2024 has been a good year for the Toyota RAV4. How do we know? Because every year is a good year for the RAV4! Toyota shifts over 300,000 a year, every year, and has been doing so for almost a decade now. It’s worth our time to examine the history of the wildly popular SUV. Let’s look at where it is today, compared to where it began in the wild times known as the “1990s.”
Welcome to Then And Now, the recurring feature where we look at popular, influential, or otherwise important long-running models and how they’ve changed with market trends, consumer preferences, and the ever-changing automotive landscape. The fuel-sipping Toyota Prius was our last Then And Now subject, and today we’re putting a long-time family favorite under the microscope.
We’re going to look at what you got back in ’96, and what you get today. Whether the car is still good value, or whether it’s better than ever. We’ll also explore how the RAV4 started in one very unique segment and ended up somewhere completely different. Calculators and research goggles at the ready—let’s get started!
Price
The Toyota RAV4 first dropped in 1994, but it took a further two years to get to the US. Thus, we’ll start our examination in 1996. Prices started at just $17,058 for the two-door model, and $17,758 for the four-d00r. That’s right, you got an extra two doors for just $700, or $350 a door! In any case, translated to 2024 prices, that’s $34,156 and $35,558 respectively. Meanwhile, the median family income was $35,492 in 1996, equivalent to $71,068 today.
The 2024 Toyota RAV4 starts at $30,025 by comparison. That’s actually slightly cheaper than the 1996 model, accounting for inflation. As for median family income, that was pegged at $74,580 in 2022. That’s the closest year we currently have data for, and adding inflation in the last two years, it’s equal to $79,083 today.
Long story short, you get a whole lot of RAV4 today for your money. For a base model, you’re getting a discount on the order of $4000 or so! The original model was by no means expensive, but Toyota has found a way over the years to keep costs down—and get prices functionally lower—despite all the new technology squeezed into the new models.
Dimensions
This is the big one. Cars keep getting bigger, and the RAV4 is no exception. However, the difference is exceptional in this case. When the RAV4 first dropped, the compact three-door model was the star. Today, it comes in just one configuration—as a sizeable hefty five-door SUV!
The original three-door measured just 147.2 inches long. Meanwhile, the five-door stretched that to 163.4 inches. Yes, Toyota managed to fit in a whole extra door in just 16.2 inches of extra room! Meanwhile, the fifth-generation model of today is much longer, at 181.1 inches. That’s a whole 33.9 inches longer—or almost three whole feet! It’s 23% larger! Here’s what that looks like:
Height is almost the same, at 65 inches or so, for both the first and fifth generations. However, where the original was a svelte 66.7 inches wide, the latest RAV4 stretches that to 73.0 inches.
As an aside, there was a short period in the third-generation where Toyota built short-wheelbase models for some markets (like Japan and New Zealand) and long-wheelbase models for others (like the US). They all had five doors, however, and the split only lasted for a few years.
Power & Weight
Let’s talk grunt. The 1996 model ran a 2.0-liter inline-four engine, good for 119 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. It was an acceptable level of power for a vehicle that wasn’t really supposed to be fast, but wasn’t allowed to be a slug, either. The three-door model started at 2634 pounds, while heavier five-door models would stretch to 2868 pounds. You could get it with a four-speed auto or a five-speed manual, and it was available in both front- and all-wheel-drive. The three-door would seat four, while the five-door would seat five.
In 2024, Toyota is building the fifth-generation RAV4. It’s available solely as a five-door SUV, though there are now conventional and hybrid models available. You can have it with the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter inline four, good for 203 horsepower, or the 2.5-liter hybrid which offers 219 hp from engine and electric motors combined. There’s also the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime which ups power to a mighty 302 horsepower combined. Conventional ICE-only models can be had in front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. However, both hybrid models feature front and rear motors providing all-wheel-drive.
Indeed, power has stepped up significantly over the original RAV4. The latest base model has over 80 horsepower more than the 1996 model, while the plug-in hybrid extends its lead by 182 hp. The hybrid models have very healthy output, particularly when considering the instant-on torque boost of their powerful electric motors. The plug-in model is particularly exceptional, with its front and rear motors capable of putting out 179 and 53 horsepower respectively.
