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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  RAV4 twice - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Deanne - November 9 - 10:53 am

  I traded my 2003 blue RAV4 L package for a 2005 black RAV4 L package. I enjoy my car because it is the right size for my family of four. Not to mention, where I live we have a lot of hills and small side streets. So, the size is perfect. I had a mishap with my 05 car after driving it for eight days. The car cut- out while I was driving...It was determined the fuel pump was bad:( All in all I would not trade my toyota for a another model car!

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  New RAV4 - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By chickenlips - November 9 - 10:00 am

  Very fun to drive, especially with the 5-speed manual, but under-powered. Handling is superb, as are the brakes. All-in-all, a nice vehicle. Could use a larger engine. Sterio sounds tinny. Same as Camry. Needs better speakers.

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  Best vehicle Ive ever owned. . . - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Janet Wimmer - November 5 - 10:53 pm

  Purchased the RAV new in 1997. Had the brakes replaced twice, timing belt once as routine and nothing else besides ongoing maintenance. Drives beautifully in all weather conditions. Im a small person (5"2") and love the way I can see and maneuver in this SUV. Gas mileage is great. At over 208,000 miles, it continues to be quiet, smooth and very dependable. I will drive it until it dies! Id purchase another RAV in a heartbeat.

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  Engine problems - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Somerset Ky - November 2 - 2:00 am

  With only one year and 9000 miles on the vehicle a piece fell from inside the valve cover and went into the engine doing about $3000.00 in damages to the engine. Dealership advised it was a bad design by Toyota, but would didnt think it would be recalled. The fan belt has a squeek in it ever since.

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  I wish they still offered the 6 cyl - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By Ted - October 30 - 9:00 pm

  Outstanding power and acceleration. Good mpg. Very good features for the time. I would absolutely by it again, especially with updated features of current model.

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  Peppy, noisy, thirstly beast... - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Alex Povolotski - October 27 - 8:46 pm

  Very practical car, quite spacious inside, though you cannot tell from the outside. Nice styling, large buttons inside, lots of cargo room here and there, especially with second row folded. On the downside, the interior is very simplistic, the steering wheel is too small to my taste but on the lighter side of steering, which I kinda like. The brakes are marshmellowy. The 4 cyl engine is peppy and is surprizingly agile in all conditions, feels more like V6, actually. Too noisy though, engine noise is very intrusive, not like in Camry (though same engine). Mileage was disappointing -- 12.5L/100km.

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  It will get you to where you need to go but not much else - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By cato1998 - October 25 - 2:42 pm

  Ive owned my RAV 4 for 5 years now and its the 3rd Toyota Ive owned (91 celica and 00 celica being the others). All my toyotas have been really great on quality. I bought this RAV 4 because of it being more practical than my 2000 toyota celica I traded it in for. The RAV 4 can get me through the midwestern snow storms without much problems (big problem with my celica). It gets great gas milage for a SUV but the RAV 4 is pretty vanilla. Not really exciting to drive. It will get me to where I need to go but thats about it.

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  Super car with great features. - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By mem103 - October 24 - 1:13 pm

  Although I have only owned my Rav4 for a couple of days now, I can say it is a fantastic vehicle. I moved up from a very nice but small Echo so in many ways the Rav4 feels like a luxury vehicle! It is powerful, fast, safe and roomy. I only wish that 2WD Limited models were available so I could have purchased one with a few more extras:) If you are thinking about getting this vehicle, you must take it for a test drive and check out all it comes with. Youll be sold! It is no wonder its been so popular for all these years.

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  Ralph the Rav! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Sue Wise - October 19 - 8:41 am

  I love the little car and the fact that you sit higher than in a sedan. I am still learning how to use all the features but was not real impressed the few times we have tried the navigation. I went with the Limited to get some higher end features but some of the features could be tweaked to a higher level.

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  Wouldnt trade it - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By marmet - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Love the RAV4. Would add some splash of interior options (leather seating for one) but wouldnt trade it!