Item: Used Toyota RAV4 2019-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The closest rival to the&nbsp;RAV4 would be the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/cr-v/estate/used-review/n19839">Honda CR-V</a> because it can also be had as a spacious five-seat hybrid. The CR-V is the nicer of the two to drive due to a more progressive feeling brake pedal and consistently weighted steering that allows you to accurately place the vehicle in a bend. It'll be no good for towing a big caravan, though: its limit is only 750kg.

If fuel bills aren't too much of a concern, petrol models of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/cx-5/estate/used-review/n947">Mazda CX-5</a> have proven to be very dependable. So while you will fork out more in running costs, the CX-5 should be a very reliable choice, plus it has a plusher interior and easier to navigate infotainment system.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter&nbsp;<a href="http://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

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What is it like?

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Alternatives

<h3>Brake booster</h3>

The pump for the brake booster may stop working on some RAV4s built between 26 April and 3 June 2019 and lead to increased braking effort in order to slow down. Speak to a Toyota dealer for further information because the pump will need to be replaced in order to solve this issue.

<h3>Front suspension arms</h3>

Some examples made between 25 September and 25 October 2019 have been found to have cracks in the lower front suspension arms. A Toyota dealer will be able to let you know if your car is affected by this and arrange to have the arm replaced free of charge.

As mentioned in a previous chapter, the RAV4 has historically been a highly reliable SUV and we have little reason to suspect this one will change that as it ages. At the moment, this current version managed a third place result in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-hybrid-cars/n21864">hybrid category</a> against 13 other competitors.

Toyota as a brand came in third out of 31 manufacturers.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-family-suvs/n20064">What Car? Reliability Survey</a> pages for more information.

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Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

RAV 4

A practical&nbsp;SUV with the running cost of a small car. What's not to like? But is the Toyota RAV4 the best used hybrid large SUV against rivals such as the Honda CR-V?

Used Toyota RAV4 2019-present

<h3>MPG</h3>

There isn't much difference, on paper, between the economy figures for a front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive RAV4. The former has a combined figure of 50.4mpg, while the latter gets 48.7mpg.

The plug-in hybrid has a much higher figure of 282.4mpg, but this will require you to charge it regularly and use the petrol engine sparingly in order to achieve anything close to that.

<h3>Car Tax (VED)</h3>

All versions of the regular RAV4 will be subject to a slightly discounted annual car tax bill thanks to it being classed as an alternative fuel vehicle. The plug-in hybrid, however, gets hit with a luxury car tax bill because it costs over the £40,000 threshold, and applies from the second year of registration until the vehicle is six years old.&nbsp;To find out more about the current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.

<h3>Servicing&nbsp;</h3>

No RAV4 of this generation is&nbsp;old enough (over five years of age) yet to qualify for discounted servicing at a Toyota dealer. There are service plans you can buy online to help spread the costs, though. Servicing is required annually or every 10,000 miles.

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If you only need five seats, the RAV4 is a highly practical large SUV and should cost buttons to run. Plus, reliability will no doubt prove to be exemplary. It is more expensive to buy relative to some of its fellow large SUV rivals, but you do get a lot of equipment and safety tech for your money, and the low fuel consumption helps to offset some of that expense.

This latest RAV4 hasn't been out for very long, but you can still save a bit over the cost of a new one. Prices start at around £25,500 for a high mileage example, while one with four-wheel drive is a few grand more at about £27,500.

The plug-in hybrid has only just been announced, so it'll be a long time before these hit the used car forecourts.

Check the value of a used Toyota RAV4 with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/valuations/">What Car? Valuations</a>

<h3>Engine</h3>

There's only one engine option, so not much to say here. You can opt for front-wheel drive for better economy, or four-wheel drive if your circumstances require the additional traction that this model provides in slippery conditions.

A plug-in hybrid will be&nbsp;added to the range in the fullness of time, so it'll be a while before used examples of this will become available.