With that said, the new RAV4 is much heftier than the original. It weighs in starting at 3,370 pounds for the lightest front-wheel-drive model, to a full 4,300 pounds for the plug-in hybrid. That’s a 27 to 63% increase compared to the lighter variants of the original model.
What does that mean in reality? Well, the original 1996 model achieved a power-to-weight ratio of 0.045 horsepower per pound and did zero-to-60 mph in around 10 seconds. Japan’s hotter models with 177 hp likely slashed that significantly.
Meanwhile, the new base model 2024 RAV4 gets 0.06 horsepower per pound, so it’s a little more spritely. Zero-to-60 mph passes by in 8.3 seconds according to Car and Driver. Despite its heft, the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime achieves 0.069 horsepower per pound thanks to that mighty 302 horsepower output. It’s actually quite the hot ship—it’ll hit 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds. At the time of its launch in 2019, it was the second-quickest Toyota behind the new GR Supra.
Fuel economy has improved, too. The 1996 model was originally rated at 27 mpg combined for the five-speed manual. However, as per the EPA’s revision to MPG ratings in 2016, it comes in at 24 mpg combined today. Meanwhile, the base model 2024 RAV4 gets 30 mpg combined, and the hybrid will do 39 mpg. As for the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime, it does 38 mpg on gas only. Taking its battery into account, it achieves 94 MPGe, but that’s kind of hard to compare with traditional gas vehicles.
Options
The original RAV4’s options list was pretty typical for the mid-1990s. You could upgrade to a tilt steering wheel, power windows, locks and mirrors, along with a digital clock and AM/FM cassette deck. Yes, according to Car and Driver’s contemporary review, the radio/cassette deck wasn’t standard.
You could also spec a Torsen limited-slip differential, cruise control, air conditioning, and aluminum wheels. The all-weather package added a heavy-duty battery and rear seat heater duct, along with a larger windscreen washer tank. Alloy wheels were also on the list, along with a sunroof and ABS brakes. Two CD stackers were available—a three-disc in-dash unit, or a six-disc remote unit.
Standard equipment was pretty limited. As previously mentioned, no radio was technically included as stock. Brakes were discs up front, with drums in the back. The RAV4 did come with dual airbags, though, and you also got a rear wiper and defogger and a passenger-side vanity mirror. Toyota also threw in a cup holder, which was all the rage in 1996. Interiors were cloth, because this was no luxury car.
In comparison, the 2024 RAV4 comes with a truckload of standard equipment. For the base model LE trim, you get an 8.0-inch infotainment system. It’s got Bluetooth, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto built-in. No cassette or CD player though. But you also get eight cupholders, eight airbags (one per cupholder), an electronic parking brake, three USB ports, power windows, keyless entry, and air conditioning as standard. Most of these were considered luxury features in 1996.
You can spec the thing to the moon, too. The main upgrades are going up to an all-wheel-drive or hybrid model. Sat-nav is available, as is a JBL premium sound system, bigger infotainment screen, and wireless phone charger. The usual suspects are all there—heated and ventilated power seats, ambient lighting, automatic climate control and the like. Notably, leather seats still aren’t an option—you can get cloth or SofTex, a synthetic substitute. Still, go wild with options, and you can end up with a Hybrid Limited model with all-wheel-drive that sets you back over $51,000.
Death of a Segment
You don’t have to look twice to know that the RAV4 of today has very little in common with its perky forbearer. It started out as a rugged do-anything vehicle for outdoors types to enjoy. Jump back to 1989, and the original concept really drives that home. It wore off-road tires, tough plasticky body cladding, and it even boasted a winch right on the front bumper as stock.
So what happened? The market happened. Once the RAV4 dropped, Toyota realized that five door models were flying out the door. People were enjoying the model as a high-riding soft-roader. It had excellent storage space, five seats, and a high driving position for good visibility. Most crucially, unlike truck-based vehicles of its day, it paired these with a remarkably comfortable and car-like driving experience.
