Used 2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
RAV4 vs. CRV
Stephen, Garden Grove, CA, 10/30/2019
2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
I have a 2012 RAV4 Sport FWD purchased as new. The current OD reading is 69,200 miles.
My wife has a 2013 CRV base model FWD purchased as new. The current OD reading is about 46,000 miles. We live in Southern California. Both myself and my wife daily trip to office is about 6 miles highway. We have few road trips (about 1000+ miles each year). We drive RAV4 for road trips when we … need rooftop cargo for skiing, camping or fishing while drive CRV for the other types. Our experiences are real as consumer.
Now, let me make comparison.
Honestly, both these rival models are very good in reliability and quality.
RAV4 has better in handling and will make you feel better grip on road surface while you have a little feeling of shaking in CRV like driving a boat.
The interior of CRV make you feel better in layout setting but the seats are stiff and uncomfortable for long rang trip.
The seats of RAV4 are very comfort. Especially, the 2nd row was design as adjustable for adding 3rd row. You can make 2nd row large legroom or roomy cargo space. When we went camping without set a tent, we put down 2nd row back to make a bed. Both myself and wife fit in. I am almost 6' tall.
Both have good power to easily pass high Sierra Mountains. RAV4 seems have a little better acceleration at low speed.
Let us talk about fuel econ.
I have RAV4 highway MPG about 25-26 with 87 regular gas while 20 in City. The fuel tank is a little more than 12 gal. I have to add gas about every 300 miles.
The best value of CRV is the ECO mode which make 31-32 MPG. But you don't want use ECO mode when it is heading uphill. Because it feed fuel to 3 cylinders only with ECO mode. Therefore it has less power while ECO mode is on. It is good gas saving design during highway cruising. CRV has larger fuel tank and better gas econ on the road trip. I can drive from Los Angels to San Jose with one full tank.
So far, RAV4 has one small problem. The power window on driver side has one loos bolt and nut on driving regulator. Cost me $135 at dealership to open and tight up the nut.
CRV has problem on the passenger side airbag warning light and cost $250 to fix.
Hope these information helpful to you.
Again, RAV4 in fun to drive over CRV and comfy while CRV has better MPG.
good choice for city driving
uncle_john, Hollywood, FL, 02/06/2016
2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
I took this suv in april 2012. this small suv is a good choice. I had a bad time deciding between this suv and the Honda crv. I don't regret buying a Toyota rav 4 sport 4 cylinder . but I regret spending this much and getting the expensive options . the car has its issues like the slow and weak motor. it was to weak to drive in san francisco . I had trouble climbing hills and thought … the car was going to slide back down the hill. the brakes have been a problem. I had them changed in august 2015 and still they make a loud rubbing noise. the brakes don't work very good. but I have to admit the car looks cool . it has plenty of interior space for a small suv. im averaging 19.2 miles per gallon I do more city driving then highway. most driving conditions the car is fast enough even for the I 95 its good enough but needs big improvements in horse power. the radio sucks big time. the sound is low and terrible. the car is easy to drive in south florida and easy to park . backing out is not so good and has bad blind spots. I don't like the door opening from the side and lack of space problems in los angeles . I couldn't open the door all the way sometimes. the sunroof makes odd noises even when closed . the interior noise is bad and loud. it takes a while to get use to that much noise. not to comfortable on long drives because the seats are to hard. but still I recommend the rav4 because it has more pros then cons .
Cargo Space Height
AZMom123, Tucson, AZ, 08/06/2019
2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
I hated that the tire was on the outside. After having a child with special needs (wheelchair), I've changed my viewpoint. I needed the height of the cargo area that is offered by the 2012 RAV4 to be able to put the wheelchair in the back. All newer models with the tire underneath do not work for our situation as they've lost at least 6 inches in height.
my toyota rav 4 sport 4x2 .
john_ufo, Stuart, FL, 07/30/2012
2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
i bought the car april 16 and its 3 and half months later. i waited
to gather more info for my review. the car overall is good. it runs smooth on normall roads . but in pot holes and going over train tracks jesus christ i thought my teeth fillings were going to come out . the car is kinda slow even for a 4 cyclnder.
they conned me into buying the rav 4 with no money down and my finance … rate at 6.00 so they got my payments as high as $ 355.83 a month for 75 months. but i got smarter in my old age and refinanced the rav at 2.00 percent with a bank in new york. so now my payments are $ 305.25 a month .
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport SUV
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Strong power and fuel economy from optional V6
- Pro:huge cargo space with flat load floor and low load height
- Pro:comfortable ride
- Pro:responsive handling.
- Con:Interior has a budget feel
- Con:right-side hinge for tailgate impedes curbside loading
- Con:taller drivers are a tight fit
- Con:disappointing four-cylinder.
Full Edmunds Review: 2012 Toyota RAV4 SUV
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2012 Toyota RAV4 in California is:
not availableLegal