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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  Never should have bought it. - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Susan - March 20 - 5:52 pm

  Bought it in Sept 2015, and it was the worst decision I ever made. The interior is very cheaply made. It has one of the worst factory stereos I have ever seen. The speaker sound goes up and down by its self, it sounds as if I put a blanket over the speakers. The nav system is just as bad. When on the phone through bluetooth it also fades in and out and the person on the other end of the phone has problems hearing. The blind spot is not good, it needs to sound an alarm when wanting to change lanes, just some little flashing lights are not enough. The LDA (lane departure alarm) system is just stupid. If you are drifting out of your lane the car should push you back not just sound an alarm. There are a lot of other things ( way too many to list) wrong with this car. For just over $30K it should be a much better car. We bought my husbands car a 2015 Chrysler 200 for about the same price and his is by far a better car for the price. I will never buy Toyota again.

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  ECM Killed the transmission - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Rav4 the junk heap - December 2 - 11:20 pm

  A week ago I wouldve rated this car a 4 out of 5 stars. Yesterday driving home the transmission went out. I lost the Drive gears and made it home in Low 2nd. Went online and discovered it is a common problem with 2001-05 Rav4s and is actually caused by a bad ECM (Engine Control Module). I called the dealership in the morning and they said it would be nearly $5,000 to replace the ECM and transmission. This is really bad for a Toyota with only 72,000 miles. Found out later that Im covered by a Federal Emissions Warranty mandated by the government. Called Toyota back and yes, I am covered after all, but only for the ECM and not the transmission. How ridiculous is that?

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  Buyer Beware - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By catrna - November 21 - 6:52 am

  I have owned a 2002 for 5 years and while it seemed like a good car at first it is not. At 89000 miles the transmission died and is no longer covered buy warranty. After doing more web serarching I found that Many 2001-2003 Rav 4s have presented with this problem Toyota is aware of this but has not recalled. So unless you have monney in your pocket to shell out for car repaires dont buy.

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  T-SB-0094-11 Engine Oil Consumption Engine Problems Engine Noise - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By curramba - September 27 - 5:33 pm

  Our Vehicle: RAV4 4-Cyl Limited (As in Limited Quality) Our Dealership: Colonial Toyota of Lincoln RI. This is my wifes daily driver. After 50k miles, the vehicle has the following problem: Technical Service Bulletin (TSP) T-SB-0094-11. About a month ago the engine light came on, after running an oil consumption test on our vehicle, the service manager said that it “only” burned 1 quart of engine oil in 1000 miles, which they said was within specifications. This I do not buy given my 2003 Honda Accord LX with 165,000 miles, had never had engine oil consumption issues. The engine output power seems to be in declined. The engine noise within the cabin is worst than my Accord!

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  not my best purchase - 2018 Toyota RAV4
  By JCB - September 2 - 7:58 am

  1 The rear window, offers limited visibility and is constantly cover=ed with either dust, dirt or snow because of the dumb airfoil operation in the rear. 2 The front grille offers poor air flow especially in the winter, the grille clogs up with snow and ice thereby blocking the air flow and causing the engine water temperature to rise unless you manually remove the accumulated snow and ice. 3 The front doors have a poor bottom design that accumulates snow and ice that if now removed freezes the door closed or packs mud or dust that seeps into the vehicle interior. 4 The swept back design of the front doors is a safety hazard as it sweeps backward and smacks a person in the head because of its design not permitting proper clearance when opening the doors. 5 The antiquated technology of a push start/stop button is terrible, a normal key ignition is far superior to this Model T technology. 6. The dash electronics are absurd and useless not to mention very distracting, ever hear of “distractive driving” that describes your electronics. 7. Heat rotary switch are ridiculous, you are in one confined car interior do you really think that one side of the interior is going to be a different temperature, must be a millennium design person to think that is true. 8. Floor mats do not cover the floor except when the seats are fully in the forward position. 9 The wheel wells do not provide enough clearance in the snow, ice or mud, use of 17 and 18 inch wheels are the major cause. 10 The 17 and 18 inch wheels are absolutely useless, they accumulate snow and ice so fast and hold it that you constantly can feel the vibration in the vehicle, unless ever time you stop driving you remove all four wheels off the care and scape the snow, ice or dirt off the inside of these wheels. 11. Rear suspension is terrible, the angled direction of the shock do not offer proper operation of the shocks and therefore the rear wheel drop with a bang when driving. 12 The rear hatch door is impossible, in the cold and and snow the outside switch to operate this door freezes and is then useless, In normal weather the door electric opening and closing is absurd, useless and very slow, better to have a manual opening door opening left to right of right to left over vertically opening door. 13 Swashed roof line is useless and absurd not to mention ugly. 14 Rood rack useless unless extreme caution is used otherwise the rear hatch open up into what ever is on the roof making the design very poor and thoughtless. 15 Mileage, I get better mileage from my 1967 Land Rover 109 than with is electronic ignition, injections etc 16 Old saying: do not change things that work, the old er design and technology was better and in this case very much better than your new design and technology