Toyota’s product planners have always been an astute bunch. Over the years, they’ve molded the RAV4 to better suit its biggest customer set. When the second-generation model landed in 2000, it continued to offer a three-door with a similarly sporty look and feel. Come 2006, the third generation had eliminated it entirely. Sales simply weren’t there to support it, and it went the way of so many other three-door SUVs from the glory days of the 1990s.
By the end of its first decade on sale, the RAV4’s adventure sports image had been totally reshaped into something altogether safer and more mainstream. Toyota still advertises certain trims for off-road adventure, of course. It’s not hard to find pictures of the AWD models slathered in mud and with camping gear in tow. But it’s no longer the main focus for the model. You’re more likely to see one parked in a sleek cityscape than you are to spot one out bush.
The RAV4 is not the exception, in this case. It’s very much following the rule. Many a “fun” vehicle from the 1990s met its end by the mid-2000s, as consumer tastes changed and young people stopped being able to afford new cars. Where others faltered, though, the RAV4 transformed. The nameplate lives on, even if the RAV4 of today bears almost no resemblance to the vehicle that spawned it so many years ago.
In the automotive industry, you can absolutely dominate and stay the same. Toyota has a laundry list of models that have done that, from the Corolla to the Land Cruiser and beyond. Alternatively, you either die or adapt. The RAV4 took the third option and never looked back.
Image credits: Toyota; Bring A Trailer; JapStar Imports
My wife has a 2018 Limited Hybrid and it only has averaged 28mpg. Her VW GTI before that would achieve the same but was much faster and better handling and much more fun to drive with its 6-speed manual. She understood that Rav4s came with manual transmissions but was disappointed to learn those were discontinued. She still bought it, of course, and it has been a good car. Just too bad it is so ugly and boring to drive.
I find it funny how the RAV-Four was originally intended as essentially a cut-down Tercel 4wd.
Fast forward 30 years, and the RAV4’s now bigger than the Corolla Cross, the Tercel 4WD’s spiritual successor.
Blasphemy be damned, as an 80 series owner, I’ve always seen the first gen as a perfect shrunken 80 and I’d love a 5spd 5 door.
Sorry, but the only Rav4 I would own would be a 2-door, 5-speed, crank window model. Otherwise, why bother?
It’s a shame that no one will sell you a stripper car like this these days. I’m with you, the three-door with power nothing and manual everything would be my pick. I’m also the type of person that would much rather pay $12k for a clean 1984 Toyota pickup than any price for a new Tacoma.
Don’t forget to check the convertible option.
I’ve become a fan of the second-generation RAV4s. Drove one that belonged to friends around Malawi for a week or two last year and it was fun to drive, comfortable, and handled all the truly terrible roads and even a surprise stream / irrigation ditch crossing with aplomb.
Value Achieved!
Bring back 2 door SUV’s !!!
also removable tops for said 2 dr SUVs
My deepest wish.
If we don’t buy 2 door broncos, they’ll disappear again.
I do see tons of those broncos around denver – but not too many of the 2dr versions..
I would always pick the lighweight repairable 96 over todays over complicated unrepairable “one quarter panel totals it” vehicles.
The 4th gen at least will still get outdoorsy. Our 2013 AWD took us some cool places down some kinda maintained fire roads. The AWD is pretty good for a PTO arrangement with open diffs and brake based traction control.
I’m sure I’ve said this too many times but: 2021 RAV4Prime loaded, paid MSRP for first time ever, was considered a deal. Plus received the 7500.00 tax credit. Fast going straight, turning not so much cuz heavy. Rarely use gas, at 87.5MPG equivalent after 4 years ownership.
I love the RAV4. The old ones were a-ok.
I’ll pay double the MSRP for the hot blonde in the Scuba suit by the old red one.
As everyone knows by now the Col not only likes things with good taste, but also loves things that taste good.
Fight me…
Seriously.
Thanks Lewin, made my day.
Really? This is supposed to be a classy joint.
