I am trying to decide: Rav4, RX330 or Highlander?
Hi, I am looking to buy a small pre-ownedSUV and have narrowed it down to the
Rav4 (probably a 2004-2007),
RX330 (2004 or 2005) and
Highlander (2006 or 2007).
They're similar pricewise by the time l get leather and navigation in all of them (I'd have in installed in the Rav4), but can not decide what to get.
l like the looks of the Rav4 and RX best, but do not mind the Highlander. I've read reviews complaining about the ride of the Rav4, saying the seats are hard, and I'd agree the RX has a much smoother ride than the Rav4.
What do you know about any of these vehicles? What would be safest, hold up best mechanically, and cheaper to insure?

l do not really care about how it handles, as long as it is not like driving a truck.

Have you owned any of these and what do you like/dislike about them?

Thanks so much!

everyone has those cars. ive havent gone a day since the rx came out without seeing one. go german or american. get an pre-owned bmw x3. cheap & reliable. or get the new jeep liberty which is around 20k & gets good milage & if anything breaks its cheap to replace. l had a jeep once, got rid of it after 500k miles. just because a car isnt japanese doesnt make it crap. thats a wrong assumption. there r pleanty of other cars out there that r way better. just stay away from ford

My first choice would be the RX330. My grandparents just bought themselves, my aunt & my mom all new RX350 is & all of them r REALLY enjoying the cars. The navigation is relatively easy to work, they drive great, get good fuel economy, have excelent safety ratings & r relatively low maintenance.

Second choice would be the highlander. They do not drive quite as nice, & the interior quality is not up to the standars of lexus, but the fuel economy is up there with the best of them. They have very comparable safety ratings & r also low maintenance. They seem to have a little more interior room as far as cargo goes, but not enough to make a big deal over.

My last choice, & least favorite is the rav4. My biggest beef with this car is the styling. The short wheelbase makes the ride more harsh & it is more top heavy than the others so the handeling is less responsive, which may not be a big issue but when u get into a tight spot on the road & r trying to avoid an accadent u will appreciate the stability & steering responce of the others.

Hope l could help! Good luck making ur decision!

PS. In responce to the first answer post, X5 is r excelent cars, but they r more expensive & hard to find one for a good price with reasonable mileage. Also, when something does break, as it will with any car eventually, it will take a big bite out of ur wallet to get it fixed. Liberty is r durable cars, but it has a harsh ride, does not drive very well & the interior quality is very cheap looking. My step sister had one for a while & they really do not get that fantastic fuel economy.

Do u really need some like that? You say that u do not want the truck ride, so u r looking on the wrong places. Beside these types of 4X4 still somewhat a 4X4 & they will ride like they were supposed to ride. Beside, fuel consumption is way more than a regular sedan. If u want the ''SUV'' stile like now days fad, the Rav4 4 is the same as the RX with less comfort creatures.

Anyway, u r buying no me. l have a sedan & l love every bit of it. If l need to haul some, l get a rent a truck, is way more cost effective than buying one. The so called SUV they r like belly buttons everyone seems to have one. Specially the RX, seems the common drivers r Old Real State sales ladies with moderate success. l like to be different ;-)

Do not let the Nav system influence ur buy, to be honest, how much do u travel to actually use it? l do travel a lot & sure it will be nice to have one, but also l do bring my Panasonic Toughbook & has GPS with maps, WiFi & Bluetooth. l use it some times when l need it, but most of the time is in the trunk of the car. And believe me, l do drive more 1,000 miles on my trips. l do not need it to tell me where the mall is at :-))

Safety is not the best. They have the tendency to roll over easier than the biggest cousins, still a puny truck if u get in a collision. Is all a false sense of safety if that is what u r looking for. l have seen a Ford Explorer totaled by a Pontiac Gran Am, the Grand Am driver walked away, the Explorer diver Air Lifted, we helped her out in the curb after she got ejected from the truck. If u think that u r going to hit a Geo Metro, well, the end is pretty obvious. If u hit a Suburban or a Expedition or even a light pole, u do the guessing.

l would say the Rav4 if l have to decide on those. l like the feedback of the road. That tells me better what the vehicle is doing & where is planted all the time.

RX330 for sure. lexus badge will impress more people and the interior is nicer

Buy the new generation RAV4 v6 3.5. In all honesty, it is going to be the cheapest out of all the 3 choices but believe me it it the best choice. First off, the RX, u should definitely hold off because it is up for a complete redesign in the next year so it is a little dated. The rav4 was freshly redesigned so u know u r truely getting a new vehicle. The power on this thing is insane. After driving one, l can honestly say it feels every bit as fast (0-60) as a Lexus SC400 which is a sports car. Some members shared stories how they whoop the new V6 mustangs all day long both on the highway & from a dig. it is honestly a great vehicle that u should check out!