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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Great car - 2007 Toyota RAV4
By Angela - March 12 - 1:50 pmV6 gets 29 mpg on hwy - fantastic! Gets less than 20 in city traffic. Doesnt live up to the 22 mpg city listed, and I drive like a grandma. Nice upgraded stereo sound, but Im on my 3rd unit - it has a known defect/short that JBL cant seem to fix. Im hoping 3 is a charm. A very comfortable, powerful car. Bluetooth option is nice for hands free cell phone use.
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Love it - 2008 Toyota RAV4
By dalmar - March 10 - 7:56 pmWe bought a Honda crv first and in our opinion the 2008 Honda CRV can not compare with the Toyota. It has a great comfortable interior and has extras the Honda does not. Roof rack, hands free dialing and a unbelievable comfortable seat. Leg room is excellent and even the back seat has lots of leg room.
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More than I expected - 2007 Toyota RAV4
By toyotaJ - March 7 - 3:16 pmMy Rav4 limited v6 is everything I had hoped for and more. Its a hoot to drive with all that smooth power; one has to be careful not to get carried away! No SUV out there can touch it, especially not from the stop light!
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Owning the RAV4 - 2006 Toyota RAV4
By Mike Rhodes - March 6 - 11:23 pmI own the Limited 2wd version and am extremely happy with the vehicle. Mileage on first tank of gas was 28 mpg (half city & half highway miles). Acceleration and performance are suberb - drives like a 6 cylinder. Smooth handling and terrific turning radius make this vehicle a real pleasure to drive. Satellite radio is awesome and the JBL sound system is excellent. Road noise is almost non- existent (I bought the Toyoguard that most dealers in the Southeast put on their cars - includes soundproofing which works quite well). The cargo capacity is excellent - much better access and capacity than my 98 Pathfinder. I looked at RX 330s, and for the money the RAV4 is much better value.
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2007 Toyota RAV4 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
By 2007 Toyota RAV4 - March 4 - 1:33 amThe first things that appealed to me were the styling and pricing for the Limited. At first glance, the interior looks well-designed and human-factored. It is overly plastic though, and that detracts greatly from the quality one would expect in a Toyota product. This RAV provides a great ride and good handling. At the bottom of the list of features, and this comes at a bad time, is gas mileage. Im getting right at 20 mpg with a four cyl. engine around town. Six bangers can do much better than that!
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Rav4 Play - 2004 Toyota RAV4
By Diane67 - March 3 - 5:33 amIve only had my Rav for a short time, but I love this vehicle. Its got the Toyota reliability going for it, plus its just cute as a button! My first vehicle that I was able to choose all by myself!
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Great SUV value - 2007 Toyota RAV4
By jazzydev - March 2 - 1:46 pmPurchased this RAV after owning a 1998 RAV. So the difference is quite noticeable. This is my daily driver, so I needed 4WD and wanted good/decent gas mileage. The cabin is much larger, both with leg room and shoulder room. Love the look of the Sport (I think it handles tighter with the larger wheels). Gas is about 25 mpg with 80/20 highway/local driving. The road noise is considerably less. The back seat area is spacious, even if youre 62". The 4 cylinder has a nice punch, its not a 6 cyl, but off the line is good with just me in the car. When I test drove the sales guys said that the 6 is too much. Test drove CRV and 07 highlander-liked the RAV better.
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love em - 2000 Toyota RAV4
By mommamel - March 2 - 10:00 amfun,sporty,but still big enough for the family
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new rav4 owner - 2012 Toyota RAV4
By jeff336 - February 28 - 8:20 pmWe just bought a 2008 limited model (25,000 miles) with the v6 and two wheel drive and cant be happier. The car is fast and smooth. The leather seats are very comfortable. We get about 23 mpg, which is better that the 4 cylinder Accord that we had before even though that car was rated at 12/31 and this Rav4 is rated at 19/27. We have the optional third-row seat, which is small, but great in a pinch when we have a couple more kids to take somewhere. People cant hear us well with the bluetooth cell-phone link, but it may just be the phone causing that issue, not sure yet.
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Great Disappointment - 2005 Toyota RAV4
By Greyhater - February 27 - 9:00 amI used to think Toyota was a quality organization that was reponsive to customers. Unfortunately I could not have been more wrong. Buying this car was one of the worst mistakes of my life.
