Ground clearance isn’t always something compact SUV drivers think about. It’s more a concern for off-road enthusiasts or drivers of three-row and full-size SUVs, who generally purchase these large items for, among many things, the increased drive height. Plus, what is ground clearance? It’s the empty space beneath your vehicle. But that “nothingness” can mean everything to some drivers, especially Vermont drivers who travel snow-covered grounds.

When the team at Faith’s Toyota shows shoppers the 2024 Toyota RAV4, they love to point out that this compact SUV trumps its competitors in the ground clearance department — by a lot. Check out this article to see how much ground clearance the RAV4 has, where it stands amongst its competitors, and why its ground clearance is so useful.

First Off, What Is Ground Clearance?

Ground clearance refers to the space between the bottom of your vehicle (the undercarriage) and the surface of the terrain you’re driving on. So, it’s the measurement from the lowest point of your SUV to the ground. There are many benefits to having a high ground clearance, many of which pertain to protecting the critical components in the undercarriage of your model, like the fuel tank, exhaust system, and drivetrain.

Where Does the RAV4 Stand Amongst Its Competitors?

The 2024 RAV4 boasts 8.6 inches of ground clearance and is one of the best in its class when it comes to this dimension. For reference, we’ll cover its competitors and their maximum ground clearance measurements below:

• The Chevy Equinox has up to 8 inches of ground clearance.
• The Nissan Rogue offers up to 8.2 inches of ground clearance.
• The Mazda CX-5 has up to 7.9 inches of ground clearance.
• The Kia Sportage has up to 8.3 inches of ground clearance.
• The Honda CR-V has up to 8.2 inches of ground clearance.
• The GMC Terrain has up to 7.9 inches of ground clearance.
• The Ford Escape has up to 7.5 inches of ground clearance.

As you can see, the RAV4 has its competitors beat in this department, often by many inches.

The Benefits of Having High Ground Clearance

There are several instances when you’ll be grateful for the high ground clearance of the RAV4, from adventurous days you plan to unexpected occurrences. We’ll go over each one below.

Don’t Fear Rainy or Snowy Days

If you live somewhere that gets a lot of rain or snow (which happens a decent amount here in Vermont), then you know what can happen when you have to park on the street and an unexpected downpour hits. Drivers return to their cars to find that water has nearly reached the tops of their tires, sometimes causing damage to the exterior and even the interior of their vehicles. It can happen fast if the rain is coming down hard.

But with 8.6 inches of ground clearance, you have more leeway in this situation. Puddles can reach up to 8.5 inches before touching your vehicle’s undercarriage, reducing the chances you come back to find your tires submerged in water and your undercarriage damaged. As for snow days, nobody likes to find their vehicle snowed in. When you have a lower car, the snow can pile up around your car doors, and you have to shovel it just to get in the car, as well as make it out of the driveway. On some mornings, you just don’t have time for that. But, with a higher ground clearance, you’re less likely to face this problem.

High ground clearance also comes in handy when driving on wet and slippery roads. You never know where water might have pooled on the ground, and you can hit a puddle that seems to come out of nowhere. For lower cars, this can cause a huge splash that comes up and hits your windows and hood. However, on a higher vehicle like the RAV4, these puddles have less of an impact.

What’s a Few Rocks and Tiny Boulders to You?

The RAV4 is a terrific compact SUV. Its 8.6 inches of ground clearance, paired with its all-wheel drive, makes it ready to tackle muddy roads, helping your vehicle get the traction it needs while clearing small obstacles. The high ground clearance is particularly useful when you reach a trail with small boulders, logs, and other debris you don’t want scraping up the bottom of your vehicle. In a lower vehicle, these items can pose a serious risk to your undercarriage, but you’ll roll over modest obstacles with ease in the tall RAV4.

The ground clearance also contributes to approach and departure angles. The approach angle refers to how steep of a hill your vehicle can tackle, starting from a perfectly flat surface. The departure angle refers to how steep of a gradient your vehicle can tackle going downhill, starting from a flat surface. These angles are better when you have higher ground clearance, making the RAV4 ready to travel in hilly terrain with little risk of the bumper scraping up against the ground.

Improved Visibility

Extra ground clearance means a taller vehicle, which helps you see over other cars on the road. When you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you won’t have to peek around to the side to see what the holdup is. In your tall RAV4, you’ll be able to see far up ahead. In general, higher ground clearance gives you a better view of what’s ahead, so you can make calculated decisions on the road — like whether or not to exit the freeway here and avoid an oncoming traffic jam.

Add Bigger Tires if You Want Them

Another cool perk of having high ground clearance is that you have more room to add beefier tires if you want them. So you can add huge mud tires, off-road tires, or all-terrain tires for even better command of off-road environments. Plus, these larger tires absorb shock better, providing a smooth ride on bumpy terrain. It also doesn’t hurt that large tires give an overall rugged appearance to your vehicle. The more ground clearance you have, the bigger you can go.

Get Your Rugged RAV4 at Faith’s Toyota

If you want to experience the high ground clearance of the RAV4, come check it out at Faith’s Toyota. Their team loves how capable this compact SUV is, offering adventurous drivers excellent fuel economy paired with some solid towing figures, all-wheel capabilities, and 8.6 inches of ground clearance. In a place that sees as much snow as Vermont, having low ground clearance simply doesn’t make sense. However, not everybody wants to drive a large SUV, so it’s great that Toyota has made a compact SUV with so much ground clearance in its RAV4.

Faith’s Toyota has every trim of this popular model, and their team would love to help you select yours. They drive the roads here daily, and they can vouch for the RAV4 as a great Vermont vehicle. They receive more models daily, offering a huge inventory for their customers to check out. Plus, they have a great finance department that will help you figure out how to pay for your RAV4. Come check out this capable compact SUV today and everything it has to offer.