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  Disappointed in Rav4 dependability - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Kerry Ross Boren - June 23 - 7:26 pm

  I have owned several other Toyotas and I liked them for their dependability. I purchased a 2007 Rav4 for that reason and have been greatly disappointed. The brakes went out at 17,000 miles; an oil hose broke at 23,000; the tires wore out at 20,000 and had to be replaced; the paint job is chipping; the exterior is made of fiberglass and is easily damaged; the power steering column is failing and will have to be replaced at 23,000 miles. What a disappointment. Toyota fails to warranty any of these defects or make a recall for potentially dangerous ones. I have had this vehicle a little more than two years and it has proved to be an expensive liability. I will not purchase another Toyota.

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  I hate it - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Courtney - March 21 - 6:40 am

  This is car is horrible. I get it free through work-otherwise, I would never voluntarily purchase one. Its uncomfortable, poorly designed and has a rough ride. The interior looks cheap and has asinine places for cup holders. The fact that this car has a keyless ignition is, in my opinion, a nightmare. I find myself losing the keys like crazy because theres no specific spot for them. The rav also has a very jerky ride to it-not so great when riding with passengers who suffer from car sickness. The back door opens outward as opposed to upward-another stupid feature for obvious reasons. I could go on and on but to sum it up: its awful!!

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  oil burning Rav 4 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By rav88 - January 11 - 8:43 am

  the first Rav 4 I had (2006) was a "lemon" as whenever it rained the car flooded. So Toyota did replace the car after I got a lemon law attorney. This 2007 is guzzling oil and the representative I just spoke with me told me 1 quart for every 1000 miles is normal. WHO ARE THEY KIDDING? And the car has had maybe 6 recalls. Toyota deserves to be out of business.

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  RAV4 Review - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Aja Raye - December 19 - 8:13 am

  The most uncomfortable vehicle Ive ever owned. Seats are very hard. Road noise is so high the music must be loud and passengers cannot talk on cells phones when driving on the highway. Wind in the cab also makes it impossible to cruise with the windows down. One feature I like is the braking system. Very nice.

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  A Disappointing First Toyota - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Dennis B - November 3 - 2:41 pm

  We had driven Subaru Legacies for a few years and after test driving several small SUVs we bought a 2016 Toyota RAV4 LE AWD in March 2016. However after a year of driving it we have noticed the following shortcomings: • Gas mileage is not that good-sticker says 22/29 and we have never come close. We are lucky to get 25 mpg on a highway trip. • The hood is so rounded that you cannot see the front of the car and thus never know if you are far enough into a parking space and it is difficult to keep centered in your lane. • The roof is so rounded that snow falls on the seat every time you open the door. • The back window is tiny and so rounded in every direction that you cannot clean it with a squeegee. • The gas gauge is highly inaccurate-says empty when you have more than a quarter of a tank. (Both analog and digital readout) • The huge emergency brake takes up so much of the center console which is probably the reason there are so few inside storage compartments • The radio fades in and out (toyota keeps saying they can fix it, but never do) • Lots of road noise It does handle as well as the Subaru in the snow but the bottom line is that we will probably go back to Subaru very soon.