Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Toyota Rav 4

Anyone ever used a Toyota Rav 4 for hunting?
It's a small 4WD SUV.

Since most of my driving is commuting to work, I don't want to get a gas-guzzling 4WD hunting vehicle, but thought something small like a Rav 4 or even a Subaru (All-Wheel Drive) might be a good compromise.

How do you think a smaller 4 WD or All Wheel Drive would suffice for hunting?

Hunter308
No. California

Im sure it would do good if its 4wd. Clearance is always an issue, especially with the new suv's they have out so you'd have to check that out. I know the places i go, that thing wouldnt make it the first 3 minutes up the trail. All depends on the areas you hunt and wheather it has the clearance.

The Rav is a nice vehicle,but short on cargo space if you intend to haul your gear plus an elk or moose.However if you are just making day trips for deer,it should do fine.
I find that I need a full sized truck to haul the gear for two people,and still have enough room to bring home larger game animals.
I tried to get by with one vehicle,but the compromise jusy didn't work out.I now have a 2007 Tundra for hunting and for when I need a truck, and a corolla for commuting.

I'd be leery of something as small as a RAV-4. However, with a cargo rack on top you might have enough space. Ground clearance would be another concern. I don't know how much a RAV-4 has, but one of the biggest problems I have seen when out hunting is getting high centered in ruts. My brother just bought a Subaru Forester 4X4. He thought he had an all terrain vehicle until he high cenetred on some ruts.

That is why my Dmax is lifted and runs 315/75R16s. While I never have got it stuck, in it's stock factory form I stuffed tke skidplates full of mud and grass on my first hunting trip with it.

The Rav is designed to be more of a soccer mom rig but it will do the job as long as you don't overdo it. It won't carry the weight of the larger ones. It does have good ground clearance and is very reliable. I used a Subaru for years that was a lot smaller and lower and it was ok as long as I didn't try offroading with it.
My son has a '99 Rav that gets about 25 mpg highway. He drives it hard, though. I've read that the new ones do better and are also a bit larger for more cargo space. Keeping a light foot on the throttle will help any vehicle get better mileage.

My car has 170K on it and is needing to be replaced in the near future. I've seriously considered a Rav after dealing with my son's. I would use it for day hunts or when I don't need more than a big pack. For other stuff, I have a pickup.

Dick

Cargo space and ground clearance are the main concerns. Forest roads and a deer you'll be fine.

Old skidder trails and a deer or larger and , well you get the picture.

You might want to take a look at the Chevy Tracker. It's about the same size as the Toyota and they are fuel efficient. I picked up a used ('96) Tracker just for hunting uses. It handles just fine for my offroad ventures. While it doesn't have the room and comfort of my F-250 4x4 Super Duty S/C, it's fine for daily hunting and running aroud. MI VHNTR

Isuzu rodeo is another suv i'd recommend. Amazing MPG, crap load of room and narrow to go up the trails we have in colorado. In 4wd that thing will go anywhere.

Chevy Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick would be better than a RAV as a hunting vehicle. The Tracker has a transfer case. The low range allows greater control on steep slippery slopes.

Rav would be a better (more comfortable) commuter vehicle. Only you can decide which is more important to you, low range or comfort every day.

Back in 1995, I was hunting north of Hinton Alberta, was way back in the bush watching a cutline when I heard what sounded like a car engine. I was 4-5 miles from the closest track let alone road. Noise kept getting louder and then out a very tight cutline a Suzuki Sidekick crawled. Two guys with a winch, come-along, jack-all and chainsaw were working their way cross country in some stuff that you wouldn't take a quad! Wouldn't try it with a Rav! Had a nice deer on the roof.

A 4 runner would be a much better vehicle for off road than a rav,I have both.more room,more power.High and lo range transfer case.With the rav I cant even lay a rifle down in the back without folding the back seats up.I have taken the rav offroading a few times,however.

I would add a reciever on the bumper and a "hitch-haul" and go hunting. If a new set of tires is affordable, I might buy a cheap set of rims for the biggest mud/snow tires that will fit under your rig and switch them when necessary.


stumpy