1998 Toyota RAV4 Review
1998 Toyota RAV4 Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Cute styling and Toyota reliability.
Cons
- Looks like a jellybean. Doen't offer the ultility or value of the Honda CR-V.
What’s new
Toyota's mini SUV enters its third year of production with minor changes to the grille, headlights, taillamps and interior. Four-door RAV4s get new seat fabric. A late-year introduction of the new RAV4 convertible makes this sport-ute more appealing for those who live in the sunbelt.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1998 Toyota RAV4 2dr SUV AWD and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$202/mo for RAV4 Base
RAV4 Base
vs
$186/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
Vehicle overview
The mini-SUV business is booming. Introductions of fresh models by Honda, Kia and Subaru indicate that there continues to be a large market for those who want the security of an AWD truck without the punishing ride and gas mileage that goes with it. Largely comprised of car-based AWD vehicles, this new market will gain even more entrants over the next few years as Land Rover, BMW and Mercedes introduce small trucklets to the US. One of the early players in the game was Toyota, which recognized this potential boom early on and jumped into the fray with the RAV4 in 1996.
A 2.0-liter, 120-horsepower engine hooked to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission powers the front or all wheels of the different RAV4 models. This makes the RAV4 the first sport utility available with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive models use powertrain components from the now-defunct Celica All-Trac. Four-wheel antilock brakes are optional on all RAV4s. Minimum ground clearance is 7.5 inches on the four-door model; two-door RAV4s get .2 additional inches of clearance.
The RAV4 is a pretty decent around town driver, handling more like the car from which its platform is derived than a traditional SUV. Power is on the low side, however; the 120-horsepower engine works hard to drag this mini-ute up even small hills. The interior is not a bad place to spend time, offering fairly comfortable seating for four adults in the four-door models. The cargo area of the four-door is larger than one would expect, too, offering more room behind the rear seat than a Ford Crown Victoria. Two-door models are fine for singles or couples without children. The rear seat is tiny, and less than 10 cubic feet of cargo volume is available with the back seat up.
The Toyota RAV4 is a convincing package. Its eye-grabbing looks appeal to those who are young or just young at heart. Around college campuses the RAV4 litters the streets in front of Greek Row more than smashed bottles of Boone's Farm. Surprisingly, however, we have also seen the RAV4 towed behind a large number of motor homes that swoop into Arizona, Texas, and California every winter, leading us to believe that they are a hit with the more mature crowd, too.
We are fond of the RAV4, but there are a number of choices in this growing segment and we can't help but think that the more refined and powerful Honda CR-V might offer shoppers more of what they are looking for in a small truck: power, utility and value.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1998 Toyota RAV4.
5 star(65%)
4 star(33%)
3 star(2%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
43 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
My work horse!
Kathryn Porter Leary, 03/16/2017
1998 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV
***UPDATES: 410,000 (yes, those are 3 zeros after the comma) later and still kicking!! I would buy this car again and again! My hope is that my 5 year old will be able to take her driving test with it!***I bought my 1998 Rav4 off of a used car lot in 2006. It had almost 80,000 miles on it. It was my everything car! Daily commuter (160 miles round trip DAILY), dog shows, camping … trips, Burning Man, kid shuttle, etc. It currently has 396,000 miles on it 10 years later. I would guess that half of those miles I added are highway and the other half are stop and go commute traffic. I have loaded it with gear for week long camping trips, 4 dogs in kennels, 3 kids with backpacks, stuffed animals and Goldfish Crackers. I was even able to put a Washing Machine in it (and still closed the doors)! Hands down the most reliable, convenient, easiest car I have ever owned. If it keeps on 'truckin', it will be the car I teach all 3 of my girls how to drive. There are ZERO blind spots. I have often joked that is it a 'fish bowl on wheels'. Maintenance costs have been minimal. My husband is a mechanic and he is in awe about the lack of attention he needs to give my car. Brakes are STILL THE ORIGINALS! (Take that, Bay Area traffic!)! It blew a head gasket about 3 years ago and he pulled it out and took it to a machine shop to have it fixed. The guys at the shop commented on the shape of the engine and that we should, 'keep this car forever'. I will. I know it will hit 400k within the next few months but I'm already looking at 500k! The only issue I have with it (and boy is it a minor issue) is the cup holders. They are placed just below the CD player (that I never use, but I digress) and they are too small for your standard commuter coffee cup. They will hold a coffee cup from any take out place but they holder are very shallow. The cups wobble and may lead to a mocha spilling directly into the CD player (it happened...it wasn't pretty...I don't use the CD player anyway). I wedge my commuter cup in between the passenger seat and the e-brake if I need to set it down. I LOVE MY RAV4!
5 out of 5 stars
Life is a Cabernet!
Susan, 05/18/2016
1998 Toyota RAV4 L Special Edition 4dr SUV
Very reliable and holds to its value. A car you can own for a long time.
4.75 out of 5 stars
Great Compact SUV
Jon, 09/15/2010
1998 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV
I really enjoy driving my RAV4. I use it mostly for short trip driving in town, highway driving,and light off road driving. It handles great, and works well in all weather conditions. I use it for light off road driving, in pastures and meadows for hunting and fishing, and it performs fine. I have the front wheel drive model, and it still gets me around in the outdoors. The ECT Power … button is pretty cool, faster acceleration for fun, and more power for towing light trailers, or making it up steeper hills. The reliability is great,and I like the way it looks. Acceleration in town is alright, on the highway it gets the job done, but it seems a little slow. All in all a great little SUV.
4.88 out of 5 stars
Excellent!!!!
Mark, 07/27/2006
1998 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV AWD
I cannot begin to say how good this car is. I bought it with only 50000 miles on it. It now has over 100,000 and has never had a single problem with anything in the car. I have found in my years of experience that toyotas are by far the best car on the market. They are sturdy reliable and are good even into the higher mileages. My next car will definitely be another toyota. Excellent … car!!!
1998 RAV4 Highlights
Base
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $186/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 9.3 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalMarginal
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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