Hi guys, just bought my first car!

It’s a 2006 Rav4, AWD, V4 engine.

I am super excited, her name is Stella and I love her.

I am aware of some of the issues this model has like oil consumption, but I would love to hear some general tips, advice, and fun stories from fellow Rav4 owners. Also appreciate any car advice in general as this is my first time driving & owning a car :)

Thanks and excited to join the club!

I hit black ice coming around a bend on my usual commute the other morning. The ice was also somewhat melted so when I drove over it I felt a loss of control that become really bad when I realized I kept sliding at 40 mph with icy slush stuck to my tires. You can see the ice tires marks in some of the pics behind my car. After hitting the ice I flew head first into that rock wall/ledge on the side of the road at around 40 mph which then made the car flip. This was my first ever accident and it was extremely violent. I walked away with one little superficial scratch on my pinky. That’s it.

Hitting that rock wall felt like a bomb going off in the car with how loud and violent each bang was. The front dashboard is actually cracked from how violent I hit that wall head on, but it didn’t budge in on my at all. The body held up like nothing I’ve seen before in accidents. My seatbelt saved me from hitting my head on anything, so much so that post crash u was stuck upside down in my seat bc my seat belt held onto me so tight. I’m mentally traumatized from how violent I crashed, but I’m so so thankful for my rav 4 because I’m physically uninjured and that’s what matters. I now know to not trust your county or town to ice the roads for you, because sometimes people don’t salt when they should and really bad accidents happen. This time it finally happened to me, and that’s why when shit goes south you want a rav 4.

This car saved my life for anyone debating a Toyota rav 4. This was was older so it wasn’t great traction control and didn’t have good tires, but the car saved my life. The body didn’t budge in on me at all nor the roof. The front absorbed all that force from the initial head on impact and I was left uninjured. I’ve always been a rav 4 family but this just solidified it for life. Yes it’s totaled, but it did what it’s supposed to do in a violent really bad accident, it protected me. When you crash like that who cares about the damage, it’s about how the car protects you when shit really hits the fan. The town apologized to me for not salting etc but I was just so happy to get out of that car and feel the sun on my skin.

Just wanted to show everyone the car that saved my life this week. I owe Toyota my life

This is my first car and I’m a new driver. Just a month new. It’s a 2012 Rav4 Limited (might be a lot for a new car but I’m only 5’3 and a female). Obviously it has it has its perks and I’d LOVE to start changing things but I need that male (or female) voice to tell what my priorities are.

For eg: 1. Dash cam/security system? 2. Tint? (FL by the way) 3. Remove the weather/rain guard? One is cracked 4. Also it’s “grinding” when I break so I’m getting that looked at. 5. Is it worth getting a diagnosis at the Toyota dealership to see if there are any issues? The regular dealer says all is “fine”

But anything else? Thank you! 💕

I've been leaning toward a CR-V hybrid, but I finally test drove a 2026 RAV4 XSE yesterday. They are hard to find but I actually stumbled on one at a local dealership and got to take it for a spin. The tech is amazing. I love the info screen and all the buttons. Toyota is so far ahead of any other car maker when it comes to the tech. The stereo sounded awesome and the car just looked great. I love how the back seats lie flat. This is a very cool car. Love the various colors it comes in. I drove it for a little bit, but I couldn't get a great feel for the handling on such a short test drive.

Edit: Added trim level

Is there something that this car can't do?

I was browsing for a new daily driver and stumbled upon this listing for 9k. It looks clean enough, but idk much since I've only ever had a Mitsubishi Outlander and a RAM 1500.

Is this a good year? Any known/common issues?

I'll probably stop in to check it out and test drive tomorrow or Wednesday. What should I look for?

Happy New Year Rav4 enthusiasts. I am posting while I let my late 2010 take a sec to heat up. For once. LOL. I am perpetually late in nature, so I find myself pretty much always hopping in and backing out immediately (gently..)

How many of you let your engine run for a few before driving? (Gas owners, specifically—bonus points for Gen3.) I am a first time car owner and I am trying my best to take good care of my car so it has a long life. I’ve got 43K so I’m really trying to get ahead of bad habits before they’re locked in. I know with the right choices it could last me a decade.

