The Toyota RAV4 is a compact crossover SUV that Toyota launched in Japan and Europe in 1994 and brought to North America in 1995 for the 1996 model year. It is widely credited with popularizing the compact crossover class and is Toyota’s best-selling SUV. The fifth generation, coded XA50, was unveiled at the March 2018 New York International Auto Show after being previewed by the FT-AC concept, and it went on sale in the United States in December 2018, with the hybrid arriving in March 2019. The 2021 RAV4 is the third model year of that generation.
The XA50 RAV4 moved to Toyota’s GA-K platform, shared with the Camry and Highlander, and dropped the diesel engine option that some markets had previously offered. North American cars are built in Woodstock, Ontario and Georgetown, Kentucky, while the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime is produced in Japan at Toyota Industries’ Nagakusa plant.
RAV4 generations
The RAV4 debuted in 1994 as a small, car-based SUV and is often described as the first modern compact crossover. Toyota has launched five generations: the original XA10, the XA20 of 2000, the XA30 of 2005, the XA40 of 2012 and the current XA50 of 2018. Over its life the model has grown in size and shifted from a niche two-door soft-roader to a mainstream five-seat family vehicle. By the time the fifth generation arrived, Toyota had sold more than 10 million RAV4s worldwide.
Part of the RAV4’s appeal is its broad range. Toyota has long offered it with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, with hybrid and, since 2019, plug-in hybrid options, and with equipment levels that stretch from basic work vehicles to fully loaded Limited and off-road TRD trims.
Engines and powertrains
The 2021 RAV4 was sold with two main powertrains. The gasoline model uses a 2.5-liter A25A-FKS four-cylinder rated at 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, driving through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The RAV4 Hybrid combines the same 2.5-liter engine with electric motors for a combined 219 horsepower, sent through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission; the hybrid came standard with all-wheel drive.
The most powerful RAV4 of 2021 was the RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid, which uses a differently tuned 2.5-liter engine and uprated electric motors for a combined 302 horsepower. That is 83 horsepower more than the standard hybrid, and Toyota quoted a 0-60 mph time of 5.8 seconds along with a claimed electric-only range. The Prime was unveiled at the December 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Trims
Toyota offered the gasoline RAV4 in LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure, TRD Off-Road and Limited grades, and the hybrid in LE, XLE, XLE Premium, XSE and Limited grades. The Adventure and TRD Off-Road models use all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, and the TRD Off-Road adds tuned suspension and all-terrain tires. Most gasoline grades offered a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.
Dimensions
The 2021 RAV4 rides on a 105.9-inch (2,690 mm) wheelbase and measures 180.9 inches long, 73.0 inches wide and 67.0 inches tall, with a curb weight of about 3,370 pounds and a 14.5-gallon fuel tank. Cargo volume behind the second row is 37.6 cubic feet. These dimensions carried over from the 2019 launch car, since 2021 brought no structural changes.
Fuel economy
The EPA ratings for the 2021 RAV4 run from 27 to 30 mpg combined for the gasoline model, depending on drivetrain and trim, with front-wheel drive returning the best figures and the TRD Off-Road the lowest. The RAV4 Hybrid is rated at 41 mpg city, 38 highway and 40 mpg combined. The RAV4 Prime is rated at 38 mpg combined once its battery is depleted.
Interior and cargo
Inside, the 2021 RAV4 uses a rugged, squared-off dashboard design with a central touchscreen and physical knobs for the main climate functions. Passenger space is competitive for the class, with 41.0 inches of front legroom and 37.8 inches in the rear, and cargo capacity behind the second row is 37.6 cubic feet. Higher grades add a power liftgate, a wireless charging pad and a digital rearview mirror that can show a camera feed instead of the rear seats.
Safety and features
Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 was standard on every 2021 RAV4 and includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian and cyclist detection, full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist and automatic high beams. The infotainment system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa compatibility, and higher grades offered a digital rearview mirror, a wireless charging pad and a premium audio system.
Price
The 2021 RAV4 carried a starting MSRP of $28,925 for the gasoline LE and $29,675 for the RAV4 Hybrid LE, Kelley Blue Book records, with the Limited and the plug-in Prime at the top of the range. The RAV4 competes with the Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue, and its available hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants are central to its position in the segment.
How the 2021 RAV4 compares
The RAV4 competes in the compact crossover class against the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester. Its strongest cards for 2021 are the efficiency of the hybrid and the performance of the plug-in Prime, which no rival in the class could match on power. Its main compromises are a firm ride on larger wheels and an interior that is less premium than the Mazda’s. Because the fifth generation launched for 2019, a 2021 model is close to the launch specification, with minor equipment updates only.
Related Toyota guides on this site: 2020 Toyota Auris Release Date Redesign and Price, 2020 Toyota Highlander Review and Toyota Review.
