Toyota RAV4 years to avoid
Across the 2015–2022 Toyota RAV4, the 2019 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 898, about 2.8× the 320 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the fuel system and the engine. The 2022 drew the fewest, at 149. Separately, the 2019 carries the most recall campaigns, 8. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2019 RAV4 is the outlier of the 2015–2022 Toyota RAV4, with 898 complaints against the model's 332.5 median.
Every RAV4 model year, ranked
Every RAV4 model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 332.5 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 RAV4 | 898 | 2.7× | 8 | the fuel system |
| 2020 RAV4 | 646 | 1.9× | 6 | the engine |
| 2021 RAV4 | 405 | 1.2× | 1 | the airbags |
| 2018 RAV4 | 345 | 1× | 3 | the electrical system |
| 2017 RAV4 | 320 | 1× | 3 | the electrical system |
| 2015 RAV4 | 303 | 0.9× | 4 | the electrical system |
| 2016 RAV4 | 254 | 0.8× | 3 | the electrical system |
| 2022 RAV4 | 149 | 0.4× | 2 | the electrical system |
Buying a Toyota RAV4? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
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See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the RAV4 only. It says nothing about how the RAV4 compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Toyota RAV4 year-by-year questions
Which Toyota RAV4 year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2022 Toyota RAV4, the 2019 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 898, about 2.8× the 320 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the fuel system and the engine. The 2022 drew the fewest, at 149. Separately, the 2019 carries the most recall campaigns, 8. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Toyota RAV4 year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2022 Toyota RAV4, the 2022 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 149, against the model's 332.5 median. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Toyota RAV4 is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific RAV4?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.