Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: it scores well across the board with no single weak engine.
Owners have filed 383 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota RAV4, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 108 | 28% |
| Unknown or other | 46 | 12% |
| Seats | 14 | 4% |
| Structure | 14 | 4% |
| Engine | 13 | 3% |
| Visibility/wiper | 11 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 11 | 3% |
| Visibility | 10 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 9 | 2% |
| Steering | 8 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I have a faulty coolant bypass valve on my 2021 Toyota RAV4. Every time I turn on the air conditioning the service engine required comes up on my notifications a known recall problem for Toyota RAV4’s of this year
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
2021 Toyota RAV4 (gas model) has experienced a sudden, unexpected engine stall/shutdown on a public road. The incident occurred while shifting into Drive after backing up in reverse. The engine immediately died without a
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The driver’s seat adjustment mechanism failed and the seat became stuck, unable to move forward or backward. We initially went to a Toyota dealership and told them we believed the issue was a broken gear in the seat rail
NHTSA complaint: Seats
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver’s seat became stuck. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure reoccurred on several occasions. T
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
The driver side door actuator will not work, car is only five years old. Door will not unlock from fob, door unlock button or app. Began with a few random instances of not unlocking then turned into never unlocking again
NHTSA complaint: Latches/locks/linkages
My 2021 Toyota RAV4 began experiencing intermittent shuddering and vibration at low speeds around May 2026. The condition occurred while accelerating from a stop or at slow speeds and became more frequent over time. Beca
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle aggressively accelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The ve
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
The sunroof exploded spontaneously while I was driving. It sounded like a gunshot. There were no other vehicles around, so it wasn't caused by a stray rock. It was only 73 degrees, so I don't think it was heat related.
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2021 Toyota RAV4. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed
| Reliability | 79 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 83 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 98 | excellent |
| Performance | 55 | average |
| Efficiency | 52 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 383 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 108 of them (28%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 79/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 83/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2021 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: buy, because it scores well across the board with no single weak engine. Its overall ownership score is 80/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.