In older news, in 1909 a new Model T cost $850, but by 1924 the price had gone down to only $260.
Weird, wonder what was going on then.
World peace? And a more efficient manufacturing process probably.
Henry Ford figured that the model T was good enough and put mind-boggling effort into making it cheaper.
The model T was a so-so invention, but the invention of the factory that made it was absolutely brilliant.
For better or worse, Elon Musk is very much emulating Henry Ford.
some sources claim the real median income is only about 35-40K a year per person, so not sure (about buying power, not the actual price drop).
I forgot that base models used to forego the stereo.
I actually like this practice. I’d like to see even higher trimmed cars be offered without a stereo or even speakers (still keep the wiring) so I can just install my own system.
I remember when heaters were optional, and my family would buy cars with no heaters.
Mainly because the local dealer would have the lowest spec version of the car possible to put in their window with a big price sign on it, but of course nobody would buy it and then at the end of the model year it got even cheaper because nobody bought it, and my grandfather would go in and buy it.
“Many a “fun” vehicle from the 1990s met its end by the mid-2000s” That is true, but the Miata comes to mind as a vehicle that still delivers loads of “fun”, and has kept its 1990 weight and dimensions, unlike all other 1990s vehicles. The 2024 model has almost exactly the same exterior dimension, weigh only 100 lbs more but packs 50% more torque and 180hp vs the 115 in the original. The added weight is likely due to added safety features and is a testament to what is possible when engineers are allowed to stay true to the original ethos and product development is not directed or controlled by the finance guys
Counterpoint: the Miata is a testament to what is possible when the finance guys’ stats match what the engineer wants. The customers for the Miata happen to value cheap and light and small.
Counter counter point. The Miata got bigger with every generation and then with the ND actually got thinner. That is about as rare as a high school homecoming queen with 3 kids wearing her cheerleading outfit to the 20 year reunion.
I think the gap in price is far smaller in practice. Maybe someone can prove me wrong, but I’m fairly certain it’s impossible to go home with a modern RAV4 at about 30k flat, while I’m sure some sort of discount to that first gen RAV4 was possible.
This is true – plus the hybrid is faster, has lower running costs, and a smoother ride (the suspension is oversprung and needs the extra weight) … but that makes them hard to find.
I actually think the reverse may be the case. The RAV4 is by far the best-selling model Toyota makes and puts up the numbers the Camry used to. Inventory isn’t as hard to come by now, so if one dealer won’t give you the deal you’re looking for, someone else might on an identical example.
The original RAV wasn’t a bad seller, ~60k units/year*, but still that means it was harder to come by with fewer on the lots. If you didn’t take whatever deal was out there, someone else probably would.
*Actually closer to the Sienna’s sales volume nowadays as something of a reference too.
None of my local dealers have a single RAV4 LE in stock, so maybe a 30k RAV4 is more realistic there. You’d think they were a mall gift shop selling Pokemon cards in 1997.
Yeah, there aren’t many LEs around me either. I see other trims with actual photos and not just stock or the distributor photos, so they do seem to be touching the ground.
Comparing availability or trying to spec them as close as possible would probably be the same gap though. A/C was optional but I doubt you’d be able to find one without it on a lot back then so that would be at least a grand or two more in today’s money depending on packaging.
Now I wonder what brand today would be like a Beanie Baby retailer in that analogy…
“ Because every year is a good year for the RAV4! Toyota shifts over 300,000 a year, every year, and has been doing so for almost a decade now. ”
Is that US sales or worldwide? A lot of times in article here, sales figures are presented like this without either stating, or providing enough context nearby in the paragraph to figure it out.
Wondering what “shifts” means.
Was it supposed to be “ships”? I mean, they literally do that.
Shift like “to move” this is a more common parlance in the UK.
US sales. We’re almost always talking US sales, as they’re posted by national divisions of major automakers
The amount of desire for a 3-door manual is so immense, but I have genuinely not seen a single one on Facebook Marketplace or any other non-auction platform in several years. It’s a shame, the Gen1 Rav4 was really neat.
