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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  Exciting and solid but... - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Andrew - December 25 - 4:30 pm

  Fun to drive, the V6 really has some kick, yet on the interstate the 5 speed automatic transmission gave great performance and great economy. Handling is solid and predictable with a nice balance between capable SUV and commuting car (mostly commuter car). There is huge internal room, but it is still quite quiet on smooth pavement. On rough pavement it becomes noisy pretty quickly. The interior controls are all easy to use, but the steering wheel controls are not lighted at night so I will have to learn to blindly operate the Bluetooth controls. The radio controls on the wheel were easy to adapt to though. The exterior is not much changed from older Rav4. Just a few cosmetic changes.

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  Havent even driven 100 miles yet. - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By MJM - December 25 - 11:43 am

  We havent even driven it 100 miles yet, but so far, we love everything about it. The 6 is really hot, and a big 6 that uses regular is certainly important nowadays. We also love the contemporary styling We pretty much loaded the vehicle with options, and all of them work very well and none seem extraneous or extravagant.

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  Great Find - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Grant Wilhite - December 23 - 7:01 pm

  I love my RAV4 it looks like a little new Lexus SUV

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  Recall Jitters - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Ellen - December 20 - 10:20 pm

  This is a magnificent car inside and out. Rides like a dream. Much better than CRV. Interior is laid out much better than any other small SUV. Joy of ownership blunted by Toyota woes. What a shame.

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  Best smaller SUV ever owned!!! - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Nick - December 17 - 3:30 am

  My wife and I love this SUV... she calls it a rocket! With the 269 HP, it gets you going no matter what speed you are at. I tried the 4WD/AWD system and VSC this past snow storm and it didnt even flinch in 15" of snow, if you started going sideways, purposely or not, the VSC had you straight in 1 second. The interior is comfortable, roomy, and full of great extras. The sound system rocks with the JBL subwoofer. I tow a jet ski down on the beach with it and you cant even feel the ski back there. It could get a little better fuel mileage, but hey we are heavy on the pedal. 9500 miles into it and not one problem at all! Great SUV, highly recommend. Wish you could get 3rd row with leather.

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  Quality over Quantity! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Alesha - December 14 - 11:14 pm

  I wasnt sure if I wanted the Rav4 or the CRV! My mechanic told me to always go with Toyota. My heart was set on the RAV4, but I chose the CRV because it offered push start, keyless entry, heated seats, electric seating adjustment, blind side camera, and a few other perks I cant recall for the same price as the RAV4 that didnt offer any of these perks. After driving the CRV for 45 minutes on my way to see my grandson born 5 hours away my legs and knees were hurting so bad I wanted to cry! My back was killing me, and my butt felt like I was sitting on steel! No matter how bad I felt there was just no way I could keep and pay for a vehicle that I was so uncomfortable in. My drive to work is an hour and a half. I went to Autonation Toyota and not only did they give me a discount on the RAV4, they returned the CRV to Honda and paid for the daily rate and mileage I used. I absolutely love my RAV4! I drove to NY and back to GA very comfortably! It was such a smooth ride. I would recommend the RAV4 to any and everyone interested in purchasing an SUV! Thanks edmunds.com!

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  Great Crossover SUV. - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By So Cal Driver - December 13 - 11:56 am

  The latest (3rd generation) RAV4 has it all: Plenty of room for driver, passengers, and cargo; V6 power to weight ratio worthy of a sports car; surprisingly fuel efficient for a 3.5l V6; Toyota quality and reliability. Ive driven my new RAV4 daily since the end of April and it continues to impress me. Dont bother with the optional 3rd row seat because the 2nd row seats needs to be pushed all the way forward to accomodate 2 adults in the 3rd row for short trips.

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  Loving it! - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Jenns RAV4 - December 12 - 9:53 am

  Ive had my RAV less than a week...but I already love it! I purchased the "L" model with everthing but leather and heated seats. This is a great little suv. The fuel economy is wonderful (Im averaging 25 mpg so far!) and it really is a fun car to drive. Its extremley stylish with room to spare. With Toyotas reliability and great build...how can I not recommend this car?!

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  1st New Car in 10 years - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By gypsy - December 11 - 10:00 am

  I am a leasing the new 2011 Rav4 after Subaru refused to even negotiate on their comparable Outback.. ok?? Anyway, am very happy with the RAV with the most complaint over the front cup holders. Beside the fact of being place DIRECTLY in front of one of the only 2 ac outlets, it is designed for a can and about that size only. The height of the holders limit any water bottle and cause it to topple. I cant believe Toyota, who caters to the stylistas of the Lexus buyers would accept the placement of the cup holders. That vented, the only other complaint would be is the backup camera which has a fisheye view and is very misleading. I hope Toyota can am mend these flaws in 2012, otherwise awesome!

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  Amazing car until the ecm went - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By tha dude - December 10 - 11:23 am

  and your ecm WILL mess up your transmission... i wasted money on a new transmission and was told my ecm got reprogrammed but it still does the same stuff to me. its pretty scary when u drive across a four way and your car slows down and drags while youre inside being jerked around. will never buy a toyota EVER again. now im looking into other cars..... makes me mad because the car was perfect until this.