Rav4 mk 5 poor quality plastics

[Flatcoat]

In connection with a major decorating project I have been carrying ‘stuff’ to the tip in my car over recent weeks. Last night I gave the interior a very good clean and am shocked at how easily the plastics have scratched. Almost everything has been in strong bin bags or wrapped in old curtains but the marks are bad. Not since my crappy Freelander have I had such fragile poor quality plastics in a car. Not remotely impressed. At this rate by the time it is 5 years old it will be trashed. And I do have a rear floor mat. 

[Terry10]

Suspected this from the day I had a test drive and a look around the car.

got a full liner ordered and it's been in place since day one.

You can try one of the various products out there to renovate your plastics but from past experience with my previous cars they never quite mask those scuffs.

very annoying in a car of this cost.

Terry

[Hayzee]

49 minutes ago, Flatcoat said:

In connection with a major decorating project I have been carrying ‘stuff’ to the tip in my car over recent weeks. Last night I gave the interior a very good clean and am shocked at how easily the plastics have scratched. Almost everything has been in strong bin bags or wrapped in old curtains but the marks are bad. Not since my crappy Freelander have I had such fragile poor quality plastics in a car. Not remotely impressed. At this rate by the time it is 5 years old it will be trashed. And I do have a rear floor mat. 

Adrian.....Have to say I've seen the same sort of scuffing around the interior plastic door trims which I haven't been able to remove.....unfortunate considering how much I love the car in general

[TonyHSD]

This is a car manufacturer trend since around 2010 widely been used a recycled plastic materials in interiors built panels which often has hard surfaces prone to scratch easily. My car dashboard top part it’s so bad that when I clean the window if I touch it it leaves white marks, it scratches my skin. I have learned to live with it and avoiding any physical contact with those parts. I have seen videos some does  repair those scratches using heat gun, I haven’t tried myself and I can’t recommend it, perhaps it will work but you will need to be careful if you want to try it. It’s not only Toyota, but many others too. 👍

[Hybrid21]

My Volvo XC60 boot area was fully carpeted, no cheap plastics evident at all.

 😕

[Flatcoat]

So was my Volvo, Passat in part and Audi in part. As others have said it’s cr8p for a car at this price point and sector. 

[TonyHSD]

Toyota is cheaping on many parts for sure and at the same time prices are getting higher and higher, definitely not a positive and does not make them any favour. Makes like Volvo, Audi , VW are more premium in general. Been looking at recent XC60 hybrid and tbh older Volvos seems better made, although that particular car been built in Sweden. 
Last month Toyota dealer visit tbh except Rav4 phev and Corolla GR Sport hatchback nothing else made a good impression to me especially interior materials. But the rav4 plug-in was top spec and even was smelling different inside from all others, much nicer car similar to German brands. 

[bunnyrabbit03]

I have read quite a few complaints about VW's cheaper interiors in the most recent Golf and ID3 (hard plastic rather than soft touch), so it seems an industry-wide trend.

I am personally not a fan of carpets in cars, I rather like the rubber floors etc. you get in commercial vehicles - maybe because I have an eight year old son 😉 But my 'strictly no eating in the car policy' is helping to the keep the carpet etc. clean(ish) 😅 

But I do miss the hard wearing seat covers etc. of our previous van (Mercedes Citan) 👌 The Corolla's attract dirt much quicker and some of the interior plastics scratch easily too.

[Flatcoat]

After another interior clean out and finding more scratched plastic I am going to make a formal complaint to the dealer about ‘not fit for purpose’. I am not carrying anything I haven’t carried in previous cars such as garden rubbish, decorating materials and rubbish. (in fact I carried bricks, blocks, sand/cement etc in my Volvo and the interior always came up like new. At this rate by the time the car is 3-4 years old it will be trashed. I can live with all the other aspects of the car but at £45k it simply ain’t good enough. 

[Terry10]

Hi, totally understand and can only wish you good luck with your complaint . It will be very interesting to see what excuse Toyota come up with.

Terry

[Lawnmowerman]

I personally would take more care or suffer the consequences. Stopped sweating the small stuff long time ago.

But that's just me - just as well we are all different.

I hope you receive the justice you think you deserve Adrian.

[Flatcoat]

Some of the scratches are simply from getting in and out of the car, on the B post plastics where you reach for the seat belt, short of wearing slippers and gloves I can only be more careful by covering up the entire interior. The Toyota accessory boot floor mat is in itself scratching the plastic on which it sits! It isn’t good enough. 

[Lawnmowerman]

I'll check my 'B' post mouldings. I don't actively or subconsciously (to my knowledge) try to protect them and with over 12k miles on the clock it should be quite representative.

[Lawnmowerman]

Checked my B post plastic - driver's side. Just as I expected - fine. Although to be honest it's something I never looked at before.

Be interesting to see Adrian's.

 

[ernieb]

I also see surface marks but they seem to clean off OK.

[Flatcoat]

I will get a photo however I can assure they are not surface marks. 

[ernieb]

44 minutes ago, Flatcoat said:

I will get a photo however I can assure they are not surface marks. 

OK, I looked at William’s photo and it’s similar to what I’ve seen, bruising surface marks rather than a scratch.

Obviously, from what you’re saying yours are more significant.

[GBgraham]

I haven't found the need to do my C-HR yet but my old Vitara gets a dose of olive oil (or baby oil) over the scratchy plastic. It dries without a problem, this seems to protect it and just a wipe over with the same if it does get a mark.

If it's a really bad scratch, as been mentioned, a hot air gun can take the mark out

[Flatcoat]

I have tried to get a photo without success however on careful inspection  it is the seat belt buckle causing the scratches when the seat belt is released.