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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  Transmission - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Tom - February 26 - 3:00 pm

  Bought used with 14,000. Very well maintained. At 84K the transmission lurched. Learned that the ECM ($1,300) was defective and may have affected the transmission. Have never had a transmission problem with 8 cars purchased - some with 200K miles. I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN.

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  REAR DOOR OUCH!!! - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By Todd - February 23 - 10:36 pm

  I bought this car for my wife overall it is a Toyota (excellent vehicles) however I have been very concerned about the rear door. I have small children and that door is an accident waiting to happen every parent should watch out. What is with the weight of that door? It is a mousetrap and I am concerned that children can be seriously hurt or injured by this poor design. I would keep the car if Toyota could come up with a fix but I’m fearful that children have already been hurt by it. Watch it especially if you live in hilly terrain as we do!!

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  Beware before you buy - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Frank Cobb - February 20 - 7:42 am

  Bad paint, chips on hood, paint off door jam. No power. Big loss of money on resale value.

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  Reliable car - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By E. Hendres - February 20 - 7:38 am

  Ive had my 2011 RAV4 sport since March 2011 and I have had no major repair but Ive kept it well-maintained. All services, including oil change, filter change, etc. are done on time. I only have 54,125 miles on it. Ive pushed it to its limits when travelling. The only thing with this car is, its noisy. Youre not well protected from the noisy road. Besides that, its been reliable and handles well in snow and rain. I recently changed my 4 tires but that was after 5 1/2 years. So, it is a car that I recommend.

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  8 months of experience - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By gueniverre - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I got the silver Toyota Rav4 Limited Edition as a graduation present in 2003. It`s a great car overall. The drives are smooth too, despite the potholes in New Jersey. My dad recommended it to me since it tends to snow in our area. It`s a great car for all seasons. I remember ramming up a huge hill of snow. You feel under control. The sunroof during the summer makes it look sexxxxxy.

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  Heres our honest opinion. We like the car. - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By ericells - February 18 - 3:06 am

  Weve had the Toyota RAV 4 Limited AWD since May 2013. Going from a Honda Pilot to this car took some getting used to. We havent owned anything other than Hondas since 1987. We test drove Hondas, Hyundais, Mazdas and we settled on the new RAV 4 as being the most practical vehicle for the money. We didnt spring for the extra $1100 for navigation. Our phones can get us where we need to go for no extra charge. All in all, we like the car and would recommend it

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  Rave for the RAV! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By doug daily - February 16 - 9:58 am

  It has it all. Fantastic. The two tone nutmeg seats are gorgeous. The seats are comfortable and room for 5 adults my size, (which is not small.) great handling and all the technology I need in a car. The side blind spot mirrors are great as I did not like the idea of flashing lights and buzzers ever time a vehicle came near the car. Mileage is great, got 36.2 on my last trip from work! Really a fun and super car to own.

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  What good are safety signals they cant be heard - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Arlene - February 11 - 1:42 pm

  What good are safety signals if they cant be heard above a radio. or even road noise if the windows or moon roof is open. The lane drift would never be heard if a person falls to sleep. I asked about making them louder but was told it was impossible

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  Happy owner - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Frank - February 8 - 1:20 am

  It was 10 years since I bought a new car and I chose the Rav4 over the CRV after careful consideration and driving the V6 version. I needed a new car for a newly emerging family so I needed something more useful than a 2 seater truck and Miata. I required fuel efficiency and a healthy reliability rating so Toyota and Honda were top of the list. I chose to get an SUV over a car because of the utility factor (I also have 2 big dogs). I cant comment on reliability yet but I am in love with this vehicle.

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  Dependable RAV4 - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By FRAN - February 5 - 11:20 am

  Very dependable and comfortable vehicle. Gas consumption is minimal compared to previous vehicles.