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:

• 

  Lady owner - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By ANNE - June 14 - 3:03 am

  This vehicle is wide, roomy, zippy, comfortable. Has plenty of pockets and storage places. Nice to have spare wheel out of boot compartment. So easy to get in and out of with higher seats and doorway large enough to allow for a tall person without unnecessary stooping. But topping everything is the ease of the electronic steering and the use of cruise control on longer trips on the flats. The only con is the surging of the auto gear system, at unexpected times.

• 

  175,200k miles and still going strong.... - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Halls - June 11 - 6:38 pm

  Purchased used with 30k miles, and put 145k miles on with mostly just oil changes and brakes. At 160k, I had new sparks, throttle cleaning, brakes, and valve cover gasket replaced. I have also replaced the fluids here and there. I am amazed at how reliable this little SUV is. Never a breakdown on the road. I have never been able to put this many miles on a car. I have been test driving newer cars and so far havent found anything that measures up. The new Honda HR-V has slow acceleration; the Jeep Renegade smelled like it had no oil in it after a test drive; the Prius V looked and sounded weird and has no space in the front seat. Even the new RAV4 seems a sluggish old bus compared to my little RAV. Wish Toyota had kept this model the same: petite and sporty.

• 

  Still Crazy (about it) after 6 yrs. - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Jeffty - June 8 - 6:20 am

  Totally dependable, solid and always fun and economical to drive. 4-cyl. w/5-speed manual likes to rev high and zoom along. Zippier than youd imagine, very stable manuvering and braking. I get an average of 27 mpg combined and up to 31 mpg on a long, slow trip. Original Toyo tires were unspectacular but a set of Michelins made a real improvement especially in the wet. The quartet of engine sensors were a bit troublesome, three already replaced before 70k miles. Now at 100k miles it still feels solid and fun to drive. I plan on keeping this one for the duration and I feel pretty optimistic about a good,long life for this one. I would buy another in a heartbeat.

• 

  Knew what we wanted - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By HAMartin - June 4 - 9:02 am

• 

  Great Mid Size SUV - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Hampton - June 3 - 9:13 am

  Been a Honda dude for the past 12 years, but I traded my Odyssey in on the Rav4 mainly for an increase in MPG. We drive around 36000 miles per year and the hope of 30 MPG sounded great. We averaged 20 MPG in the Odyssey and in the first 1500 miles we are averaging 25.5 mpg with the Rav4 in evenly mixed city/hwy driving. We test drove the Mitsubishi Outlander, Honda CR-V and Jeep Liberty, but the Rav4 beat them all. The Outlander was our second choice, a close second choice.

• 

  JUST WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!! - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Rav Lover - June 2 - 2:00 am

  wont be buying dodge anymore!!!!!!!!! love this little suv, rides like a car, handles very well, looks great:)))))))))

• 

  BEST SUV EVER MADE - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Linda - May 29 - 7:44 am

  I bought my 2005 Rav 4 over a year ago with over 100,000 miles on it. This vehicle is a beast!! Three months after I bought it, I had a full car load of people when a DUMP TRUCK rammed into my drivers door, HEAD ON, going about 30 mph!! I am amazed that this little SUV held up the way it did!! Other than some small cuts from broken glass, everyone was okay!! Upon having the accident, my Rav 4 was left in the body shop for over a month so that some major body work could be done to it (the damages left by the dump truck were everything BUT minor). I honestly thought that my "new" ride would never be the same again...but I was wrong. Here it is over a year later and my RAV 4 is still going just as strong as ever!! Other than the accident, I have not had to put it in the shop one time!! It is now at 140,000 miles and it continues to drive just as good, if not better, than some of the brand new cars I have seen!! I LOVE MY 2005 RAV 4 (not to mention, it hardly uses any gas) !!!!

• 

  Great Car - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Al - May 24 - 1:30 pm

  I bought this car couple of months ago for my wife. She loves it and I drive it every chance I get (or excuse I can come up with). Rav4 is a fun car and I researched many months before decided to go for a 2WD automatic. Living in California diminishes the need for 4WD and plus I can save more money on gas. So far I get 21 MPG and this is mostly city driving. Curtain air bag was very important for me, so I had to move up to “L” and few other options since this was the only one on the Dealer’s Lot with side/curtain airbags.

• 

  I rave about my RAV4 - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By bubearkot - May 23 - 2:56 am

  My daughters 2003 RAV4 convinced us to wait for the new design, a very wise choice. Only have 250 miles, but going to Houston this weekend for our first road trip. Should be fun!!

• 

  Excellent quality - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Ray - May 19 - 10:06 pm

  Had this car for over 13 years. No mechanical defects and 270,000 miles. Usually got around 28 mpg. It didnt have the pep that some later models had but it always got me where I needed to go.