With their up-for-anything personality, easy-to-park size and sensible appetite for fuel, compact crossovers are some of the most popular vehicles on the road. Versatility is their greatest asset, as you can easily fill them with car seats, groceries, sports equipment or the latest spoils from an antiquing trip and be on your merry way. Among these practical SUVs, the Toyota RAV4 has long been a favorite of savvy shoppers of all ages and tastes.

Thanks to increasingly more competent rivals, the 2015 Toyota RAV4 isn't quite the no-brainer pick anymore. Still, you'll likely find that it checks off most of the boxes on your "must-have" list. The "compact" classification is almost unjust, given the Toyota RAV4's roomy passenger and cargo compartments. The latter is especially noteworthy not only for its capacity (which at 73.3 cubic feet is among the most generous in its class) but its laudable usability. Whether you're loading it up with a couple of dogs or a couple of bags of heavy top soil, you'll appreciate the cargo bay's low load floor and, on upper trims, the availability of an adjustable-height power liftgate. 

The 2015 Toyota RAV4 is a five-passenger compact crossover offered in three main trim levels: LE, XLE and Limited. The LE comes standard with 17-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, power-folding mirrors, keyless entry, rear privacy glass, full power accessories, air-conditioning, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 60/40-split and reclining second-row seat, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and a six-speaker sound system with a 6.1-inch touchscreen, a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.

The XLE adds 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, roof rails, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, sportier front seats, a cargo cover and extendable sun visors. The audio system is upgraded on the XLE to include satellite radio, HD radio, traffic and weather. Options for the XLE include a height-adjustable power liftgate, a navigation system and Toyota's Entune smartphone app integration.

The top-level Limited comes with all of the above plus 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and ignition, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat with memory settings, heated front seats and premium synthetic leather upholstery.  Most small crossover shoppers will find this Toyota's 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine adequate for most tasks and sufficiently fuel-efficient. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly, but if you tend to drive assertively, you'll find it slow to downshift in passing situations. Additionally, when climbing steady mountain grades, we've noticed that the transmission has a tendency to hunt between gears (rather than picking one gear and sticking with it). Both of these characteristics are likely a consequence of the powertrain being tuned for maximum gas mileage.

The 2015 Toyota RAV4 handles well and feels refined and comfortable when cruising down the highway. A potential exception is the Limited model, which can get a little jittery on rough pavement due to its big 18-inch wheels. In spite of that, the cabin remains very quiet, making Toyota's crossover a good option for families with young children who tend to sleep in the car.