5 weeks ago my wife & I brought home new hybrid RAV4 XLS. Very sporty looking & perfectly fits her need for a daily driver into the city (& as our occasional road trip car). Nearly has as much room in the rear cargo area with rear seat folded down as our old 06 4Runner Sport. That was very important, as roadtrips often include hauling back properly wrapped bulky Pontiac parts.
Considering the new RAV4 hybrid has a lot of utility, & gets near triple the mileage in town & more than double the mileage on the highway over our previous good running V6 2wd 4Runner, I'd hardly consider that "lame". FWIW, its peppy enough that it would outrun the 4 Runner even if the 4Runner was near brand new.
The backup "noise".... the main time anyone notices the distinct backup feature is when backing up out of a parking spot in a somewhat enclosed area. I've not been in any parking garages, but up the road next to the interstate, we have a very busy huge upscale convenience store with a monster canopy that extends to the store. Backing up from the front row parking under that tall canopy accentuates the sound some. I've noticed it's typically little old ladies & rodeo folks walking from their horse trailer tow rigs that give the hybrid RAV4 a couple glances. Most have never seen or heard the sound before, my wife & i are just glad they are paying attention in that busy area
