Here's the funny thing about the RAV4, the best-selling SUV in the country. There isn't one RAV4 to avoid. There are two, from two different eras, and they go wrong in two completely different ways. Once you see the split, it's obvious.
I ranked every model year by owner complaints. Watch how the bad ones fall into two separate clumps:
| Model year | Complaints | Top problem area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Steering | Avoid | |
| 2019 | Transmission / fuel tank | Avoid | |
| 2006 | Steering | Avoid | |
| 2020 | Engine / transmission | Caution | |
| 2008 | Excess oil use | Caution |
Era one, roughly 2006 to 2008. These are the oil burners. The 2.4 liter engine drinks oil so enthusiastically that Toyota extended the warranty over it. Owners were topping up between oil changes, which is exactly the kind of surprise nobody signs up for.
Era two, 2019 to 2020. Fresh redesign, fresh problems. A jerky eight-speed transmission that lurched at low speed, plus a genuinely bizarre bug where the fuel tank wouldn't fill all the way. Two different decades, same lesson.
The RAV4 years I'd buy without blinking
Between and after those danger zones, the RAV4 is exactly the no-drama SUV its reputation promises. The cleanest recent years:
| Model year | Complaints | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Best pick | |
| 2014 | Great | |
| 2016 | Great | |
| 2013 | Solid |
The 2022 is the standout now that the current generation is fully baked. If your budget's tighter, the 2013 to 2016 cars from the previous generation are rock solid and cost a lot less.
The 30-second check I never skip
With a RAV4, history matters more than the badge. An oil-burner or a car with a botched transmission repair looks identical to a good one in the listing photos. So before I pay, I run the VIN through our free VIN check and price it with the RAV4 value estimator, and see its crash scores on our safest cars rankings. Half a minute, and it tells you what the seller won't.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Toyota RAV4 years?
By NHTSA complaint data, the 2022 RAV4 is the cleanest recent year, with the 2013–2016 models close behind. All avoid the oil-consumption and transmission-launch problems.
Which RAV4 years should I avoid?
Avoid the 2006–2008 RAV4s for excessive oil consumption on the 2.4L engine, and use caution with the 2019–2020 redesign for transmission hesitation and fuel-tank fill issues.
Do RAV4s really burn oil?
The 2006–2008 RAV4 2.4L engine is well documented for excessive oil consumption, and Toyota extended warranty coverage for it. Later engines largely resolved the problem.
Is the 2019 RAV4 a good used buy?
The 2019 RAV4 launched with an unrefined 8-speed transmission and a fuel-tank fill complaint. It can be fine if updated, but the 2021–2022 cars are a safer bet.
Denis Kataev is a serial solopreneur and the founder of ForCar. With 15+ years in software engineering and 10 years in SEO, he builds data-driven products end to end — backed by a sharp eye for design. At ForCar he mines proprietary vehicle datasets, turning raw numbers into buying advice you can actually trust.
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