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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  Poor MPG - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Tom H - August 14 - 11:20 pm

  If youre considering the RAV4 for its great milage, consider this... I travel 60 hwy miles, and another 20 on rural roads daily. My ave hwy speed is 72, and Im no leadfoot around town, either. With this mix, I should be getting 25MPG consistently. After 4000 miles traveling the same daily route, my RAV4 averages 21.5MPG. One tank gets 19, the next, 23, and the next 21.5. Dealer says theres nothing wrong. So, if youre considering sacreficing the roominess and comfort of a larger SUV to get better milage with a RAV, think twice.

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  Pats review of 2006 RAV4 - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Pat in Kentucky - August 14 - 2:16 pm

  Estimated gas mileage is not correct. It has lots of road noise. Has been dented very easily in parking lot, the metal is very thin. We bought the base model with mag wheels, black luggage rack, 6 airbags, floor mats and grocery cargo net, we paid for the extras. The spare tire cover faded very quickly and was exchanged for a one time only exchange. This cover has faded again and is purple instead of the midnight blue the real car color. I was told by the dealership there was nothing else that could be done. I am not happy, and I will not purchase another Toyota product. When other people see the purple tire cover they ask questions!!

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  Like the RAV4 - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By David Emrich - August 11 - 12:38 pm

  I was always more of a Honda guy. Had a 1996 Civic Dx coupe manual transmission, am/fm radio, no ac, crank windows for 273,000 miles, 8 years. Liked it. Always wanted an Accord, got 2015 Accord Sport sedan, 6speed manual, liked, techy, slightly cheap plastic. Toyotas are sleepers, in my opinion. Had 2010 Prius III, just after the redesign, 2011 Camry Base, 2014.5 Camry LE. Liked them all, but in a different way than my Hondas. Easy to live with. Prius wasnt fun to drive. Seat angled weird, like you were pointed toward the central gauges, but you body was traveling straight. Weird. Camrys were solid. Comfortable. Easy to live with. This is easy to live with. I like it. I like sitting up high. I have the LE AWD. Came home to find frozen into 2 feet of snow at jfk after having been in southern California, no problem. Rocked it back and forth a couple of times, drove right out. Impressive. Very peaceful. Doesnt rip around, so I drive it slow, and it works for me. Very well balanced in many ways. Fabric on seats in Accord was shiny. Fancy. Like an executives car. This is basic. Perfect balance between comfort, and durability. Doesnt advertise itself, "Hey, look at me!", just gets the job done in a very nice way. Keep it in ECO mode, get advertised milage. Satisfied with MPG. Without ECO button on, takes off a little too quick in first gear, in my opinion. Had 2014 Kia Sportage LX, was a dog in ECO mode. Sporty, and tight handling otherwise. This gets better feel economy, and feels more satisfying, overall. The Kia felt less satisfying to drive with time. This got better with time. Toyotas reliable, too, good to do business with. I got a great lease deal. Paid out of some negative equity I had after trading a lot of vehicles in a short time. This allows me to pay that off, plus lease the vehicle, get a fresh start at the end of the lease. Surprised Toyota would offer it. Recommended.

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  Great little SUV - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By tnboy - August 11 - 5:12 am

  We wanted a smaller SUV with a V-6, maximum room for the class, and a moderate price for the class, and this fit the bill perfectly. We compared others, and none had the combination of our four main wants. We also considered the Lexus RX350 and the Volvo XC60 but didnt see $15-$20K worth of quality differences ("prestige" in a vehicle was not one of our needs).

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  Starting Issue - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By caboz - August 11 - 3:53 am

  4 times in the last 2 years the vehicle would not start because the brake pedal was locked and not moveable.

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  Best Vehicle I have had in years. - 1999 Toyota RAV4
  By Easteddie - August 11 - 2:00 am

  A pleasure to drive aound town. Noisy on the road and a little under powered.

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  The Perfect Small SUV - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Wally - August 9 - 1:40 pm

  This is truly a great small SUV. Since the 2006 RAV4 is now larger, it actually looks like a mid-sized SUV now. Gas mileage is great. It looks great. The V6 is very quick, and can easily pass by other vehicles on the road. In fact, it is faster than many vehicles out there today, including many sports sedans. It can reach 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, faster than any SUV out there. It is very roomy. Controls are nicely laid out. My RAV4 Limited came with factory installed heated leather bucket seats, which are very comfortable. If youre looking for a nice SUV, make sure you check out the RAV4!

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  RAV is the way to go - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By R. Gary - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I an very happy with my RAV4. My husband and I like to go off road and it has done better in some areas then his Jeep Comanche does. I have gone places in just the AWD that he has had to put his in four wheel for. Granted that it doesnt have the clearance that a truck has, but it is so much CUTER!!!

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  Fun and Fast! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Karen - August 5 - 11:30 pm

  I test drove crv, hyndai both tuscon and santa fe, liberty, escape. The Rav4 outperformed them all. The v6 is the fastest with its 269 horsepower, idles smooth. Good gas mileage for a v6. Some of the other makes had better features but the perfomance and safety of this car and reliability of toyota is what sold me. The outside styling is pretty cool, kind of a cross between the matrix and lexus. Just a fun car to drive. Would buy this car again.

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  Great Suv - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By toyota44 - August 5 - 1:36 pm

  Great Suv no problems at all. We actually had someone crash into the passenger door and did $3500 damage, no one injured, the door absorbed all the impact. Has loads of power and gets great gas mileage, 26-27 highway and about 25 in town. Im about 64 and have great headroom even with the sunroof. Highly recommended!!