As the hot hatch became too much of an enfant terrible in the early 1990s, Toyota spotted an opportunity to offer something different to buyers who wanted to stand out from the crowd. Enter the RAV4. It wasn’t the first compact SUV on the market as the Suzuki Vitara was already well established. However, the Toyota RAV4 was the first affordable SUV with driving manners akin to a small hatch.
It was a daring move by Toyota, but one that paid off and saw keen drivers take it up with glee. It helped the RAV4 could be had a sportier-seeming three door or a more practical five-door. It also offered the added sure-footedness of four-wheel drive just as big SUVs were grabbing headlines as the cars to have. Each successive RAV4 has refined this outlook and now you can have it with hybrid power.
The Toyota RAV4 stacks up very well next to its rivals from any period in its life. Build quality and reliability are generally a notch or two better than most of the competition. The RAV is also better off-road than you might suspect, and the engines are decently fuel efficient when compared to rivals.
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There are very few issues to worry about with any age of Toyota RAV4 other than the usual signs of wear or abuse. Many are used to tow trailers or caravans, so check the clutch isn’t worn or slipping if the car has a tow bar fitted. Ands make sure all recall work has been carried out.
Earlier RAV4s work best with a diesel engine as they are noticeably more fuel efficient than their petrol counterparts. From the fourth-generation model onwards, Toyota offered a petrol-electric option and this is a good bet for anyone who lives in a city or routinely needs to travel inside a low emissions zone to reduce costs.
Toyota moved to a petrol-electric hybrid power set-up as the only choice for this generation of RAV4 and it works well with its automatic gearbox. It’s not as exciting to drive as a Skoda Kodiaq, but the RAV4 is very well made, comfortable and affordable when it comes to running costs.
Hunt around and you will find examples of the fifth-generation Toyota RAV selling from £26,000 for a four-year old car. Look for something half that age and you’ll need to budget £31,000, while a nearly new model will require a spend of £32,000 and that gets you a car with little more than delivery miles on the clock.
With only one engine and transmission combo to choose, the driving pick is between two- or four-wheel drive. The all-wheel drive version is better if you want added security in winter driving. A Design trim version comes with standard front parking sensors, which are a boon as the front of this RAV4 is hard to gauge in tight space.
A couple of recalls have been issued for the fifth-generation RAV4, one for the brake booster pump and the other for the front suspension arms. You can check with a Toyota dealer if any car you’re think of falls into these recalls and has had the work completed. Make sure early Mk5 are compatible with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto as not all were fitted with this when new.
Toyota moved the RAV4 up a size with the launch of the fourth-generation model. It was now on a par with the likes of the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 for size and cabin room, and its quality certainly bears comparison with these German machines. Also notable is a switch away from the side-hinged tailgate to a conventional top-hinged design.
A Mk4 RAV can be yours from £8000, which gets you a car from early in its production life or a newer model with high miles. Either is a sound bet for family use, while a car from towards the end of this generation with low miles will cost you around £28,000 for a low-mileage example with approved used warranty.
It’s a pick between the diesel and petrol-electric hybrid RAV4s here, while the petrol-only model is too thirsty for consideration. The diesel is more economical, but the hybrid is suited to cities with low emissions zones. The mid-level Icon trim comes with everything you could want and decent connectivity to your smartphone.
There have been several recalls for this generation of Toyota RAV4, notably for fuel leaks, weak exhaust bolts, and an inoperative emergency call system. Make sure all of the relevant recalls have been attended to and there really is nothing to worry about with this car beyond the usual servicing and vehicle history checks.
The third-generation of RAV4 looks very similar to its predecessor at first glance, but it’s a more rounded and versatile car. Toyota ditched the three-door body for this generation and made the RAV more practical to keep up its appeal to family buyers and put it ahead of an every-increasing number of rivals in the sector.
With a budget of £2500, you can drive away in a high mileage but clean third-generation Toyota RAV4. Put another £1000 into the kitty and cars with less than 100,000 miles come into the equation. Facelifted cars cost from £7000, while late models fetch as much as £12,500.
Petrol models are rare and the 2.2-litre turbodiesel is well suited to the RAV4, especially with the manual gearbox. Most will have four-wheel drive and this is useful to have in winter, while XT5 trim is the one to aim for as it brings more standard equipment, including climate control and sunroof.
There’s very little to worry about when buying a third-generation Toyota RAV4. Check for wear and tear of the interior plastics, which are easily scratched, and scuffs on the bodywork. Cars with an exterior-mounted spare wheel have tailgates that don’t open fully, which can be a chore when loading larger items.
There was a lot more competition in the small SUV sector by the time the second-generation Toyota RAV4 was launched. The Land Rover Freelander and Honda CR-V were tough rivals, so this RAV4 became more practical and there was now a turbodiesel engine. Three- and five-door bodies were offered.
£1500 will put you in the driver’s seat of a Mk2 RAV4, but this will be a high milage car and not in the best condition. A better bet is a car from £2500 with lower miles and a full service history. This kind of budget will give you a good spread of three- and five-door cars to pick from, and almost all will be diesel-powered.
The three-door version of the Mk2 Toyota RAV4 is strictly a four-seater and rear legroom is cramped, so the five-door is the one to have. Almost every one will have a diesel engine and it’s a good bet with the manual gearbox. Look for a VX or XT5 model to get a higher level of kit, though all second-generation RAV4s have air conditioning.
The basics of this RAV4 are very strong and reliable, but there are niggles to watch for. Rust can take hold of the floor, so check underneath. Also, make sure the speedo works and there are no signs of water leaks in the cabin. An engine warning light is most likely a failed air mass sensor and easy to fix.
The original Toyota RAV4 was a bold move from the Japanese firm, but it paid dividends as it caught the mood of drivers at the time. They wanted 4x4s with their high-set driving positions and the RAV4 offered them this plus the same sort of handling and comfort as the best small hatches.
A Mk1 RAV4 with an MoT can be had from £1000, but don’t expect it to be in the best of health, Better to spend from £1500 and you’ll have a solid, reliable early version of this long-running SUV family. The three-doors are a little more prized by fans of modern classics, but the five-door is the more versatile.
It’s worth seeking out a RAV4 made from late 1996 onwards as they come with standard front airbags. The choice between three- and five-door bodies is down to personal taste, but look for a GX or VX trim level to enjoy a decent level of standard equipment. Avoid the entry-point GS.
It may be an older car now, but a first-generation Toyota RAV4 that has been serviced at the appropriate intervals will still be in good health. Very little goes wrong and they are cheap to service. Just make the sure the four-wheel drive works as it should as sorting this can be pricey.
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