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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  Bring back the "smaller" rav - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By don - February 4 - 2:06 am

  We purchased this vehicle for all our short distance trips, ie. 300 miles or less (We are also fortunate to own an 06 highlander limited, for the longer trips). Love the RAV! Hate to see the "smaller" RAV go! It is LEXUS quality thru and thru. This is the 10th Toyota weve owned... not because of ANY problems...just really love our Toyotas! Also own a 1998 "L" model, with 100K miles which we will keep forever, as a third spare vehicle. Wouldnt hesitate to take the 98 to Florida or California (We live in OHIO) I highly suggest and recommend ANY toyota product, including the hybrids. Toyotas attention to detail and quality are second to none!

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  Nothing Replaces Horsepower - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By qoquaq - January 31 - 3:43 pm

  From the moment I had this thing on the road, I loved it! Very fast, very good 4 wheeled discs, excellent handling, and gotta love the bluetooth. Never got the MPG as stated. City 16, combined 20 MPG, but I have a lead foot and love the twistys! This is the first car that I have owned that the word launch actually applies.

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  2015 Toyota Rav4 Limited AWD - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By James DeWitt - January 31 - 3:19 am

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  A Wonderful Car - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By SCheng - January 28 - 10:43 am

  I have been waiting to get a 2006 RAV4. It is well worth the wait. It is much bigger than the previous design and many comfortable/convenient features in it. The one that we have is a 4-Cyl but it does have some power. I particularily like the 3-row seat. Although it is not too much leg room there, but hey, the 3rd row seat will be there when we need it. Many cup holders. Drives great in the snow. Also, it plays MP3 and WMA CD, as opposed to just regular audio CD (that means you can particularly burn a MP3 CD with over 200-300 songs in ONE CD).

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  sweet suzie bell comes through - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By j roller - January 27 - 2:20 pm

  it looks so good on the street that people are always asking where i got it and what did i pay... is quick and agile and has great turning radius with tremendous traction on snow and rain surfaces... packs in all the kids and luggage and all the pets they wont leave at home......

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  Texan loves her RAV4! - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Helen - January 24 - 3:33 pm

  Ive had my 2007 RAV4 Limited for a little over 7 weeks and truly love it! Enjoy driving it. I was hesitant about purchasing a 4 cyl SUV after owning a V6 mustang, but it has great get up and go on the freeways and great handling. I feel safe and secure behind the wheel and the visibility is fabulous. Even my husband loves it. Toyota has made a superior and sporty looking SUV.

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  I love my new RAV! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By vivavegas99 - January 23 - 5:23 pm

  I just got my new RAV4 Limited 4WD V6 after wating a long 8 weeks. I have had so much fun driving this vehicle. It accelerates so smoothly and handles like the 2003 Corolla S we just traded in for it. The V6 is perfect for the driver that likes get up and go. It corners great and the steering is tight so you feel like you have control while you drive. It has a GREAT turning radius (I am used to driving a truck that didnt). I have only driven it 219 miles so far. The first tank of gas I got 19 miles per gallon. I figured itd be much worse on the first tank, especially because I do "jack rabbit" starts. I havent let my husband drive it yet! :-)

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  Great vehicle Toyota Drops the ball with options - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By yep - January 22 - 12:37 pm

  "Let me begin with I am a Loyal Toyota Customer. More than 7 new and 4 pre-owned in the past 25 years. The 2016 Rav4 is great looking and drives great. Compared to all the Camrys I have owned we really like the Rav better. However, Do not purchase the Navigation System. The Maps are from Garmin and they are at least 3 - 8 years old. It told me there was no Freeway and to take exits just to tell me to get back on the freeway(there was a Freeway that had been there for a number of years). It got us lost. So save your money and use your phone. Also, the eTune system. In Theory it is great. In reality not so much. When it works we love it you just get in and touch the Pandora and away you go. Then it will tell you theres no connection but the pandora is still playing. Then it may just stop all together. Then you get back in the car and it will tell you that there is no connection. No matter what you do you cant get it back. So, you might as well save money and just take the standard system because you can Blue Tooth it and connect for phone for maps and you get a CD Player. Other than that I love the vehicle but when I contacted Toyota to express my opinions they just said well pass that on. So, my mistake was I did not take the time to look at the Honda, Mazda and Nissan.

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  Love my RAV - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By RICarol - January 19 - 5:30 am

  I love it. As I do heavy traffic driving it has all the power I need to get me out of any situation. Plenty of cargo room, great fuel economy.

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  Air conditioning is awful - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By emput - January 17 - 12:43 am

  The air conditioning is awful in this car. There are no vents for the back seat and therefore my hands are numb from the air conditioning while driving yet my daughter in the back seat is dripping in sweat. We bought this car in the winter and wish we had been aware of this. We asked Toyota about it and all we got is the car is small enough the vents werent required. Well they went the cheap way and therefore it is awful to drive with passengers in the summer. We also had both metal bars that adjust the seats break already. You would think with a semi nice car the seats could be motor controlled. Other than these 2 big discomforts we like the car a lot.