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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  ITS A BUDGET SUV, DRIVE THE COMPETION FIRST - 2017 Toyota RAV4
  By Goose - January 19 - 9:02 am

  I had my vehicle, 2004 4Runner, in the dealer shop and had to rent a car. The Toyo dealer rented cars and I decide on the RAV4 AWD LE. First thing I did was reduce the tire pressure to the vehicles door jam specification. Here is my take. Its not as quiet as my 2004 4Runner, especially on rough roads. On the Freeway it is quiet, so long as the road surface is good. Seats are comfy but the hip bolstering can make it difficult to get out of the vehicle. Stereo sounded pretty good at a stop or stop light, but the sound quality goes down hill as the speed increases. Its nimble and the short wheel base takes all of the credit. The MPG was around 24 with lots of city driving, Im not a lead foot or a grandpa driver. So would I consider this for purchase? No, the deal breaker is the amount of noise that makes into the car. Id like to add that on the previous day I had a 2017 Ford Fusion hybrid and that thing was luxury quiet, on any road surface. I use to have a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and that thing was quieter and more fun to drive than the RAV4. So there is my take, good luck with your decision.

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  Startup problems - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By tsoupy - December 23 - 11:36 pm

  Im having problems where my new RAV4 V6 4x4 just wont start up. Eventually - it will start but Toyota doesnt seem to have any handle on this issue. I notices that a couple other reviewers have had the same problem. Im not willing to live with this problem.

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  Megs Rav 4 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Margaret Langille - October 24 - 11:36 pm

  Has some body damage on both bumpers. Engine is in great condition.

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  Toyota is Slipping - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By voicedude - September 17 - 7:59 am

  I bought this car for the engine, and it remains the best feature of the car. But I have had ongoing problems with the transmission, and many others have, too. This is only true with the 5-speed transmission on the V6 (not the 4-cyl.) The now infamous "whining transmission" noise that has been well documented on the owners forums (search transmission noise on RAV4 World and others) is something you will want to consider when youre buying this vehicle used. Also the poor response from Toyota in fixing the problem under warranty has completely soured me on the ownership experience, so I wouldnt be able to recommend this car to anyone. Go with Honda.

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  260,000 miles, veryy reliable - 1999 Toyota RAV4
  By akxel - August 26 - 7:39 am

  reliable car, good looking on the outside, especially with ski racks black on black paint. 260,000 miles on it and still running on, steering is not that great but hey its a toyota, no a bmw sedan.

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  Well keep our superior 2011 Rav4 limited - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Tim - August 22 - 5:11 am

  Try before you buy! When we needed more cargo room to take daughter and dorm stuff back to school 100 miles away we killed 2 birds with one stone. Were considering a new Rav but a 10 minute test drive IS NOT enough so we rented a 2016 Rav4 Limited which was hard to find for rent and seemed to ride the same as a 2015 we had driven prior. The car served its purpose in 2 ways: 1: It got the job done. 2: It convinced us to keep our 2011. Why? Ok so if you drive mostly smooth highways its ok. When tooling around/commuting on anything else it rides like a brick (yes tire psi correct) You feel every imperfection on the road.The other annoyance is the 6 speed which in theory makes sense but its annoying as it constantly hunts for gears. The 15/16 just have an overall cheap feel inside and out including fake leather. Our 2011 by comparison feels solid, no gear hunting, not a squeak or rattle, nice ride, real perforated leather and great JBL sound. We have owned many fine Toyotas including our current Rav and 2009 Camry Hybrid but I think corporate greed has caused their quality to decline in recent years including far too many recalls some of which years later STILL dont have a fix which speaks volumes right there.

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  Disappointed - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By T. Thompson - August 12 - 1:26 am

  Couldnt wait to get a RAV4. I did get one in April 2006, trading it tomorrow. Complained to dealer on the 11 mpg around town, 17 on trips. I was told it would get better after 4-5000 miles. Now have 8400 miles - yes after 11 months and getting 17/21 and the small tank, not good. Three times I have had my ignition key not turn and keep trying, one time it took 4/5 minutes (no joke) before it turned, almost ready to call for help. I dislike the swing tailgate and find it very hard to clean. So, no more RAV4, taking a chance on another SUV that is well reviewed and hoping for better mpg.

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  Now Bigger Squintier with Less Head and Leg Room - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Jeff Harris - July 18 - 10:03 pm

  I took my beloved 2006 RAV in for its 120,000 mile maintenance. and drove a new 2015 Rav 4 for the day. I first noticed unfortunate design changes while attempting to get in the car. The seat was higher. The roof lower, and the steering wheel moved less. Anyone over 6 feet tall will not be comfortable getting in and out of the drivers seat of the 15 Rav 4. Thats a shame because the ample headroom and easy entry was one of the reasons I bought the 06 Rav 4. Visibility from the drivers seat , which wasnt ideal in my 2006 Rav4, was even further from ideal in the 15. The ribbon windows in my 06 model have become mere slits in the 15. No backup camera is a risky thing in the Rav 4; I had one installed after reportedly backing into objects hidden from view. The 15 has even less view of what is behind it. Clearly, tiny fashionistas with an obsession with squinty windows and headlights have taken control of design and the car suffers from it. The only improvement I detected was a decrease in road noise.

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  2007 rav4 v6 review - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By sd - July 10 - 3:26 pm

  The engine has sufficient power, at 270 hp. The vehicle seats 4 comfortably. The road and wind noise is excessive, especially on rough surfaces. The dash is made of cheap material. When the gas cap is opened the finish is dull and rusty. I am experiencing a tic-tic around the drivers sun visor area. The dealer says he does not hear it. It is intermittent but faint, and I hear it everytime I drive. There is also a light rattle sometimes when braking to a stop, again it is intermittent, my 96 Toyota camry v6 has 250,000 miles. I am the original owner and did not experience any of the defects and problems with the rav4. The Camry ride is a lot quieter. I am disappointed with the rav4 .

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  Poor in Snow, Item Fall Out Tailgate - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Anne - July 1 - 1:46 pm

  I bought this SUV last winter. The "run flat" tires are very poor in snow. Need snow tire alternative in "run flat" tire, as there is no room for spare tire. Also, buyer beware that when one opens tailgate items fall out onto the ground. I warn that a small child could be seriously injured if standing nearby when the door was swung open, because items, large and small fall right out of SUV. Watch those toes!