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 used car to purchase - 1998 Toyota RAV4
  By LeX - February 3 - 9:40 am

  Great trucklet for anyone single and guys who likes sporty but moderately big. I bought this 98 Rav4 recently (4 Days ago) at 140,000 miles. So far its been great and smooth overall. I have checked everything (no leaks) and is standing tall and strong for a 7 year old car. Fuel economy would have been okay if it offered more power, but gas consumption is moderate-high for being underpowered. Its great for cruising but equipped with the ECT button that offers a higher rev for conditions demanding more power for speed. I hope it lasts for 100,000 or more with me, so I can come back here and give it more ratings.

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  RAV Raves - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Mare - February 2 - 11:40 am

  This 09 replaced our 2008 RAV. It is all it was billed to be. Love the nimbleness with the v6. With the addition of the K&N air filter we get 24.8 city and 26 on the highway.

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  Fun-SUV - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By MichaelStroeher - February 2 - 10:00 am

  Best driving-fun, even on sandy roads.

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  Disappointed - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By exraver - February 2 - 5:00 am

  Its ok. Just ok. Just enough power. Quite disappointing mileage. Cheap feel to everything, especially closing doors. Sounds like tin can. Wish wed looked longer. Id be depressed if this were my car, its my wifes and she doesnt notice. Whew. Dealership staff were great to deal with however.

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  Rave 4 Rav - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Franklin Nesbitt - February 1 - 4:27 am

  I still own this car while thinking of trading up to a Hylander. I was surprised over how much more room is in this model now. I am over 6 foot and fit comfortably. This is a well made vehicle. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a small comfortable good looking suv.

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  RAV4 problems - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By TomT - January 30 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my RAV4 based on Toyotas reputation for reliability and Im disappointed with the quality. This week the check engine warning light and vehicle control light came on indicting problems. The car has a squeal underneath at 15 to 35 mph. I drove it on an improved dirt road and since then have heard loud rattles behind the instrument panel. The visor clip is loose and of cheesy build quality and seems ready to fall off. The ignition switch is also loose and seems cheesy. The wind noise when the back windows are open is very loud and sounds like a helicopter taking off. The passenger window rattles when halfway down. Im very dissatisfied.

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  Almost Perfect - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Bill - January 29 - 1:20 pm

  Its a rare and wonderful thing to find a small SUV being "over-engined", but this thing fits the bill. And to pay almost no penalty at the gas pump is icing on the cake. It has a few quirks, but every dip into that lovely V6 and 5 speed automatic manages to temporarily erase them. The most annoying thing so far was the typical current Toyota trend of having no choice of options: ALL V6 Sport AWD models in our 4 state area come optioned exactly the same way...Period. Other than that, the car has excellent chassis dynamics, a truly superior drivetrain, good highway stability, and its fairly quiet to boot. Almost perfect for its intended market. Front seat travel sacrificed for rear room.

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  Loving my 2015 Rav4 - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Mommma Jones - January 28 - 11:52 am

  I love my Rav4. I get real good gas mileage and it is realy comfortable for my family of 6. One happy momma.

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  Great SUV - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Central Florida Gal - January 27 - 12:16 am

  This car/suv is outstanding. Easy to drive, park and get in and out of. It has the power I need without sacrificing gas mileage. I love it.

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  Nice little sport ute to save the day - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Steve - January 26 - 1:20 pm

  So a little background on why I purchased a new Rav4. I had a 2007 Rav4 Limited that I had purchased earlier in the year I hoping I could reduce my debt and get a reliable car. My girlfriend and I decided that the new puppy needed to make a trip to Little Rock Arkansas which is about 400 miles away from us. I knew that this vehicle had started to consume about half a court of oil every 2000 miles or so which is acceptable by Toyota standards by the way. Understanding that this vehicle was almost 10 years and had 100,000 miles it wasnt a big deal to me. So what I have to add a little oil every once in awhile. I had never taken this vehicle on a trip before and checked the oil before I left making sure everything was good to go. After completing the journey I checked the oil the next day and found the dipstick to be completely dry. I had pumped over 1000 bucks in this car in the prior month and know it needs a motor great. Im a huge Toyota fan so I promptly went to the nearest Toyota dealer and started looking for something reliable that would get me and the girlfriend home without any trouble on Easter Sunday, I had been looking at a newer Rav4 anyways just to look and decided thats what I needed to get. I found the one and I wanted and after spending half a day of my vacation buying a car I went to dinner with my family. I was very impressed with how quiet it was compared to the previous generation and loved the standard infotainment system the car had. Being an LE I liked the fact that it had bluetooth and a back up camera standard. The next day we started our trip back home and I found myself speeding most of the way home because of how quiet it was. The sensation of speed is completely different. Going through the Boston mountains I began to notice how much the 6 speed transmissions shift and became very annoyed with it. After owning this car for almost a year and almost 13,000 miles on it I still annoys me how much it shifts. Without that transmission though it probably wouldnt get the gas mileage it does. After a few thousands miles on the odometer Im pleased to report that I can get over 30mpg consistently. I think the worst gas mileage Ive seen is 28. After a year the car still remains quiet and Ive had no problems. I like the service intervals to. 10,000 miles for an oil change on synthetic oil isnt a bad deal. The one thing that I had to change is the headlights. This car is the projector headlight lenses and I found it very hard to see to the right or left of the vehicle at night. It made it hard to determine how close I was to the ditches when driving at night. I could see that being a problem and somebody taking a turn and clipping a curb or driving right into a deep ditch. I turned to Amazon and purchased a set of LED headlights. I notice the new corollas have them so it was pretty easy to get my hands on set for 100 bucks. They made all of the difference in the world. The other thing that disappoints me is the how much these things are new. I believe my sticker showed almost 27,000. A few years ago you could buy a 4WD XLE with a sunroof for about 25k. I guess thats inflation for you. Great car, love the size, love the gas mileage.