2008 Toyota RAV4 (V6) Review - Fast and Functional 

I sold these when I worked at a Toyota dealership. The first time I drove one I could hardly believe how easily it got up. The V6 was a hundred HP more than the 4, and you could get it with any trim. I think it was the quickest car Toyota sold at the time.

My brother drove a 2003 BMW M3 which made 300 hp. Years later, when I was looking for a small suv, I was stunned to see the V6 version of the RAV4 closely matching the engine specs of my brother's M3.

Right before COVID, I got lucky and picked up 2012 V6 with 23,000km. Today the car has 65,000km. Yes, I do love driving it.

I just bought one of these, a 2008 4WD 3.5 liter V6 sport, and let me tell you guys...this thing MOVES!

Mine is exactly same sport with v6 motor has 260,000 miles on it and still runs like new! I drove it from west to east coast through snow storms and hurricanes. Amazing vehicle. I am also 6’3 tall by the way and this small suv is not bad at all for a tall guy!

Just bought a 2008 V6 after watching this review. Thank you.

This is my favorite gen. I love the shape, I actually love the side opening rear door, I love the floor storage in the back, it is honestly just a perfect soft-roading overlander. It will handle sandy/muddy forest roads and basic trails with ease. I’m not saying it’s a jeep or a true off-roader and it never will be, but for introducing your kids to forest road trails on the way to the lake for a weekend camp, it’s absolutely perfect.

I bought my 2007 RAV4 (Base) used in 2010 with 102,000 miles on it. Paid $12k. It’s now 2022 and it has 281,000 miles. Nothing goes wrong with this vehicle! Still runs like new and looks great. I keep looking at new cars once in a while for fun, but this has more cargo room, faster acceleration, reclining & sliding rear seats, etc. Practical, fast, & nothing to ever repair. And it takes regular gas instead of expensive premium gas. Also regular maintenance is cheap and can be done by any mechanic.

326k miles, still runs like new lol. Got the v6 sport 2008.

I’m a 07 RAV4 V6 Limited Owner and I love my little truck! It’s quick, fuel efficient, and reliable. I’ve had my car for nearly 6 years now and it hasn’t skipped a beat. I only have 114,000 miles on it too so I’m trying to keep it up.

I own a Ferrari F430 however my daily driver is a 2010 Toyota RAV4 V6 with upgraded performance rims. 154,000 miles and a great vehicle.

I bought a 2011 V6 Sport (No rear tire) last year and love it. It now still only has 99000 miles. I will drive this for the next 20 years if It makes it. I have also driven it over 130mph once and it was flawless lol.

Just purchased a one owner 2012 V6 pearl white with 196,000 for $5,800 runs like new and is super clean. Looking forward to driving the wheels off.

Tip when taking off on a steep hill on this rav, press the brake pedal hard until the dash beeps and hill assist icon flashes. You then have brake assist for a couple of seconds to stop you rolling back

Great review. I have an 07 V6 Limited, black, with 35k miles on it. It truly is fast, and is very good in the rain. It rips on the freeway. It “hyper-cruises” at 75 mph and 2500-3000 RPM. Plenty of passing power.

I bought a 2006 rav4 V6 with 150000, for under 5000, it is the best purchase I have done, it is so much fun to drive, everything this guy says on this review is dead on, I love mine, is exactly the same one he is reviewing, same color and everything, except mine is a 2006, this thing pulls so hard is unbelievably fun to drive.

I love my 2007 limited V6. I’ve had it since it was brand new. I just keep up with the regular maintenance and oil changes. It has 146,000 miles on it. Like someone else commented, it has gotten me through white out snow storms, hurricanes, floods, slippery conditions. I love that the power is always there, and I can easily accelerate quicker than most cars. The car has saved my life so many times. Yes, a few annoying problems (alternator at 136,000), CD player doesn’t work (2015), tpms tire monitors malfunctioning (at about 120,000), led tail light out at 140,000 miles. BUT: these annoyances are less expensive than making car payments! And it drives as perfect as new. I’m going to drive this car until it won’t go anymore! Hopefully another 15 years or more! It’s funner to drive than the new RAV4. If this one dies, I’ll find an identical 2007 limited RAV4! Can’t believe they are now selling for under $6,000!

