Toyota RAV4 years to avoid— and the best years
8 RAV4 model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
Every RAV4 model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 #1 | A | 5 | 1 · 0.2/yr | 409 · 82/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2016 #2 | B | 10 | 3 · 0.3/yr | 257 · 26/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2017 #3 | B | 9 | 3 · 0.3/yr | 321 · 36/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2018 #4 | B | 8 | 3 · 0.4/yr | 346 · 43/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2022 #5 | B | 4 | 2 · 0.5/yr | 150 · 38/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2023 #6 | B | 3 | 3 · 1/yr | 165 · 55/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2020 #7 | D | 6 | 6 · 1/yr | 648 · 108/yr | ★★★★★ | 1 critical |
| 2019 #8 | F | 7 | 8 · 1.1/yr | 901 · 129/yr | ★★★★★ | 1 critical |
The RAV4 years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2019 Toyota RAV4
The 2019 RAV4: 8 recalls in 7 years on the road (1.1 a year, 1 critical: suspension) — also equipment ×2, fuel/propulsion system, steering; 901 owner complaints to NHTSA, 129 a year (most often fuel system (283) and engine (214)); owners reported 28 crashes, 2 fires, 23 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2020 Toyota RAV4
The 2020 RAV4: 6 recalls in 6 years on the road (1 a year, 1 critical: suspension) — also steering ×2, air bags, fuel/propulsion system; 648 owner complaints to NHTSA, 108 a year (most often engine (197) and electrical (121)); owners reported 17 crashes, 5 fires, 14 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
The RAV4 years the record favours
first 2 of 82021 Toyota RAV4
The 2021 RAV4: 1 recall in 5 years on the road (0.2 a year) — air bags; 409 owner complaints to NHTSA, 82 a year (most often airbag (142) and electrical (49)); owners reported 48 crashes, 7 fires, 49 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2016 Toyota RAV4
The 2016 RAV4: 3 recalls in 10 years on the road (0.3 a year) — electrical system, tires, service brakes; 257 owner complaints to NHTSA, 26 a year (most often electrical (59) and brake (50)); owners reported 37 crashes, 12 fires, 27 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE21005 (became recall 23V734, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about RAV4 years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Toyota RAV4 years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2019, 2020 rank lowest of the 8 RAV4 model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2019 — 8 recalls in 7 years (1.1 a year), 1 critical, 901 complaints (129 a year); the 2020 — 6 recalls in 6 years (1 a year), 1 critical, 648 complaints (108 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Toyota RAV4 year to buy used?
The 2021 Toyota RAV4 has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal A, 0.2 recalls a year on the road and 82 complaints a year. The 2021 RAV4: 1 recall in 5 years on the road (0.2 a year) — air bags; 409 owner complaints to NHTSA, 82 a year (most often airbag (142) and electrical (49)); owners reported 48 crashes, 7 fires, 49 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2019 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2019 RAV4: 8 recalls in 7 years on the road (1.1 a year, 1 critical: suspension) — also equipment ×2, fuel/propulsion system, steering; 901 owner complaints to NHTSA, 129 a year (most often fuel system (283) and engine (214)); owners reported 28 crashes, 2 fires, 23 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Toyota RAV4 have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 29 recall campaigns against the Toyota RAV4, and owners filed 3,197 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2026) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.