Overview & Reviews
Originating in the latter half of the 1990s, the Toyota RAV4 was one of the first entries in the small crossover SUV market. Almost two decades later, today's RAV4 is considerably larger than that pint-sized original, but the core appeal of versatility, good fuel economy and favorable on-road manners are firmly intact.
The RAV4 has been very popular with consumers through the years, so there are going to be plenty to choose from if you're searching for a used model. The newest third- and fourth-generation RAV4s are the most family-friendly and come with the most features, but an older RAV4 should still appeal to young families and urban singles in search of a reliable compact crossover SUV.
Current Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 is offered in LE, XLE and Limited trim levels. All have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 176 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is standard and buyers can choose either front- or all-wheel drive. With an EPA-estimated 26 mpg in combined driving, the RAV4 is as fuel-efficient as its competitors.
Base LE standard feature highlights include air-conditioning, reclining second-row seats, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a touchscreen interface and iPod/USB integration. The XLE adds alloy wheels, heated mirrors, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control and sport front seats. The Limited features bigger wheels, a power liftgate, keyless ignition/entry, a power driver seat, heated front seats and faux leather upholstery.
Major options, depending on the trim level, include automatic high beams, blind-spot/lane-departure warning, Toyota's Entune smartphone integration system, a navigation system and premium audio.
In reviews, we've found that this RAV4 gets just about everything right. Its roomy cabin boasts more cargo room than most rivals and provides ample seating space for adults both front and rear. The overall interior design is modern looking, and the Entune system provides useful smartphone app integration, although the touchscreen's virtual buttons can sometimes be finicky to use. There's no engine upgrade available, but the RAV4's 2.5-liter four is refined and adequately powerful. Handling is secure, and the all-wheel-drive system adds further athleticism on curvy and slippery road surfaces. In the interest of comfort, we recommend the smaller wheel options, as the 18-inch wheels tend to have a rougher ride quality.
Used Toyota RAV4 Models
The current, fourth-generation RAV4 debuted for 2013. It maintained the typical RAV4 strengths of carlike driving manners, versatile cargo and passenger configurations and all-around comfort. It's about the same size as the previous generation, but has bolder styling, a more modern interior and some new features. It also has an easier-to-use, top-hinged liftgate instead of the previous swing-out gate, though the previously available third-row seat was discontinued. There have been no notable changes since its debut.
The previous Toyota RAV4 represented the third generation, which Toyota produced from 2006-'12. Compared to earlier models, these RAV4s were bigger and offered an available V6 engine and third-row seat.
In its inaugural third-generation year, two engine choices were offered. A 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine delivered 166 hp and 165 lb-ft of torque, while a 3.5-liter V6 produced 269 hp and 246 lb-ft of torque. Automatic transmissions were standard, with the four-cylinder paired with a four-speed, while the V6 received a five-speed unit.
Three trim levels were also offered: base, Sport and Limited. Base feature highlights included air-conditioning, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat and full power accessories. The Sport added 18-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension and a roof rack, while the Limited topped it off with 17-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power driver seat and an upgraded audio system. A third-row seat, a moonroof, leather upholstery and a DVD-based rear entertainment system were options on upper level trims.
We praised these models for their pleasant driving manners and convenient cargo space, but deducted points for the side-hinged rear gate and noticeable road noise. We also preferred the powerful V6 over the base four-cylinder engine that suffered with its outdated transmission and mediocre fuel economy.
Changes since its debut were minimal but included additional standard airbags in 2007, a slight styling update in 2009 (with an external spare-tire delete option) and a power increase for the four-cylinder engine (from 166 hp to 179 hp). A newly available touchscreen audio interface and Toyota's Entune smartphone apps were introduced for 2012.
The second-generation Toyota RAV4 (2001-'05) was larger than the original RAV4, with more expressive styling and innovative removable second-row seats that gave it truly impressive cargo-carrying capabilities. Early models had a 148-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that came up short versus the larger four- and six-cylinder engines offered by competitors. Toyota addressed this to some extent in 2004 by replacing the 2.0-liter with a larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder good for 160 hp. Acceleration was markedly improved, and buyers could still choose a manual or automatic transmission. Overall, we found this RAV4 to be a fun-to-drive urban runabout thanks to its precise suspension tuning and high fuel economy ratings.
