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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  this is a fine car - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By James Giesel - June 10 - 3:07 pm

  ive ony owned my new rav4 for a few weeks which makes many of the above value judgments sort of meaningless. But so far I have no complaints. The happiest aspect of our short life together is fuel economy - 28.5 mpg overall with a healthy dose of town driving and 31 and change on the interstate. My guess is that a light foot is the answer. We try our best to keep the "eco" light on and it pays off. Otherwise, the seating is more comfortable than it was in our 2009 rav an theres plenty of legroom in the rear. Havent tried to load her up for the annual trip to AK and am hoping that the lack of storage space under the rear floor wont be too much of an issue. Cant wait to try the off road performance!

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  Love my Toyota - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Be - June 10 - 2:00 am

  Great compact SUV - Handles great in snow.

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  Great value, super car for commuting! - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By dmbourgeois - June 10 - 2:00 am

  EXCELLENT CAR!! This is the BEST by far I have ever owned. I drive 110 miles RT every day to my job, and I wanted something that was comfortable, good on gas and reliable. The Toyota RAV4 has proved to be all of this and more....it was very reasonably priced. The RAV4 drives like a 6 cylinder, is comfortable and roomy and has a great stereo/CD/tape deck. Excellent handling in the winter weather and rain. I would recommend this car to anyone, but especially to those who commute any distance. I get the room and comfort of an SUV with the gas mileage of a much smaller car.

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  2008 Rav4 V6 - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Max - June 9 - 6:56 pm

  We traded in our sports car for the new RAV4. Our hope was to achieve the gas mileage abilities of our Nissan Maxima (family car) while gaining a more versatile vehicle. We did have one noise issue that was hard to track down since it would only happen at freeway speeds. The source of the noise was the roof rack cross member (it was loose). This caused a noise as it shifted position due to wind speed pushing it backward. The 2nd noise source was a loose radio antenna. We are averaging between 22.5-24 MPG in mixed driving (65%+ city) with the V6. Our RAV has just over 1000 miles on it and I suspect the MPG will be increasing.

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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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  Excellent car - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Paati - June 7 - 4:50 am

  I have my four door auto for seven years and I have yet to be disappointed by it. A lady at my local plant nursery has been dogging me to sell it to her after seeing what I packed into it over the years and how it has held up. It is going to go to my daughter since KBB does not even come close to giving it a value worthy of its abilities. If you are in the market for one buy it and dont wrangle because it will be gone very quickly.

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  Good! - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By love it - June 6 - 8:13 am

  I love our RAV4. We were torn between the CRV (because it doesnt have the ugly rear tire) but the CRV has no V6 option and was way too slow. The interior of the RAV4 is much nicer. Not getting as good MPG as expected 21-24 MPG.

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  Love it! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Lauri - June 6 - 6:20 am

  I drive to work about 25 miles back and forth and once a month I will drive out of town (250 miles). The ride is very smooth and comfortable. I love everything in this car. I have nothing to complain. The space is incredible! I really love the hidden compartment in the back! I can carry three mtn bikes in the suv with three people in it and the full size cooler. The gas mileage is GREAT!! I have driven other suvs before and it is all right. Nothing can beat 2006 Rav4. My mother drives the Lexus RX 330 and she mentioned that she loves my car better than hers. ;)

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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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  A Great Small SUV - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Eddie O - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Weve only had the vehicle a little over a month. My wife and I looked at several similar vehicles before settling on the RAV 4. My wife drives the vehicle to work daily and the RAV 4s safety and handling features were much better than the competition. Specifically, it was the only small SUV to offer stability control and traction control. We looked at the Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Ford Escape, Mistubishi Outlander, and Subaru Forester. To date fuel mileage is better than expected.