Which Tall Wagon Works For You? 2003 Toyota RAV4 vs 2014 Fiat 500L

Good morning! As it happens, we’re doing a Japanese car versus an Italian car again today, but we’ve jumped forward a couple of decades, and we’re looking at some much more practical vehicles. Fear not, though; there’s still some fun to be had. They’re both manuals.

So apparently, that Mazda 626 we looked at yesterday was a popular car on the internet. By complete coincidence, it was featured in That Other Daily Column over on That Other Site. Chances are we both found it via the same Facebook group. It put up a good fight, but the cool factor of its Alfa Romeo competition was just too much for it to overcome. The Milano came away with a comfortable win.

This would be a tough choice for me. I love Mazdas of that era; they’re great to drive, and very reliable. But the Alfa is, well, an Alfa. Do I really have another cantankerous project car in me, though? Might I be happier with a nice reliable Japanese classic? I think I would. I’m picking the Mazda, and leaving the Milano for someone younger and braver.

All right, let’s take a look at a couple of tall wagony things with stickshifts.

2003 Toyota RAV4 – $3,250

Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, AWD

Location: Seattle, WA

Odometer reading: 273,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

You know this car. You’ve rented one, or you know someone who has one. Or maybe you have one yourself. The Toyota RAV4 has gone from a quirky little mini-SUV to a ubiquitous family hauler. You see them everywhere, but what you don’t see very often is one like this – with a manual transmission.

It’s a Toyota, so of course it has a bazillion miles on it. The seller just recently bought it from the original owner, who is the one who piled on the miles. It has a new clutch, new brakes, new tires, and more, and it runs great. And it probably will continue to do so for another quarter-million miles, if you take care of it.

I don’t know what magical material Toyota makes its interiors out of, but this car does not look like it has 273,000 miles on it. It’s in remarkably good condition inside. I honestly don’t have much more to say about this car; it’s just a nice, reliable, practical car.

It’s almost perfect outside, too; is there a picture of this car in an attic somewhere, all dented and rusty? It’s the only explanation I can think of. There is some weirdness with the spare tire; it’s there in some photos and not in others. If it’s not there when you go to see it in person, I’d ask where it is.

2014 Fiat 500L Pop – $3,999

Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 1.4-liter OHC inline 4, six-speed manual, FWD

Location: Elizabeth, NJ

Odometer reading: 139,000 miles (or maybe only 116,000?)

Operational status: Runs and drives well

But maybe a RAV4 is too predictable for you. Maybe you’d prefer something with a little more flair. I thought the Fiat 500L was weird when it came out, but looking at it now, it’s kind of a neat little car. In fact, call me crazy, but there’s just a hint of Fiat Multipla in its profile. It’s not quite as weird, which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you feel about the Multipla.

The 500L came with several different engines in Europe, but as is typical, we here in the US only got the biggest and most powerful option, a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. It’s being sold by a dealer, so there isn’t a whole lot of information in the ad, and there’s a question about the mileage. Two different mileages are listed, and the odometer isn’t visible in any of the photos to confirm it. They do say “Must drive to appreciate,” which I guess is positive.

Like the smaller 500, the 500L has a far more interesting interior than your typical economy car. What’s black and white and red all over? The inside of this car. It looks good, and it has a whole host of power options listed in the ad, but of course, no mention of how well it all works. You know the routine: push all the buttons before you buy, so you know what you’re getting yourself into.

The photos in the ad aren’t great, but the car does look like it’s in good condition outside. Those don’t appear to be the original wheel covers, though they’re similar in design. Personally, I hate plastic wheel covers, so I’d yank them off and just go with the steel wheels. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

Functionally, with the exception of the Toyota’s AWD, these two cars are about the same. They’ll both carry five people and some stuff, or two people and a bunch more stuff, and they’ll both get decent gas mileage doing it. One is practically a sure thing, but it’s a bit boring and predictable. The other is potentially less durable and reliable, but it’s got a lot more character and is probably more fun to drive. I know my choice, but it’s not up to me. Which one are you choosing?