The 2012 is the BEST year to get.. best of everything!!!

You definitely need more views. I loved this.

09 v6 sport Canadian spec owner. Great video. The sport model definitely rides stiffer than the limited. Surprisingly values have been going up. Everytime that I think of cashing out and buying something else, I step on the throttle at a set of lights and those thoughts go away.

Great video and everything you said is the exact way that I feel about the 3rd generation Rav 4’s . I just bought me a 2011 Rav 4 with only 39K on it. But I bought the 2.5L and it’s plenty for me! Love the 3rd generation Rav’s

your reviews are great bro you deserve more views

Took me 2 years to find the best for me. 100 000 Km 2009 V6 Sport Black Rav4 and I love it. You basicaly have to check the ads at least twice a day.

I just purchased the V6 Toyota Vanguard which is very similar. Love it to bits!

I love my 10 base v6 awd. Great review!

Interior build quality was definitely MEH in this generation but the V6 powertrain was the main redeeming thing about this

i have a 2011 awd v6 sport, and drove it 11,000 miles cross country from 65-110mph and hall-ed butt, this thing was amazing, at 115 degrees out at 90mph it still icy cold inside and ran perfect , I drove it 14 hour straight on many days, 0-60 is low 6 second with tons of power and take 87-89 gas (tho the run flats are stiff, but easy fix to get normal tires

So glad that I found your review! Thank You!!!! It makes me feel a whole lot better about my RAV. I have a 2011 RAV4 which I totally love since it was a gift from my Dad right before I lost him to ALS. The Super White paint keeps peeling off. The roof and the side have already been repainted twice by Toyota. I now+ have a lot of paint peeling off again on the back, side, and front of my car, supposedly due to how it was primed! Toyota corporate says they repaired it twice already and won't fix it again. Now I have to drive it looking super ugly, BUT - it still runs good with almost 80,000 miles on it!

I bought my aunts 2009 v6 limited to use as my daily,got it 5k with 65k miles ( practically brand new ) . The first time I drove it I was beyond surprised .slightest tap on the pedal and this thing is out !! I’ve kept up with quite a few higher end sporter cars lol ..I’ve had it for 6 yrs now and it still drives great .

I own a 2007 RAV4 V6 4WD. It has 200K miles on it and it still goes strong. Even by today’s standards, it still looks good. It looks exactly as the one displayed on the video except that I had it converted into leather seats from day one and the color of my RAV4 is called flint mica. It sure is a pocket rocket in terms of speed and acceleration. No major issues so far. All I had were regular maintenance items like brake, tire replacements, and fluid changes. I think I got a good deal with this Toyota and so it is hard for me to let go of it.

Yea my wife always complained about road noise on trips...I actually took mine once to the 1/4 mile and ran a 14.7 at near 94 pretty respectable time. Just gotta make sure the oil line was replaced with the metal one as you will eventually run out of oil on the road.

This Channel Is So Underrated‼️ Great Quality‼️👌🏽

2007 Base V6 4WD owner here. At 185k kms (115k miles), I only had an ignition coil needing replacement. I have been consistent with maintenance though, always sticking to the schedule and not skipping. Other than the consumables (battery, oil, filter, coolant, fluids, tires, wiper blades, etc), this car has been rock solid. The V6 still feels strong but probably not as fast as when new (this video shows approximately what it might be - under 7s), but no problem at all being peppy around town or on the highway. I also LOVE the height of the car on the inside (I am 6'5") and the spaciousness was one of the reasons I bought this car. The cargo space is amazing as shown in this video and I've lost count on how many moves I've done with it loading mattresses, furniture, couches, etc in it with no problem. Yes, it is noisy compared to modern cars, and the city fuel economy sucks (highway is VERY good - i can go 600km in a tank on the highway on mostly flat roads at 110~ 120km/h). Overall a solid buy for anyone looking for an used Rav4 V6. I know i will miss the spaciousness and that cargo space whenever I get a new car, but these Rav4s can likely handle way more mileage into the 250k+ range with ease so I may never get to buy a new car lol!

