This page describes one person's impressions of the many aspects of owning a 2019 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.
Updated sporadically.
My personal car was built in June 2019, a Rav4 Hybrid Limited with the Weather Package, Entune 3.0 and Adaptive Headlights. Pretty much everything expensive you can get except the Panoramic Moonroof (because you could get either the Moonroof or the Adaptive Headlights but not both in 2019). The only accessory I have purchased so far are the all weather mats for the cargo area plus the back of the rear seats and the driver and passenger foot wells, front and back. No roof rack because that costs MPG.
I enjoy the features that the high end Limited with the three packages offers. little things like a heated steering wheel, headlights that light the inside of the curve, foot operated tailgate, rain sensing de-icing wipers, and some of the little things like the birds-eye view, etc. Since I bought at a significant discount from MSRP, I could afford them.
My Rav4 hybrid was made in the plant in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. First digit of VIN is a 2, 11th is a W.
My previous 3 cars were a 2012 Toyota Prius v wagon, a 2001 Porsche Boxster S , and a 1999 Honda CRV. I've probably owned 30 cars over the last 60+ years of family driving. VW to mini-van. Foreign and domestic. My family and extended family own 4 Prius hybrids and have owned 2 more previously.
In this list, I enter items I pick up on the online forums (rav4world.com is by far the most active) as well as my take on the issues I present.
Bottom line: At around 3 + years and 23,000+ miles and after several multi-hundred-mile trips I really like it. It is functional, safe, helpful. It does exactly what I expected it to do when I was shopping for it.
I have had only an owner desired oil change at around 3k and a TPWS reset due to the delivering dealer's failure to adjust the tire pressures correctly. Then the free 1 year oil change and tire rotation at 7kish. And several while I was there updates I asked the dealer to do based on info I gathered from the forum. After 14 months, the dealer did a free update to the fuel tank and sending unit that got the fuel gauge to register correctly (not a problem in the late '21s or '22s).
Comparing the postings on rav4world to the forum postings on several other forums focusing on competitive makes, the Rav4 hybrid seems relatively trouble free. Mine does not have a single squeak or rattle. But see #12, #37, and #40 under Dislikes below.
Likes
1. Entry height. I'm old (78) and it is easier to get out of the front seats compared to sedans and my previous Prius v wagon. But you have to get used to the height when you raise your legs to rotate getting into the seat. See for yourself if this form factor works for you and yours.
2. The higher view from the drivers seat.
3. Being a loaded Limited model, I like all the electronic assists and nannies. Especially the distance keeping when on the highway, the blind spot monitoring and the lane keeping assist. Makes it easy to cover the miles. I drove 350 up to get the car and the same day drove the new Rav4h all the way back with the assists engaged. I only use them on the Interstates.
4. The rear cargo door push button and kick under the bumper opening and closing. The kick to close is especially handy when I'm dragging multiple grocery bags into the house and both of my hands are full.
5. I like that I can see the turn just ahead in the center of the digital speedometer when using the map to navigate to a destination.
6. The interior is well lighted upon entry.
7. It has a spare tire.
8. The all-weather cargo liner covers the back of the rear seats. But why not include installation instructions and not have you have to ask the dealer for a copy from TIS. The same exact mats are available online for less than list (hint). And you really don't need any special instructions to install them.
9. The git up and go. 217 HP feels like a V6.
10. Much quieter and smoother than the Prius v was.
11. The ability to set the parking brake automatically when entering Park. But for those in very cold weather, see the owner's manual for winter driving instructions.
12. The puddle lights and turn signals on the rear view mirrors.
13. Its 18" tires absorb speed bumps beautifully if the tire pressure is set correctly.
14. The adjustable thigh support of the drivers bottom cushion.
15. The configurable instrument cluster. Lots of options
16. The adaptive cruise control that slows the car to keep your distance from the car in front of you and that the distance is so easily configurable.
17. I also like the open/close the cargo hatch from the drivers seat button. Nice when picking up someone at the airport. Only works when in park though.
18. It has gotten around 38 MPG over 80+ fill ups in mixed local and 70 MPH driving. 90% of the miles are the high speed kind. 90% of the trips are 5-10 miles. My Prius v wagon averaged 41.3 and the Rav4h is much bigger than the Prius. Plus the Rav4h is more fun to drive and I am sure I use a heavier right foot. Expect the MPG to drop significantly in cold weather, rain or snow as it does in any car.
19. The height of the seat belt latch receptacles on the front seats are higher and easier to blindly find than those on any other car I have ridden in.
