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:

• 

  Top Pick - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Rav - August 15 - 4:33 am

  This is the best compact SUV on the market; I have read a couple of reviews that complain about the ride and noise. You want a car get a car, you want a great SUV get a RAV4. Apples to apples this is the best all round SUV on the market, and YES it does ride rougher than a Camry, that’s why I like it. Lots of options, great power, excellent gas mileage, wish it came in a manual transmission. Some of the plastics inside can scar a little easily. Look at the others and you come back, they may be a little cheaper however, with Toyotas resale this car will cost you much less.

• 

  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

• 

  get it youll love it - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Sean Shin - August 11 - 6:19 am

  Great visibility excellent gas mileage good ride comfort all control within reach spacious back seat large cargo area all safety feature(adaptive cruise control blind spot monitoring rear cross traffic alert) available like most competitor only available on high trim highly recommended

• 

  ease on down the road - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By teen driver - August 10 - 10:00 am

  A few months ago my dad bought the RAV4 L for me to learn how to drive on After looking at other vehicles we decided on the RAV4. It has great visability and handels very well. I feel very comfortable driving this car.

• 

  Not perfect, but best of the field - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By JMcE - August 2 - 9:56 am

  I have 15,000 km on this vehicle and it is used for open road travel (little commuting) and some gravel roads. Overall, this is an excellent performing vehicle. The 5-speed auto is seamless and shifts when it should. The V6 really smokes when you need it. I dont need a fast vehicle, but the power is a safety advantage when passing on congested 2-lane highways. Ample room in the interior and the fold-down rear seats are essential for persons carrying camping gear, sports equipment (diving), or toting boxes from place-to- place. Sports model seems v. secure, even when buffeted by strong cross winds on a hwy. It is roomier than a Honda CRV, Subaru and Jeep Liberty. Test drive one!

• 

  All wheel drive taxi - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By john richards - August 2 - 6:03 am

  This was purchased for my wife and she positively loves it. Shes owned two Chevy blazers and this one wins hands down. Handling, fun good looking vehicle. The only thing I can think of that she does mention is she wishes the back window would open for better convenience. A little louder but you give up a little quiteness for an suv. (road noise)

• 

  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]

• 

  Amazing Vehicle - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By EricaK - July 28 - 2:00 am

  The toyota Rav 4 is a very reliable SUV. Not only is it fun to drive, but it handles extremely well in all weather. The RAV4 is my favorite SUV on the market because it is not a large vehicle, the inside has the same amount of room as a car, but the outside is big and off the ground. Being a college student, this is the perfect car for me because of its size and performance.

• 

  Very solid small SUV - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By nickyreviewer - July 27 - 10:00 am

  The RAV4 is a very solid car like all Toyotas, and fun to drive. You can see above the cars in traffic, but parking in the city is a breeze due to its short length. With regular maintenance, Ive had no problems whatsoever with the car. The ride is not car-like however, but it is a truck afterall.

• 

  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.