Nice review! I've got a 2008v6. Some thing to note on the 2006 to 2008. Some came with a rubber vtti oil line which wasn't reliable. The 2009 to 2012 this was corrected with a metal line. Mine had it and I replaced it for about 100 cad. Rubber lines used to blow and cause catastrophic motor failure. Keep up the good work!

I just bought an '07 V6 and love it 😍😍🇨🇦

My wife and i just bought a 2011 v6 4wd with only 29k miles. Cant wait to drive it for years to come.

Such a beautiful car inside and out

I really like your reviews. This was a car I considered at the time. My upstairs neighbor had one at the time, and his GF had one too. The V6 was a nice setup!

Always loved the V6 Rav4. A true sleeper.

Tbh. 270hp is quite punchy on the highway. When the torque pull from 70mph up. If yoh don't keep an I. You be doing 100mph fast. Love the power tbh.

I still have my 2008 RAV4 V6 AWD in Base trim with the 3rd row seats and I love it. It's got over 189,000 miles on the odometer so far and is still going strong. We take it out on long 1000+ mile road trips a few times a year. I actually prefer the side swinging tailgate because this gives me better access to the rear opening rooftop box I use on long family trips. The tailgate swings out of the way where the traditional tailgate swings up and blocks access to the box.

RAV4 is still going very strong a decade and a half later for very good reason. It’s a very utilitarian crossover, nothing really that special about it; it does the job and it does it very well while being relatively affordable. Not surprising that it consistently ranks among the top-selling SUV’s in America year after year

What I find amusing is that the RAV4 and CRV from that Gen hold good value and they still sell brand new parts for the interior, they're almost in every case taken care of from the owners, is rare to see neglected RAVs.

Bought one of these for my wife in the same spec. Under $6k with 150,000 miles. Great little car!

Great video! Thanks! I’m looking at used AWD/4WD small suvs, and found this video. Cheers!

I've also got the 2008 Toyota rav4 v6 sport which I bought new at that time. The car has ~144,000 miles and I follow the maintenance schedule religously however parts do wear out and recently there was an oil leak from the timing gasket cover and a leaky water pump. Both were expensive repairs. Over the years, I had to replace both front shocks and springs and rear shock plus mount. The engine hasn't consumed oil and I don't see any body rust. When I bought the car, I also had undercoat and rusting proofing applied. I really like these older models because they are simple compared to the newer models with all that high tech; things which can malfunction.

Mine is a 4WD V6 Limited 2010 with 81K miles on it. Live in Pacific NorthWest, went through all kind of weather without any issue. Bought it in 2012 with 13K, I only do brakes on it once, after that I never spent a dime to fix that suv. I love that little SUV.

I have a 2010 V6 Limited I put some all terrains on it and its suuuuper fun to drive in the snow highly recommend it

I love my 2008 rav4 even with its problems.

Awesome review. I’ve been looking for one of these for a while now.

I own a 08 Limited (cloth) 2.4l fwd. I love it, luckily the previous owner had the dealer "fix" the piston ring issue. The 2nd upper glove box/cubby is great and wish it was something offered in newer crossovers. I will only get rid of it if it is for a v6 awd lol.

Id trade my 2018 Rave4 for this in a heart beat.

I own an 08 v6. My best is just under 24 mpg combined city and highway driving. This is by keeping the RPMs below 2000. If you enjoy jackrabbiting from red lights and speeding often, then expect to see 19 mpg.

I have a similar one, I drive it in the harshest conditions and bumpy roads and I did not face any problem with it

This Gen Rav-4 With The V6 Was Fast For An SUV! I Had A 2012 Camry V6 With Flow Master Dual Exhaust And That V6 Used To Sound So Good At 5300 RPM!😩

Great little video. Thank you!

I bought a 2011 limited with V6 S my daily commuter to and around the city. I love this thing!! I specifically was looking for the v6. Paid 414,900 for an ‘11 with 114k! Crazy. Dealer wanted $16,700. Veh was serviced at Toyota like every 5000 miles from orig owner, felt very comfortable buying and paying a lil more . I also bought a ‘22 Tundra TrdPro this past May. This TAV4 feels bulletproof and seems to have everything i need. Perfect in the city and small areas!1 super peppy when needing to make passes.

