Just read a review about this over on automotive.com.  The specs for the the V6 version caught my eye:

~22K MSRP base for 2WD
269 HP
243 torque
22/29 gas mileage

Finally, a car that I can store crap in, good safety rating, good power, and won't plunder my wallet at the pump.  

Anyone have first hand experience with the new models?    

If I was in the market for a SUV that can do it all, this would be it.  

Looks like a good deal.

Max

I just bought a '98 2wd 4-dr RAV4, and here are some of my impressions of the RAV4 in general:

Nice little vehicle, but you have to be on good terms with whoever's riding with you, because they'll be sitting DAMN close (my last vehicle was a 98 Silverado).

Being a 2wd, it's more of a station wagon than anything else, but at least it it doesn't look like one.

The whole interior is larger than you would think, looking at it from the outside, and if you need more, ALL of the seats will fold one way or another.

It's probably ok for light-duty offroad driving, but it is definitely NOT for anything serious, nor is it meant to be.

Everything in the engine compartment that needs to be gotten to for maintenence, is easily gotten to.

It has a very tight turning circle.

Mine had 167,000 miles on it when I got it, and the whole thing's still as tight as it must have been when it was new--evidently, whoever had it before me was pretty good about maintenence. I have no doubt that this thing will make it to 300,000 miles, as long as I continue to keep it up.

The more I drive this little thing, the better I like it.

Here's a link with pretty good info:
www.rav4world.com/

Quoted: I just bought a '98 2wd 4-dr RAV4, and here are some of my impressions of the RAV4 in general: Nice little vehicle, but you have to be on good terms with whoever's riding with you, because they'll be sitting DAMN close (my last vehicle was a 98 Silverado). Being a 2wd, it's more of a station wagon than anything else, but at least it it doesn't look like one. The whole interior is larger than you would think, looking at it from the outside, and if you need more, ALL of the seats will fold one way or another. It's probably ok for light-duty offroad driving, but it is definitely NOT for anything serious, nor is it meant to be. Everything in the engine compartment that needs to be gotten to for maintenence, is easily gotten to. It has a very tight turning circle. Mine had 167,000 miles on it when I got it, and the whole thing's still as tight as it must have been when it was new--evidently, whoever had it before me was pretty good about maintenence. I have no doubt that this thing will make it to 300,000 miles, as long as I continue to keep it up. The more I drive this little thing, the better I like it. Here's a link with pretty good info: www.rav4world.com/

That's good to hear.  I'm personally not impressed by the specs on the older models.  But these new models are bigger and stronger.  It might be a compact SUV, but at 269 horses it sure ain't no station wagon.  

I'm personally not impressed by the specs on the older models.

I wasn't either, but happily in my case, there's a big difference between what's on paper, and how it drives out in the real world. Mine sure doesn't seem underpowered to me. With those HP and torque specs for the V-6, not to mention the gas mileage, you'd almost be crazy NOT to grab it. How many V-6s can boast 22mpg in the city?

I had a older 4wd 98 one. Sold it after 6months and went back to 4runners.The NEW ones do indeed look impressive. However, w/2wd as said its just the newer station wagons.that look cool.