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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  Gotta love my Rav4 - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By William Rosa - September 30 - 11:05 am

  Ive been a 3x RAV4 owner and wouldnt trade for any other SUV. The RAV4 has the power, speed and comfort and in my opinion the best mid-size SUV. It can take you anywhere.

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  Smooth Hwy, Little Rough Local Part 2 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By sy - September 30 - 12:36 am

  Follow up to my 4/12/08 review. Hesitation when accelerating is a torque steer issue. The front wheel drive cant handle the massive horsepower. Changed oil and tried premium gas to no avail. This engine is meant for 4WD & not really for FWD. Changed my local driving habits for this vehicle, cannot punch it from a start or at slower speeds & step on it when its moving faster. Edmunds has an article, "Long-Term Test: 2006 Toyota RAV4" that goes into detail about this acceleration issue with FWD. Wished it came out sooner. Well probably spend a few more bucks & get into the luxury segment next time. One thing I do know, this engine is sound and should last for a very long time.

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  Wouldnt buy again - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By mikeyCT - September 29 - 10:50 am

  Ive had my Rav for over a year now (16,000 mi). I cant say Im all that impressed. I had very high expectations for my first Toyota, but have found it to just be a lot of hype. If I could do it again I wouldnt buy this car.

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  Best Compact SUV Lease Choise for Us - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By gb philly burbs - September 26 - 7:04 pm

  We are leasing the 2015 RAV4 AWD 6A LE, replacing a comparable 2012 RAV4. We do a lot of long distance highway driving and find it very comfortable. Overall it is a step improvement over the previous model and we are happy with it, though it is no luxury vehicle. Of the other SUVs we considered, it was the best manufacturers lease deal. Weve been leasing to wait for better SUV fuel economy breakthroughs. Now that a RAV4 Hybrid is available, that is our top purchase candidate. We considered Honda CRV, Subaru Forester, and Subaru Outback. The much more expensive Outback was the best riding, best MPG, most luxurious , and much quieter, but we preferred the upright seating and compacter wheelbase of a true SUV. Of the 3 true SUVs the Toyota was the quietest (both Honda and Subaru still have unacceptable highway wind noise after all these years) and smoothest handling at highway speeds. Like its 2012 predecessor, our RAV4 was flawlessly constructed. The engine purrs and acceleration is very smooth. Handling is good considering the higher center of gravity and weight of an SUV (Forrester wins in this category with its boxer engine). In strong wind at highway speed handling is jittery due to the high profile and short wheelbase- a lot of micro steering adjustments may be required. Mileage is decent, but not exceptional, and little better than the previous model despite the addition of an extra gear. If I keep it under 65 mph I can handily beat the EPA highway 29 MPG rating. However, on a recent 1200 mile highway drive at 80+/- mph, with some frantic stop and going around metro Washington DC, we averaged 27.6 mpg. Overall I have averaged 26.1 mpg in normal driving mode, lighting up the green ECO LED most of the way. 2017 UPDATE: Just drove 1150 miles from FL to PA with several half hour traffic crawl delays, otherwise averaging 70-80 mph with average mpg of 29.5 in eco mode. I have no problem with the electronic displays and controls. Find them useful, easy to read, and intuitive. Backup camera with guidelines is a great feature. Basic stereo sound is nothing special; works well with USB or music player, easy to set up blue tooth connections. It pisses me off that Toyota doesnt include a driver lumbar support in anything but the XLE model. Seats are fairly comfortable though better for me if I use a Back Joy Sit Smart. Some other areas where you now get less than in the previous model: no overhead sun glass holder, only one in-dash storage box and a useless shelf above it, less console storage, glove box does not lock, no cross bars (but a cheap after market purchase if you need it, and at least you get roof rails on the basic models unlike the CRV), no back seat fold down lever in the storage area, no VARIABLE control for intermittent wiper, no full size spare, plastic wheel covers instead of finished steel wheels. The extra charge floor mats are very cheap, better to get something after market. Some pluses versus 2012, ours included a rear storage cover, backup camera, the rear seat headrests can be easily folded down to improve rear view visibility, in car spare storage and upswing rear door makes rear access much easier, better MPG feedback tools, quieter ride. Rear visibility is excellent (much better than CRV). However, the forward descending body side lines throw you off when trying to align the car in a parking space. Cannot see speedometer when driver seat position is elevated.

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  My Tonka - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Raven - September 18 - 9:30 am

  I like the sporty, good in snow, cool looking, weird little truck car. Unfortunately Ive had problems with door latches, all latches, metal rusting and breaking... odd little things. Ive replaced my windshield three times for cracks and pits. Mostly on major driving it never lets me down. I live in the upstate ADKS, so there is a lot of salt and hard wear, but no excuse for the bad metal situation. Still at 167,000, Im having trouble parting with this cool truck. Put a rack on it, I can stuff it with travel gear and take my pet!!! Its a noisy truck, so I turn up the music. Its a blast on backroads and snow with loud music. What do I do with this now, how long can I make it last.

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  Great road-trip and family car - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By pinheadh78 - September 17 - 6:56 pm

  We started our car shopping with about 30 cars of various van, sedan, hatchback, and SUVs on our list. We tracked everything in spreadsheet from safety, mileage, price, everything. After several test drives and reviews the 2013 Rav4 was the winner with the most features, cargo capacity, mileage, safety, and driving performance. The Honda CRV 2013 was our 2nd choice but it wasnt fun to drive, felt sluggish with no "go" feeling. The Rav4 has the acceleration, handling, and styling that the Honda does not.

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  Rav Sport; the GTO of SUVs - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Don - September 9 - 7:26 pm

  We checked them all out; CRVs, Rogues, Outlanders and Tiguan, etc. All had their points. We chose the Rav because of the build quality, the great lease deal, and the hot 265 hp V- 6 that gets mpg almost as good as the 4. Its really quick, with great handling; lots of fun to drive. The Rav sport w/ the V-6 is the only Rav without a tailgate mounted spare. You get "run flat" tires instead. Well see how that works out. The Rav is a total package choice; I dont think it wins, hands down, in any one category but is a solid choice across the board, including great resale (if you purchase). We were looking to get a little pizzaz in an otherwise functional vehicle; the RAV4 Sport 6 delivers.

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  Love my RAV - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Ifti - September 9 - 3:40 pm

  After months of due diligence I decided to go for RAV4. I am pleased with the decision I made and my friends and collegues are impressed too. Its zippy, good on mileage (22mpg city/30mpg highway), compact and good pick (better than my previous v6 dodge intrepid). Its great value for the price. Great looks and great performance backed by Toyotas reputation, I think its the best compact SUV in the market. Safety features, especially side curtain air bags, helped me get good insurance rates and peace of mind, of course.

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  Fast Rav4 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By cjd2966 - September 9 - 12:46 pm

  Fast little crossover with loads of power. Sport handling is excellent with firm ride and tire grip. Good amount of storage and great flip seats. Perfect for us and our dogs.

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  A fun and sporty ride! - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Nancy - September 6 - 3:23 pm

  This little SUV has quite a kick to it. Its a fun, sporty, reliable ride. At times, its a little bumpy...sort of a Jeepy feeling but I like that. The quality seems good and like it will hold up for years. The seats are easily removed or repositioned to create a surprising amount of space. And, even riding in the back seat is comfortable. My one complaint is that it is difficult to have the windows down--it seems much more noisy than usual and that probably has something to do with the design . . .