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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2012 Toyota RAV4

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Overview

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2012 Toyota RAV4 Review

By KBB.com Editors

KBB Expert Rating: 7.1

In the hotly-contested field of compact SUVs, the 2012 Toyota RAV4 reigns supreme. Its price structure and resale value are on par with the segment leader, the Honda CR-V but, unlike the CR-V, the 2012 Toyota RAV4 compact SUV offers a choice of 4-cylinder or 6-cylinder engines and the convenience of a third-row seat. And, while newer entries from Hyundai, Kia, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and Nissan may offer sportier styling and more modern interiors, few can match the RAV4's excellent reliability and resale scores.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you're looking for fuel efficiency, versatility and reliability in a small SUV that also offers the convenience of a third-row seat, the 2012 Toyota RAV4 SUV is the perfect fit.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If your needs for a third-row seat also include lots of storage space behind said seat, a larger Toyota Highlander or Chevy Traverse might be a better idea. Those looking for cutting-edge features and fuel economy might want to check out the new Kia Sedona or Hyundai Santa Fe.

KBB Expert Ratings

Overall Rating

7.1
Driving Dynamics

6.8
Comfort & Convenience

8.0
Design: Interior & Exterior

6.4
Value

7.0
Safety

N/A

How It Ranks

#26

out of 43

MPG

#12

out of 44

Horsepower

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Consumer Rating

8.6 out of 10

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consumer ratings

What's New for 2012

For 2012, the Toyota RAV4 SUV gains as standard equipment a new audio head unit featuring Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and music streaming. The Limited grade offers a new navigation radio with Toyota's Entune infotainment system.

Driving the RAV4

Driving Impressions In the 2012 Toyota RAV4 SUV, Toyota has managed to deliver car-like ride and handling characteristics in a vehicle with a tall ride height and ground clearance. Safety is paramount...

at Toyota, so the RAV4 is wrapped in high-strength steel for increased rigidity and improved ride, handling and steering. On the road, the 2012 Toyota RAV4's interior is quieter than most, although the V6 engine does sound rather harsh at full throttle, a very un-Toyota-like characteristic. Elimination of outer moldings around the windshield and door glass helps reduce aerodynamic drag and wind noise. As for power, we found the 2.5-liter's 179 horsepower to be more than sufficient for most needs, but we can't help but love the pulling and passing power afforded by the more expensive but less fuel-efficient V6.

Favorite Features

Star Safety System
This comprehensive system integrates five active electronic safety features – enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), traction control, antilock brakes (ABS) and Brake Assist – to help avoid accidents, and one passive safety feature (multi-stage front airbags) to cushion occupants should a crash occur.

Hill Start and Downhill Assist Control
Toyota's second-generation Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) automatically prevents the vehicle from rolling backward for two to three seconds when starting from a stop on an uphill slope. Downhill Assist Control (DAC), when activated by the driver, keeps the vehicle's speed to a crawl on steep descents.

2012 Toyota RAV4 Details

2012 Toyota RAV4 Dashboard, center console, gear shifter view photo

Interior

The 2012 Toyota RAV4 SUV is slightly larger inside than most compact SUVs, most notably in the rear seat and cargo area. The 2012 Toyota RAV4's second-row seats slide fore and aft to make more room for third-seat passengers; the 60/40-split seats can also be folded flat to increase cargo capacity. Those RAV4s without the third-row seat feature an additional storage bin beneath the wide cargo floor. This bin is used to store the third-row seat on models so equipped. The entry-level RAV4 features durable fabric on the seats and door panels, while the Sport and Limited trim levels get more premium-feeling cloth; both trims can also be outfitted with leather seating. We can't say we are big fans of the dark charcoal and primer-gray plastics inside the RAV4, nor of the cheap-looking silver paint used on the center cluster, door trim and steering-wheel spokes. We do like the 2012 Toyota RAV4's lighted cup holders, console-mounted cell-phone holder and split 2-tier glove box.

