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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  Lousy Gas Mileage/No pick up - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Gdcsb - April 28 - 10:33 am

  This is the worst car I ever owned. I am lucky to get 17mpg around town and 22mpg on hwy. For a small car, light car it has no guts. It is reliable and has a nice look; however, it really stinks. I just traded mine in for a Saturn SUV.

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  Very Unhappy - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Upset - November 27 - 7:40 am

  The vehicle has less than 3,500 miles and already needs a new camshaft. Its been in the dealership for 3 weeks and still has not been repaired. They are working on it.Dealership keeps telling me it will be soon.Ive contacted Toyota Motor Company and they have been ABSOLUTELY NO HELP. Once its repaired I will always have concerns about the reliability. I would never recommend buying this vehicle.

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  Disappointed - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Dave - November 22 - 2:16 am

  After 3,500 I am amending my review, and I now regret my purchase. Recall issues aside, I have a Denso pedal and my car is not on the list, I am beginning to think that Toyotas quality problems are not limited to the recalled parts. The transmission shifts abruptly at low speed, my drivers door handle sticks, my breaks squeak, rough idle, and my gas mileage stinks (best 23.5 on the highway at speed limit). When I was at Toyota for a recall inspection, I told the service manager and he replied, "Try putting premium gas in," which the owners manual says not to do. I paid too much money to be driving a vehicle reminiscent of a Ford.

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  Not worth the price/poor value/poor workmanship - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By stew16 - July 16 - 10:58 pm

  questionable gas mileage at best, 4cyl is noisy, paint is the worst I have ever had on a vehicle, chipps to easily, toyota should put a full case of touch-paint in every vehicle. Has a tendency to accelerate, and the start stop button does not work as it is designed to do, alot of times the vehicle will not start when button is pressed. Toyota techs are even sure how to fix this problem nor can they explain how this is occuring with more frequency.

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  Car feels Cheap. - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Jimmy S - June 28 - 3:08 am

  Dont be fool by the look of this 2016 rav4. Car feels very cheap. Try closing and opening the door several times, changing volume knobs, temperature knobs, and adjusting the air vents , you will know they put a lot cheap materials in this car. Car makes loud noise when shifting from P to D. It also makes weird noise in the back of the car after I stop the car completely.

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  Disappointing - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By R88 - March 20 - 7:13 pm

  The climate control display and radio displays are awful. You can barely see them in regular light but in sunlight they are impossible. It would have been so simple for Toyota to use the same type of display for these items as the odometer. The rear window is fixed and the rear door is heavy and opens to the side. Mileage is terrible.

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  Blown up rav4 @ 90K - Not recommended - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By nomorerav - December 22 - 11:17 pm

  Just paid off my 2007 rav4 when it blow a motor. The water pump is located in the back and it broke. My wife drove it and blow up the motor. 8 grand for a new one. Even if she did not blow it up, the water pump is on the back of the engine. This requires the motor to be pulled to change it out. A $2000 to $3000 job depending on where you get it done. I had electrical problems. Tire wear issues, brake problems. All the senors would randomly go off on it. The Tire pressure senors where always needing replaced. I ended up junking the car, basically threw 20K down the drain. I know 2 other people that have had issues with water pump or rear main seal. And they all had there engines blown.

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  a real lemon - 2014 Toyota RAV4
  By oldtoyotausser - November 19 - 8:09 am

  The Rav 4 has had 25 recalls, which should say it all. I have had to replace both front and rear brakes at only 50k miles. The sensors went at 25k. The battery died at 49k. The front end is so far out of alignment that I must replace tires every 16000 miles or drive on badly, unevenly worn tires. I have had the car to 3 different alignment shops which verify the car is badly out of alignment. This is an unfixable problem. Unfortunately it still falls within Toyotas specs. I guess it is easier to change specs than admit this problem should also have been recalled. I have also had repeated computer problems. I feel that this car is unsafe to drive and a money pit.

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  Toyota Quality??? Yeah Right - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By neveratoyota - September 10 - 10:00 am

  Biggest piece of junk ever produced. Wish I had driven it longer than the test drive. Nothing but problems. Underpowered, overpriced, holier than thou attitude at the dealer. Conned into buying one because of claimed reliability. Traded it in for a Saturn Vue V6 AWD a far better car in every respect.

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  Very Disappointed.... - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Don Robitaille - September 2 - 7:17 am

  Do your homework and dont trust the brochures. First of all this is a hybrid XLE. I was the proud and happy owner of 2 Camry hybrid XLEs since 2006. Both of the Camrys had automatic headlights. The brochure stated that the 2016 RAV 4 also had automatic headlights and I also expected that in the XLE model. To make a long story short it doesnt have automatic headlights. The gas mileage is horrible for a hybrid at 24-25 mpg. The on board computer shows 27.2 mpg. But when you divide total mileage by gallons of gas at a fill up it comes out to 25 mpg give or take a few tenths of a gallon. Never comes close to the alleged mpg on the display. The road noise at 50+ mph is very poor. I have to keep checking that all the windows are tightly closed and they are. The contacts in the telephone display disappear at random, usually once a month and I have to reset my phone to the vehicle via bluetooth. Toyota did an update to fix the problem and a month later all my contacts disappeared again. There are other problems, but this is enough for now. I loved my Camry Hybrids and I cant wait to get rid of this RAV 4. I dont think I would even buy another Toyota after this experience and I was their best ambassador as a Camry owner.