Overview & Reviews

For 2015, the Toyota RAV4 is essentially unchanged save for a couple of new options and features. Specifically, there is a new Blizzard Pearl appearance package for the Limited, while the XLE picks up new wheels and the option of a power liftgate. Toyota has also revised the RAV4's frontal structure this year to improve the vehicle's score in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety small-overlap frontal-offset crash test.

• Strikes a good balance between ride comfort and sure-footed handling.
• Roomy interior for people and cargo

• No engine upgrade option
• Usefulness of available Entune smartphone features is diminished by cumbersome setup process.

User Reviews:

Showing 31 through 40 of 78.00

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  Rav4 problems - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By RL Williams - September 20 - 7:06 am

  After driving four other brands in the Rav4 class, we felt it was the best compromise of spacious interior, comfort and mileage. The ability of the back seats to fold flat easily was a factor when compared with Volkswagen. A conventional automatic transmission was our choice over the Subaru and Honda CVT. The ride quality and looks of the VW and Subaru was superior to the Rav4 however. After 5000 miles in the Toyota I would recommend driving some additional cars before selecting the Rav4. The cold start up is very annoying, instantly going to 2400 rpm instead of just starting and idling. The dealer says that is "normal". It may be normal, if so, Toyota needs to change the design. Also the stereo is not intuitive to set up or use. You cannot delete a station, it can only be replaced with another, and occasionally the touch screen seems to lock up and refuses any command. This is my first automatic transmission car in a very long time, so Ive had to make very sure not to use my left foot. If you even touch the brake pedal while accelerating the ecm commands the engine to idle. At least thats what Toyota says I did when attempting to merge into traffic and the throttle had no response. An interesting solution to unintended acceleration! The Rav4 seems to be a dependable, use full automobile that is uninspired in every category so far. As a follow up to the original review, Toyota and the local dealer say that the extremely hi rpm start is working as designed and that here is no way to change the idle. As to the brakes, they to are operating as designed- soft and mushy. Im impressed with the increasing power the engine has as it starts to break in. Also the small turning radius of the car is very impressive. So, a great working car that doesnt make me love it.

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  Great SUV/CUV, with a few caveats - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By tradedcmax - June 6 - 12:14 pm

  Updated 2 years later: I enjoyed the RAV4 and RAV4 hybrid for just over 2 years, but didnt realize the negative effect the front seat was having with my leg, and how I would develop a problem that could have caused or helped to contribute to neuropathy, something that developed during my RAV4 ownership. I had come to believe the RAV4 was the only car I could drive, without hurting my feet more. By chance I recently drove a Buick Encore, and while the seats were slightly more narrow, the bottom cushion side bolsters pushed up and provided support in a place that needed to be supported. I could not believe how much difference this made. I thought it was a fluke, and tried again and even again. Same thing, less problems with my feet hurting. Now, 4 weeks into this new relationship and Ive been able to do more than before. I have reduced the pain meds a bit, and I can go longer without the pain. I dont know if the condition is fully reversible or not, it came on during a 2 year period, so maybe it will take awhile. Maybe never. And maybe nothing to do with it? I dont know. But I do know Im getting better support with a different cars front seat. And I can get around without as much trouble - the need to limp from the pain is going away. As for repairs, I had the rear tailgate door switch that had to be replaced, and the problem of hitting the switch more than once was still present after the repair. In addition, the left front fog light burned out and was also covered under warranty. The last thing I noticed and didnt have serviced, was an intermittent issue with the brakes acting a bit odd, and without any consistency. It would feel like the left front caliper was grabbing or something. It was too intermittent to take in for service, and had recently passed the state inspection without issue. Is the RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid a great car? Yes...and a great value. The paint on the RAV4 Hybrid, made in Japan, was way better. And the 30mpg average was just incredible. I miss the extra space, and the fact I was saving more gas. What I wish was that the seats were more comfortable, and that Toyota realized that not everyone is a certain shape and size, and plan accordingly with the seats. UPDATE: At about the one year anniversary of owning this great SUV, I traded it in with 18,000 miles on the odometer. Why? I traded it for a 2016 RAV4 Hybrid XLE. I enjoyed it so much that I took a small loss to get into the hybrid version. The gas mileage is anywhere from 31mpg around town and higher speed commutes, to 37.5mpg on a trip from Phila to Baltimore and back - going just about the speed limit using the adaptive radar cruise control. While I gave up the faux leather heated memory seats, I gained a significantly better technology equipped hybrid version. The tech package includes front collision avoidance with cars and pedestrians, lane departure, front and rear parking assist sensors, and of course blind spot monitoring. My wife misses her heated seats for her back issues, but agreed the cloth seats were more amiable to not sweating when hot, and not feeling as cold when it is cold outside. The RAV4 limited (non-hybrid) model did GRRRRREEEAAAAATTTT in the snow, it did a really good job in fact. The hybrid AWD is different, and havent had a chance to try it in the snow. But the limited non-hybrid was perfect in the snow - hoping for the same with this one. The only thing I found I didnt like on the non-hybrid version, which is made in Canada, was that the paint was as thin a layer as you could imagine and I got alot of chips from driving on the highway. The hybrid is made in Japan and so far, not a single chip. I did have to replace the windshield as a stone must have hit the windshield, and then it spread, but no chips on the hood.....so if you like a good paint job, get the hybrid because they seem like they are better painted as they are made in Japan. I would highly recommend the RAV4 to anyone......from the cargo size, to the quality, to the MPG, to the lack of problems, etc. Id say the RAV4 is a homerun! All in all, Im pleased with this vehicle. I upgraded from another smaller wagon cuv with all wheel drive, because it could not handle the speed of I95 in the Philly metro area. I was pleased with the handling of this RAV4, at those highway/rush hour speeds. I havent tried out the AWD as I bought this in the spring season when there was no snow. But so far, it is doing well. Ive had this for about a month and have just over 2,000 miles on it. But this is getting anywhere from 24 mpg on my suburbia trips, up to 28 mpg on the highway (higher speed) drives. I realize Id get more MPG if Id be able to go 45-50 mph, but that is not possible.

