Shifterati

1st gen Toyota RAV4 1996–2000

This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.

A small two- or four-door on car parts, with a 2.0L four, front- or all-wheel drive, and a soft-top convertible from late 1998.

What buyers say

Reputation: what owners and the press report

Sought after: The Soft Top All years

Jalopnik calls the Soft Top the best RAV4 ever made, and The Autopian says Toyota fans regard it as rare.^1,2
Sought after: The 2000 2000 One source so far

SlashGear lists the 2000 among the used RAV4s to buy, as a reliable one.³

Before you pay

Open the buyer's checklist

Every warning and recall for this generation, with a box to tick.

Sources