You might not realise it, but the Toyota RAV4 has a pivotal place in automotive history. You see, today, the vast majority of SUVs are designed primarily for use on the road, perhaps with a little bit of use off it thrown in. But that wasn’t always the case. Once upon a time, SUVs were tall, clunky, square-set vehicles with rugged suspension that made them adept at dealing with rough terrain, but not so great on tarmac.
Toyota was one of the first to see which way the wind was blowing, and the RAV4 was its response. When it was first released in 1994, plenty of commentators were bemused by the idea of a softer off-road car, or ‘soft-roader’, as the RAV4 and its ilk quickly became known.
But while those early cars might have bucked the trend, they had traits that we now consider common in today’s compact SUVs: a choice of front- or four-wheel drive; softer, friendlier styling; suspension tuned for on-road comfort and handling, rather than go-anywhere ability; and a more car-like construction, unlike the separate chassis you’d get in a more utilitarian off-roader.
As it turned out, this was a recipe that proved popular, and many other SUVs – and, later, crossovers – have since copied it. The result has been an inexorable rise in the popularity of SUVs like the RAV4, one which shows no sign of slowing down. So let us reacquaint you with the car that gave rise to our love affair with the SUV, by taking you in reverse order through its history, model by model.
Generations: 5
- Toyota RAV4 mk5 (2018-present)
- Toyota RAV4 mk4 (2013-2018)
- Toyota RAV4 mk3 (2005-2013)
- Toyota RAV4 mk2 (2000-2005)
- Toyota RAV4 mk1 (1994-2000)
Toyota RAV4 mk5 (2018-present)
Bodystyles:
- Five-door SUV
Notable features and facelifts of the Toyota RAV4 mk5
- Codenamed the XA50
- Dramatically revised styling
- Hybrid models only
- Diesel models dropped
The fifth-generation car saw a much edgier look than its predecessors, with straight lines and sharp angles far removed from the original RAV4’s rounded, curvy lines.
The biggest news, however, is that there’s no diesel version in the new RAV4, and no purely petrol models either; instead, the only engine option is a 2.5-litre petrol engine, available with a front-wheel-drive (FWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD) full-hybrid powertrain. The same engine can also be had as an AWD plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which has a battery-only range of up to 46 miles per charge and can drastically improve your fuel economy. While your MPG goes up, your emissions go down, too, which means less vehicle excise duty and company car tax.
While it still isn’t as entertaining to drive as the original, this new Toyota RAV4 hybrid has improved on its predecessor with a more robust, better thought out interior and a more comfortable driving experience. It's available in several trim levels, and features include adaptive cruise control, an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and bright LED headlights, as well as the Toyota Safety Sense suite of systems to keep you and your passengers out of harm's way. These include lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, and rear cross-traffic alert.
As a Toyota, the latest RAV4 also benefits from a very impressive warranty. For several years, customers had enjoyed five years worth of cover, but as of June 2021, Toyota's warranty changed to a system whereby your cover is automatcially extended by a year and/or 10,000 miles every time you get your car serviced within the dealer network, up to a maximum of 10 years/100,000 miles.
Read our expert review of the Toyota RAV4 mk5 or search for a used Toyota RAV4 mk5 on CarGurus
Toyota RAV4 mk4 (2013-2018)
Bodystyles:
- Five-door SUV
Notable features and facelifts of the Toyota RAV4 mk4
- Codenamed the XA40
- Completely new styling
- Facelift in 2015, which introduced a hybrid model for the first time
It was all-change for the fourth-generation RAV4: the new car was noticeably larger than its predecessor, and what was more, its styling fell into line much more closely with the rest of Toyota’s model line-up. For the first time, it had a top-opening tailgate, rather than one hinged at the side.
It featured a choice of diesel engines, in 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre forms, or for those who didn’t want a diesel, there was a 2.0-litre petrol. Customers could choose between a six-speed manual transmission, a six-speed automatic and a continuously variable transmisison (CVT), which helped fuel efficiency,
This generation of RAV4 was somewhat underwhelming, however; no longer was the RAV4 fun to drive, while a firm ride and a cheap interior meant there were plenty of other, better rivals out there.
A facelift in 2015 didn’t improve matters much, but it did bring along with it a hybrid version, which was very economical around town, and cheap to tax as a company car.
Read our expert review of the Toyota RAV4 mk4 or search for a used Toyota RAV4 on CarGurus
Toyota RAV4 mk3 (2005-2013)
Bodystyles:
- Five-door SUV
Notable features and facelifts of the Toyota RAV4 mk3
- Codenamed the XA30
- Three-door model dropped
- Facelifted in 2010 with revised looks and trims
It might not have looked much different to the model it replaced, but beneath the third-generation RAV4 sat an entirely new platform that brought the model right up to date.
The slow-selling three-door model was absent from the new model line-up, leaving the RAV4 only available in five-door form, and inside, it had moved further upmarket, with more soft-touch plastics and a more generous equipment list.
Of course, by the time this RAV4 came out, diesel’s popularity was at its peak, which explains why there were now two 2.2-litre diesel offerings in addition to the now less popular 2.0-litre petrol engine.
However, in its ever more crowded part of the market, there were now plenty of rivals that were both more fun to drive and more versatile. Nevertheless, the RAV4 was still a comfortable, high-quality SUV with Toyota’s legendary reputation for reliability behind it.
Read our expert review of the Toyota RAV4 mk3 or search for a used Toyota RAV4 mk3 on CarGurus
Toyota RAV4 mk2 (2000-2005)
Bodystyles:
- Three-door SUV
- Five-door SUV
Notable features and facelifts of the Toyota RAV4 mk2
- Codenamed the XA20
- Convertible model dropped
- Small facelift in 2003
By its second generation, the RAV4 was facing a strong challenge from a number of big-name rivals that had followed in its footsteps, like the Honda CR-V, Land Rover Freelander and Nissan X-Trail. To meet the challenge, it had to grow up a bit, so gone were the gaudy colour schemes and bodykits, and gone too was the convertible version.
You could still buy either a three- or five-door RAV4, though, and for the first time, there was a diesel engine option, a 2.0-litre, which joined the 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre petrols.
Interior quality was up, and while on the outside the styling paid tribute to the original, it was altogether more modern, crisper and just a little less toy-like.
This version of the RAV4 had a relatively short life span, though in 2003 it had a small revamp which brought very mild styling and equipment tweaks.
Toyota RAV4 mk1 (1994-2000)
Bodystyles:
- Three-door SUV
- Five-door SUV
- Three-door convertible SUV
Notable features and facelifts of the Toyota RAV4 mk1
- Codenamed the XA10
- Facelifted in 1998
- Convertible model had a foldable fabric roof at the rear
The trend-setting first-generation RAV4 was available either as a three-door with a choice of hard-top or semi-convertible roofs, or as a more sensible, more family-friendly five-door.
The former went head-to-head with fashionable small off-roaders like the Suzuki Vitara, with funky styling, optional bodykits and big alloy wheels, while the latter offered a more efficient and easier-to-drive alternative to bulkier SUVs like the Vauxhall Frontera.
Inside, the RAV4 was fairly plasticky, but no more so than any of its SUV rivals; it was well screwed-together, too. Meanwhile, under the bonnet sat a 2.0-litre 130bhp four-cylinder petrol engine that provided performance that was peppy, if not truly quick. The RAV4 was surprisingly entertaining to drive, too, despite its tall stature.
A facelift in 1998 kept the RAV4 fresh, and there were numerous limited editions along the way, before a full overhaul was needed by 2000.