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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  Great SUV Looks Like a BMW X3 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Mark - July 24 - 5:36 am

  I have had my RAV4 limited about a month and really like it. I am only getting about 19-20 miles a gallon but I am doing a lot of city driving to work. The V6 is very quick and I am usually up to 60mph before I am aware. (about 6.4 seconds) Excellent quality. Great ride, stereo, and acceleration. The 4 wheel drive will be great this winter.

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  Love the 2013 RAV4 - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By geegee444 - July 24 - 4:39 am

  Bought XLE June 26 2013 and I love it!!! Have 2000 miles and get about 27 miles per gallon in city. Have not made any road trips yet. I am 511" and my husband is 62" and we both are quite comfortable. Vehicle has good pick up so no worries about merging onto interstate. Test drove Mazda CX5 and Honda CRV. RAV4 offered more options in the base price and the cabin was not as noisy. Black carpet shows every speck of sand. Floor mats are a flimsy for the extra cost (nearly $300.00). Ordered an extra set online (must more cost friendly) to have on hand. "RAVen" (I have named her) is a real looker. Removal of "barn" rear door was the best thing ever!!!!

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  NONE - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By RCHIE - July 24 - 2:00 am

  THE CAR IS FUN TO DRIVE

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  Great Not-So-Small SUV - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Ryan - July 17 - 9:36 pm

  What an impressive change from the previous style. This vehicle cosmetically is so nice, both inside & out. People have constantly stopped to look and see what it is Im driving. The build quality is perfect & the fuel economy is amazing. With no 3rd Row seat, the legroom im the back is great for even full size adults. Great Job Toyota!

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  Not worth the price/poor value/poor workmanship - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By stew16 - July 16 - 10:58 pm

  questionable gas mileage at best, 4cyl is noisy, paint is the worst I have ever had on a vehicle, chipps to easily, toyota should put a full case of touch-paint in every vehicle. Has a tendency to accelerate, and the start stop button does not work as it is designed to do, alot of times the vehicle will not start when button is pressed. Toyota techs are even sure how to fix this problem nor can they explain how this is occuring with more frequency.

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  Horrible front seats rest is great - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Rienolf - July 14 - 11:56 pm

  Nice SUV, just finished breaking it in. Front seats are really bad though, especially on long trips. Cant lay back comfortably, sitting up you get a bad neck ache. Best friend refuses to ride in it unless a figure out some fix for the seats. Could ride better on pavement. An option of touring non-all terrain tires would be nice, the A/Ts are overkill for me, bit loud. Very flexible engine, though MPG suffers at high altitude in the mountains. A fine daily commuter aside from the seats. Could use better speakers also. With just the regular CD player they are overwhelmed.

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  I traded my Saturn for this? - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By lgreeny - July 14 - 9:28 pm

  Ive had the car for a week. Its the most uncomfortable vehicle ever and Im regretting the purchase. I traded my 2008 Saturn Astra for it. I needed something bigger with 4 wheel drive.

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  Not bad for a compact SUV - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By JDawn - July 14 - 10:00 am

  Overall the RAV4 has been a nice car to drive around town in. The styling is attractive and it gets the gas mileage advertised. At 2 yrs. old the seal on my RAVs back window leaked and had to be replaced and the sunroof began leaking almost as soon as I got it. Ive been told the backseats are terribly uncomfortable on long trips. My biggest complaint would be the hesitation in the transmission. The 02 RAV also has very little power. I understand that has been improved in the 04 model. Overall, it is fun to drive and gives the driver an excellent view of the road. It has a fabulous braking system and handles excellently.

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  Best car - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By mame - July 5 - 8:16 pm

  This car is great because it gets good gas mileage, its small so its easy to parallel park in new york city. The car is pretty costly when someone rear-ends you because the back tire is there. The car fits my family. The backseat folds down and comes out of the car for storage room. The sport package makes the car more fun to drive because every one looks and admires the car. The options come in many colors. Options are the dvd player, the rims, the leather or non-leather seats, the alarm is very important but it costs extra but its worth it. Another option is the sun/moon roof. The rav 4 is a strong car and hopfully will get stronger

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  Not an SUV person - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By kennj - July 2 - 2:36 am

  My wife got this car to replace her Ford Windstar. The car handles well and is nice to drive but I think it is uncomfortable on trips of more than 3 hours. We visit our daughter at college, a 3 to 4 hour trip each way and the seats just dont provide the comfort for that kind of trip. The van was so much better. The radio is also not up to par, they should have provided something better on a vehicle in this price range.