I drive a rav4 2.0 myself and that is a great car and caravan tractor. Toyota is a strong and reliable brand.

Side opening rear is great for boats and anything you need to strap onto the roof. You can step right up on the back and fuss around with your straps. I also like not bumping my head on the overhead one, I'm tallish.

I really enjoy you’re honesty Subbed Ps I’m hoping to get a 11 v6 limited

I love my 11 Rav 4WD Limited V6. It has every option available in 11. Since I retired I only drive 5-6K miles a year. I plan on driving it for another 10-15 years. By then the rubber door seals and the CV boots will need to be replaced, so I’ll donate it to our church and buy either another Rav AWD hybrid or a Lexus hybrid. That will be the last car I’ll ever need to buy. My wife should be able to drive the new one until she passes away too.

Real nice review! I also own an 08 V6 Sport. Love it!

Be great to get it back and give us a full review of the underbody - rear axle seal and rusted rear bumper bars are a few issues I’ve picked up on as a owner

I'm a big camper and fisher, at least once a year I head to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan usually by myself, I have more than enough room in my trunk for my rods, tents and anything else

Have a 2010 sport package v6.. It's ruby red and I call it the red rocket. I have camped in the back, and I am 6 foot (lay down diagonal) Great car.

I have a 2011 V6 RAV4 AWD. 160K now. Only issue is I had to replace both front and rear "differential" seals. This happened before 100K. It's like Toyota forgot how to make rubber. My main gripe is the extremely squirrely throttle response. Controlled starts are impossible. The difference between a slow start and neck jerking acceleration is about 1 gram of pedal pressure.

I purchased a 2008 V6 Sport with 113,000 on it in February 2021. Other than a few door dings and scratches, it was pristine. The V6 is a strong and fast sleeper vehicle. I have driven the V6 57,000 miles to date and the only hiccup was an ignition coil and ended up replacing all 6 for about $1300 and shock and struts for about the same amount. Other than that, a water pump under extended warranty and brakes because I drive it hard. The Continental tires were the best addition taking off the Goodyear tires made the car much more responsive and quieter. I've had Turbo Volvos and other unique vehicles and love my RAV4. It truly caught me and many others by surprise from the first drive or ride. I intend to keep it until the wheels fall off. I have another 47,000 miles on the extended warranty and will keep it at least that long even if I buy a convertible or sedan. I enjoy it immensely and I love catching others off guard with it's performance. It came with the JBL optional sound system but the first owners must have switched the head unit and I'm adding one with rear camera and GPS navigation and CD/DVD capability (for $200). If you are in the market and find a reasonable deal buy it you won't regret it.

AMAZING video and information

2008 V6 owner and the only thing I hate about it is the stupid green color they came up with but I got it because it was the beat treated one of my options. The fact that is has as many HP as my 2018 Tacoma is awesome too, truly a sleeper!

These are so cute, I have this same exact one but a 4cyl The rear door spare looks like a cute button nose 🥺

This thing is pretty nice & fast

I love my 2011 Base Model... Stil going strong at 240,000km through 12 Canadian winters. Added an Android auto / Apple Car Play Radio + Backup camera which make it super liveable.

We got a 2011 V6 limited. Nice enough but made in Canada and had tons ok minor issues ( body) after like 30000 miles like steering wheel cover coming apart, plastic cover left of windshield inside coming apart, all rubber seals outside bottom of side windows coming apart. I think I am forgetting some. The engine part seemed quite good. We got rid of it at about 80000 miles. That is why we are partial to Toyotas made in Japan.

I just noticed the whip ariel too. UK versions had the stubby roof mounted ariel

Good, thorough review. I love my 2012 v6 limited. It's a decent backroader, could have been great with more clearance and a beefier drive train. I've never found one of these worth buying for anywhere near 10k though.

is it me or you didn’t come back to why get an 06 to 08 in particular?