I pass a very faded red 3 door convertible daily on my way to work. One day I have to stop and see if its a manual.
I’ve heard the engines in these don’t last much beyond 200,000 to 250,000 km, so they’re rapidly dying out
That would make a lot of sense. I wonder how well the BEAMS equipped JDM models hold up. I’d assume even worse given the 3S-GE is more highly strung than the 3S-FE, but also an extra 60 hp sounds like a blast.
First Gen screams “I’ll be out in the sun doing fun stuff”
Current Gen screams “shut the fuck up and go back to your cubicle”
Lol imagine the luxury of having your own cubicle…
I’m not even kidding, I grew up going to my mom’s cubicle farm and in retrospect, they were glorius…spacious, quiet, personable… I genuinely can’t imagine that in today’s world of open concept chaos.
We aren’t open concept, but the cube farm is pods of four cubes together so you don’t have three walls around your desk, just two. It’s like the worst of both worlds. Though I suppose the cubes do cut down on sound compared to open floor plans. Still, I’d love a cube to myself.
It’s like modern office designers looked at the work floor in 9 to 5 and said “we’ll have that!”
The ad agency I used to work for had individual offices when I started there. Then they moved to a new building, with an open concept layout. I hated it. It was so hard to focus and you felt the constant need to “look busy” even if you weren’t. They went to WFH during the pandemic, though they tried to make everyone come back to the office four days a week later. But they knew damn well if they made me do that, they’d lose me, so I got to keep working from home. They still made me come in once a month or so, so I could “show face.”
Then I found a better job that paid double, had better benefits, and was 100% remote. They didn’t even try to keep me then.
I worked in an open concept office for about a year. Even worse, it was a hot desking concept, so no one had their own space, you just grabbed whatever spot was open. “It will foster collaboration!” Was the chant from upper management.
Phone calls were impossible, and I resorted to putting on headphones all day so I couldn’t hear every *** conversation going on around me.
Nothing that has ever been done in the name of “fostering collaboration” has successfully fostered collaboration.
My company bought a huge new office building a couple of years ago. We were taken on tours, as they built out the spaces.
“Ever tell you that I used to help design dining rooms for higher end restaurants?”
“You did?”
“Yep. And this big old open plan room is a disaster. You have a glass wall, no noise abatement on the walls or ceiling, and the desks are too close with nothing between them. It’s gonna be too noisy.”
Scorn. Derision. My actual experience and expertise reduced to just an opinion. Because these MBA types and the owner’s daughter knew what they were doing better than an employee. Who used to work in… Food service.
Naturally, the room is a nightmare. And I was instantly the office jackass for pointing this out.
Also, the first gen has cooler patterns for the seat fabric and much bigger windows too 😀
Man those first gens just look so simple and honest. I miss cars like that. The 2 door convertible will remain on my vehicle bucket list until I find one in good shape. It will likely never happen, but I can dream.
Import a 96 2 door Pajero from japan. You can get super clean ones with fairly low miles for crazy low prices.
It’s only the RAV4 for me, gotta be the convertible, AWD, manual. I’m very picky about what I like haha
I have a 4 door Pajero – that is the one that was always closest to my heart. When i saw a Pajero win Dakkar as a kid – i was hooked
2 door variants are better than 4 door variants.
Does anybody know why some 1st gen RAV4 have airbags and some do not? Were they optional? My aunt had a 4-door 1997 and I swear it didn’t have an airbag, it had a skinny 3-spoke wheel that does not look like the one in the pictures above.
I could be wrong, but in the US I am 95% sure that a driver airbag was mandatory for anything 93+ so that doesn’t make sense unless someone had thrown on an older wheel.
You know what, I just did some Google image searching for 1997 interiors and I did find one that had her wheel. Except if you zoom in you can see an AIRBAG logo. So I guess they just made a skinnier variation with a more stuffed-in airbag. https://offerup.com/item/detail/80bab121-3982-36d0-bf2e-e559828556b8
I like that wheel. It was the same as in both of the Celicas I had, a 95 and a 96.