Exterior

The 2012 Toyota RAV4 SUV doesn't share the same small and cute curb appeal found on so many of its rivals. The uncluttered design breaks from the conventional, with a triangle shaped C-pillar and bulging wrap-around tail lamps. Up front, a 2-piece split front grille spills over onto the RAV4's front bumper; on models so equipped, the fog light housings are carved into the lower front fascia. Around back is a large swing-out door (as opposed to a flip-up hatch) that opens inconveniently from the driver's side, which is the curb side in Japan. The large spare tire and case (color-keyed hard shell on Limited models) is mounted to the rear door, making it awkward to open when parked at an angle. The Sport Appearance Package, which includes run-flat tires, deletes the rear-door spare tire.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

All three 2012 Toyota RAV4 SUV trim levels have an automatic transmission, electronic stability and traction control, front side-impact airbags, side-curtain airbags, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, power windows and door locks, rear privacy glass, power mirrors, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, three 12-volt outlets, 10 cupholders, cruise control and AM/FM/CD 6-speaker audio with MP3/WMA, Bluetooth and a mini-plug jack. The Limited adds 17-inch tires on 6-spoke alloy wheels (in place of the 16-inch steel wheels of the base model), fog lights, heated outside mirrors, Smart Key entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel with audio controls, cargo area net and tonneau cover, chrome grille and fender flares. The Sport trim gets much of this plus 18-inch performance tires and wheels, a sport suspension and black-out headlamp trim.

Optional Equipment

Options for the base model include, a rear camera with built-in rearview mirror monitor, third-row seat, cargo-area tonneau cover and a tow package that increases towing capacity to 3,500 pounds. An Upgrade Value Package with moonroof, 17-inch wheels and roof rack is also on the table. Available options on the Sport include a power moonroof with sunshade, leather seats, heated front seats, DVD navigation with Entune infotainment, Bluetooth and steering wheel audio controls. Limited options include leather-trimmed and heated front seats.

Under the Hood

The 2012 Toyota RAV4 SUV provides a choice of a 179-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), or a potent VVT-i V6. The former is one of the most powerful 4-cylinder engines in this segment, while the latter, pumping out a claimed best-in-class 269 horsepower, is good for 0-to-60-miles-per-hour bursts in slightly under seven seconds. The 4-cylinder engine drives through a recently-introduced 4-speed automatic transmission with uphill/downhill shift control to reduce gear hunting, while the V6 is fitted with a 5-speed automatic.

2.5-liter inline-4
179 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
172 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/28 (2WD), 21/27 (4WD)

3.5-liter V6
269 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
246 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/27 (2WD), 19/26 (4WD)

Pricing Notes

For the base 2-wheel-drive (2WD) version, the RAV4's Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starts around $22,500 for the front-drive model and right around $24,000 for the 4-wheel-drive (4WD) model. The 4-wheel-drive version with the V6 engine lists for about $26,000. The Sport trim starts around $24,000 and a fully-loaded 4-wheel-drive V6 Limited tops out at about $32,000. That price range isn't too far from such rivals as the Kia Sorento, Honda CR-V and Mitsubishi Outlander. Prices consumers are actually paying can differ substantially, so click on the RAV4's Fair Purchase Price on kbb.com to compare. Given Toyota's strong reputation, resale value should be as good as or better than any competitor's, except for the Honda CR-V, which outshines even the RAV4.

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2012 Toyota RAV4 Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.6

Out of 10

Based on 526 Ratings for the 2006 - 2012 models.

Review this car

Value

8.8/10

Quality

8.8/10
Reliability

9.2/10

Performance

8.9/10
Comfort

8.5/10

Styling

8.8/10

This car has been super

By rav-rover (MI) on Thursday, August 01, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 111,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "reliable, durable, flexible"

Cons: "hate the cup holders and their catches, road noise"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"My Rav4 Limited has a 6 cylinder engine, 111,000 miles. We live on a rough gravel road. In those miles I have basically put brakes and tires on it. We have hauled virtually anything you can imagine in it. No problem. What is it? It fits."