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  Good car - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Charles William Lancaster - April 11 - 6:59 pm

  Drives well, shifts good and gets pretty good mpgs I average around 26 hyw & town. On our 2500 mile trip we got 28 to 30 mpg.

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  2000 Mile Review - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By adkdad - April 9 - 4:34 pm

  I have had a Ford Escape, Honda CRV and several Subaru Outbacks. I also looked into the Mazda CX-5 and Nissan Rogue. The Toyota RAV4 won out for many reasons. So far this vehicle exceeds my expectations. Im getting 28.7 MPG average (yes AWD)! I love the seats, they seem to "grab" my rib cage and I do not sway either way when doing a sharp turn. The ride is solid like a truck. Visibility is great. There is plenty of room for 3 road bikes in the back without removing the front wheel.

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  Good responsive vehicle. - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Ron Henchcliffe - March 21 - 6:53 pm

  When backing up on a rainy evening it is difficult to see what is behind the vehicle because the camera lens gets wet. The tires that came with the vehicle when purchased are extremely noisy and appear to get louder as the mileage increases. This is a well built vehicle that handles well." I am very happy with it.

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  Not happy with drivers seat - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Roshan - March 14 - 7:48 am

  Before buying this car, pay attention to drivers seat. I bought this vehicle and it was ok for couple of weeks and after that I noticed having back pain, Found out there are couple of springs in the back seat that are pushing against middle of back and that make it a very uncomfortable ride for driver. I contacted dealer and they advised me that use some kind of cushion as thats how seat is designed and nothing can be done to fix this problem. I had 2012 Rav4 and never had any problems with seat. Also I have a sienna at home and no problems. Its only this vehicle that is causing me back pain. I tried different positions on seat but no success. Thanks

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  Defective Hood! - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Art - February 13 - 3:58 am

  I didnt notice during the test drive because it was almost dark already. The hood is bouncing even at low speed and more on high speed. According to the technician from Toyota USA it is normal because they made the Rav4 body thinner than the previous for more mileage. Biggest mistake of my life but I learned a lot with this experience. Just waiting one more year coz still upside down. I will definitely trade this car.

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  After a month, so far, so good - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By John - November 10 - 7:11 pm

  My wife "stole" my RAV4 for a January trip to West Virginia. "Awesome" is her only report.

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  All the things you need in a vehicle for today - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By DelaRAV4 - September 2 - 11:44 am

  Shopped for a variety of vehicles that could be an answer to a variety of situations. The RAV4 checks all the boxes. Oil consumption issues deleted the Subaru Forester from my list; the Crosstrek was a strong contender but the lack of room deleted it from my list as well. Vibration issues with the new Honda CR-V crossed itself off my list. The Subaru Outback had a strong lead, but something in my gut said no. The RAV4 meets most of my criteria. Its a sharp vehicle and Toyota has done its homework in tweaking aerodynamic features to maximize efficiency (vortex generators, anyone?). I came out of a Nissan XTerra, which I loved but was killing me on ergonomics, and was a poor carpooling choice. The RAV4 has a huge rear seat, room to drop the seats and sleep in this vehicle, good cargo carrying capacity, an AWD button that turns all four wheels up to 25mph on demand, a traditional 6spd transmission, great fuel economy (averaging 27mpg mixed, but I did replace the standard air filter with a K&N filter), revised IIHS crash test scoring, expected resale value, and (lets hope) Toyota reliability made me land on the RAV4. The Limited is a rough rider, but 18" wheels and a taut suspension are the reason. The sport button adds life to this machine, and the eco button drains any pep - nice to know those features are there, though. The navigation screen is dismal (best in class for navigation goes to Ford and its SYNC system - miss my C-Max, too!) Stop griping about the lack of a place to store your sunglasses - if thats all you have to complain about, life is pretty good.

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  Well keep our superior 2011 Rav4 limited - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Tim - August 22 - 5:11 am

  Try before you buy! When we needed more cargo room to take daughter and dorm stuff back to school 100 miles away we killed 2 birds with one stone. Were considering a new Rav but a 10 minute test drive IS NOT enough so we rented a 2016 Rav4 Limited which was hard to find for rent and seemed to ride the same as a 2015 we had driven prior. The car served its purpose in 2 ways: 1: It got the job done. 2: It convinced us to keep our 2011. Why? Ok so if you drive mostly smooth highways its ok. When tooling around/commuting on anything else it rides like a brick (yes tire psi correct) You feel every imperfection on the road.The other annoyance is the 6 speed which in theory makes sense but its annoying as it constantly hunts for gears. The 15/16 just have an overall cheap feel inside and out including fake leather. Our 2011 by comparison feels solid, no gear hunting, not a squeak or rattle, nice ride, real perforated leather and great JBL sound. We have owned many fine Toyotas including our current Rav and 2009 Camry Hybrid but I think corporate greed has caused their quality to decline in recent years including far too many recalls some of which years later STILL dont have a fix which speaks volumes right there.