Toyota RAV4: common problems, best years and what to check
Pioneering SUV; latest hybrids are very reliable and frugal. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Toyota RAV4 a good used buy?
Best buy
2019+ XA50 2.5 Hybrid
Avoid
2.2 D-4D with head gasket signs
Who it suits: Families wanting a reliable, economical SUV.
What's good
- Excellent reliability
- Frugal hybrid
- Big boot
- Strong resale
What's not
- CVT drone
- Plain interior
- Catalytic converter theft
- D-4D diesel issues
By the numbers
- #75 most common model on UK roads, with about 112k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2021: 11.8k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 41% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2019 cars survive 6% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- The most expensive common fault: Head gasket failure (2AD) (up to £3,000).
Toyota RAV4 common problems by generation and engine
Toyota RAV4 XA30 (2006–2013) · SUV
How to spot it: 06 plate to 13 plate. Spare wheel on the side-hinged tailgate.
2.2 D-4D (2AD, diesel, 2006–2013)
Head gasket issue
- Head gasket failure (2AD)£1,500–£3,00060k+
Faults on any XA30 (2006–2013) engine
- Rear subframe / underbody rust£300–£1,2008+ yrs
Toyota RAV4 XA40 (2013–2018) · SUV; Hybrid
How to spot it: 13 plate to 18 plate. No spare on the tailgate; sharper nose.
2.5 Hybrid (2AR-FXE, hybrid, 2016–2018)
Reliable
2.0 D-4D (1AD, diesel, 2013–2016)
Toyota RAV4 XA50 (2019–) · SUV; Hybrid; PHEV
How to spot it: 19 plate onwards. Square, rugged design with octagonal grille.
2.5 Hybrid / PHEV (A25A-FXS, hybrid, 2019–)
Very reliable
- Catalytic converter theft£1,000–£2,500any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Toyota RAV4 years
How many Toyota RAV4s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Years that fall off the road faster: 2019 — check these harder.
Toyota RAV4 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Toyota RAV4s pass their MOT first time 6 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (83% vs 77%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 60% | 57% | 118k miles |
| 2009 | 61% | 58% | 112k miles |
| 2010 | 66% | 59% | 108k miles |
| 2011 | 69% | 61% | 102k miles |
| 2012 | 71% | 63% | 94k miles |
| 2013 | 76% | 66% | 96k miles |
| 2014 | 78% | 69% | 90k miles |
| 2015 | 81% | 72% | 80k miles |
| 2016 | 82% | 75% | 71k miles |
| 2017 | 82% | 78% | 63k miles |
| 2018 | 84% | 81% | 52k miles |
| 2019 | 90% | 84% | 48k miles |
| 2020 | 91% | 86% | 42k miles |
| 2021 | 91% | 87% | 34k miles |
| 2022 | 94% | 89% | 27k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Hybrid
Diesel
Petrol
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.2 per 100
- Position lamp: not working2.76 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.71 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.84 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.83 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.82 per 100
- Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength1.63 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect1.63 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm21.05 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear14.76 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn13.14 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened12.08 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick9.07 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded8.69 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded8.02 per 100
- Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened4.99 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Toyota RAV4 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All engines | chain | durable | £600–£1,100 |
Toyota RAV4 running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Toyota RAV4 ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Toyota RAV4 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota RAV4 | 112k | 27–40 | 580 l | 2019+ XA50 2.5 Hybrid |
| Honda CR-V | 158k | 17–30 | 497 l | 2018+ Mk5 2.0 Hybrid or Mk4 1.6 i-DTEC |
| Nissan X-Trail | 91k | 17–30 | 565 l | 2017+ T32 1.6 dCi manual |
| Kia Sportage | 373k | 13–25 | 491 l | 2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV |
| Hyundai Tucson | 227k | 11–25 | 513 l | 2018–2020 TL 1.6 GDi manual or 2021+ HEV |
| Ford Kuga | 354k | 15–28 | 475 l | 2013–2019 Mk2 2.0 TDCi manual; 2020+ FHEV |
What to check when buying a used Toyota RAV4
- 2.2 D-4D head gasket
Toyota RAV4 FAQ
›Is the Toyota RAV4 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2019+ XA50 2.5 Hybrid. Avoid: 2.2 D-4D with head gasket signs.
›What is the Toyota RAV4 MOT pass rate?
83% of Toyota RAV4s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (90,049 tests), better than the 77% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively.
›What are the most common Toyota RAV4 problems?
The costliest known faults are Head gasket failure; Catalytic converter theft. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Toyota RAV4 have a timing belt or chain?
All engines: chain.
›What is the best year Toyota RAV4 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2009, 2010 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Toyota RAV4 cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.5 Hybrid 45–52 mpg; PHEV 40–120 depending on charging. Insurance groups 27–40. A minor service is about £200–£280 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Toyota RAV4?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Toyota RAV4 ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.