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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  What a let down! - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Fooled by the Hype - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Ive had the vehicle for less than a year and Ive had the brakes replaced (this was one of their technical service bullitens--a recall they didnt want me to know about until after the brakes failed and left me smashed at the bottom of a cliff somewhere), new pads put on, the stereo has had to be replaced--all this on top of its horribly slow pick up (transmission wont shift until it warms up), and other odd noises that make me question the reliability almost daily! Ive had enough--Im trading in this piece of @#!* for a Hyundai! Toyota really blew it for me--Im telling everyone I know and Ill probably never buy one again!!

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  Never again - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By VJ - July 12 - 4:49 pm

  This is my 4th RAV 4 and Loved them so much until the 2016 model drastically let me down along with Toyota Motor Corporation. I was in joy as I left the dealer lot with my shiny new RAV and loved everything about it , driving it around for a week or so and the clock around 500 miles I noticed this horrible ear piercing whine coming from the Transmission ? I immediately took her back to the dealer and gave them all the specifics of what I was hearing and concerned a catastrophic failure was to come ! They had the vehicle all day test driving and confirming the whine was present at all the specific areas I pointed out - a high pitch whine right before shifting to 2nd and 3rd as well as a horrible drone type whine between 40 and 50 mph and again on deceleration from 65 to 60 mph ??? They also confirmed it on another new 2017 on their lot that they took for a test drive ? I was happy the dealership took the time to look into this and confirmed this horrible noise but as of now it is an open case with Toyota Motor Corp. and doesnt seem to be going anywhere as they pretty much are telling me to live with it. I own this vehicle less than a month and hate it with a passion as I feel like Im driving a city bus whining my way down the road ! I am disgusted with Toyotas QC and how I read of so many others with the same issue.......my 2013 and 2015 have the same engine and tranny and are so smooth and quiet, so how can they say this can be normal ? This will be my last Toyota if I can get rid of it without taking too much of a beating. Also keep in mind a tranny replacement for this vehicle requires the entire engine to be dropped out from the bottom which also means tearing apart the entire front suspension system. So think twice if thinking of purchasing a 2016 or 2017 RAV4 and take it for a long long test drive before handing over a dime.