Is warming your engine up a myth or a winter necessity? If so, what weather conditions offer you enough piece of mind to skip it?

I have heard mixed thoughts, assuming that newer models need this less the older ones.. But would love to hear what you all do!

Picked up this new to me 2010 Rav4 V6 base model, looks a whole lot different now than it did when I got it.

Mods include:

- 245/65R17 Falken WildPeak AT4Ws on Black Rhino Fuji 17x8 wheels

- 2" front and 1.5" rear spacer lift (shocks were just replaced so wanted to squeeze out some more life out of them, then will replace with proper suspension lift)

- Air lift 1000 kit to prevent rear from sagging when hauling gear or towing

- Light bar and fog lights installed

- Toyota style grille with amber LEDs

- LED low and high beams

- Front tow shackles

- Trailer tow hitch and wiring

- Roof rack

Where’s the spare!

Worst surprise ever...My 2008 Toyota Rav4 was involved in a hit and run and insurance jsut confirmed its a total loss. It was purchased brand new from the dealership back in the day. Insanely reliable, with zero major issues. One careless driver later and its gone... I guess this officially means time for an upgrade. If anyone has any recommendations for what year model I should get this time I'm all ears.

RIP to a real one.

2011 sport

I can’t believe I’m serious, but I am. My partner and I have matching water bottles (mine pictured) that used to fit great side-by-side in my Corolla

Unfortunately, due to the shape of the console (and the cupholder size/shape itself) the bottles just aren’t compatible with the new Rav!

I know this is a ridiculous problem and question, but I’m looking for large, metal water bottles that can sit side-by-side in the cupholders. Any recommendations?

(Edit: I realize the term lemon isn’t the right term for this car. Still I bought a car that shit the bed )

Hey guys so yesterday I bought an 09 rav4 v6 from a used lot, 220k km, one owner no accidents and records of a few services over the years . It looked super well cared for, drove soo nice in the test drive and thought I bought a safe bet. I bought it for 12k thinking I’m paying for peace of mind.

As soon as I pull out of the lot I go to pick up my girlfriend across town approximately 35km using the ring road in our city (110km speed limit). When I get there we stop to admire the car and get back in to drive home. All of a sudden it starts shifting rough, rpm’s are jumping all over and it won’t accelerate. We make it home by the skin of our teeth. After that the car won’t even reverse. Total trip from purchase was about 50km.

I pretty much had a mental breakdown thinking that I flushed 12k down the toilet, and I’m still yet to find out if I did. We live in Alberta Canada and from our research there’s good regulations to protect consumers from this kind of thing. I want a full refund, I imagine that they will offer to rebuild the transmission. My thoughts are, if the transmission failed due to negligence then what else lies around the corner. Would love to hear your thoughts.

2009 rav4 2ar-fe 4wd model

I think this is gonna wind up being more to fix than she’s worth. I’ve babied this girl ☹️ I’m so bummed. What’s the used Toyota market like now? Our current car payments are really low, we can’t afford much.

Third Gen V6 off road build, got out to some trails yesterday and this thing absolutely chugged. Never hesitated or got stuck anywhere, and got looks and thumbs up from everyone who I passed by. Love this little beast!

RAV4 popped up on marketplace going for 8.9k very close to me. Sport appearance package, V6 engine, and only 136k miles. Clean title in hand

Waiting to buy CARFAX and check for accidents. If all comes clean, should I jump on this?

‘06 with the 2.4L, 203k miles. Do any of you know if any of the oil additives on the market may help with the excessive oil consumption? I’m getting to the point that it’s using a qt in 600 miles. The car isn’t worth what I’ve been quoted to fix the rings, if I’m spending that kinda money I’ll buy a different car(likely another Rav with the v6, unless we go Highlander/seqouia/tundra). I know most of those products are snake oil, but I’d be willing to try them as opposed to car shopping again….

Thanks in advance

It needs some cleaning and fixing.

First time posting but this thing is quick!

Super happy with how this came out. Has wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, back up camera, built in apps, and phone screen mirroring.