This is the same engine that came from the Australia Domestic Market (AUSDM) Toyota Aurion, it's like a Camry but with the 3.5L V6 2GR-FE and a sporty body kit (for the Sportivo trim levels). The Aurion is front wheel drive and paired with a 6 speed sports automatic (also known as tiptronic). There's also a TRD version of the Aurion that features a really sporty body kit and larger rims but the main thing is that it has a supercharger slapped on top of the 2GR-FE producing 323hp and running a 0-100kmh (0-60mph) time of mid to low 5 seconds.

Great review! I bought a 2012 4wd,v6,limited last Easter with 89,000 on it.I LOVE this thing!I feel like I"m in a Lambo!,of course my last ride was a 1996 Sonoma 4cyl. which I drove for 14 years,when I"m done with my vehicles,they"re scrap.I forsee a very long relationship with my Rav4,looks identical to this one!But my wheels are a little nicer.-IMOP.

I don't like any other rav 4, but I love my 07 sport with the back cloth interior. Mine is at 250k, and it runs like a dream. I have the back seats removed and a bed platform in the back for overland camping. And it just does everything. It's great in bad weather. I can drift it on snow. It's ok on rough terrain. It has a lot of space. And it's peppy in the straights. I can outrun my brothers BMW 525i in a straight line. Not the best in corners though, it feels a little awkward. I only wish I had the sunroof option

This is the next car I want. Coming from a 06 highlander with 212k miles on it this will be a great upgrade. It's just hard to find a V6 with leather seats for a decent price.

Sorry but I don't see why we need to get the 06-08 V6 vs other years? or did you mean, if you want to get 06-08, make sure to get the v6 since the 4 cl was the bad 2.4?

I’m watching this and live in Bloomington Indiana and was like whaaaa lol

I just picked up an 07 v6 sport. Some rust but engine was so solid it felt like the car was off.

Beautiful 🎉❤!

“Financial emergency”. That was funny.

I just picked up a used 2009, and so far managed to get that bug-eyed "wtf?!" look from my passengers on take off 😂 too much fun! Now I'm just curious how well it will do in deep snow...with good snow tires it's been great around town so far, but I want to know how much I can dare...

nice review man😎🙇🏻‍♂️🆗🔰🇯🇵 as always

in my Rav4 V6 Limited 07 when you push the Break pedal hard and wait Traction Control Off ;)

I fit an 8 foot extension ladder in mine haha they are very spacious

Anyone know of a phone mount that fits the circular air vents? 😭 I hate having my phone in the center but I’m really having trouble finding compatible mounts!!

We love ours!

Out of curiosity, What was the quarter mile ?

We have an 05 Lexus RX330 and this one. My overall verdict is whenever you can find a good Lexus buy that. Even today the Lexus feels fantastic (make sure to upgrade the Radio to a screen, which we did on both vehicles). However, pray that nothing breaks (It's still Toyota so not super likely). Where the RAV4 really shines is the engine power and the regular fuel. That together make it a perfect economy car. The side-opening door is great if you have a dog. The downsides of the RAV4 are the basic materials, rattles and noise in the cabin. The fan is also meh. It does feel like an honest car though and I feel ok when it's dirty. We paid $7.5K with 150K miles on it in December 2023. They are now getting cheaper it seems.

I live in Australia and this was the car when I was young it was a gx base 2.4 and had a manual lol

How much is real fuel conscumption 3.5 ? City and highway km/l

I know this video is a bit old, but I’m 6’4” and want to buy one and hope I’ll fit. Can the seat be lowered for more head room? I sat in a 2013 the other day and it was fine, even had sunroof, just want to know if older one is as spacious.

I underestimated how fast these were, I floored at the light once, holy cow I smoked an f150

I'm REALLY wanting to get one of these older v6 rav4s... I really dont need one, I just want one lol- I'm trying to hold out until I can get a current gen used rav4 hybrid for under 30k, so I'll be waiting a while- in the meantime, I may just grab me an old v6 😂

This or 2007 - 2011 AWD RDX (4 cylinder turbo). The RDX has a better interior, and better handling, but the V6 in this RAV4 is a beast. For a daily driver with little off-road use, I would choose the RDX; but rougher frequent terrain, the RAV

Love our 08 3.5l sport!! Indestructible!! How much can these things tow? Thinking of getting a small camper for it