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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  problems...problems - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By jacobmarley - October 14 - 10:00 am

  overall this has been a great little around town car, though is the past 6 months we have had to re-build the automatic transmission, (very expensive) and replace the front struts (also expensive and hard to find). we have had the car back to the shop 3 times to stop leaks or turn off engine dash light, after the re-build. would not buy another automatic, but would consider a stick shift.

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  Problems already - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By melanie creadore - September 11 - 11:15 am

  After owning 2 weeks I found that no one can hear me using the phone inside vehicle. There seems to be water intrusion when washing vehicle. Acceleration is poor on highway and left me add what a gas guzzler. I expected more quality coming from Toyota, as I had the Lexus suv. The handling is poor. The technology is llacking, it doesnt understand my voice control at all. Already bringing it in to get fixed. If the alignment isnt off then the car absolutely handles horribly on the roads and highways. I put my hand down to pick up a candy and pulled out a plastic cover.

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  Not so good Toyota - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Xpat - July 27 - 10:00 am

  Rough ride, extremely noisy - cannot hear radio or people talk on the road, uncomfortable, cannot see the dashboard from the steering wheel, hard to fold/remove rear seats, not enough power/fade-out on hills.

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  Factory Defects! - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Josie - June 10 - 6:18 pm

  I bought a new 2015 RAV4 in February. Have had issues from the start. Door locks worked intermittently, often I couldnt get back into my car - big safety issue! Took it into the service dept FOUR TIMES before they finally figured out the problem. This after my complaints being met with either disbelief or being told that I "must be pressing the wrong button." (Huh??) One of the times, they simply let it sit in the service bay for an hour and a half, then told me they had checked it out and everything was now working fine. (yeah, right.) Turned out it was the actuator in the front drivers door that was defective. (Had no idea what an actuator even was until then.) Since then, Ive had 2 other "factory defects" - so far! It looks great, drives great, rides comfortably, but... I will never buy another Toyota!!!!

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  Decent Rental But Wont Buy One - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Villa - June 9 - 6:17 am

  Rented a Rav4 that had only 4k miles and drove it 700 miles roundtrip. Decent cargo and visibility. Couldnt figure out entertainment interface to control by steering wheel, so had to overreach to search and/or change radio and satellite stations. Also, couldnt figure out how to dial using display like my 2013 Kia Rio EX, so had to use my phone, even though the phone was paired to the Rav4. Aside from those small annoyances, the biggest drawback for me was the uncomfortable drivers seat. Another problem I experienced is the super responsive handling is a major flaw on uneven and unpaved highway. I had to fight to control the FWD while going 65-70mph over an unexpected long stretch of unpaved and uneven highway (thanks, CalTrans, for the warning - not!)

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  Bumpy Ride - Sports Model - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Kumar - June 4 - 11:56 am

  Hi, I am very disappointed with the bumpy ride for my sports model with the flat- free tires. I am not sure if it is the tires or the suspension. Very annoying! Very annoying! Feels like I am sitting on some vibrator when going over normal road bumps. It needs a perfectly smooth road to provide a smooth experience - Just not possible.

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  *BEWARE* - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Lee - May 10 - 4:50 am

  Loved this car at first, started getting a lot of wind noise, and noise from rear, had it looked at, but found nothing. Now, with only 120,000 miles on it, it started slipping. Had it checked and transmission is gone, of course its past warranty, plus the ECM (engine control module) would also need to be replaced, costing me $4,800.00.

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  Poor Design - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Rear hatch design - May 9 - 3:06 pm

  After driving this Rav4 Limited for 32000 miles I recently noticed that when it rains all my stuff in the rear compartment gets wet when the door is opened. Also there is no rear dome light. The light was put in the door which when open shines the light away from the compartment. A representative said it was a bad design and suggested I switch to a Highlander. Toyota should reconsider this rear hatch design. Honda has with its CR-V. I love everything else about the car. Please to Toyota make some changes. At least figure out a way I can add on a dome light.

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  RAV4 driver position - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By cigsmh - February 14 - 4:35 am

  After a having the car for a month I am still fighting to find more or less safe position to drive. I am afraid to lose control of the car because my right leg is in awkward position and I cant figure why. I have Montana 2000 and I have took all the measurements of the pedals and seat trying to understand where the problem coming from. I even tried to drive bare foot - even worse. I tried different seat cushions and padding - no luck. This is leased car and I have 1 year return back if lost the job. I will have to use this option if I cant figure out how to fix the problem. We suppose to go to Safari tomorrow and I am scared to drive with my family.

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  RAV4 no more - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By sjeppson - February 3 - 11:46 pm

  I have owned this vehicle 4 weeks and have it has been in the service department half that time and it still there