Toyota RAV4 Review 2024

Toyota RAV4 At A Glance

3/5
Honest John Overall Rating
A spacious and honest SUV that is economical and reliable, the Toyota RAV4 offers lots of practicality for families and plenty of equipment. It’s a bit pricey, though.

+Hybrid fuel economy. Comfortable interior. Good build quality.

-Expensive compared to rivals. No seven-seat option.

New prices start from £32,965
Insurance Groups are between 27–30
On average it achieves 77% of the official MPG figure

The Toyota RAV4 can take much of the credit for introducing the world to the SUV. Since it made its debut in 1994, it has been one of the most successful models in the company’s stable. Today’s car is much larger than the original, but delivers traditional Toyota reliability and comfort, together with hybrid and plug-in technology. Read on for our full Toyota RAV4 review.

With so many great SUVs to choose from these days, it would be easy to forget about the car that launched the market nearly 30 years ago.

But as our Toyota RAV4 review will demonstrate, the latest version continues to be a good, honest vehicle, delivering a decent drive with lots of interior space and equipment, plus the fuel economy benefits of a hybrid system.

The Toyota RAV4 has grown in size over the years, and the current generation has more style and attitude than previous models.

It’s not a match for the cool looks of the Hyundai Tucson or the sporty persona of the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line, but it still has plenty to offer, and is unlikely to ever let you down.

Although it can be hustled along if you feel inclined to do so, the Toyota RAV4 is engineered to get you and your family from A to B without fuss, providing enough connectivity and comfort to keep everyone happy.

Only available as a hybrid or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the Toyota RAV4 is frugal on fuel, delivers acceptable electric range and fits into the budget-friendly lower tax brackets.

Of course, there’s a very long list of rivals, thanks to the massive increase in the number of family-focused SUV-style options that are now available.

There’s the Nissan Qashqai, while the Ford Kuga also has plenty of fans, as do the Kia Sportage and the excellent Mazda CX-5.

Then there’s the Suzuki Across, which is essentially a Toyota RAV4 with a Suzuki badge.

The Toyota RAV4 doesn’t have things all its own way these days, but it’s still a hugely popular choice around the world thanks to its formidable pedigree.

Fancy a second opinion? Read heycar’s Toyota RAV4 review.

Ask Honest John

What summer and winter tyres would you recommend?

"The tyres fitted to my 2019 Toyota RAV 4 are rubbish. Can you suggest good grip tyres for normal wear and winter tyres as I go to the farm often in the winter? "
Assuming your Toyota is fitted with 225/60R18 tyres, we would suggest the Avon ZX7 or the Uniroyal RainExpert 5 summer tyres, both of which are A-rated for wet grip. As for winter tyres, we would recommend the Vredestein Wintrac Pro or the Continental Winter Contact TS870 P.
Answered by David Ross

What PHEVs have the longest range?

"What is the best PHEV to buy with a 50+ mile range?"
You don't mention your budget, but understandably more expensive and larger PHEVs tend to have the longest battery-only range. The Mercedes-Benz C300e offers a range of 68 miles and the BMW X1 xDrive30e offers 55 miles, while slightly less expensive offerings like the BMW 225e Active Tourer and the Toyota RAV4 can manage close to 50 miles on electric-only. It's also worth remembering that these figures are based on the WLTP testing program, so your actual results in the real world will vary according to weather, driving style, traffic and so on.
Answered by David Ross

What's the best plug-in hybrid SUV for £35,000?

"I want to buy a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV). I have a budget of £35,000. I have a dilemma, I have supported Land Rover since the early eighties and would like to carry on supporting UK manufacturing. I would like to move from my diesel Freelander to a more environmentally friendly SUV, however, I only cover 4000 miles a year. I need load-carrying capacity and all-wheel drive, the Freelander served me adequately. I am considering a second-hand plug-in hybrid and have been looking across Land Rover, Toyota and BMW but they are either not available or will no way meet my £35000 budget. Any ideas? "
PHEVs command a premium - we'd recommend a more conventional 'self-charging' hybrid such as a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. Both will be very dependable, cheap-to-run SUVs with impressive versatility.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Do tyres have to match?

"My front driver's side tyre on my Toyota RAV4 has a slow puncture and I'm wondering how important is it to brand match, tread match etc. tyres when you replace a tyre? Should I move the two rear original tyres to the front and the odd pair to the back? I’m doing approx 15,000 miles. "
Our stock advice with new tyres is to always match up the tyres across the axle. Unless it is an emergency you don't want to just replace one tyre at the front or rear - both tyres across that axle should be replaced. Otherwise you end up with mismatched grip levels and tread depths, which could potentially be dangerous in bad weather conditions.
Answered by Lawrence Allan
More Questions

What does a Toyota RAV4 cost?