Toyota RAV4 (2000 - 2005) Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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User reviews for Toyota RAV4 (2000 - 2005)
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by Chris K
Dec 27, 2024
The 2005 RAV4 was said to be one of the most reliable along with the 2006.Dec 27, 2024
by Paul P
Jun 18, 2023
Ive had several Rav4 in the past. High mileage, reliable ,long lasting vehicle.Jun 18, 2023
by Jay R
Oct 16, 2021
This little vehicle is amazingly comfortable and incredibly dependable. I wish I would have bought a Rav4 a long time ago. I have always owned CRVs. I really like the Honda CRV but the Rav4 might be a step above the CRV. I love this vehicle! Oct 16, 2021
User rating:
by Chris K
Dec 27, 2024
The 2005 RAV4 was said to be one of the most reliable along with the 2006.Dec 27, 2024
by Paul P
Jun 18, 2023
Ive had several Rav4 in the past. High mileage, reliable ,long lasting vehicle.Jun 18, 2023
by Jay R
Oct 16, 2021
This little vehicle is amazingly comfortable and incredibly dependable. I wish I would have bought a Rav4 a long time ago. I have always owned CRVs. I really like the Honda CRV but the Rav4 might be a step above the CRV. I love this vehicle! Oct 16, 2021
by Dibbie A
Sep 19, 2020
Overall, I think this vehicle is a good value. I like the fact that the back seats can be removed, and the dashboard panel is easy to reach and use.
I wish it got better gas mileage for a 4 cylinder vehicle.Sep 19, 2020
by Anonymous
Jun 15, 2014
Nice tight turning radius. 4WD works exceptionally well; I've driven thru snow well over a foot deep with no problem. A/C still going strong after 12 years! A surprising amount of cargo space for a compact SUV. By far, the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned.Jun 15, 2014
by AROLD B
Feb 19, 2013
This car never brakes downs since I have had it. It runs perfectly, only oil, tire, and brake changes. It's a very good reliable car to buy. This 2005 RAV4 is great in gas and snow. It is not luxury.Feb 19, 2013
by Renee D
Oct 28, 2012
I love my Rav4! That's why I want to get another one only with 4WD. It handles great, gets great gas mileage, is easy to park and to get into and out of. The back seats fold up to make more cargo room if needed. Very comfortable for long trips or just around town. This little car has great get-up-and-go for a 4 cylinder. It's fun to drive.Oct 28, 2012
by WILL C
Jul 07, 2012
Too short in back to sleep in for 6'-3" person.
Best vehicle ever owned in 50 years of driving.... including Audi, VW, Ford, Chevy, 4Runners
Exceptional handling on hiway and off....will go up steep freeway grade like PHX to Flagstaff at 80mph in 4th gear.
Gets 26mpg at average 65mph on freeway....22mpg in town.
Loaded, Sunroof, all power, cruise, privacy factory glass tint.Jul 07, 2012
by Anonymous
May 10, 2012
I loved this car for its reliability, smooth ride, comfort, economic use of gas. She has never been a worry or a let down. lots of storage space in the back. she did have a little struggle with snow as she is front wheel drive vs 4 wheel drive. But never got truly stuck unless I couldn't dig her out of a snow bank. Nice cd and radio system. Everything works. She has miles to go.
May 10, 2012
by Anonymous
Jul 10, 2011
It is a great gas saver, low mileage, 4X4 all wheel drive, gets you thru tough Cleveland winters. Has new tires, does not require a lot of maintenance, is a great vehicle to drive. It has not needed any repairs just normal oil changes and wipers. Jul 10, 2011
by Anonymous
Feb 24, 2011
Car with great performance for acceleration, braking and handling. with very low cost of ownership, compared to other SUV. 22/29 gas mileage.Car very funny to drive, easy to park. Interior and exterior in very good condition. It doens't need any repair.Feb 24, 2011
by James L
Jun 01, 2010
Nice car, needs mods to stand out because a lot of RAV4s around are stock silver with stock alloy rims. Drives well, especially in snow, AWD is perfect for this car, as it's extremely hard to lose traction in snow. Not too light, not too heavy. Gets decent gas mileage, (20-22 city 25 highway), and all around is a fun car to drive.Jun 01, 2010
by Ian C
Jan 26, 2010
its simple and real. it may be an I4 small suv, but its got a punch and attacks corners well and actually quite fun. i feel like PART of the car, like i know what its going to do next. the engine is bullet-proof and at 126,000 miles+, it still runs smoothly. styling is actually fairly nice, not too cute and has a slight aggressive stance. a great car =DJan 26, 2010
by Debbie M
Sep 26, 2009
Good gas mileage. Dependable performance. Very inexpensive maintainance. No major issues in 7 years of ownership. Good in the snow with the all-wheel-drive. Flexible cargo area and fold down rear seats. Fun to drive. Holds its value. Has the 'sport package' trim. Had to pay $500 extra for the rear spoiler but think it adds to the sporty look of the vehicle. Good visability due to height of vehicle.Sep 26, 2009
by Lori S
Aug 06, 2009
I love my RAV4. It's fun to drive, gets pretty good gas mileage, and handles well. It has lots of room in the back for shopping trip purchaces. It's white and easy to keep clean. I would recommend the RAV4.Aug 06, 2009
by Mitch C
Oct 04, 2008
The seat is small but it okay to fit in and have some room. What I don't like is my foot to push the panel on gas getting sore but it okay need more room for my leg for where the gas panel is. This RAV4 has a good gas mileages in around 27 standard city/hwy. What I like very mush is all wheel drive that best on snow and heavy rain, nice ride and also nice with high wind is pretty good still run and it had do with shape body car. So far I like it so better get a brand new 2008 that one very nice and lot of room. I recommend buy a new or use on RAV4.Oct 04, 2008
by Nick C
Jul 23, 2008
This is a rock solid Japanese car. It is very low maintenance, and it gets great gas milage for an SUV.
