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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  RAV - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By FRED DURST - December 22 - 10:00 am

  HARD RIDE NO FUN TO DRIVE SEVERAL TRIPS BACK FOR NOSIE IN CAR

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  Can embarras some coupes. - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Winston Ferolin - November 10 - 5:50 am

  The RAV 4 V6 is a pocket rocket. Its power is so tempting to use everytime. I can stand my own even against some coupes.

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  Disappointed - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Dissapointed - October 15 - 2:30 pm

  Leased this car for my kid. The transmission shifts and sounds like a cement mixer. The interior is wall-to- wall plastic with no soft areas. The push button glove box is kind of quirky and small. The center console that houses the radio looks and feels like something from a K-Mart appliance center. The fuel filler door is riveted on and has the feeling it is going to be pulled off if too much pressure is exerted. Car is relatively slow. I should have leased the Jeep Patriot or Ford Escape. RAV4 is acceptable, but certainly not anything that is above the others including the domestics. This is the last Toyota I will purchase.

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  2008 Rav4 - rough ride - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Lee - August 13 - 10:03 am

  Just bought a 2008 Rav4 4cyl fwd, base model with a few extras. A friend has an 05 and loves it; another has one of the original Ravs and loves it. Something must have changed. You can really, really feel the road; very rough ride. Seats are very uncomfortable. The interior is new milenium plastic. The car has an unexplained "clink" on shifting, exceleration and braking. Burned plastic smell (like I picked up a plastic bag on the muffler - hope that goes away). Really disappointing ride

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  Not worth it - 2014 Toyota RAV4
  By duke98 - August 1 - 9:40 pm

  This is my first Toyota but will be my last. It has problems from the first month and the dealer is not willing do do any acceptable resolution. The car runs OK but not better than competitors and there are numerous quality issues. The navigation is not working properly and lost on the road at least once ever 5~6 uses. I now use my iphone more due to its reliability. Seat-belt locks when I put on, so I have to try many times to unlock it. I often locks when I need to reach the glove box while parked in a parking lot, so I had to take it off. The rear brakes make strange noise. [HTML removed]

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  UNRELIABLE - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By MIKE - July 25 - 6:43 pm

  Unreliable for the long run. Had several warranty repairs, rear shock absorbers, water pump, steering shaft. Then after 60000 kms no support from Toyota Canada. Try and do repairs through the dealers and end up paying 2 times the price on parts alone.

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  Toyota isnt what it is in Japan - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Tim - July 25 - 4:29 pm

  Worked for 8 years in Japan (Okinawa) and had three "used" Toyotas (fantastic vehicles - only thing I had to do was replace battery - tires - brakes ... AC on my Noah Lite Ace Van (8 years old when I bought it) didnt even require maintenance in 8 years of use in a the tropical environment of Okinawa)!!! Alternatively this vehicle has disappointed, to say the least. Acceleration is dangerous (in that you must wait 1 - 2 seconds for the computer to figure out what pressing on the accelerator means). Here in Denver when you change lanes you need to make your move upon turning on your signal - have had close calls when other drivers (whose vehicles accelerate crisply) shot into a lane I was trying to get into. Also, worse yet, this vehicle rolls backwards if youre on a steep upward grade when you put it in drive!!! Very dangerous if anyone is behind you (dealer told me to increase revs when Im in this situation ... if this was a manual thatd be a given ... but this is an automatic)! So if you live somewhere like San Francisco this is the last vehicle you want to buy. Im very disappointed in Toyota ... perhaps its because its made here (as stated, the Toyotas I had in Japan were head-and-shoulders better than this Toyota-Japan-wanna-be).

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  Reliable but the good ends there - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By unhappyRAVdriver - June 19 - 5:13 pm

  Four-wheel drive automatically disengages at 26mph and the salesperson did NOT point out that feature. Vehicle is the noisiest and worst riding I have ever had and Ive driven SUVs for 20+ years. Front seats are unacceptable; very uncomfortable, short--cuts across the back of the thighs--and they dont adjust back far enough for me, a 56" driver. Very unhappy with this vehicle and I wont buy Toyota again.

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  Severe NVH issues - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Stacy Wilson - March 1 - 7:55 am

  A surprisingly zippy little SUV, but too many negatives. The #1 issue that I have is the squeaks, creaks, and road noise inside this car. I recently discovered an industry term, NVH - which rates Noise, Vibration, and Hazzard. This Rav4 has the WORST NVH rating. Sure wish I knew about this term prior to purchasing this car. On the hunt for a top rated NVH vehicle. I purchased this vehicle brand new, 2015 Rav4 Limited. Within the first few months, the dashboard began squeaking and creaking - I have a TBI, and cannot tolerate this type of noise. Plus, the road noise coming up into the car from the tires, frame, etc - is brutal. The dealership said that Toyota has templates, of an absorbing type of material. The dashboard would be dropped, template installed, problem fixed. Well, that particular squeak and rattle anyway. They informed me that if they went ahead with this repair, they would need to drop the entire dashboard - separating thousands of contact points within the dashboard - and the end result would be LOTS of more squeaks. Wow. Also, very very tight seating, even in the front seats. Unless you are a petite person, and do not have any issues with serious road noise in the car while driving, it is a fun little car to bop around with, and the cargo room is fantastic.

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  Buyer Beware of Poor Paint - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By stew16 - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Not as fuel efficient as one would expect for a 4 cylinder, a lot of wind noise, not as good as Toyota claims, the paint chips easily and its not as thick as it should be, would not recommend this vehicle, keep looking, poor sound system. Woofer is already making noise, at nine months.