20. That I can lower the seat backs on the rear seats from behind the car without having to go around to the side doors.
21. That there is an active owner community online at rav4world.com and a much less active one at toyotanation.com.
22. That when I take the phone off hook I am shown on the digital dash right in front of me a selection of the last few phone names/numbers I have called. Since I am always calling the same few people, this makes contact selection easy.
23, That, at times, there are discounts for using Toyota financing and they can be significant. The loan could be paid off in the second month or refinanced at a lower rate from another source but read your contract.
24. That you can adjust the handling feel a bit by increasing the pressure in your tires. Don't go above about 40 though.
25. That I can turn on the heated steering wheel and the seat heaters and be comfortable before the cabin heater is available. Great for starting out in the AM from a garage, maybe have to wait if there is ice/snow on the windshield.
26. The height of the rear seats makes strapping a child into car seats a lot easier.
27. That there were dealers selling discounted real Toyota Extended Warranties. Don't buy third party ones or from your local dealer.
28. That the Adaptive Headlights give my 2019 an "IIHS Top Safety Pick+". Rav4s without the Adaptive get only a Top for 2019. 2020 versions will see all the cars down-rated to Top because the IIHS's new standard says every model gets the lowest rating of any model. Doesn't change that the Adaptive on the 2020 if so equipped are safer. I also use the Automatic High Beams. In fact I drove wit automatic lights and auto high beams and haven't touched the light controls for months.
29. That driving on an Interstate Highway with all the Safety Systems turned on is not autonomous but requires darn little work on the drivers part. You are still the driver and still responsible. And have to have a hand on the wheel. And have to have well marked lanes.
30. That there is a plug-in hybrid version of the Rav4 starting in late 2020 but only to ZEV states. Or should I list this under dislikes since I would have bought that one.
31. That the rear bumper top is flat black plastic and thus, if you scrape something on it, you don't scratch a painted surface.
32. That Apple Carplay is supported in the 2019 with an update. Android Auto is also supported in the 2020.
33. That beyond setting up the options I wanted before I drove it, all the every-day controls are tactile buttons or knobs. Unlike the Venza or a Tesla where critical controls are touch-screen where you have to hunt through a bunch of screen or similar switch presses. To me that leads to distracted driving.
34. That a dishwasher fits nicely in the "trunk" with the seats down.
35. That I can unlock the doors using the drivers or passengers side door handle as long as my key fob is near (even if it is in my pocket) and so can my wife if she gets there a split second before I do.
That every day I find a new feature or setting that makes driving a different experience. Thanks to the online community.
Dislikes
You won't get this kind of honesty on many car reviews so don't be put off by the number of Dislikes. The big important items are in the Likes category
1. My wife finds the passenger seat uncomfortable compared to her 2011 Avalon (now '2021) (which I dislike). She has a bad back. Why on a $40k+ car can't the passenger seat have the same adjust-ability as the drivers seat? (The plug-in 2020 has a power passenger seat.) Take a long test drive together and listen to your passenger.
2. It doesn't have quite as much rear seat legroom as my 6'5" son would like or as the Prius v had. A trade-off for more front seat legroom and cargo space. His NFL lineman size fits in the front seats just fine.
3. You have to learn how to kick under the bumper and wait for the cargo hatch to open. It took me a dozen tries before I had the feel. I was waving my foot instead of kicking slowly upward. Now I get it 98% of the time. Used it twice today, two hands full either loading or unloading and it makes things easy. A great feature when you want to walk away with something in both of your hands.
4. I miss the instantaneous readout the Prius had of MPG which served to keep the weight of my right foot under control. Yes I can select that sort of display on the center display of the "dials" in front of the steering wheel when in digital display mode. But that means I loose the info from another display I like better. I consider the left hand and right hand dials on the Rav4h to be a total waste of valuable space. You could display the same things in half the space with all data digital and in larger typeface. Make it all optionally digital.
5. It seems to me that the instruction book should at least have an instruction on how to turn off the GPS-driven map guidance. And the GPS screen menus should have a stop guidance function. My wife liked the "stop guidance" menu item on my Prius v and her Avalon. Now I have to voice a "Stop Guidance" commend or dial down the volume and remember to dial it up when I next use it. Or use the "delete destination" button which doesn't always show.
6. Lane Keeping Assist seems to move the car from side to side on two lane rural roads when going around a turn within the lane markings instead of keeping a constant position within the lane. It also makes the steering wheel seem heavy. Feels to me like it keeps the car too far to the left in the lane too. I wonder if that is adjustable. But boy is it nice on long well marked Interstate runs.