It does not accelerate as quickly as you would expect,
but that is not a huge issue! The car is small, so it is
easy to park in tight spots!.Jul 23, 2008
by Loi Y
Mar 29, 2008
It was a black RAV4 3 Dr. Bought it coz' one of my friends was driving it then. Very good car. Toyota amazing reliability. Good fuel economy and very fast coz' it was light. Small enough to park in tight corners and large enough to carry people and long objects around. Seats were collapsible and removable. A very versatile carMar 29, 2008
by Anonymous
Mar 24, 2008
This car is riddled with problems and is extremely unreliable. Mar 24, 2008
by Anonymous
Jan 05, 2008
I owned a RAV4 back in 01-03 and it proved to be a great car in Boston: fits easily in tiny parking spaces, has 4wd, can carry plenty of crap and fit my bike fully assembled with one seat removed. Plus, it's fun to drive with the manual transmission (shame! Toyota for messing this up) and returns decent MPG.
On the outside, the RAV4 has a sporty look, and my L version has painted over-fenders, a spoiler, tinted windows and a hard spare tire shell. Over the look is clean and uniform. The L also has fog lights standard, a nice feature.
Under the hood is a 4-cylinder, efficient engine. I return between 19 and 26 MPG, the lower number in all city driving. 4WD is permanently engaged, surely keeping MPGs lower than if it was defeatable. The manual transmission has 5 gears, and clutch engagement is decent. The shifter is not rubbery, either, however the 1-2 shift is somewhat finicky and can cause discomfort to passengers. My Accord did not suffer this fate.
In 2004, Toyota made their Star Safety system standard, which includes Anti-Lock Brakes, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Traction Control, Vehicle Skid Control and Brake Assist. All of these features were not on my 2001 RAV4. My particular vehicle also has side impact airbags. Overall I feel very safe in this car.
On the inside, all of the controls are well laid-out and are of high-quality materials. The dashboard has high-quality appearance hard plastic. The seats fold down, recline, slide forward and backwards, and remove completely. As I mentioned I can completely fit my bike inside with just one seat removed...even placed on top of the other rear seat as they are split 50/50. The front seats are comfortable, and the driving position is great for my 6'3" frame. The steering wheel is smaller diameter than many I've seen, and is leather wrapped creating a sporty feel.
Driving dynamics are pretty good, but definitely not BMW-quality. The ride can be somewhat harsh, especially with engine buzzing at high speeds. A sixth gear would be a godsend. The steering is not overly tight, but not Toyota-loose.
Overall, it's a great compromise of ability and performance, in addition to utility and 4wd. Aside from my dream car, an IS (no AWD with manual - SHAME!), the RAV4 does well. It's really a shame that Toyota bloated up the 06+ RAV4's and removed the manual transmission option. They removed me from the RAV market by doing so.Jan 05, 2008
by Mayra L
Dec 22, 2007
I bought this car in 2001, when the new fleet came to Puerto Rico. I just love it. The handling, the performance, and everything else is great. Like some people say, Toyotas never die, if you now how to maintain it. I try to keep up with the maintenance, and only once I had to make a serious repair, but it was done due to bumps and holes in the road. Overall, it is a really great vehicle. I recommended to anyone!
I JUST LOVE MY RAV4!!!!Dec 22, 2007
by Anonymous
Oct 26, 2006
I have been driving my family's Rav-4 for over 3 years. They had an earlier model and then renewed their lease with an updated version.
The Rav-4 is an excellent combination of a roomy SUV with a more versatile driving ability. I'm able to drive my friends and our snowboarding gear up to the mountains, yet I'm still able to parallel park the car with ease.
I like the new sleek look of the 2006 model, but I think that it is much bigger and therefore pushes the Rav-4 squarely into the SUV camp, reducing its appeal among the people who want a smaller but roomy car, and also causing it to compete with larger SUV's who have been in that particular market for longer. Now instead of being compared to the Honda CR-V (over which it clearly wins in my opinion), it competes with the SUV's of Lexus, Nissan, and others.
However, the RAV-4 has been a consistently comfortable and competent car that I continue to enjoy driving. Oct 26, 2006
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Toyota RAV4 (2000 - 2005) Pricing
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