<h3>Trims</h3>

We'd suggest going for the Design model to get a little bit more kit and, above all else, get front parking sensors. This is a big car to have to fit into a car park.&nbsp;

Our favourite Toyota RAV4&nbsp;2.5 Design

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Large SUV

Most examples will still be within the Toyota franchised dealer network, so all the usual issues with dents, scratches, and scuffed alloys will have been taken care of.&nbsp;

One thing to look out for is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> because early RAV4s did without, although it can be retrofitted for a fee. If you can find one with this already completed, great, otherwise (according to Toyota's own blog) you'll pay £150 for it as a stand-alone&nbsp;visit, or £50 as an add-on to a service.&nbsp;

Consistency is something many of us will be looking for given the constant uncertainties&nbsp;of our&nbsp;modern world, so it's nice to know that the two previous generations of Toyota RAV4 are amongst the most dependable used cars you can buy, according to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-and-worst-older-cars-for-reliability-large-suvs/n21158">What Car? Reliability</a> data. What's more, the refinements made to this latest RAV4 make it an even&nbsp;more compelling used&nbsp;option against its fellow large SUV rivals than its predecessors were.

What differentiates the RAV4 from most is that it is hybrid only with a single 2.5-litre petrol engine option - at least for the moment. A 302bhp plug-in version is due soon, but for pre-owned buyers, it's the regular hybrid you'll go for. It has 215bhp in front-wheel drive form or 219bhp with four-wheel drive. Each is paired with a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/which-type-of-automatic-gearbox-should-i-buy/n17022#5">CVT gearbox</a> that works well at town speeds, but can send engine revs soaring when accelerating hard outside the city limits.

There are five&nbsp;different trim levels starting with Icon that has 17in alloys, LED headlights, auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, plus an 8in infotainment system with a reversing camera. Mid-range Design unlocks sat-nav on that screen and adds front parking sensors, an electric tailgate, and bigger 18in wheels.

Excel has larger still 19in wheels plus heated front seats and steering wheel. But the important bits are the extra safety tech such as blindspot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Dynamic is a sportier version of this with more heavily bolstered front seats and a black roof. Finally, Black Edition would be Bruce Wayne's family car because it's only available in black with matching colour wheels and exterior trim. There is also a 360deg camera system, an upgraded sound system and an auto brake feature added to the rear cross-traffic alert system.

While there is a dedicated EV (electric vehicle) button, don't expect to get all that far on electric power alone. However, driven smoothly, you should be able to filter through heavy&nbsp;traffic without using the engine much, thus saving fuel and keeping things nicely hushed. Ride comfort isn't brilliant, mind, because it tends to thud over potholes and expansion joints, and never feels as well controlled as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/cr-v/estate/used-review/n19839">Honda CR-V</a> - a fellow rival that can also be had as a hybrid.

Also, the CR-V is&nbsp;less bothered by the additional weight of its battery pack, an issue in&nbsp;the RAV4 that makes it&nbsp;feel&nbsp;less willing to change directions on a twisty road than its rival. The RAV4 also isn't as quiet once up to speed on the motorway compared with the Honda due to higher levels of wind and road noise.

It's not all doom and gloom because&nbsp;the sat-nav system, various trip computer&nbsp;functions, and hybrid displays in the RAV4 are far easier to operate than they are in the CR-V. Plus the RAV4 has plenty of&nbsp;pleasingly chunky&nbsp;controls that&nbsp;feel unbreakable.&nbsp;

Visibility is generally excellent and the standard reversing camera is a boon for parking. Only the tallest of people will have issues finding a comfortable driving position, and there are lots&nbsp;of storage spaces to take your detritus. There's more rear leg room than you'll find in a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/cx-5/estate/used-review/n947">Mazda CX-5</a>, and it's broad enough for most. If you need more room,&nbsp;you'll need a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/5008/estate/used-review/n962">Peugeot 5008</a> with its three individual rear seats and the added benefit of two flip out seats in the boot.

Speaking of the boot, while the CR-V has a flatter load area than the RAV4 with the seats folded, but the Toyota has a bigger boot overall.&nbsp;

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/toyota/rav4?nearlynew=true&amp;used=true&amp;yearFrom=2019">used RAV4</a>, or any of the other SUVs mentioned here, head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.

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Used Toyota RAV4 2019-present review

Advice for buyers

What should I look for in a used Toyota RAV4 4x4?