r/rav4club

I bought a RAV4 2021 LE AWD in 2024 a few months after my divorce, using part of my house sale, to replace my old Volkswagen Golf. It was partly an emotional decision — I had plans for camping/road trips but never really used it that way.

Paid ~$22k cash, sold my Golf for ~$2.2k.

Now:

•	\~83k miles (bought at \~52k)

•	\~15.5k miles/year

No issues at all , only preventive maintenance.

It’s great with my 2 teens and dog, and during winter with snow and all but for solo commuting it feels big and kind of boring. I miss driving something smaller.

Financially I know keeping it long term is the smart move, but as I learn more about finances I feel like I spent a lot on a depreciating asset given my situation (single, part-time work, kids).

Keep it or switch to something smaller and take the hit?

Thank you !

Is buying a Toyota RAV4 at MSRP considered a good deal right now, or are people still able to negotiate below MSRP?

I’m trying to understand the current market—are dealers still firm on pricing because of high demand, or has anyone had success getting discounts recently?

Hey! I am looking in to purchasing a (new or used 2021-2026) RAV4. It would mostly be my daily commuter, but I do go camping pretty frequently as well, so ideally I could take it on dirt forest service roads and some light off-roading trails. I do have an actual off-roading vehicle for more technical trails and rock crawling, so I’m not planning on having the RAV4 do anything too crazy.

I’ve been primarily looking at the Woodland trim because they seem like relatively capable cars for that, but I was curious to see if any of the other trims are similarly capable or can be modified to be better suited for light adventures? I do have my heart set on a non plug in hybrid, but I am open to a fuel only car as long as gas mileage is better than my current daily commuter.

I'm getting an ebike as part of my dog walking business and was wondering how you haul your bikes? I'm not opposed to a hitch reciever but if I can avoid paying that much, that'd be great.

Hey everyone my fiancés uncle wants to give her his 2015 Toyota rav 4 LE made in Canada free of charge and upon my inspection the car checks out as a well maintained vehicle. Interior is prestine, engine hoses all solid, no engine bay or undercarriage leaks and the oil has a nice honey color to it when smeared on a napkin. Alc is a little dull and vibration is deff noticeable when idling. Single owner and the uncle used to use the vehicle as a taxi in nyc so I’m sure more local miles than highway also being in nyc I’m sure the undercarriage has got a good amount of rust. I haven't actually drove it yet since he is currently out of state and it's blocked by his other cars. Exterior will need a two step paint correction which I can do myself along with other smaller things overall I feel confident in it but need to see what the test drive will be like. One big thing is 190k miles on the dash and I doubt transmission fluid was changed since it’s not recommended by Toyota for this car.

Anyhow based on my observations and this info I have a few questions for the community I’ve only owned Hondas my entire life. It would be a daily car for my fiance like 30 miles each day probably a little more on weekends

1. In your opinion is this a solid car given the test drive goes well?

2. What are common things to check/watch in these cars in terms on longevity and driving quality?

3. Should I change the transmission fluid? And if so, is it DIY friendly?

4. How long do these cars usually last if well maintained? I’m seeing on previous post well past 200k

5. Any right away cosmetic mods exterior and interior? Giant lights worth it? Audio upgrades worth it? Everything is completely stock

6. Raising 2 inches with beefy wheel worth it?

7. Anything you would suggest that I have not mentioned?

Your feedback is appreciated!

Hi all, like many of you I own a 5th gen RAV4 LE Hybrid that doesn’t come with remote starter functionality from factory, so the only option is to go aftermarket. One of the Toyota dealers in my area said they install them, but the price is quite steep at $1k+ CAD. But if doing it at a dealer would avoid running into electrical/warranty issues down the line, I wouldn’t be opposed to paying the premium. I would like to have a starter but would also like to avoid the wiring getting messed up from a bad install. Curious to hear your experiences. Thanks!

Hiya,

I already know what the issue is because I used one of the previous posts on here to figure out that my car is a part of the series of Ravs Toyota put out with the roof rack defect that causes leaks. So that's good to know, happy I won't have to pay for the fixes.

However, the earliest appointment I can get at the dealership near me (there's only one in the city) is the middle of may. I'm in Ontario and we are getting blasted with rain. I'm wondering if anyone has any temporary fixes that they suggest, just till I can get it in. I know these leaks can cause electrical problems. So anyone got tips?

*p.s. I know there are ways to fix it myself but I'd rather it be fully fixed by a professional, and also I don't want to accidentally void the Customer Support Program warranty*

For anyone northeast nyc area that preordered the 2026 phev. Looks like the boat will get to Newark tomorrow! Can’t wait to finally get my hands on it.

Hi All,

I didn't find how can I adjust the rear seats ( Reclining Functionality)

I found this on Toyota website :The rear seats typically offer multiple reclining positions, allowing for a more relaxed, angled seating position.

Any tips?

Getting ready for delivery. I understand from reading the manual that the car will come with 2 smart key fobs and 1 NFC wallet card? Is this correct?

Hello - I just bought an 09 Rav4 v6 AWD Sport. Loving it so far. It's high mileage with a few minor cosmetic issues. Great service history. Got it for a good price.

The only issue I have is that the sport model came with run-flat tires and no spare tire. Being a high mileage vehicle, the run-flat tires are long gone. I've seen people talk about this a bit here, but never saw people report back with the solution they chose.

Buy more run-flats? Buy a patch kit? Can you attach a spare tire to the back of the sport model somehow? It doesn't look like a spare tire will fit anywhere, but am I wrong?

I got the new Dasaita G13 head unit with knobs and could not get it to turn on. I have a Rav4 2020 XSE with JBL and I thought this would be simple and quick. I just couldn't get any signs of life from it. I got frustrated because it's a Saturday and no tech support apparently so I tried to put the OEM head unit back in. Now that shows no signs of life. I checked the 15amp radio fuse under the drivers side and it looks fine. Now I'm stuck, at least until Monday with no head unit at all. Any ideas?

I am completely baffled and feel like this must be a joke . I went for an oil change and to change my tires . When they finished , I went to pay and they said my breaks need to be changed soon probably within a couple of months . I said no problem how much do you think it will cost . I’m expecting 300-400 max . This dude proceeds to tell me it’s going to be 800 for the front and 800 for the back , I gasped in disbelief. I have a 2022 rav 4 there’s NO WAY it should be that much . Is that how much ppl pay to change the breaks on a rav 4 ????????

At 634 miles, my LE AWD already broke down. I tried to start it to go to work and received an error on the dash:

"SRS Airbag System Malfunction: Visit Your Dealer"

It displayed one other error as well, but I didn't get a picture of it. I tried shutting it off and back on again, and it kept happening. I was only able to get it to go away by waiting a few minutes, buckling my seatbelt, and trying again. The only thing different I did before starting the car this time was setting a heavy backpack on the rear seat, and I heard the errors start to chime on the dash before I even started the car or opened the front door. To clarify, the car did start, but the entire SRS system was disabled so I didn't feel safe driving it until I was able to get it to start without an error. I have an appointment at the dealer Monday, but it doesn't seem like this is that common based on some basic searching I've done. Perhaps a seatbelt sensor, or a loose connection with the airbag connector under the seat? I've driven it three times since, and the error hasn't come back yet.