7. The cargo loading height is sometimes helpful and sometimes not depending on the weight of the object being loaded. Sure beats a sedan but not a wagon. I did manage to load a dishwasher in the other day.
8. The location of the front inside door handles is way too far forward.
9. The arm rest on the front door seem too far from the seats to allow a driver's arm to rest comfortably there. Too low too. The center arm rest position works.
10. My car is Blizzard Pearl white and the "Kamm effect" (the way the air flows over the car and then comes back against the rear of the car) means the rear of the car is always covered with black road dust that shows. My white Prius v wagon had the same dirty backside. I RainX the windows religiously.
11. The Rav4 is so tall it makes it hard for this 6' guy to hand wash the top of the car. I can barely reach the top center of the windshield.
12. Many 2019-2020 Rav4 hybrids had trouble during a gas fill-up filling the tank to the top. When the pump clicks and shuts off the nozzle, many owners report that the fill is perhaps 1 to 2 gallons short of the Full mark on the gauge. Doesn't affect miles per gallon. Just means you gas up more often than if the tank were completely full.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that Toyota has never described completely and in one place how much fuel is supposed to be in the tank when any of the several low fuel warnings are displayed.
On 5/29/2020, Toyota acknowledged the issue to dealers in a Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP 20TE02) and sent a letter to owners and said they are acquiring new parts (gas tank and fuel level sensor) for a fix. I asked my local dealer to record the problem on a work order but not to do anything until there is a proven fix. A slow fill setting sometimes got me to the F mark. (Be careful not to overfill as you can contaminate the gas fumes pollution control system and that will produce a Check Engine Light and be $$$ to fix and you will pay for it.)
Many also found the Distance To Empty (DTE) display to be erratic because of the incomplete fill and the way it is calculated based on your most recent drive's MPG. And the DTE didn't meet the marketing claims. There were several class action lawsuits over these issues filed but they all were dismissed on July 7th, 2020.
As of October 29th, 2020 there was a fix distributed to dealers:
CSP (Customer Satisfaction Program as opposed to a Recall): 20TE04
Parts Required:
Tank Sub Assembly Fuel Kit Part # 04000-15142
Fuel Suction Tube Gasket Kit Part # 04000-15247
Fuel Sender Gauge Assembly Part # 04000-16142
The dealer tests your car using T-SB-0109-20 and once it verifies your car has the problem they order the parts and then call you in to replace the tank and sensor. There is also a re-calibration procedure the dealer does documented in the T-SB that tells the dealer how to do this.
In the CSP document the normal distance between a low fuel alert and automatic nozzle shut off is described and pictured as "9.8 gallons or more". In the Owner's Manual, a reserve is described as 2.2 gallons.
The CSP fix was applied to my car and I immediately filled the tank at the highest speed successfully. My DTE made sense when computed based on my historic MPG. My second fill from about a third of a tank was likewise at fastest setting and with similar good results. Now many fills later, all good.
The standards bodies permit the definition of full size to be an advertised 14.5 gallons when the actual usable size between auto shut-off and the Empty display is more like 9.8 gallons. Misleading, yes. But legal. Once Empty is displayed, hustle to a gas station even though you can run on the reserve for a while.
For vehicles sold in Canada there was an equivalent Warranty Enhancement Program (WEP W46).
Most 2021 models do not report this problem.
13. The pictographs above the HVAC buttons are very hard to read if you have sunglasses on. They are lit at night with the headlights on.
14. Door sill protectors are not included to protect the painted sills. The ones Toyota offers are only for the horizontal flat surface and don't lap over the painted lip on the side. I worry about my foot dragging over that painted surface as I get into the car and rotate into the seat.
15. I liked the two "glove compartments" on the v. I used one for documentation storage and the upper one for convenience items. The shelf the Rav4 provides allows small items to be placed on the shelf but they aren't hidden and the space is much smaller. The Rav4's glove compartment stores little more than the manuals.
16. The number of front seat drink holders (2). In the v I had 3, 1 for my water, 1 for my wife's coffee/tea and 1 for her water. Worked really well on long trips. The Rav4 has only two and neither is as large as the one in the v. Neither is as easily used as they are so much lower than the center armrest and right up next to it. Short or medium cups don't fall readily to hand when not looking. My Starbucks tall metal coffee mug hogs both cup holders when I have the handle where I can reach it with my right hand.
17. I first preferred a steering wheel stalk driven cruise control on/off/set/resume functions to the steering wheel buttons on the Rav4. One, they are standard across many brands and familiar. Two, they are tactile and don't require a quick glance down to make sure you are pressing the right button. I'm now used to the on wheel buttons and understand why, with so many options relating to cruise, they choose the design they did. But they still require concentration and a look away from the road even after using them for thousands of cruise control miles. You get used to them.
