2018 Toyota RAV4

Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) calls the biggest news for the 2018 RAV4 the new Adventure model, with ruggedized styling and greater ground clearance. MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) adds that the special-edition Adventure comes with the Tow Prep package, a higher ride height, 18-inch alloy wheels, lower body guards, black headlight bezels and fog light surrounds. The 2018 also gains a heated steering wheel and optional heated, power-operated front seats on lower cloth-upholstered trims, and Germain Toyota (opens in a new tab) says the model year adds a new trim, new packages, new features and more standard safety equipment.

MotorTrend lists a 2.5-liter four-cylinder rated at 176 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque as the base engine, paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic, and places the RAV4 below the three-row Highlander and above the new subcompact C-HR. If you want the highest-riding 2018, look for the Adventure.

NHTSA lists three recalls. 17V831 and 19V503 both concern incorrect load-carrying-capacity labels, which fail to comply with the federal tire and rim standard and could lead a driver to overload the vehicle; 19V503 specifically involves vehicles with factory-installed floor mats. The third, 23V734 (2023), covers 2013 to 2018 RAV4s where a replacement 12-volt battery may not fit properly in the battery tray, letting it move against the hold-down bracket and short-circuit, which raises the risk of fire. None is an engine or brake recall.

Owners have filed 331 complaints with NHTSA on the 2018 model year: electrical system 129, unclassified problems 69, engine 32, service brakes 30, power train 26 and exterior lighting 23. Consumer Reports (opens in a new tab) rates the 2018 RAV4 more reliable than other cars from the same model year. Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) rates a 2018 with 108,000 to 120,000 miles as a medium risk of major repair. Electrical complaints are the most common, so test the lights, screen, and battery condition on any used example, and have the battery tray recall checked by VIN.

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) says used 2018 RAV4 prices range from $17,500 for the LE to $20,100 for the Limited at a dealership. Its depreciation page says a 2018 RAV4 has depreciated only $1,421, or 8 percent, in the last three years, leaving a resale value of $16,300 and a trade-in value of $12,250. A slow slide like that is the case for a used RAV4, since what you pay is close to what you get back.

The 2018 RAV4 rates 24 to 32 mpg combined with $1,950 to $2,600 a year in fuel on fueleconomy.gov (opens in a new tab). The 2018 Honda CR-V rates 27 to 30 mpg ($2,100 to $2,300) and the Nissan Rogue 27 to 34 mpg ($1,850 to $2,300), so the RAV4's range is wide because it includes the hybrid, and the gas versions are the thirstiest of the three by a few mpg. The Rogue's best version rates 34 mpg against the RAV4's 32 and the CR-V's 30, but the RAV4's range includes the hybrid, so compare the exact configuration you are buying.