The 2016 RAV4 sits in an interesting spot. It is the facelifted 4th gen and it is also the first year for the RAV4 Hybrid. It is not a horror year like some older oil burners or the 2019 first 5th gen. But it does have real trouble spots. Things like engine power loss while … Read more
Here I’m talking about one specific rig.The 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, U.S. spec. Last year of the 4th generation. On paper, this year looks great. Strong fuel economy. Good safety. Proven hybrid system. In owner surveys and buying guides, 2016–2018 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid keep showing up as some of the best RAV4 years overall, … Read more
I am talking about one specific vehicle here.The 2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, U.S. spec. On paper it looks great. Strong MPG. Good safety. Big sales.In the real world it is mostly solid, but not problem-free. Most of the headaches I see from owners cluster in two places: On top of that there are the usual … Read more
Most people hear “RAV4” and think “reliable.” I do too. It is one of the safer bets in the compact SUV world. But there are a few ugly problem years and some patterns that keep showing up. Stuff like transmissions that fail early, engines that drink oil, and the 2019-plus models with weird shifting and … Read more
If you just want the short answer. For most people the best years for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid are 2020 to 2022. The best budget years are 2017 and 2018. I avoid 2016 and 2019 because they show more problems in complaints data and early hybrid bugs. In general the RAV4 Hybrid is a solid … Read more