Overview & Reviews

New fabric debuts on the two-door RAV, and a sunroof is finally available on the four-door. Improvements have also been made by using sound-deadening material in the dash area, reducing engine noise in the passenger compartment.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 37.00

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  Best vehicle Ive ever owned. . . - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Janet Wimmer - November 5 - 10:53 pm

  Purchased the RAV new in 1997. Had the brakes replaced twice, timing belt once as routine and nothing else besides ongoing maintenance. Drives beautifully in all weather conditions. Im a small person (5"2") and love the way I can see and maneuver in this SUV. Gas mileage is great. At over 208,000 miles, it continues to be quiet, smooth and very dependable. I will drive it until it dies! Id purchase another RAV in a heartbeat.

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  good second family car - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By chando - August 8 - 2:00 am

  great for hauling kids and gears around town but bit busy on the engine when push hard, so far so good

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  RAV - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By FRED DURST - December 22 - 10:00 am

  HARD RIDE NO FUN TO DRIVE SEVERAL TRIPS BACK FOR NOSIE IN CAR

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  problems...problems - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By jacobmarley - October 14 - 10:00 am

  overall this has been a great little around town car, though is the past 6 months we have had to re-build the automatic transmission, (very expensive) and replace the front struts (also expensive and hard to find). we have had the car back to the shop 3 times to stop leaks or turn off engine dash light, after the re-build. would not buy another automatic, but would consider a stick shift.

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  Very solid small SUV - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By nickyreviewer - July 27 - 10:00 am

  The RAV4 is a very solid car like all Toyotas, and fun to drive. You can see above the cars in traffic, but parking in the city is a breeze due to its short length. With regular maintenance, Ive had no problems whatsoever with the car. The ride is not car-like however, but it is a truck afterall.

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  Excellent car - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Paati - June 7 - 4:50 am

  I have my four door auto for seven years and I have yet to be disappointed by it. A lady at my local plant nursery has been dogging me to sell it to her after seeing what I packed into it over the years and how it has held up. It is going to go to my daughter since KBB does not even come close to giving it a value worthy of its abilities. If you are in the market for one buy it and dont wrangle because it will be gone very quickly.

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  rav 4 thumbs up! - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By chicken - May 17 - 10:00 am

  I am a college student and I have owned my Rav-4 for 4 years now. I have had no problems with it whatsoever! It gets great gas mileage, is the perfect size, and drives really well. At 6.5 years old, my rav-4 has never broken down nor had any mechanical problems. It is a good buy!

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  Great gas mileage, SAD tires and noise - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Loydetta Webb - March 5 - 5:20 am

  We really enjoy this little suv. Ours is a standard transmission. Its 4wd kicks in when you need it. Gas mileage is a plus, plus. We use ours on dirt roads as a SUV. The tire performance is very poor with only 4 plys, we continually have flat tires. The rear door noise is horrible, and could use some insulation or additional soundproofing. We recently utilized the lay down front and rear seats, for our son with a hip cast. A good buy for the dollar. We will buy a newer model in the future.

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  My Tonka - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Raven - September 18 - 9:30 am

  I like the sporty, good in snow, cool looking, weird little truck car. Unfortunately Ive had problems with door latches, all latches, metal rusting and breaking... odd little things. Ive replaced my windshield three times for cracks and pits. Mostly on major driving it never lets me down. I live in the upstate ADKS, so there is a lot of salt and hard wear, but no excuse for the bad metal situation. Still at 167,000, Im having trouble parting with this cool truck. Put a rack on it, I can stuff it with travel gear and take my pet!!! Its a noisy truck, so I turn up the music. Its a blast on backroads and snow with loud music. What do I do with this now, how long can I make it last.

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  Would Buy it Again - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By MC - June 18 - 7:50 am

  I fell in love with this car before I even bought it. It just looked like it was fun to drive. I live in Florida but have driven it to Texas and New York. The drives were very comfortable and I didnt feel like I was driving a small vehicle. Even drove it during a snow storm and it handled great. Since its raised a little you have good visibility all around. Mine is a manual 4-speed. Ive never had any mechanical problems with it - I do have regular maintenance from a trusted Toyota mechanic (not the dealership) Ive already decided that if I ever need any major work done Ill pay to have it done before I buy another car.