2012 Toyota RAV4 Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Toyota RAV4 review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 RAV4, and includes Toyota RAV4 safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 Toyota RAV4, available with front- or four-wheel-drive capability and four- or six-cylinder power, is classified by the EPA as a small SUV. Competitors include the Honda CR-V, the Chevrolet Equinox and the Dodge Journey. The interior provides seating for up to seven passengers, and buyers can choose between three trim levels.

Very little distinguishes the 2012 model from the 2011 version it replaces, though there are a few key updates that should serve to add to the RAV4’s already considerable appeal. First is a slight improvement in fuel economy, something any potential buyer will likely appreciate. That’s followed by standard Bluetooth connectivity, and, lastly, Toyota’s Entune in-car mobile communications system, which is offered on the top-of-the-line Limited trim.

Despite filling the entry-level spot in the RAV4’s lineup, the Base trim isn’t what we’d call basic. Granted, steel wheels (16-inch on four-cylinder models, 17-inch on V6 models) and low-rent hubcaps don’t give off a high-end aura, but those stylistically challenged elements are overwhelmingly offset by color-keyed exterior trim, automatic headlights and LED taillights, air conditioning, keyless entry, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, and a height-adjustable driver’s seat. That’s a healthy assortment of features, one that’s saddled up next to other standard equipment like power windows and door locks, cruise control, cloth upholstery, an exterior temperature gauge, and an auxiliary jack that compliments a six-speaker sound system with an integrated single-disc CD player and Bluetooth hands-free calling capability. Reserved for the options list are items like 17-inch alloy wheels, satellite radio, a fold-flat third-row seat, and a roof rack. Many of these amenities, as well as a few others, are also bundled into various value option packages.

More visual flair accompanies the 2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport, including 18-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, a more prominent rear spoiler, deeply tinted rear windows, and a dark charcoal interior. Behind the scenes is a sport-tuned suspension. In terms of comfort and convenience features, the Sport follows the RAV4 Base’s lead, though ups the ante courtesy of options such as a touch-screen navigation system with real-time traffic information, a power sunroof, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather upholstery, chrome exterior trim, heated mirrors, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and more.

Resting at the top of the 2012 RAV4’s lineup is the Limited, which adds luxury in lieu of a sport-tuned chassis. Unique alloy wheels measure 17 inches, the heated mirrors feature integrated turn signals, and the interior climbs a few notches in comfort thanks to dual-zone climate control, an abundance of leather trim, and a push-button ignition system. Among the options available only to Limited buyers are a JBL sound system and front seats that are both power-adjustable and heated. This is also the RAV4 to choose if you’d like to get your hands on the new Entune in-car mobile media feature. By employing Bluetooth to pair a smart phone with Entune, drivers can enjoy apps like Pandora’s streaming music service and Bing’s search engine using the touch screen or voice commands.

Peek under the hood of a 2012 Toyota RAV4 and you’re guaranteed to find one of two standard engines, the first of which is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that comes to the plate with 179 horses backed up by 172 pound-feet of torque. Output is managed by a four-speed automatic transmission, and towing capacity peaks at 1,500 pounds. According to the EPA, drivers of front-drive variants can expect 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, while those working with an available on-demand four-wheel-drive system should see 21 mpg and 27 mpg, respectively.

Buyers in search of a little more punch will want to consider opting for the RAV4’s available 3.5-liter V6 with its 269 horsepower and 246 pound-feet of torque. Unlike the four-banger, the six-cylinder is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and promises to tow up to 3,500 pounds. As you might expect, the extra muscle takes a swing at fuel economy, bringing the front-drive RAV4’s ratings down to 19-mpg city/27-mpg highway, and dropping the four-wheel-drive model’s estimates to 19-mpg city/26-mpg highway.