The first-generation Toyota RAV4 (1996-2000) was offered in two-door and four-door body styles, with a convertible version for a brief period. The first-gen RAV4 was appealing to young singles, but due to its narrow width and tight rear legroom, this cute ute was ultimately no substitute for a traditional family vehicle. Advantages included carlike handling, a low cargo floor and a large rear door that made loading cargo a breeze.
User Reviews:
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buy this car - 2004 Toyota RAV4
By Cool_dadio - September 30 - 10:00 ami think this compact suv is one of the best you will ever find we have one and have had problems out of it since we got it it gets very good gas milage about 25 city and 30 highway.
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Best vehicle we have had. - 2006 Toyota RAV4
By Donna - September 28 - 9:10 pmLove the car. Gets us through the snow. Gas mileage is better than we could expect for being called a "truck". Stay with the higher rated Ethanol gas (manual states tested). We have on occasion had to fill up with the regular brands. Expensive!! Had a 1995 Altima before. It got us 100km more on ethanol. This vehicle gets us 100kms more than the Altima on a fill-up. (Both same size of tank.) Averaged 32 mpg on a trip that had freeway and city driving. Original tires were 17 inch all seasons. Very stiff ride. Felt all the bumps in the road. When needing snow tires, we called around and found out you could put on 16 inch tires. Saved us a lot of money, and, have a smoother ride.
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You wont win a race in this vehicle. - 2003 Toyota RAV4
By Susy G. - September 27 - 10:00 amI traded in a 2000 sports car for the Rav 4 because my previous Toyotas (3 of them) held up very well and kept their value (the sports car was already having engine problems and depreciated almost 50%!). The car/truck handles very well (tight turns), but I found the Ravs 4 cylinder engine a bit sluggish. Not very fun to drive on the highway when youre trying to change lanes or get on. However, city driving is a bit more fun.
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Great rig - 2012 Toyota RAV4
By Taylor Brewer - September 25 - 9:58 amThe seats are slightly less comfy then I hoped and the windshield wipers clean in a wierd pattern. But overall I love my rig. Great mileage for the cargo space and a v6 4wd. I wanted a Tahoe/suburban for my hunting and fishing rig- price stopped me from getting one. Settled for a 2012 rav 4 and actually am glad i did. - 6 months later I am even more happy with the decision. Great rig!
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Excellent Changes - 2006 Toyota RAV4
By Bears - September 22 - 8:40 amHandles and responds like a car, but has the feel of an SUV. Great to drive.
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my toyota rav 4 sport 4x2 . - 2012 Toyota RAV4
By john_ufo - September 19 - 3:16 pmi bought the car april 16 and its 3 and half months later. i waited to gather more info for my review. the car overall is good. it runs smooth on normall roads . but in pot holes and going over train tracks jesus christ i thought my teeth fillings were going to come out . the car is kinda slow even for a 4 cyclnder. they conned me into buying the rav 4 with no money down and my finance rate at 6.00 so they got my payments as high as $ 355.83 a month for 75 months. but i got smarter in my old age and refinanced the rav at 2.00 percent with a bank in new york. so now my payments are $ 305.25 a month .
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Rav4 - 2010 Toyota RAV4
By Lynn - September 18 - 11:50 amI really like the rav4 with the exception of the road noise. It is extremely loud. I would not recommend this vehicle for that reason. I will be getting rid of mine as soon as I can.
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Wow! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
By ech6548 - September 18 - 6:43 amI test drove a lot of SUVs and this is the one that rang my bells! This gets great gas mileage and is one with the road. It is truly a pleasure to drive.
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2013 RAV4 AWD Limited - 2013 Toyota RAV4
By paul280 - September 17 - 12:03 amWe bought the car in mid-August. We really like the Blind Spot Monitor option. Also, an unexpected but convenient feature is that the music files on a USB drive can be played back directly. We also like the memory function of the driverÂs seat. Our main complaint is that the ride is really bumpy, even bumpier than my 20-year-old Corolla. Another thing is that the air outlets have begun to make an abnormal sound when switching the air flow from the setting of upper body and feet to the setting of upper body. Since the car has less than 2000 miles on it and it already got a problem, I really question the long term reliability of this vehicle.
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Great Little SUV - 2003 Toyota RAV4
By James Thomas - September 15 - 2:00 amI have owned several vehicles as well as other Toyotas and I can honestly say that the 2003 RAV4 S model is the most fun to drive. True, it is not a powerhouse, but it is not designed to be. The 4 wheel drive is flawless and I could not tell the difference between it and the 2 wheel drive model. The interior is the usual Toyota quality and the exterior is awesome.
