Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
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With 146,921 currently licensed in the UK, the Toyota RAV4 is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the RAV4 5 stars in 2019, with 93% adult occupant and 87% child protection scores.
It has a 82.5% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include suspension, brakes, tyres.
Annual running costs are estimated at £2,138 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £178/month or 27p/mile.
Theft risk is rated low at 2.8 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
NCAP Safety
2019
MOT Pass Rate
82.5%
95,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£178
est. annual total
New From
£38,000
Euro NCAP tested the RAV4 in 2019 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
93%
Child Occupant
87%
Pedestrian
85%
Safety Assist
77%
There are 36 known DVSA recalls affecting the Toyota RAV4. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2025/466
For certain vehicles equipped with a Parking Assist ECU a component of the Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system that displays the rear view image the software may cause the rear view image to freeze or not display
Build dates: 2022-10-21 to 2025-06-09
R/2025/270
For certain vehicles equipped with the combination meter system (where various information is displayed) that due to an improper programming of the combination meter unnecessarily repetitive data is written to a memory device. This may cause the memory device to deteriorate and the monitor to not display during the meter at start up and remain in this state permanently.
Build dates: 2022-01-03 to 2025-02-17
R/2025/270
For certain vehicles equipped with the combination meter system (where various information is displayed) that due to an improper programming of the combination meter unnecessarily repetitive data is written to a memory device. This may cause the memory device to deteriorate and the monitor to not display during the meter at start up and remain in this state permanently.
Build dates: 2022-09-30 to 2024-09-17
R/2023/279
On affected vehicles there is a possibility that the DCM may not complete the shutdown process within a specific period of time when the ignition is turned off causing the DCM to not restart at the next ignition cycle and making the e-Call function unavailable. As a result the vehicles do not comply with relevant regulations.
Build dates: 2023-01-23 to 2023-07-18
R/2023/279
On affected vehicles there is a possibility that the DCM may not complete the shutdown process within a specific period of time when the ignition is turned off causing the DCM to not restart at the next ignition cycle and making the e-Call function unavailable. As a result the vehicles do not comply with relevant regulations.
Build dates: 2023-01-17 to 2023-07-07
+ 31 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.
Based on 95,000 MOT tests, the RAV4 has a first-time pass rate of 82.5% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The RAV4 is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Toyota RAV4 are estimated at around £2,138 per year, or £178 per month.
Fuel
£0
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£1,688
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
Battery
18 kWh
Range (WLTP)
46 mi
Motor
134 kW
180 bhp
Drive
AWD
Starting from £38,000 new, a Toyota RAV4 typically retains about 62% after 3 years and 51% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 83% | £31,350 | −£6,650 |
| 2 years | 70% | £26,650 | −£11,350 |
| 3 years | 62% | £23,450 | −£14,550 |
| 4 years | 56% | £21,100 | −£16,900 |
| 5 years | 51% | £19,400 | −£18,600 |
| 6 years | 48% | £18,050 | −£19,950 |
| 7 years | 45% | £16,950 | −£21,050 |
| 8 years | 42% | £16,150 | −£21,850 |
| 9 years | 40% | £15,300 | −£22,700 |
| 10 years | 38% | £14,550 | −£23,450 |
The RAV4 has a theft rate of 2.8 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.
There are currently 146,921 licensed and 18,301 SORN RAV4s in the UK (165,222 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The RAV4 has a 82.5% first-time MOT pass rate based on 95,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Euro NCAP awarded the RAV4 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2019. It scored 93% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 85% for vulnerable road users, and 77% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old RAV4 are estimated at around £2,138 per year (£178/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 36 known safety recalls affecting the RAV4. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
The RAV4 has a theft rate of 2.8 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.
A new RAV4 starts from around £38,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 51% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
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