Toyota installs six airbags in every RAV4, along with what the company calls its Star Safety System. That’s where you’ll find electronic stability control, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and Smart Stop technology that prevents unintended acceleration when both pedals are inadvertently pressed at the same time. RAV4s equipped with the V6 engine and optional third-row seat benefit from the addition of standard downhill assist and hill-start assist features.

Though complete crash test scores are not available at the time of this writing, we can tell you that the 2012 Toyota RAV4’s ability to resist rollover earned 4 out of 5 Stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the essentially identical 2011 RAV4, the small Toyota SUV missed a Top Safety Pick rating only because of an Acceptable rather than Good rating for roof crush strength.

Predictions for the 2012 RAV4’s reliability are quite favorable. Consumer Reports gives the RAV4 its highest possible rating for predicted reliability, and while J.D. Power and Associates was not quite as optimistic the last time it made such forecasts for the RAV4 in 2011, the market research firm believes the compact crossover SUV will prove better than average in this regard.

Warranty coverage is not as generous as some competitors, but with reliability predictions like these perhaps it needn’t be. The RAV4 is equipped with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a powertrain warranty spanning five years or 60,000 miles. To sweeten the deal, Toyota has tacked on two years or 25,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance and roadside assistance.

Unlike many of its competitors, which are strictly front- or all-wheel-drive rides, the RAV4 is available with a four-wheel-drive system that includes a 4WD Lock function. This affords drivers more control over how much power goes to the front and rear wheels, a definite plus when traveling off road.

The 2012 Toyota RAV4 has something else its competitors lack: more than 70 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats (73 cubic feet, to be exact). By comparison, the Chevrolet Equinox comes in with 63.7 cubic feet, and the Dodge Journey provides up to 67.6 cubic feet.

The difference between the four- and six-cylinder RAV4 is obvious and immediate. And we’re not going to lie: we’ll choose the V6 version without a moment’s hesitation. The 90-horsepower difference transforms the RAV4 from a get-you-to-the-church-on-time cruiser to a crossover that makes you want to conquer small mountain ranges.

So that’s exactly what we did the first chance we could get away from the office.

We loaded up the RAV4 and headed for the hills where we found a fresh dusting of light, powdery snow on top of well-traveled dirt (read: mud) roads. The four-wheel-drive RAV4 worked fine over the dirt as we ascended to the snow line. There, we pushed a single button to lock the vehicle in four-wheel drive mode. As long as we traveled slower than 20 mph, we stayed in dedicated 4WD mode. That was easy since the roads were slick and we were headed uphill.

The RAV4 performed well, staying within the lines and offering plenty of traction with the combination of 4WD and all-season tires. Things were a bit more sketchy headed down the hill, at least until I activated the Downhill Assist Control System that locked my speed at a steady 4 mph as long as I kept the manual gear in 4 low. It took about 20 minutes to make it down through slick and often scary conditions, but at the end, I was convinced the four-wheel drive RAV4 with the V6 engine is a very good choice.

Fuel economy was the only downside. During most of the week driving in the city, we averaged 18 mpg, slightly lagging the 19-mpg EPA estimates. After a 60-mile round-trip freeway drive to the mountains and back, we reached 20 mpg after covering 190 miles during our week driving the 2012 RAV4. If fuel efficiency is your goal, we’ll recommend the two-wheel drive, four-cylinder model. But for people in mountainous, snowy climates, the V6 version is clearly the right RAV4 for the environment and the one we would choose.

As we noted last year, the current-generation RAV4 is essentially the same vehicle that originally hit the streets back in 2006. That needs to change, especially with the arrival of the updated 2012 Honda CR-V, the recently improved Dodge Journey, the availability of increasingly competitive models from Hyundai and Kia, and compelling new offerings like a Ford Explorer powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. However, even with the pressure being ratcheted up by those contenders, the spacious, versatile, dependable, and sufficiently efficient 2012 RAV4 remains one of the best bets in the small SUV/crossover category.

By Thom Blackett and Michael Waterman