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 85 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Toyota RAV4, and it carries 3 recalls. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 17 | 20% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 8% |
| Visibility/wiper | 6 | 7% |
| Structure | 6 | 7% |
| Tires | 5 | 6% |
| Visibility | 4 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 4% |
| Back over prevention | 3 | 4% |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Steering wheel showing red signal on the dashboard, and sometimes, when I park and want to restart the car , steering wheel block, not letting me start my car. Steering wheel block start about 5 months after I purchased
NHTSA complaint: Steering
On August 25, 2026 when I went to turn my vehicle on in the morning, and I started to drive the vehicle alert the LTA malfunction Visit your dealer on the dash. Call dealer and scheduled service for the next day August 2
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
My windshield spontaneously cracked from the outside frame down 10 inches and then across the glass through site line of driver. There was no outside influence (Rock chip and etc) I am not the first RAV4 owner to experie
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
Driving my one owner 2025 Rav 4 Hybrid- pulling into a parking spot while gently pressing on the brake to slow car. Car was slowing then suddenly accelerated while brake pedal still being pressed, lunged forward and hit
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
The moonroof on my car spontaneously shattered while I was driving on the highway. It made a very loud noise like a large object hitting the top of my car. There was no prior warning and no other vehicles were close to
NHTSA complaint: Structure
On August 29, 2026, at approximately 9:04 PM, my vehicle was turned off and parked in my driveway. I entered the driver’s side of the vehicle and closed the driver’s door normally. Immediately after the door was closed,
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
I purchased my vehicle new from the dealership in 2025. After driving the vehicle for several months I noticed the back seat floors were filling with road dirt and debris. I also noticed water was getting into the doors
NHTSA complaint: Structure
I was driving on a 4 lane highway heading north bound in the right hand lane with my sister in the passenger seat both wearing seat belts traveling at approximately 55-60 miles per hour. Traffic was light. At the time of
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2025 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 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or di
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this re
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 RAV 4 vehicles. The front seat brackets for the seat rails may be welded improperly.
Risk: Improperly welded seat brackets can prevent the seat from adequately restraining an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the seat bracket welds as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-433
| Reliability | 85 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 85 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 80 | excellent |
| Performance | 60 | 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 85 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and unknown or other is the most reported area with 17 of them (20%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 85/100 (excellent) 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 85/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2025 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.