I believe that’s the same style and airbag as what was on the IS300/Altezza, as well as later corollas, and smaller mainstream offerings until the mid aughts. Definitely a nice design compared to the early chunkier airbag.
Yup, Toyota offered some pretty skinny steering wheels that were still air bag equipped.
I think I invented this story in my head because “no way could an airbag fit in that little wheel from 1997” but I have been proven wrong! I also figured there was some “light truck” fuckery to skirt the safety requirements that cars were subject to.
Yeah, why did steering wheels get so fat? I get that they got smaller in diameter with power steering, but why so girthy?
One of the enjoyable things about driving old cars is that you don’t feel like you’re wrestling with somebody’s sex toys to steer the thing.
More structure and padding So you aren’t impaled maybe.
94 Toy pick up here. No air bags. Living on the edge.
Pickups had different rules. We had a 98 GMC that didn’t have anything for a while
What happened to all those first-gens?
Even in the Rust Belt I still see a decent number of 90s Camrys or Corollas, plus some 4Runners and such, but it’s probably been a decade since I’ve seen one of these early Rav4s on the road.
It’s not like they were bought cheap and thrown away either, they went for Camry money.
I was going to mention against CR-Vs too, but the Honda has put up six-figure sales numbers every year since its second year on the market, the RAV didn’t until the 3rd gen. Still, even if the Honda sold 2:1 or 3:1, seems like the gap in those remaining between them has widened.
Got a friend who has one in BC, still going strong to my knowledge.
Around here, in the Appalachian foothills, they got driven into an early grave. 40 years ago, many people worked semi-locally in furniture manufacturing. As that dried up, people’s commutes grew to dozens of miles, but many needed 4wd to get down off their mountain. I started seeing unrumpled automatics in junkyards with 180-240k on them about 15 years ago. Only balled-up manuals back then.
-basically the same life-cycle as 80s 4wd Subarus, just a decade or so later.
Oh yeah! Those mid- to late-90’s automatics were stellar but you had to ignore the maintenance schedule. If you changed the trans fluid way earlier than recommended (like, every 30k miles) then you could easily get 350k+ miles without a rebuild. If you followed the maintenance schedule you’d need a transmission after ~180k – 250k.
Good friend has first gen with the auto.
Close to 500K on the odo. Never a problem, but he has ignored the maintain it shit for the 15 years he’s owned it. Like the trans. No changes of fluid ever.
I quit trying to buy it from him like 14 year ago. He has 6 Toyota trucks, 2 RAV4s.
Drives it like he’s in a Dukes of Hazard episode or something.
Just can’t seem to break it…
I’m trying to find the numbers for that first gen, but I’ve got to imagine Toyota was selling Camrys 5:1 over the RAV4. Also that first gen was a quirky-fun car that the youths (who are now in their 30s and 40s) beat the living piss out of. Camrys and Corollas lived far more sheltered (and boring) lives.
My impression from the time was that the great majority were piloted by middle -aged women into crafting and usually a very specific breed of small dog
-saw a lot of I (heart) My Yorkie stickers back then
As with most cars intended for the youths, they end up most popular with older people.
But in this case I think it was typically the second and third owners that thrashed these.
Fair amount up here in the PNW. My sister in law had a first gen with 300k on the clock, she now has a 3rd gen v6. We do get quite a lot of odd/old Japanese stuff up here. SOO many Suzuki’s and Toyotas (including myself)
Haven’t seen a 1st gen in yrs here in mtns of TN.
My wife loved her 89 Suzuki Sidekick 4×4 that we sold yrs ago with 225k. She’s been craving another small soft top like it now kids are grown and didnt believe me that nobody in US sells vehicles like that anymore. Choices are Jeep or big ass Bronco.
It’s a shame! Nobody builds a true 4×4 the same size of a sidekick/vitara here in the US. It’s the perfect size for bouncing around narrow trails. The ironic thing is half the cars on the road are the appropriate size, but certainly don’t have the chops to do any true 4x4ing.
Jimny is cool but it’s unobtainable even in Aus and the roof doesn’t come off
I believe the engines don’t live much past 200,000 km or so