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2017 Toyota RAV4

Hybrid Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3

Complaints34 crash · 24 fire · 30 injured · 2 died reported 321

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 32 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2017 Toyota RAV4 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact SUV with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the RAV4 Hybrid AWD, is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 321 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Toyota RAV4 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Toyota RAV4 · Photo: TTTNIS · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
RAV4 Hybrid AWD	Hybrid	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl + 245V Ni-MH	34	30	32	$2,100
RAV4 LE/XLE	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	23	30	26	$2,600
RAV4	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	23	29	25	$2,700
RAV4 AWD	Gas	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	22	28	25	$2,700
RAV4 Limited AWD/SE AWD	Gas	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	22	28	24	$2,800

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38075, 38071, 38070, 38073, 38074.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
RAV4 Hybrid AWD	8 / 10	LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
RAV4, RAV4 AWD, RAV4 LE/XLE, RAV4 Limited AWD/SE AWD	6 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / LEV-II ULEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	5
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower

176 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: LE, Ltd/Platinum, Ltd/SE Platinum, SE). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	181.1 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.8 in
Height	67.3 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Track, front	61.8 in
Track, rear	61.8 in
Curb weight	3,428–3,891 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	58/42

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: AWD 4-door SUV, FWD 4-door SUV, Hybrid. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Electrical System

23TB13 / 23TA13

1,853,568 vehicles 41% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit. Risk A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V734000 reported Nov 1, 2023 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

○minor

Equipment

SET19A

1,325 vehicles 100% reported repaired built Dec 19, 2016 – Feb 22, 2019

Problem Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims." Risk An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V503000 reported Jun 28, 2019 Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

○minor

Tires

17R2

409 vehicles 58% reported repaired built Mar 21, 2017 – Mar 30, 2017

Problem Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label. Risk A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V295000 reported May 2, 2017 Gulf States Toyota, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Electrical System:12V/24V/48V Battery — Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events closed

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to understand the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires originating from the battery region of the engine compartment in Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles on 25 February 2021. At the time of opening, ODI attributed eleven allegations and additional EWR events to this PE. PE21005 focused on replacement batteries installed in the subject vehicles. No reported fire event identified in PE21005 involved the originally supplied 12V battery. The reported fires took place in vehicles known to contain aftermarket batteries or whose age exceeded the expected life of the original equipment battery.

Opened Feb 25, 2021 · closed Aug 12, 2024 · action PE21005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific RAV4

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Toyota publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Toyota’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Toyota RAV4, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

321complaints filed

34 involved a crash · 24 a fire · 30 injuries · 2 deaths reported

7.8 per 10,000 built · Toyota reported 411,672 RAV4 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2016: 3 · 2017: 44 · 2018: 37 · 2019: 27 · 2020: 29 · 2021: 30 · 2022: 24 · 2023: 31 · 2024: 47 · 2025: 37 · 2026: 12

Most-cited components

Electrical System → 112

Unspecified 64

Service Brakes 40

Engine 33

Exterior Lighting 32

Air Bags 20

In depth: electrical problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while the vehicle was being charged, the battery intermittently failed to charge. As a result, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that unknown warning lights were illuminated but turned off after the battery was on charge mode.

Electrical System at 41,000 miles Sep 14, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11544590

2017 Toyota rav 4. Consumer writes in regards to unintended braking while car is in cruise control

Service Brakes Feb 22, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11175470

I pulled into my parking spot in my condominium complex, with my foot on the brake pedal (at zero MPH). As I was trying to put it into park, the vehicle suddenly lurched forward and jumped into the hilly woods. I pressed harder on the brake pedal but it would not stop or slow down and I wasn't able to control the steering.

Structure at 3,950 miles Nov 14, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11045914

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, he attempted to avoid a rock but was unsuccessful. The contact stated that rock struck the fuel neck and caused a substantial fuel leak, 13/8 hose was unprotected and cut. A fellow motorist alerted the contact of the failure.

