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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  Good Car!!... get the V6 - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By pinoyromeo16 - April 19 - 12:23 am

  Ive had this car for just over a month. NICE suspension, but lacking majorly on power especialy when the AC is on. I wish got the V6. I had a full load of passengers on a hot day with the AC blasting... no power at all. Other than that its pretty quiet, lots of room, and very easy to drive. Disclaimer on the "sport" version. It has good suspension, but if you really want it to be "sport" get the V6 haha!

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  Short Term Ownership - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By AF - April 18 - 5:03 pm

  Bought our RAV 4 in Nov 08, absolutely loved it. Put on some top-end 18" studded tires, and the handling and traction was great. We moved from a 95 Ford Windstar to this, so anything would have been better, but it really does handle and drive very well. 31 days later we were in accident. I was in the passenger side and took the brunt of the impact. It took a minute or so to figure out what happened. Air bags deployed, doors crumpled, but we were all completely fine. Safety and crash ratings are very high from me, as the impact felt like nothing more than a little nudge (impact speed about 25mph). Its been written off, but will definitely look at another RAV as a replacement.

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  excellent - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By erwin - April 18 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive, easy to handle, nice interior, ergonomically designed

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  Great Trade - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By checkfirst - April 17 - 8:15 pm

  I traded my 2011 Dodge (Lemon) Journey with 7 months remaining on that lease for this SUV. Leased this RAV4 for 36 months and so far I couldnt be happier. I was concerned this SUV might be under powered with the 4 cyl especially after having 6 cyl for my last few vehicles. That concern was removed as my wife and I have just returned from driving 4750 mile vacation and the 4cyl was unbelievably great. Not only did I have enough power for cruising the interstates I was able to pass vehicles on two lane roads with no problem at all. Gas mileage was always between 28 & 32 MPG depending on conditions.

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  My Rav - 1999 Toyota RAV4
  By Molly - April 15 - 2:46 pm

  This is the second 99 Rav 4 I have owned and enjoy it a great deal. The first one was totaled by another driver. I was glad to be able to find another, the only difference was no moon roof on the newer one. This the first SUV I have owned and I enjoy driving it. It has been reliable and has needed very few repairs.

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  Great little SUV - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Alex B. - April 15 - 1:16 am

  We wanted reliablity, safety, performance, and style without the price tag. The new Ravs gave us all that.

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  Love This Car - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Toyota Lover - April 12 - 10:46 am

  I love love love my RAV4. I got this SUV because I was looking for reliability after having trouble with two prior cars by a different maker. And boy did I get what I paid for. This car is great. It drives great. Havent had any problems. I can fit a lot in the back w/o the seats. Back seat passengers are relatively comfortable. Maneuvers well.

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  Beautiful mini SUV to drive. - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Patricia - April 8 - 2:50 pm

  Although Ive only been driving it for a week now, I love it! Its a beautiful car with a great drive. Toyotas are reliable cars. The RAV4 has a smooth drive and the comfort is a plus. The exterior is also beautiful. Its a great small suv for someone whos tiny like me! Its easy to drive and very spacious. Id recommend it to anyone!

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  Not wat i expected- But overall OK - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By intelinside - April 7 - 1:00 am

  I bought this used 2009 Rav4 in Nov- 2009. there are many small issues that we can not see when test driving, listed are a few: 1)THE CUPOLDER "like a smile can tell a lot about a person" same way a well designed cup holder can tell you a lot. The cup holders have a rubber mats without which nothing will fit in them cos of the oval edges, Try drinking coffee from the cup holder and the rubber mats gets snuggly tied to the flask. cant fit any thing having a handle. 2) on a snowy slushy day, lot of snow and slush got on to the tire fender covers and due to high winds weighed it and broke the PLASTIC rivets and the cover rubbed with tire and destroyed the front cover, cost 500$ not covered.

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  Solid SUV - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By BRAVEHEART - April 5 - 6:53 pm

  Replaced a 2000 Subaru Forester S 5MT with this vehicle for me to drive to work for 2 years and hand off to college bound child. It is very safe, secure and surprisingly fun and agile. Went with 2.4L engine for better mileage and to prevent my teenager (and me) from excessive speeding. Huge cargo area, especially without 3rd row can hold all my sporting gear. Very smooth and quiet engine and cabin. Sunroof does not take up headroom. Back seat room terrific compared to Forester and averaging same MPG (25) but now with automatic, much larger vehicle, more features and more comfortable ride with same nimble and sporty ride.