Way For Wilderness EV Charging

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The Safety Features Included in Consumer Reports’ Ratings

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Consumer Reports tests a whole bunch of vehicles every year to give an unbiased review of a vehicle’s overall performance, features and safety. Still, it can be confusing for a car shopper to sort through. What are all those safety features that are included in Consumer reports safety ratings and what do they mean?

2021 Tesla Model Y | Tesla

Safety Features

Consumer Reports says that car shoppers should look for some specific safety features in their new vehicles. They include some of those features in their ratings breakdown, listing whether they are standard, optional or not available. 

Forward collision warning can detect a potential collision. It will alert the driver at different distances, depending on the vehicle. Forward collision warning is becoming more common. By 2022 twenty car manufacturers have vowed to make it a standard in all of their vehicles. 

Automatic emergency braking can pre-charge the brakes once it detects a potential collision. Some AEB systems even apply the brakes for you if you don’t respond to the warning in time. According to the IIHS, AEB and FCW reduced rear-end collisions by half. 

Pedestrian detection can detect pedestrians that are in, or may enter, the path of the vehicle. Some can detect cyclists. 

Lane departure warning uses cameras to monitor the vehicle’s position between road lines. If the cameras determine that the vehicle is straying across the lines and doesn’t have its turn signal on, it alerts the driver. 

Lane keeping assistance slightly adjusts the car to keep it from crossing into other lanes. 

Blind spot warning alerts a driver if a car is moving into their blind spot. Usually the driver is signaled via a signal on or near the side mirrors. If the driver puts on the car’s directional when there is a car in their blind spot, the vehicle will sometimes send the driver an alert.

Rear cross traffic warning will alert the driver of cars approaching the side and rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is in reverse. 

Antilock brakes keep the wheels from locking while hard braking. Traction control limits how much wheels spin during acceleration so that the driver can retain control. Daytime running lights are lights that come on whenever a vehicle is running for maximum visibility. 

Airbags are important

Front and rear side airbags protect the torso of front-seat passengers. Not all car manufacturers offer side airbags for rear-seat passengers, but some do. Side airbags are described by Consumer Reports by being like “small cushions that pop out of the door trim or the side of the seatback.” Unfortunately, they don’t offer much protection for the head. 

Head protection involves side curtain airbags which come down from above the windows. They keep occupants from hitting their heads and may be effective in keeping people from being hurt by things flying in the car, as well. Sometimes they can help keep passengers inside the vehicle by staying deployed longer. This is helpful during a rollover or high-speed crash. 

Safety systems aren’t the only thing that Consumer Reports considers when rating vehicles. They do, however, include their availability when giving a vehicle a score. Understanding what these features mean can help you weigh one vehicle against another. 

RELATED: Are Bigger Cars Safer?

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This First-Ever Chevy Corvette C8 Is Coming to Japan Before Anywhere Else

by Gabrielle DeSantis

There are few sports cars that have the name recognition of the Chevy Corvette, and it remains a popular brand around the world. In fact, the first-ever production Corvette C8 was bought for millions of dollars, and that shows just how beloved the Corvette is. Indeed, the Chevrolet Corvette C8 is popular abroad too, but surprisingly, Japan will get the first right-hand-drive Corvette C8 before anywhere else.

The Chevy Corvette C8 is a powerhouse

The Chevy Corvette C8 | Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

With a starting price tag of about $60,000, the Chevy Corvette C8 provides a lot of power at a somewhat affordable price tag. That price tag equips the Corvette C8 with a 6.2-liter V8 engine that gets about 490 hp. This powerful engine allows the Corvette C8 to accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in about 2.8 seconds, which is very good for a sports car.

But of course, Chevy has options. As expected, these options will improve the power and performance of the Corvette C8, but at the cost of being very expensive. These options will largely upgrade the powertrain, usually with more powerful V8s. For example, Chevy offers a twin-turbocharged V8 option, and it’ll get over 800 hp. This option, however, will cost about $120,000.

There are many more options as well as rumored options, but one highly-anticipated option that isn’t a rumor is the model with right-hand drive. Obviously, for Americans, their model will be left-hand drive, but for Corvette fans living in countries that drive on the other side of the road, this car is the one to look out for. 

The right-hand drive Chevy Corvette C8 debuts in Japan

Like MotorTrend wrote, back in 2019, Chevrolet made it clear that on top of everything else, it’ll be producing the Chevy Corvette C8 with right-hand drive. This was the first time, according to MotorTrend, that a Corvette was being made in a factory with a right-hand drive variant. While there are many countries that use cars with right-hand drive, Chevy will be making and selling this version of the Corvette C8 for Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

While it took a while for Chevy to finally make these cars, MotorTrend wrote that Japan will be the first of those right-hand drive markets to get this version of the vehicle. This may have been a surprise to some, as they may have expected Chevy to introduce this version of the sports car to the U.K. first. 

Regardless, Japanese fans of the Corvette will be the first to get their hands on the right-hand-drive model. However, as MotorTrend talked about, not that many fans will be able to do that.

The limited production

Obviously, since the Chevy Corvette C8 is a luxury sports car with a starting price tag of about $60,000, it wasn’t going to be accessible to everyone. However, for one reason or another, Chevy only allocated about 300 units for Japan, according to MotorTrend. On top of that, when Chevy started selling the Corvette C8 in Japan, those 300 units were sold out immediately.

Based on that fact, it seems like Japanese Corvette fans are eager and willing to buy this model, and Chevy simply hasn’t built enough for them. Furthermore, the production and selling of the right-hand drive models is also bad news for aftermarket conversion companies that convert left-hand drive cars into right-hand drive cars, but they may come out unscathed.

Since Chevy’s 300 unit allocation sold out so fast in Japan, Japanese Corvette fans may just buy a left-hand drive Corvette and convert it into a right-hand drive version. As for the other right-hand-drive markets, since Japan only started receiving the right-hand drive Corvette C8 recently, it won’t be long until Australia and the U.K. get theirs.

RELATED: The 2021 Chevy Corvette Is a Better Buy Than the Jaguar F-Type

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