Toyota RAV4 Fuel Economy: Real-World MPG Test

The Toyota RAV4 achieves competitive fuel economy in its segment—if you look at the EPA numbers. But as we know, these figures don’t always reflect real-world driving. So how efficient is the RAV4 really? We conducted our own fuel economy test to find out.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 AWD in our long-term fleet is EPA-rated at 25/33/28 mpg city/highway/combined. But we recorded a much better highway number, which bumped up the RAV4’s combined rating by a considerable margin. Our Real MPG results came in at 24.2/39.1/29.2 mpg, making the RAV4 more efficient than our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD, which scored 21.9/34.2/26.1 mpg. Pretty impressive.

Separately, we took the RAV4 to the track for acceleration testing. Here, it ran from 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds flat. In comparison, the CR-V is particularly quick in its competitive set, hitting the mark in 7.5 seconds. Both SUVs recorded respectable braking numbers: The RAV4 required 121 feet to come to a complete stop from 60 mph, and the CR-V took 115 feet.

In the braking test, associate road test editor Erick Ayapana praised the RAV4 for its crisp pedal feel and steady body control. However, hard braking produces “lots of ABS chatter.”

“Fun” and “playful” are the words that road test editor Chris Walton used to describe the RAV4 around the figure eight. He also praised how well the engine and transmission worked together.

“[In] Sport mode with traction control and stability control off (and truly off, by the way), it doesn’t mind blending the braking into cornering, even sliding a bit, with good yaw control,” he noted. “The steering isn’t very talkative, but it does make the RAV4 go where it’s asked to. Overall, it’s a fun little Run About Vehicle.”

Although it’s engaging around the figure eight, we have a few reservations about the RAV4’s overall driving dynamics. The crossover feels a bit slow passing traffic on the highway, and pressing hard on the accelerator produces an unpleasant groan from the engine. We also prefer the CR-V’s smoother ride, which is one of the reasons the Honda won our recent compact SUV comparison.

Read more about our long-term 2019 Toyota RAV4 XLE:

  • Arrival
  • Update 1: Which Trim Level Should You Get?
  • Update 2: 5 Features We Like and Don’t Like About the Compact SUV

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