18. I can't say I like the location of the gas filler flap opening button. I'd just as soon get out of the car and reach down to a clearly visible flap opening lever by the side of the seat. You get used to it.
19. I liked the v's larger under the cargo floor storage areas better than the Rav4's smaller area around the spare tire. In it I store an old shower curtain for when I have to kneel and change a tire, a COSTCO freezer bag for bringing home Ice Cream and several reusable grocery bags. In the v, I'd also had several golf clubs for when I wanted to stop at a driving range. And a big umbrella. Plus the over cargo-area cover which I almost never use. It sits in my garage and gets dusty.
20. Why do they put the radio seek button so far from the driver's side? When I am traveling through a rural radio wasteland, I want to see what stations there are and the seek button is barely reachable. Besides, it is on my passenger's side which means she can seek her station!
21. The lower part of the inside of the door is matte black plastic. It scuffs when your foot hits it getting in and out. I'd prefer it be carpeted to not show the scuff and carpet absorbs sound.
22. On September 7, 2019 my wife received a Customer Support Program letter (ZKG) relating to Blizzard White and Super White paint peeling from long term sun exposure. It was addressed to my wife who is the primary owner of a Kentucky built 2011 Avalon. They are now ready to determine if your paint is peeling, see your dealer. My wife and I have owned a 2011 Avalon, 2012 Prius v. a 2019 Rav4h and a 2021 Avalon .. all white. My son who parks in the sun at work has a white Prius hatchback with 220k miles. We have had no paint problems with any of them. She now owns a white 2021 Avalon hybrid.
23. I don't like that mine was not made in the USA. A Georgetown, KY plant started making them January 8, 2020.
24. Puncture a tire and the bill may come to $293 like mine. First tire failure in 20 years so tire insurance wasn't a good option.
24. Warning! Many dealers deliver the car with the tire pressure set to the 50 PSI that is used for shipping to reduce sway while being transported. This is supposed to be reduced by the dealer as part of the delivery prep process. Get your dealer to show you the pressure in at least one tire before you drive it away.
25. I don't like that the TPWS (Tire Pressure Warning System) can only be reset after a tire change by the dealer's link to the Toyota maintenance computers (unless you are a true geek and have hardware and software that can program the ECU) even if the original pressure sensors are being used. This makes adding a set of mounted snow tires from someplace like TireRack an expensive proposition. So ask for a guarantee that the tire changer can reset the TPWS or have the dealer do the mounting. Once done, this knowing about both sets of tires by the ECU should be good for the battery life of 8-10 years and switching between tire sets becomes trivial and you can do it in your driveway.
26. I don't like that the TPWS warning light is a dim orange and not very visible with sun glasses.
27. I don't like that the TPWS system doesn't have an option or menu-item to show each tire's PSI despite having the ECU having the data. Darn it, show me which tire is the problem. The by-tire pressures are available on the "Toyota" phone app for 2019 models, there is no app for 2020 models.
28. No folding outside mirrors. I wish the government allowed rear view cameras and screens to replace the mirrors. Save 2-4% in fuel and lots of bug cleaning. Reduce wind noise too.
29. No pocket on the back of the driver's seat. Cheap. My v had one.
30, It is hard to attach the rear seat belt buckles (all of them) into the rear belt sockets. If they made the sockets a little higher and a little more rigid like the front seat ones then my grandkids and my older friends will have an easier time buckling up.
31. I don't like that the plug-in hybrid version wasn't available until late 2020 and only to ZEV states initially. More powerful, better MPG. More $$ too. I would have bought one. As of mid-2022 still hard to find own and the price!
32. Road and tire noise. Sound deadening under the hood but not in the doors or trunk area. Online instructions are available to show you how to add sound deadening material. Not horrible, just could be better.
33. I didn't like that some areas seemed to be having trouble getting cars to sell. Or getting specific configurations. This got better as supply improved and the Kentucky plan came online in early 2020. Of course the Covid-19 shutdowns and its financial impacts may have made this a mute point. During Covid-19, many cars are in short supply and Rav4s are often going at list price (MSRP). Plug ins even higher some places. And then came the chip shortage. And the border blockade.
34. I don't like that the switches that control the sunroof and the overhead lights are so close together and are not backlit so they are difficult to distinguish from one another, Imagine mistakenly opening the sunroof in the rain while fumbling for the overhead light. There are 5 buttons there with no backlit pictographs showing their function. I couldn't get the light off that I had had had to turn on to move something in the passenger footwell and there was nowhere that would provide enough light so I could distinguish their functions. I resorted to opening the sunroof cover so I could tell if I opened it by mistake.
