In-depth reviews

Toyota RAV4 SUV - Reliability & safety

Toyota's reputation for reliability and upgraded safety equipment put the RAV4 on firm ground

Carbuyer Rating

4.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.5 out of 5

Read owner reviews
Reliability & safety Rating

4.5 out of 5

Toyota RAV4 reliability

Toyota is a solid performer in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, with the brand coming in 12th place out of 32 manufacturers overall in the 2023 edition. Just 15% of owners reported a fault in the first year of having their Toyota, which is lower than average. The RAV4 placed in 30th out of the top 75 cars in 2023, slipping slightly from its 11th place finish in 2022. It still performed well for reliability, however, coming 22nd in this category.

Owners were also impressed by the Toyota’s running costs, practicality, interior and hybrid powertrains. It's not perfect, though, with infotainment near the bottom of the table for usability and features.

Safety

The RAV4 was awarded the full five stars by Euro NCAP after safety testing in the spring of 2019. That was thanks in part to an upgrade to the second generation of Toyota Safety Sense for the latest model, a suite of technology that includes autonomous emergency braking that can detect pedestrians during the day or night, and cyclists in daylight. Its adaptive cruise control has been tweaked for smoother acceleration and deceleration in traffic, bringing the car to a halt when necessary.

There's also technology to make long-distance driving safer, particularly on the motorway. This includes blind-spot monitoring and a lane departure system that can help steer the car within its lane.

Andy is Carbuyer's managing editor, with more than a decade of experience helping consumers find their perfect car. He has an MA in automotive journalism and has tested hundreds of vehicles.

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