Toyota RAV4 review
The Toyota RAV4 is a spacious, reliable, and well-equipped family SUV that offers the efficiency of hybrid power in a practical and sensible package.
Author: Charlie Harvey
31st Dec 2025 – 8 mins read
The Toyota RAV4 was one of the original cars to kick off the small SUV trend way back in 1994. It offered the rugged looks of an off-roader but was as easy to drive as a regular hatchback, and people loved it. Over the years, the RAV4 has grown up and become a much more conventional and family-focused SUV, competing in one of the most popular markets around. The fourth-generation model, launched in 2013 and updated in 2015, is a perfect example of this. It’s a large, incredibly practical, and reliable SUV that embodies Toyota's core values. It’s not the most exciting car to drive, but it gets the job done with a quiet competence that’s very reassuring. With a huge boot, a roomy interior, and the option of Toyota’s proven hybrid technology, the RAV4 is a solid, sensible choice for any family looking for a dependable SUV.
Pros
- A very spacious interior with a huge boot
- Comes with a good level of standard equipment
- Incredibly reliable and well made, as you'd expect from Toyota
Cons
- It's not the most exciting car to drive
- The hybrid's real-world fuel efficiency can be a bit disappointing
- Some of the materials in the cabin feel a bit cheap
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The inside of the RAV4 is a very functional and user-friendly space. The design is straightforward and sensible rather than stylish, with all the controls laid out in a logical way that makes them easy to use. A seven-inch touchscreen is standard across the range, which includes features like a reversing camera, DAB radio, and Bluetooth.
The quality of the materials is a bit of a mixed bag. While everything feels solid and built to last, you will find some hard, scratchy plastics that stop it from feeling truly premium. It’s a cabin designed for durability and ease of use rather than luxury.
Comfort
The RAV4 is a comfortable and relaxing car to travel in. The seats are supportive, and its large size means there’s plenty of room for everyone to stretch out. The driving position is high, giving you a commanding view of the road, and the cabin is generally quiet and refined.
The ride is smooth and does a good job of soaking up bumps in the road, making it a great car for long family journeys. It’s a comfortable and fuss-free environment that makes every trip a pleasant one.
Quality
Toyota has a world-class reputation for building reliable and long-lasting cars, and the RAV4 is a perfect example of this. It feels like a very solid and well-built vehicle, and owners report very few problems. You can buy a RAV4 with a huge amount of confidence that it will be a dependable and trustworthy companion for your family. There's a reason you see so many older Toyotas still on the road.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
The RAV4 is a very big car for its class, and that translates into a huge amount of interior space. It’s a strict five-seater, but those five seats are incredibly roomy. There’s loads of legroom and headroom for passengers in the front and back, so even tall adults will be able to get comfortable on long journeys. If you need a spacious five-seat SUV, they don’t get much roomier than this.
Boot space
With all five seats in place, the RAV4 has a massive 547-litre boot, which is one of the biggest in its class. It’s a very practical space with a low loading lip and a wide opening, making it easy to get heavy or bulky items in and out. It will swallow pushchairs, luggage, and the biggest weekly shop with ease. If you opt for the hybrid model, the boot space drops slightly to 501 litres to make room for the batteries, but it's still a very generous size.
Driving
Driving experience
The Toyota RAV4 is a car that prioritises comfort and ease of use over an exciting driving experience. It’s not a car you’ll enjoy throwing down a twisty road, as the steering feels a bit numb and there’s quite a lot of body lean in the corners.
However, it is very easy and relaxing to drive. The light controls and smooth power delivery make it a doddle to drive around town, and it feels stable and secure on the motorway. It’s a car that gets you from A to B with the minimum of fuss, which for many family buyers is exactly what’s needed.
Performance
There are three engine choices for this generation of RAV4: a petrol, a diesel, and a petrol-electric hybrid. The 2.0-litre diesel engine is the entry-level choice and the most sensible option for most people. It produces 141bhp, which is enough to give the big RAV4 decent performance while also being the most economical engine in the range.
There’s also a 2.0-litre petrol engine, but this is only available on higher-spec models with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive. The most interesting option is the hybrid, which combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to produce a healthy 197bhp, making it the fastest model in the lineup.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
The 2.0-litre diesel engine is the most economical choice, with an official fuel economy figure of 60.1mpg. The hybrid models are not far behind, with the front-wheel-drive version officially capable of 57.6mpg. However, to get the best economy from the hybrid, you need to drive it gently, especially around town. The 2.0-litre petrol is the thirstiest of the lot, so it’s best avoided if you want to keep running costs down.
Value for money
For such a large and practical car, the RAV4 is very competitively priced. It offers a lot of metal for the money and comes with a generous amount of standard equipment, even on the entry-level models. It holds its value reasonably well for a car of this type, but you can still find some great deals on the used market, making it an even more attractive proposition. Insurance groups are a little higher than some rivals, however.
Reliability & Warranty
As we’ve said, Toyota’s reliability is legendary, and the RAV4 is one of the most dependable cars you can buy. From new, all Toyotas come with an excellent five-year warranty, which is longer than the three-year warranties offered by most rivals and gives fantastic peace of mind.
Safety
Safety features
The Toyota RAV4 is a very safe car for your family. It was awarded the maximum five-star safety rating when it was crash-tested by the experts at Euro NCAP, with excellent scores for protecting both adult and child occupants.
All models come with a generous amount of standard safety kit, including seven airbags and a reversing camera. Higher-spec models come with Toyota’s ‘Safety Sense’ pack, which adds advanced driver aids like adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The RAV4 is available in a range of well-equipped trim levels.
Active: The entry-level model is far from basic. It comes with a 7-inch touchscreen, a reversing camera, cruise control, air conditioning, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Business Edition / Business Edition Plus: Aimed at company car drivers, these trims add features like satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, and automatic lights and wipers.
Icon: This trim adds some luxury touches like part-leather upholstery, heated front seats, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, and LED headlights.
Excel: The top-of-the-range model is packed with kit. It comes with full leather seats, voice recognition for the navigation system, and roof rails.
Engines
There’s a simple choice of petrol, diesel, or hybrid power.
2.0 D-4D Diesel: This 141bhp diesel is the most economical engine and the best all-rounder for most people. It’s only available with a manual gearbox and front-wheel drive.2.0 V-matic Petrol: This 150bhp petrol engine is only available on higher-spec models and comes with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive as standard.2.5 VVT-i Hybrid: The most powerful option with 197bhp. It uses a 2.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor and is available with either front- or four-wheel drive. It offers smooth, quiet performance, especially around town.