The 2024 Toyota RAV4 reviewed: There’s good reason for the popularity of this reliable SUV

The Toyota RAV4 is the vehicle that comes to mind when many people picture a compact SUV, and it is among our top-rated vehicles in its class. It helped create the segment decades ago and remains a best-seller in not just its category but among all vehicles, period. There’s good reason for the RAV4’s immense popularity. This Toyota is imbued with practicality, easy manners, and a robust feature set, including those that pertain to safety. Moreover, it’s all backed by Toyota’s
TM,
+0.10%
stellar reputation for reliability and high resale value. The 2024 Toyota RAV4 continues to stand out for its wide choice of trims, plus the availability of the RAV4 Hybrid and RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid, each reviewed separately.

Even amid competitors like the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, and Subaru Forester, the Toyota RAV4 remains the right choice for a wide variety of buyers.

Check out: The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid: The king of the suburban road still excels—plus, fewer trips to the gas station

What’s new for 2024

The only update of note for the 2024 Toyota RAV4 is a color choice: a new 2-tone Army Green/Ice Edge color combo available on Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims.

2024 Toyota RAV4 pricing

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 begins at $28,475. That’s for a base LE model with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is an extra $1,400. At the top of the RAV4 food chain sits the TRD Off-Road model. Load that model with extras, and you can hit the low-$40K range.

These figures are the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) and do not include the $1,350 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 starts below its longtime archrival, the Honda CR-V ($29,500), and above the Kia
000270,
-0.96%
Sportage ($27,090). The compact SUV segment is among the most competitive and includes the Nissan
NSANY,
-0.45%
Rogue and Ford
F,
-3.70%
Escape (both around $28K), Mazda CX-5 ($29,300), Hyundai Tucson ($27,250), Subaru Forester ($27,095), and Volkswagen Tiguan ($28,505).

Read: The 2024 Kia Sportage review: an attractive mix of sport, luxury and tech in one of the roomiest SUVs in its class

Before buying, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to see what others are paying. Like other Toyotas, the RAV4 holds its value well, though its residuals are expected to trail the fresher CR-V, Sportage, and Forester.

See: Subaru has remade the Forester for 2025: Here’s what’s different

Power, ride, and handling

In our testing, we’ve found the Toyota RAV4 easy to drive and maneuver in a variety of situations, and powerful enough for most applications. We like the RAV4’s high seating position that affords good outward visibility, and that it has a traditional 8-speed automatic transmission instead of a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which tends to drone under hard acceleration. Its naturally aspirated (non-turbo) 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine won’t light streets on fire with 203 horsepower, but it’s more than enough for keeping up with traffic and easy highway cruising. We’re also fans of Toyota’s driver-assist systems like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, which can take a lot of stress and drudgery out of commutes.

RAV4 Adventure and TRD Off-Road models pack some rugged chops and extra hardware for venturing off the beaten path. This includes a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system (also available on Limited trims), and on the TRD, a specially tuned suspension.

But the RAV4’s overall vibe is about comfort and practicality, traits that connect with a lot of people. For those counting, over 10 million of these compact SUVs have been sold over five generations.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact SUVs, including the Toyota RAV4.

Fuel economy

The Toyota RAV4 earns 30 mpg in mixed city and highway driving for front-wheel-drive models. All-wheel-drive RAV4 models earn up to 29 mpg combined. These figures are the same as the Honda
HMC,
-0.62%
CR-V and better than rivals like the Kia Sportage and Mazda
MZDAY,
-1.31%
CX-5. They are slightly below the Nissan Rogue, which uses a turbocharged 3-cylinder engine. If fuel economy is a high priority, the RAV4 Hybrid earns 39 mpg combined, while the RAV4 Prime is a plug-in hybrid that can travel up to 42 miles on battery power alone and then operate like a traditional gas-electric hybrid. More RAV4 fuel economy information can be found on the EPA’s website.

Functional interior

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 has a 5-passenger cabin that is functional and roomy, even if becoming a bit dated compared to fresher competitors. But there’s no denying it still simply works. It couldn’t be easier to change temperature or volume thanks to big, can’t-miss-them knobs, and the stubby gear selector is close at hand. The RAV4 did get a larger standard touchscreen just last year – it’s now eight inches – while higher trims get a larger, 10.5-inch unit.

We’ve found the RAV4’s front seats wholly accepting of different body sizes and shapes and among the most comfortable in its class. Top models even get heated/ventilated front seats. At 37.8 inches, rear-seat legroom is good for a compact SUV, though a Kia Sportage boasts 41.3, and a CR-V has 41.0. The RAV4’s cargo area is also spacious, with a voluminous 37.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 69.8 with them folded. The Sportage edges it with 39.6/74.1, while the CR-V registers 39.3/76.5.

Familiar exterior

The RAV4 has an exterior design that is decidedly more blocky and angular than swoopy or curvy. This shape speaks to its practical nature and is also what helps it boast good interior room. There isn’t much daring design here, but that’s not why one buys such a vehicle. We do like the available 2-tone paint schemes with a contrast color roof, particularly the new-for-2024 Army Green/Ice Edge combo with a white roof that’s available on Adventure and TRD Off-Road models.

Plus: Here’s your ultimate list of best-buy cars, trucks, SUVs and EVs for 2024

Our favorite features and tech

Infotainment system
Upgraded just last year, the RAV4’s screens have remained competitive amid the size wars, all while retaining their user-friendly nature. We like the voice-activated navigation in particular, along with the standard wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration.

Digital instrument cluster
This customizable 12.3-inch display adds a more tech-rich feel to the cabin. It’s standard in the Limited trim and optional in the XLE Premium and TRD Off-Road models.

All-wheel drive
Confident when the road surface becomes tricky and stable when steering around corners — AWD is a deservedly popular extra and offered at a reasonable $1,400. Or it’s standard in the TRD Off-Road and Adventure trims.

JBL audio system
Lexus has Mark Levinson; Toyota has JBL. They both come from the same parent company — which also produces Harman Kardon, found in many luxury vehicles. The RAV4 offers a loud and clear 11-speaker/800-watt JBL system as standard in the Limited trim and optional in the Adventure, XLE Premium, and TRD Off-Road models.

Digital rearview mirror
No rear pillars nor passengers’ heads can block the view as this “mirror” becomes a video monitor showing an unobstructed image behind the RAV4. It’s an option in the higher trims.

Heated outboard rear seats
Optional with the plushest Limited trim, heated rear seats are more typically a feature in luxury SUVs.

Engine and transmission

The 2024 RAV4 uses a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 203 horsepower. That’s a little above average in this class – a bit more than rivals like the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Kia Sportage. Power is routed to either the front or all wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.  Most models are rated to tow 1,500 pounds, but the TRD Off-Road ups that to 3,500 pounds.

3-year/36,000-mile warranty

The new-vehicle warranty on a 2024 RAV4 lasts for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. The powertrain is covered for five years or 60,000 miles. These are quite typical for the class. Toyota also includes two years or 25,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance.

Also see: Look for these models if you’re shopping for a used midsize SUV under $25,000

Safety

The Toyota RAV4 garners Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It earns the top 5-Star score from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

KBB’s car review methodology.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.