Does Toyota RAV4 Hold Its Value?

By Max Anthony •  Updated: 07/01/22 •  3 min read

If you buy a Toyota RAV4, it will depreciate 40% after five years. Expect to have its resale value be at somewhere around $18,203.

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Toyota is known to be a very valuable brand, and this does not exclude the RAV4. The RAV4 is a perfect fit for a car that retains value for a good period of time. It also fits with the overall value that most of the Toyota fleet represents. Known for their reliability and relatively low operating costs, the RAV4s can be very good choices whether you buy them new or used.

This is assuming that a new vehicle is valued at $30,373.  A depreciation calculator will also allow you to accurately determine what the expected sales price of the Toyota RAV4 will be.

What Model Year Should You Avoid The RAV4?

The answer to this would be fourth generation, which would be the years 2013 to 2018. In general, the fourth generation produced some very good RAV4s, but for this matter, we’d suggest avoiding the RAV4 model year 2013 because the worst of these car models were produced then. It was known for being dependable, but in that year there were more complaints. The worst complaint related to a serious safety issue.

What Kind of Problems Does the Toyota RAV4 Have?

There are a lot of transmission issues with the 2019 Toyota RAV4. It is well known that at low speeds the transmission can lurch forward. The transmission also lets out loud bangs and clunks when it is forced to shift into gear. Some people had problems with their transmission; more specifically, when it fails or lags to shift into gear. 

What is the Difference in Buying a New Toyota RAV4 and Buying One Used?

If you buy a used Toyota RAV4 that is at least 2 years old, that can be a much cheaper option than buying new. Though such a model is still relatively new, you can expect it to still have plenty of life left. If you plan to keep the vehicle for three years, you can expect to have depreciated the vehicle for about $6,891.

To find a Toyota RAV4 at its lowest cost, make sure to compare different ages and length of operation for this model that are available on the market. You may find the right dips in depreciation for the RAV4.

What Toyota RAV4 Model Years Should You Buy?

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 is our favorite if you are searching for the best value model year for the RAV4. When you buy the 2020 model, you will pay 84% of the price that you paid when you bought the car new. Despite this, you can still expect to have 92% of your vehicle’s useful life. Models from the 2 years prior to this may also be good options.

 

How Long Can You Expect the Toyota RAV4 to Last?

The Toyota RAV4 is a car that is very durable, with a life expectancy of anywhere between 200,000 and 250,000 miles. Of course, this depends on whether you, as the car owner, take good care of the RAV4.

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Max Anthony

Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.

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