Business Insider/Danielle Muoio
No segment is currently more important in the auto industry than SUVs.
Both compact and mid-size crossover SUVs account for 35% of all cars and trucks sold in the United States. Honda's CR-V, the best-selling crossover in the United States, has achieved seven straight years of sale gains.
Meanwhile, the Toyota RAV4 falls right behind the CR-V in sales - and it's gaining steam. In 2016, Toyota sold 352,169 RAV4 cars - an 11.6% gain from the year prior. The vehicle has been in Toyota's lineup for two decades, but it's really coming into its own with the fourth-generation, rolled out in 2013.
I got a chance to drive the RAV4 over the course of a week - here's what it was like: