Faults:

Evaporative Emissions (charcoal canister and associated plumbing), 12v battery.

General Comments:

It's a Toyota, so my expectations were of a quietly inoffensive, economical, dependable vehicle.

It is those things, I guess. Although it's not quiet when you drive it.

My father loved it so much he bought himself the Lexus version.

Overall, for me, it's been less than stellar.

The drive train is great, and aside from a dead battery (at 75k miles/8 years old) and various issues from the evaporative emissions system (gas cap, filler neck, charcoal canister, various plumbing and valves to the charcoal canister) it has been reliable.

What I don't like about the car is just about everything else.

Our infrequent driving doesn't take advantage of the hybrid system, so we're usually around 28 mpg in back road driving. There's no stop-and-go to recharge the battery, and most of the downhill have uphills that seem to cancel out fuel savings. I see great fuel mileage on the display when we do get to cities and towns, but that's maybe 10 miles out of a tank. For comparison, I got around 24mpg on a normal tank in my 1986 LTD Crown Victoria.

I have long legs, even for someone 6'2" (34" inseam). I can't straighten my legs out even with the seat fully back. My knees hit the back of the steering wheel and I've managed to break the cruise control switch twice while turning the wheel quickly. And yes, every RAV4 cultist asks if I've adjusted the seat and pulled out the wheel and tilted it up all the way. I just don't fit some cars and this is one. The controls are okay, although I can't see the ones below the swoopy center dash or behind the steering wheel. I fit in a Camry, but not a RAV4. My knee also hits the center console and my elbow bangs the door panel, and when the emergency braking decides it's scared of traffic, I sometimes hit my forehead on the sun visor.

Oh, yes. This car is terrified of traffic, maybe because it has a long stopping distance and a lousy brake feel. I understand that hybrid vehicles have the regenerative braking as well as the hydraulic brakes, but the RAV4 doesn't seem to brake the same way twice in a row. It's not confidence inspiring. I've been rear-ended twice (both with minimal damage) because the car stopped hard instead of slowing gently, and had several instances where the car kept rolling toward the car in front of me until I jammed the pedal down very hard. The pedal is not linear and the pressure is not consistent. Two Toyota dealers have looked at them and said they're good. To be fair, dad's Lexus is similar and he doesn't mind.

Sport mode does help with the driving dynamics (better throttle response, more consistent steering response and slightly less inconsistent braking) but fuel economy drops.

The ride is rough (like a 1960s imported sports car) and wallowy (like an early 1970s American sedan) without the redeeming qualities of either.

Ground clearance is the same as an average sedan.

If you're a shorter driver who drives in traffic and doesn't mind the choppy ride and inconsistent throttle, brake, and steering response, then it's probably a perfectly adequate car. Again, my dad loves it, but he is shorter, putts around town on smoothly paved roads, and likes fuel mileage more than handling (and the Lexus handles better to begin with; also the controls are laid out much better).

Faults:

Oil leak from transfer case / front differential area. First detected in 2018 and repair attempted by a Toyota dealer. Repairs held for some time, but in February 2021 it started leaking again. Reported to another Toyota dealer (I moved to a different state), who confirmed the issue. Dealer kept the car for several days and attempted repair, unsuccessfully. Leak returned as soon as the car was brought back home. Returned the car to the dealer, who replaced the transfer case following Toyota's instructions. Repair didn't solve the problem. Dealer kept the car for another week and replaced the transmission. In total, two different Toyota dealers had to perform repairs on four occasions to correct a simple oil leak. The car was out of service for over 20 days. During the entire process, Toyota was very unhelpful, dragging their feet and nickel-and-diming the dealer. The "case manager" assigned to the case was unhelpful and rude.

General Comments:

Noisy, uncomfortable, unreliable. Small, uncomfortable seats, below average legroom. Terrible ride and below average handling. Engine is very noisy. Not worth the price Toyota asks for this car.