35. Android Auto wasn't supported until the 2020 model year. AppleCar Play was supported beginning in 2019. In some countries, an upgrade for the 2019s can be bought but not the US. Not all countries use the same infotainment system/software.
36. I don't like that the switches for the side windows, door locks, and mirror adjust on the driver's side armrest aren't backlit. Neither are the ones on the passenger side and the rear doors. Cheap. A 2019's Corolla's switches on the driver's armrest are backlit and can be adapted to fit and apparently work perfectly. There are online instructions. Part# 84040-06070 takes maybe 10 minutes, direct swap.
37. Under seriously cold temperature conditions (-0 to -40F) there is a relay that can be impacted by condensation and make the car not start. Toyota seem to know of the problem now and has an improved replacement part that protects the relay. This is only going to affect those in seriously northern climates...Canada, Alaska, Northern plains. T-SB-0045-20 cures the issue but should be done before the warranty expires.
38. There is a sequence of engine blocks installed in 2020 Rav4s which could be defective. Toyota is seeking to identify the cars that have the 250 bad ones among a much larger number of cars they want to inspect to see if the suspect serial numbers were installed in them. For those known serial numbered engines that are bad, Toyota will completely replace the engine. It appears that only cars that were made in mid-September 2019 thru early-December 2019 could be affected. And perhaps only 44 were Rav4s.
39. Multiple reports that the clock on the media screen reverts to 24 hours no matter how many times you set it at 12 hours. When it does that, the clock on the GPS screen disappears and the weather app changes from Fahrenheit to centigrade. The clock displayed in front of the steering wheel is 12 hour format even while this has happened.
40. There are multiple reports of Rav4h cars (always 2020 or 2021 version) where the 12v battery will discharge when the car is turned off and parked overnight or for a few days. There have been some battery replacements but that seems improbable and in some cases has not fixed the problem. The cars can be jump started and the battery will charge. However, each complete discharge damages the battery. Dealer response to the issue has varied from call AAA to replace the battery to we can't find anything wrong to applying multiple T-SBs (Technical Service Bulletins). In early October 2020 a T-SB-0095-20 (a firmware update to the DCM) has been issued and, reading the T-SB, it does mention 12v battery run down. There have no reports of the problem occurring after the T-SB has been successfully applied.
You can carry a jumper pack, a low Ampere Hour one will do as the 12v only starts the computer, the ICE is started by the big hybrid battery. Charge the jumper pack at least monthly especially in hot weather.
41. The 2019 heated and cooled seats option only cools the back and not the seat. And only for the front seats.
42, That you can't get the Adaptive headlights with the panoramic moonroof until the 2021 model year. The two were mutually exclusive until then. I didn't want the heat into the cabin so I didn't want the pano roof.
43. There was a recall 20V286000 for 2200 2020 Rav4 hybrids made in the September to October 2019 time frame. The issue was a serious safety issue involving cracks and separation of some front lower control arms, Owners were notified and repairs were offered free of charge.
44. There are reports of leaks into the headliner through the mounting holes for the roof rack. No isolation as to which factory or under what conditions is yet available and the reports only really surfaced in late 2020.
45. Some complaints that the rear window defroster/defogger is not hot enough to truly deice. So carry some ice scraper and deicer spray.
46. There are some reports of the cable connection to the rear motor becoming corroded by salt in extreme temperatures. This is a $4000-5000 and Toyota is refusing to cover it even under an "extended warranty" aka a Vehicle Service Agreement deeming it corrosion.. Seems to have been only on early year models.
47. There are reports of rear hatch hinge failures occurring often due to forcing the rear hatch or the intrusion if ice.
48. There are reports of '19-'21 model Rav4 hybrids having a deterioration of the cable connecting the battery to the rear motor in situations where salt is used on roads. Failure will cause an abrupt shutdown and occasion a tow to a dealer. '22 models have a changed cable ending which is supposed to allow the escape of the salty slush where, inside the older part, such debris would accumulate. Toyota has not acknowledged that this is a safety issue, nor extended warranty coverage on the failing design, nor even covered the replacement with the new part for a car still in warranty. They are claiming it is caused by corrosion which is excluded under the warranty and are claiming the wiring harness that has to be replaced is not part of the hybrid system. It has become famous as "cablegate" and can cost $4 to 7k to replace. Parts are several months back-ordered. No loaner vehicle is dealer or Toyota provided while waiting.