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Toyota Deserves a Gold Medal

By biscotti54 (SC) on Friday, July 26, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 54,000

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 8/10
Quality: 7/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 8/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"Recently took this car to the Outer Banks and drove all the way down to Ocrakoke Island. Performed marvelously. Kudos to Toyota. This car deserves a Gold Medal for performance. A+"

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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The Toyota Rav4 V6 5A 4WD SPORT

By FordFerrariFiat (ME) on Tuesday, July 23, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 35,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 7/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Great Price. 269 HP, V6 1 MPG less than 4 cyl,"

Cons: "XM Radio lasts for only 3 months"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"The Toyota is very good because its got the V6 with 269 hp, unlike the 4 on the Subarus and CRVs. Its got 4WD, a great feature in Maine, Sporty looks, and could be considered a hot rod because 269 hp in a small engine. It looks good. Dont go for the 4 because of the gas mileage. The V6 has only 1 mpg less than the 4 cyl. The only bad thing is that Sirius XM is free for only 3 months. I have FM, AM MP3, AND CD though. FordFerrariFiat"

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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2011 Toyota Rav4

By cec08 (NY) on Tuesday, July 16, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 42,300

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "MPG, handling"

Cons: "tires that come with it only lasted 25,000 miles"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I really like my vehicle. I live in a rural area and average 28 MPG. I have 42,000 miles on it and thought it might be time for new brakes even though I was not having any problems. I had them checked by a mechanic and he said I had another 10,000 miles before I would need new ones. We get a lot of snow here and I have no problems getting around with this vehicle. This is my third Rav4 and I love them."

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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Great small SUV but issues developed in time

By Kilpatrick (IL) on Sunday, June 30, 2013

I owned and sold this car
Reason: Issues - My approximate mileage is 145,000

10 7.0

overall rating 7 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 7/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 8/10
Quality: 6/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "roomy for a small SUV-good mileage-practical"

Cons: "Known issues that flare up. Do your research."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 7

"We bought it used and I wanted to love this car but we traded it back in after 1 year of ownership. We started having issues with it within the first month. We bought a 4cyl model so I did not expect a rocket. The power that the 4cyl provide was adequate for what I thought it should have. If I wanted a rocket, I would have opted for the 6 cyl version. The interior was very roomy for 4 people but when adding the 5th, things got tight. Vacation was not fun with 3 kids in the back. Love the storage compartment in the belly of the rear. Rear seat would also slide forward or backward to provide more or less leg room when needed. The rear split seat will even recline to help with sleeping kids. Very practical car that was easy on gas. The automatic transmission did not shift properly from 3 to 4th. We found that if you manually shifted it, it was fine. The transmission never was to the point to where you could not drive with fear. Just annoying but we managed. I had read of issues with the transmission but never persued it since we found a workaround with manually shifting it. The VSC/4WD/ Maintenance required lights came on after a few months. In researching this, alot of owners are having issues as the miles rack up. The cruise control will not work when these warning lights are on. Our car never ran differently, so it was aggravating that the lights would come on and also make the cruise and 4WD inoperable. Some research suggested that it might be a costly CO2 sensor. We just kept driving it. Another known issue is to watch the oil level since the 4cyl and 6 cyl models are known to consume oil. The car never smoked, never was underpowered, nor leaked oil but would need oil added after 1000 miles. Not good when using full Synthetic oils. All in all, a good little car but try to purchase a warranty that will cover some of these known issues so your not left with the cost of these known issues. We traded it back to the Toyota dealer that sold it to us so we did not feel guilty of not telling them of the issues we had. We just disconnected the battery to reset the warning lights until we could trade it in. When doing this, our warning lights would stay off for about 40 miles before coming back on."

16 people out of 16 found this review helpful

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Piece of Junk

By Rick (OH) on Tuesday, May 14, 2013

I owned and sold this car
Reason: Company Fleet Car - My approximate mileage is 70,000

10 1.0

overall rating 1 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 1/10
Value: 1/10
Reliability: Not Rated
Quality: 1/10
Performance: 1/10
Styling: 1/10
Comfort: 1/10

Pros: "Cheap, Good gas mileage"

Cons: "Slow, Unreliable, Cheaply Made"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"My company switched to Toyota for their fleet cars. We quickly switched back to the previous brand after one year because of the mountain of complaints from the sales force. I had the RAV4. It was a piece of junk and seemed to be in constant need of repair. The car was the slowest I've ever driven, and everything about it seemed cheaply made. The breaks made horrible noises. The interior smelled of gasoline. Interior and body parts fell off during normal driving. The car would randomly shut down while driving down the road. The car blew out every electronic device I plugged into it. (ie GPS, Phone, Tablet) Toyota's response was that all of this is normal. I would definitely NOT recommend this car, and know my company would tell you the cost savings were not worth the problems."

4 people out of 27 found this review helpful

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