Overview & Reviews

A more powerful four-cylinder engine, a restyled grille and bumpers and the adoption of active headrests for the front seats mark the changes for the 2009 Toyota RAV4.

• Superb power and fuel economy from optional V6, balanced ride and handling, roomy second-row seating, low cargo floor, solid build quality, high crash test scores.

• Interior has a budget feel, side-hinged rear gate impedes curbside loading, driver seat a tight fit for tall drivers.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 120.00

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  Here in the Real World - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Doug - November 21 - 12:26 am

  We purchased our Rav 4 in Febuary and so far so good. Typical Toyota quality. Snow, ice, and now mud doesnt slow this baby down. Although its not a hardcore 4X4, it does the job. Id buy another one tomorrow.

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  Uncomfortable Seats - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By DJ - March 20 - 3:40 pm

  The driver seat and the front passenger seat are very uncomfortable. Probably the worst I experienced in a car. The car performs great but I hate to drive it because of the seat.

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  Noisey Cabin - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By chuck - April 20 - 7:46 am

  This vehicle is very noisy on the road. Its not wind noise, but road noise....must be poor insulation. It is very troublesome. Overall mileage for 13,000 miles is 21.4 MPG. the V6 is a rocket. Clock and radio are hard to read in sunlight....whatever happened to LEDs instead of LCDs?

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  Doesnt meet all needs, but good vehicle. - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By e96732 - March 24 - 8:26 am

  The V6 on this little SUV jumps and accelerates well. Coming from a standard 5-speed 4x4 (Pathfinder), its taking me a little getting used to the auto tranny lag time on the gas pedal. But the power is very impressive once engaged. The ride is very smooth. Has reduced noise, compared to my CRV. The tapered cabin provides more space to the front seats than youd think. Havent tested it off road yet, but soon.

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  Rav Sport; the GTO of SUVs - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Don - September 9 - 7:26 pm

  We checked them all out; CRVs, Rogues, Outlanders and Tiguan, etc. All had their points. We chose the Rav because of the build quality, the great lease deal, and the hot 265 hp V- 6 that gets mpg almost as good as the 4. Its really quick, with great handling; lots of fun to drive. The Rav sport w/ the V-6 is the only Rav without a tailgate mounted spare. You get "run flat" tires instead. Well see how that works out. The Rav is a total package choice; I dont think it wins, hands down, in any one category but is a solid choice across the board, including great resale (if you purchase). We were looking to get a little pizzaz in an otherwise functional vehicle; the RAV4 Sport 6 delivers.

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  2 WD Limited 4 CYL - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By David - August 8 - 6:00 am

  This car has been getting 28 MPG with mixed city and highway driving. The power is fine even with the 4 cyl engine. My last vehicle was a 2005 4Runner and the interior head room even with the moon roof is much better than the 4Runner. The Bluetooth hands free stereo is a must. The backup camera is a waste (too small). A back up beeping sensor is much more useful. The only quality issue I have found is a clunking sound shifting from reverse when the engine is cold. This appears to be a common problem with the Rav4. The interior room with the seats flat also rivals the 4Runner. The only thing the 4Runner does better is off road. By the way a 6 cyl 4Runner with 4 wheel drive averaged 20 MPG.

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  Reason for being number 1 in class - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Will Tell - July 23 - 6:16 am

  After looking at all the small SUVs, it became apparent that theres really no serious contender for the Toyota. I was actually leaning towards the Honda CR-V when I first started looking, but the Toyota won me over with its better gas mileage and roomier interior. A lot of thought went into laying out the interior, and build quality was very good. I wasnt too sure how a 4 cylinder engine mated to an automatic transmission would perform, but it has more than enough power for daily driving, although I still would have liked to have a manual transmission. Unfortunately, being best in class comes at a higher price tag. Total out the door cost for a sport package was $23.5K as of June 2009.

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  The GTO of SUVs - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Don - July 6 - 7:40 pm

  The sport package with the V-6 was the clincher. The i-4 is more than adequate but the 6 is in a different league; quiet, smooth and very quick. The Rav looks better in "sports wear" as opposed to the Limiteds "formal attire". No spare tire on the back of the Sport V-6, is a big plus (run flat tires maybe not so much; well see). Ive never been crazy about the dash and theyre a little stingy w/options. Fit and finish are great and Toyota reliability is tough to beat.

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  The Practical One - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Bob in Ohio - June 27 - 3:30 pm

  One of the more practical vehicles on the road the 2009 Rav4 offers efficient packaging, two competent engines and enough safety and convenience to satisfy just about everyone. If you had to choose only one vehicle to transport a family, haul furniture and find its way through inclement weather this compact to mid-size SUV is tough to beat. There is some comfort loss in exchange for space, especially in the rear seat. The cushions are rather flat and dont provide much support so make sure those that will inhabit the space take a test ride. Road and wind noise isnt in the luxury class but it is livable especially when you consider the relatively light weight of the vehicle vs. the size.

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  4 months in my RAV4 - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By ewg - April 6 - 3:40 pm

  Very nice car improvement over my 2003 Subaru Forester. Others have noted the stiffness of the seats but my wife & I like that and have noticed that seats are starting to feel softer with more use. The interior is designed well but the materials are budget. Im getting between 25 & 26 MPG in overall use; some stop & go plus some highway. Very happy with my RAV4.