1996 Toyota RAV4 Review
Price Estimate: $570 - $959
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
What’s new
A new mini-ute based on passenger car mechanicals debuts this year. It's available as a two-door or four-door.
For sale nationwide
2 listings
- 181,257 miles
- 1 accident, 4 owners, personal use only
- 21 City / 27 Hwy MPG, Manual
- Texas Select Autos (889 mi away)
Close
Located in McKinney, TX
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
24 Combined MPG (21 City/27 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JT3GP10V1T0007673
Stock: 007673
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 02-27-2025- Not Priced
- 157,111 miles
- No accidents, 7 owners, personal use only
- 19 City / 24 Hwy MPG, Manual
- Credit King Auto Sales (583 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
Close
Located in Wichita, KS
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
21 Combined MPG (19 City/24 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JT3HP10V3T7009047
Stock: 10126R
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-26-2025
Vehicle overview
The mini-SUV market is booming. Geo introduced a four-door Tracker this year, Suzuki spruced up the Sidekick with a more powerful engine and body cladding, and Kia dropped a bigger engine and an airbag into its Sportage. Even the ancient Jeep Cherokee is selling like hotcakes, thanks to its powerful inline six-cylinder engine, low price, and rugged Jeep heritage.
Toyota, who in the past half-decade has taken on the luxury-sedan market with Lexus, the full-sized pickup market with the T100, and the traditional full-sized sedan market with the Avalon, now has its sights set on wealth-deprived twenty- and thirty-somethings who want an SUV but can't afford to fork out 25 to 30 grand for a 4Runner. The RAV4 (Recreational Active Vehicle with 4WD) is a new mini-SUV designed to capitalize on the low end of this booming market.
All RAV4s are powered by a 2.0-liter, 120-horsepower engine, hooked to either a five-speed or automatic transmission powering the front or all wheels. The RAV4 is the first sport utility 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 models. Minimum ground clearance is 7.5-inches on the four-door model; two-door RAV4s get an additional .2 inches.
We haven't driven the RAV4, but gave it a close examination at the Arizona Auto Show. The four-door is comfortable and typically Toyota in materials and design. Very functional, little flair, and durable in feel and appearance. The rear seat is a bit cramped for six-footers, but is comfortable enough for short trips. Fortunately, the split folding rear seat reclines a bit to increase head room. The cargo area of the four-door is larger than one would expect, offering more room behind the rear seat than a Chevrolet Caprice Classic. 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.
On paper and in person, the RAV4 is a sensible vehicle with loads of personality. Pricing, as with many Japan-built imports, is this sport ute's main problem. A 4WD four-door with automatic, ABS, alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise, cassette and a tilt wheel is gonna run you $21,750. Add power locks, windows, and mirrors and the price escalates to $22,700. In contrast, a Kia Sportage EX runs less than $20,000 similarly equipped. Loaded Trackers and Sidekicks are also less expensive. Still, the Toyota is bigger inside, cuter outside, and comes standard with Toyota's reputation for quality. For many buyers, this will be enough to close the sale. However, we think the Jeep Cherokee is a better value than any of the mini-SUV's on the market, including the RAV4.
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota
$188/mo for RAV4 Base
RAV4 Base
vs
$166/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
See Edmunds pricing data
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Toyota RAV4 Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
1996 RAV4 2 Door
5 out of 5 stars1996 Toyota RAV4, 04/05/2009
1996 Toyota RAV4 2dr SUV
Purchased my RAV4 as a tow car for large motorhome.I have an interchangeable brush guard and tow bar. Very easy to tow, fun to drive. 29 MPG, with 5 speed. Has front and back sun roof. Well built little car, serviced every 3000 miles, not one single problem. I like the cargo style door in back with fold down seats there is a nice storage area. It has 116,000 miles and is driven about 40 … total miles each day to work. Blue paint still looks new. I will buy another one when this one wears out... however, I hope for another 100,000 miles.
Little Trooper
4.88 out of 5 starsCorun B, 02/06/2010
1996 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV AWD
HAd this car for 10 years and not one problem. I can't get over how reliable this thing is. I live in the mountains with annual snow and haven't been stuck once, it goes to hell and back and is the best car that I have ever owned. This is the only car you would ever need in your life.
A GOOD Buy
4.88 out of 5 starsRed, 11/12/2009
1996 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV
This little SUV is just the thing for good basic transportation. It now has over 160,000 miles on it and I expect to go well over 200,000. It averages over 27mpg combined city/highway driving. It's nothing fancy but it always gets me where I want to go. Besides regular maintenance the only things replaced have been the water pump, timing belt, and thermostat. This would be a great first … car for anyone.
"I don't wanna lose that girl!"
5 out of 5 starsJill Rose, 07/26/2018
1996 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV AWD
This is a great car. I LOVE it. It is fun to ride, the visibility is GREAT. As a young girl, my "Runabout" got great gas mileage and had a lot of horse power for her size. She's 22 years old now and almost ready to retire, but I would keep her and fix her up if I could. She needs a new or rebuilt engine now.
1996 RAV4 Highlights
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 21 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $188/month |
all 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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