2018 Toyota RAV4 Road Test and Review

2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure and Limited near water ・ Photo by Toyota

The 2018 Toyota RAV4 is a frequent sight on today’s roads as crossovers continue to rule the landscape. There are lots of choices, though, so the RAV4 is up against plenty of competition in the compact crossover class.

This year, Toyota introduced a new Adventure trim level to the lineup with a more aggressive style, but the biggest updates are yet to come. An all-new RAV4 is coming for the 2019 model year, making this the last year of the current generation. But that doesn’t mean you should wait. In fact, there are still plenty of good reasons to park a RAV4 in your driveway right now. Let’s take a closer look at this popular crossover and see if it’s the right choice for you.

Pricing and Trim Levels

The RAV4 offers a choice of six trims, starting with the LE at $24,510. Standard features include halogen daytime running lights, air conditioning, and a tilting and telescopic steering wheel. The XLE adds a leather-trimmed steering wheel, integrated fog lights, and heated outside mirrors for $25,600. The new Adventure trim is priced from $27,800 with a higher ride height, a higher tow rating, and unique badging.

Moving to the top half of the range, the SE starts at $28,890 with LED projector beam headlights, larger 18-inch wheels, steering wheel-mounted paddles shifters, and power-adjustable heated front seats. The Limited adds power heated outside mirrors, height-adjustable power liftgate, and an Entune premium audio system with navigation. At the top is the Platinum with a starting price of $34,850 and standard features including a foot-activated power liftgate, birds-eye-view camera, heated steering wheel, and ambient lighting. With this variety, the RAV4 offers a trim for every budget.

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Powertrains

While there is a hybrid version of the RAV4 available, all six gas-only trims with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 176 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

This isn’t a powerful engine, so those looking for aggressive acceleration may be disappointed. It is, however, enough power to keep the RAV4 from feeling sluggish and allow for confident merging into highway traffic. Where the underpowered engine shows most is during acceleration at highway speeds, where it takes its time to deliver the power you need for passing. During city driving, the lack of power is less noticeable and the RAV4 is a more enjoyable ride. A choice of Eco or Sport modes on select trims lets you focus on fuel economy or tailor the powertrain for moderately better responsiveness.

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Fuel Economy

Fuel economy numbers for the RAV4 vary depending on the trim and whether it’s equipped with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The LE, XLE, and Adventure trims with front-wheel drive achieve an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. Those numbers drop to 22 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined if you opt for all-wheel drive.

The SE, Limited, and Platinum trims post slightly lower fuel economy numbers. Front-wheel drive models get an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. All-wheel drive models get 22 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined. These numbers are about average for crossovers, so there are better choices for those who put a priority on maximum fuel economy.

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Ride and Handling

The ride in the RAV4 is smooth overall with very little bounce or sway, even over rough roads covered with post-winter potholes. The suspension system does a fine job of leveling out the road surface and manages all but the worst bumps with ease. It’s also a quiet ride with minimal road and wind noise intruding into the cabin, allowing easy conversation between front and rear passengers.

Handling is also good with controlled steering that requires minimal driver input. If you’re looking for a sporty, engaging ride, this isn’t the right crossover for you, but if you’re looking for steering that is responsive yet relaxing, then the RAV4 hits the mark. The combination of a good suspension system and light steering make the RAV4 a great choice for those long family road trips.

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Interior

The interior of the RAV4 isn’t fancy, but that’s okay because this isn’t a luxury car. It’s an affordable crossover with a range of trims to fit any budget, which means there’s likely an interior with the look and features to meet your needs. While the base models don’t come with as much personality, select trim levels get leather accents, heated power front seats, door sill protectors, and ambient footwell lighting to boost their appeal.

There’s ample room for five passengers with spacious front seats that are supportive and wide enough to be comfortable even for those with a larger build. The standard cloth upholstery looks and feels good. Those in the back seat will find plenty of room for their knees even with the front seats pushed back, and there’s room for three adults to sit comfortably, although perhaps not for more extended drives.

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Cargo Capacity

The RAV4 provides 38.4 cubic feet for cargo behind its 60/40 split-folding rear seat, or you can fold it flat for 73.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The LE, XLE, Limited, and Platinum can tow up to 1,500 pounds, but the SE is not rated for towing. On the flip side, the new Adventure trim offers increased towing capacity with up to 2,900 pounds when equipped with front-wheel drive or 3,500 pounds equipped with all-wheel drive. That’s more than double what the rest of the lineup offers, making the Adventure a great choice if towing is a priority.

The RAV4 also has a low load floor that makes it easy to load up, and there’s an optional foot-activated power liftgate for those moments when your hands are full. Optional cargo features include a tonneau cover, an integrated cargo net system, and roof rails for additional convenience when it’s time for hauling.

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Infotainment

The base infotainment system is Toyota's Entune audio with a 6.1-inch touchscreen, AM/FM/CD/MP3, six speakers, an auxiliary jack, and a USB port. There’s also voice recognition, hands-free phone capability, and music streaming via Bluetooth. The SE trim gets an upgrade that includes navigation along with Siri Eyes Free, Sirius XM satellite radio, and HD radio. The Limited adds a larger 7-inch touchscreen with split-screen capability, and the Platinum trim gets upgraded sound with a JBL audio system featuring 11 GreenEdge speakers and a subwoofer.

The system is easy to use with intuitive screens, but it lacks both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The increasing popularity of these features in other vehicles make their absence in the RAV4 a big omission, but Toyota has plans to partially fix this issue. The all-new 2019 RAV4 will feature Apple CarPlay, so if that’s a priority, you’ll need to wait or choose another vehicle.

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Safety

The 2018 Toyota RAV4 is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2018 Top Safety Pick. It received the highest rating of Good in all crash tests except for passenger-side small overlap front, in which it received the lowest rating of Poor. It also received a top rating of Superior for front crash prevention technologies. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also rated the RAV4 highly with an overall five-star rating. It received two individual four-star ratings for frontal crash and rollover risk. Although not perfect, these ratings are still very good.

Every RAV4 also comes with standard Toyota Safety Sense P, a suite of features that includes emergency automatic braking with pedestrian detection, a lane-departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and dynamic radar cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic alert is optional on lower-end RAV4s and becomes standard on higher trims.

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Final Thoughts

The RAV4 serves as an affordable and versatile choice for those in the market for a new crossover. A wide range of trim levels and the option for front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive throughout the range make it as well-suited to warmer climates as it is to those where snow falls. It also offers good cargo capacity and towing, particularly in the new Adventure trim.

Although the engine is underpowered and detracts from the driving experience, the ride and handling are above average, providing a pleasant trip for the driver and passengers. Affordable pricing, solid safety ratings, ample standard safety equipment, and attractive styling make the 2018 Toyota RAV4 a great compact crossover choice.

Photo by Toyota