Fuel/Propulsion System at 40,000 miles Jun 3, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11419467

Lda audio warning too low to be heard when driving I should not need to be looking at a screen instead of the road. Seat belt warning not audible

Electronic Stability Control at 41,000 miles May 8, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11206177

The wipers do not work in cold weather, the wipers are stuck even with a clean windshield

Visibility/Wiper at 4,000 miles Apr 16, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11088492

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Toyota itself: 317 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 5 killed, 394 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 77 per 100,000 built. Every RAV4 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 23k

miles, typically

Half the 164 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 6,000 and 45,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 55

10k–20k 22

20k–30k 19

30k–40k 17

40k–50k 11

50k–60k 5

60k–70k 9

70k–80k 6

80k–90k 2

90k–100k 7

100k–150k 9

150k + 2

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Electrical System	44	41,000	1.17×
Unspecified	30	36,000	—
Service Brakes	22	13,000	0.39×
Exterior Lighting	21	9,000	0.28×
Engine	18	37,000	0.64×
Structure	12	14,000	0.37×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2017-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: service brakes (0.39×), exterior lighting (0.28×), engine (0.64×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 374

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-02-13

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 359 service bulletins, 10 others, 5 service campaigns

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Structure, Engine, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

T-SB-0009-26 Service bulletin
2026-02-13 · Engine
This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge. The GRX-5100 should be used wherever the Repair Manual references the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) charger.
T-SB-0119-15 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-02-13 · Engine
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-01-07 · Unknown Or Other
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interi
21TG01 Service campaign
2025-06-18 · Electrical System
21TG01 Exprired - Replaced with Campaign 23TA13 During a recent investigation of reported battery fires in 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles with gasoline engines (excluding hybrid models), Toyota discovered that many non-Toyota retailers and others who sell or install replacement batteries were recommending a small size battery for replacement. Toyota specifies a particular size replacement battery for the
T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 Service campaign
2025-06-13 · Electrical System
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2024-12-06 · Structure — Body
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint
T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2024-12-06 · Structure — Body
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.
T-SB-0035-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2024-12-06 · Structure — Body
Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
B15E6	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	5 bulletins
U1110 U1110 on Toyota →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	5 bulletins
P0A80 P0A80 on Toyota →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	4 bulletins
B2226	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
B2227	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
B2228	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
B2229	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
P0A7F P0A7F on Toyota →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins
P2610 P2610 on Toyota →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 1.0%

failed emissions

16,801 initial inspections of 16,404 vehicles.

Measure	The 2017 RAV4	Every 2017 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.0%	3.7%	16,752
Failed the safety inspection	2.1%	2.1%	16,801
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.21%	0.25%	16,801
Miles driven a year	10,048	10,048	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	93,262	93,238	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Compare the 2017 RAV4 with

Any vehicle, your weights →

Head-to-head	Verdict
2017 Kia Sportage · Compact SUV · grade D	RAV4 +22.7

RAV4 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 2 42 43 mpg 2025 B 4 105 39 mpg 2024 C 4 177 39 mpg 2023 B 3 171 40 mpg 2022 B 2 154 40 mpg 2021 A 1 411 40 mpg 2020 D 6 649 40 mpg 2019 F 8 905 40 mpg 2018 B 3 348 32 mpg 2017 this page B 3 321 32 mpg 2016 B 3 257 32 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 RAV4

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Toyota RAV4 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Toyota RAV4. The most serious on file is 23V734000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Toyota RAV4?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Toyota RAV4 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (87/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Toyota RAV4?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Toyota RAV4, the best EPA combined figure is 32 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Toyota RAV4?

Transport Canada measured it at 181.1 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 67.3 in tall, on a 104.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,428–3,891 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Toyota RAV4?

Owners have filed 321 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota RAV4, most often about electrical system, unspecified, service brakes. Of those, 34 involved a crash, 24 a fire, 30 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Toyota RAV4?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Toyota RAV4 runs 6 to 8 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, LEV-II ULEV, LEV-III SULEV30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Toyota RAV4?

The manufacturer has filed 374 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Toyota RAV4, most often covering equipment, electrical system, structure. The most recent is dated 2026-02-13. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Toyota RAV4 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 failed the emissions check on 1.0% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

Is the 2017 Toyota RAV4 better than the 2017 Kia Sportage?

The Toyota RAV4 wins clearly, 96.9 to 74.2, on safety, fuel & range. The Kia Sportage is ahead on performance. We publish a full side-by-side of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 against the 2017 Kia Sportage — specifications by family, equipment feature by feature, safety record and ownership costs. You can re-weight what matters to you and the verdict recalculates.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	5 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	5 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	3	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	321	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	3 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	374	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	2	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	13 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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