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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  Love my 04 Rav4 4ever - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By MayDay - April 6 - 8:05 pm

  This was my first car purchase ever. I knew I wanted an SUV, but not a giant gas guzzler. I love that I can for the most part fit into most parking spaces. It does drive like a car. This car now has 130,000 miles and still going strong. I wish Toyota made them convertibles at that time bc then this would be my car forever. Ive always wanted a convertible SUV, which there is one available now, that I am considering getting. But I am so attached to my Rav. Good thing my brother is going to buy it from me, bc it definitely deserves a good home. It actually has good sound too. I sure am going to miss my Rav if I do end up selling it. Im fighting back tears as I write this review...sniff sniff.

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  2002 Rav4 AWD - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Sean Allio - April 6 - 5:30 pm

  An overall good vehicle. Disappointed with Toyotas decline in quality. Not what it was 10-15 years ago. Had no major problems just small ones. The power door locks went out around 50k miles. Hatch door latch pin broke. Weather stripping pulled loose on window. Very noisy engine. Gets good gas mileage if you are on top of pre-maintenance.

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  Great, fun car to drive! - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Isela - April 4 - 6:53 am

  Ive had my Rav 4 for almost 5 years. Im about to go over the 100K mile mark and its been doing great. The only downside is that the 2001 model has something wrong with the Oxygen sensor software. I had it fail on me around 65K miles and again at about 82K. It was covered under warranty both times and is around an $80 fix for the next time it comes down the line. Not really a big problem, but it makes the check engine light go off.

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  MR HS - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By JIM H. - April 4 - 6:40 am

  SNAPPY LITTEL SUV, DRIVES AND HANDELS WELL, WE LOVE THE IDEA OF SHOPPING BAG HOOKS IN REAR COMPARTMENT, JUST ONE PROBLEM NOTED MOST PLASTIC BAGS ARE TOO LONG AND DRAG ON FLOOR. NOT ENOUGH UP FRONT SMALL STORAGE AREAS (NOOKS)GOOD IDEA FOR PLACEMENT OF POWER OUTLETS. GRATE INOVATION FOLDING REAR SEATS WORKS PERFECT. SHOULD HAVE ELECTRIC ADJUSTABLE SEATS

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  UPDATE - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By jacknhill - April 3 - 5:42 pm

  As an add-on to the first opinion I wrote of the 2015 RAV4: Initially I was slightly disappointed with MPGs and realized the extreme cold temps. in the NE USA were the reason.A recent road trip produced Identical MPGs as a traded-in 13 CRV: 62 MPH= 34 MPG 69 MPH= 30 MPG 74 MPH= 28.5 MPG 79 MPH= 27.6 MPG W/cruise control over 200+ miles at each speed.MPG was identical to the CRV.The RAV4 is 150 lbs. heavier too.RAV4 also fits more cargo as the wheel wells inside the back are 44"apart.The rear seats also fold down completely level,unlike CRV.Driving in city, Sport mode is a must to shift smoother.The 6 speed manual/auto is a ++. Michelins grab the road in cornering,big +++.

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  Great with a few reservations - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By dennism - April 2 - 9:40 am

  Ive had my RAV4 for about 4 months and I like it a lot. The 4 cyl engine is amazing and the braking is the best Ive ever had in a car. There are a lot of little extras which are nice. I have only two real complaints. The seat, while having a good lumbar support are quite uncomfortable. If you test drive be aware. The mileage is somewhat under the estimated mileage. My mixed city-highway is running between 18-21 mpg. Last, they should have had some heavy duty cover on the back bumper. It can easily get roughed up as you put things in the rear. They offer a little plastic cover, but it does not cover the critical area. This may have been fixed in the 2009 model. Great car-bad seats

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  Pretty good car (still) - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By stanley r - April 2 - 3:58 am

  We have had the car for less than 1 month. Initially the dealership did not detail the car properly upon delivery. They made up for it a few days later. We did run into a problem with the Sirius XM. Sirius XM reset the programming 3 times. It did not fix the problem of sound cutting in and out. We will be taking the car to the dealer in a few days to examine the problem. After seven months time...we find that the cars Blue Tooth system is not completely compatible with my wifes phone (a Motorola Droid Maxx II). The Blue Tooth connection is not reinstated each time my wife enters the car. She must do this manually. It is a small thing, but paying for all of this technology and having to hassle between Toyota and Verizon and THEN find that Toyota says "sorry, they are not compatible"....gives me negative vibes. Why not investigate this stuff when you bring the product to market???? And if investigation WAS done, why not advise the customer????

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  Perfect for a small family - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By sh4n - April 1 - 1:16 am

  - This is an amazing car for a family with young children. - Also a comfortable drive for someone over 6ft (I am 62"). - Great on gas, the v4 is peppy, but lacks power when a/c is being used - Interior perfect for kids as it was easy to clean up spills and other messes - Cargo room was very more than ample. Always came in handy for carrying small furniture, large mirrors, tvs etc. - Not a single problem over 4 years of use

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  Best small SUV - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Fabb - March 22 - 12:33 am

  Best small SUV, Rav4 is easy to park, fun to drive, nice interior I loved the trunk space.

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  First Foreign Car Buy a Disappointment - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By KB - March 21 - 8:16 pm

  After all of the great reviews on here and on Consumer Reports for Toyota, I was really excited to buy the new RAV4 Limited, my first foreign car. Im not sure Id do it again if I knew a few things in advance - Im 61" tall and I need 1 or 2 more inches of driver side leg room, headlights dont turn on automatically and the electric outlet only works when car is on. Also, the acceleration is excellent, but the transmission doesnt seem to know how to accommodate it from a stop; my tires squeal too easily... and Im not a stranger to good acceleration.