2022 Toyota RAV4 | Long Term Impressions 

Toyota has the daily appliance thing down to a science. As I'm watching this video, I remembered back to 2007 when one of my best friends bought a new Yaris sedan. I couldn't fault her decision (for her needs), but I thought to myself in the days leading up the collection day, that there's no way I could have bought one myself. Man was I wrong. I drove it quite a lot after she got it, and what stood out, and I'm not kidding, is that nothing stands out. When you drive these vehicles, your thoughts about the driving experience immediately fade into the background because they do commuting so well, it's mindlessly easy. As a car enthusiast I never thought I'd find that appealing, but given the congested traffic conditions nowadays, having a spirited drive is a deliberate planned event usually outside of city/town limits, otherwise you're just putting around town or your neighborhood, and the ease with which Toyotas get you where you need to go, is admirable to the point of likable. I could definitely see myself owning a Toyota now for daily use, albeit alongside some sort of weekend toy.

The RAV4 is not what I look for in a vehicle, but SavageGeese is what I want in a car review!

LOVE my RAV4 hybrid. AWD, 40mpg, 8 inch clearance, 7s 0-60, tons of cargo storage, silent on battery power, smooth comfortable ride, small footprint, compact parking, apple carplay, history of reliability. There arent many other vehicles that competes with its suburban utility. On top of that I like the new rugged looks.

You guys nailed it. It’s an appliance. The best example of reliable transportation. 👍

Best mix of enthusiast and practical automotive content on YT. Best combination of information, entertainment, and personality of any Autotubers on the platform. This isn't a market segment I'm in at this stage of life but I enjoyed this, and I'm sure it's very useful for people actually shopping this type of vehicle.

The reason why I love this channel and reviews is because I live pretty close to where you do your testing. It makes a difference because you’re driving in the conditions I myself drive in.

You definitely nailed it with this review. I've always been a die-hard car enthusiast, and I still chose a 2022 Rav4 XLE as my daily driver for all the reasons you said. It's a no nonsense reliable vehicle that just works, and it's good for hauling the family. Then when I'm by myself and want to have fun, I have my Supra.

I’ve had a RAV4 Prime for over a year and a half and it’s the ultimate Toyota appliance. No regrets.

I'm an enthusiast and bought this in 2020. You said the exact reason I bought this thing. When I am turning wrenches on fun weekend cars, I just need something I can get in the morning for work and get to the office and back without breaking down. I want to do it for as long as possible, and as cheap as possible. Still love the car!

I hate that I am the buyer for this sort of thing. After all, I'm clearly paying for premium automotive content and appreciate the work that you do. Reality is, my growing fleet of motorcycles get my discretionary transportation / hobby money. My one car needs to commute, haul them in a little trailer, haul the same trailer for house crap, and handle road trips and camping. These midsize CUV cockroaches are pretty much the only game in town in the US where manufacturers insist that small wagons and hatchbacks aren't legal to tow with. So here I am, thinking I'd like a new CX-50 to replace my aging Forester and knowing there's a good chance I end up with a used RAV4. Thanks again for your honesty in these reviews.

I have Multiple Members of My Family who OWN a RAV4, and they haven't complained about ANYTHING in terms of the Powertrain. I know there's a lot of issues in terms of 'Creature Comforts', but if there's anything to go by with the RAV4, it's that you're getting a SUV that WILL last a long time, despite having less features than a lot of other SUVs on the Market. And That's why I believe the RAV4 is such a Successful SUV. Most people in the SUV Market WANT Practicality and Longevity OVER Features. What Good is 'Heated and Cooled Leather Seats', a 'Navigation System' or 'Safety Suite', or Even Total Volume of Space in an SUV, if you're CONSTANTLY having to take it to the Dealership for one repair after another? (I'm Looking at YOU, GM and Stellantis SUVs.) Toyota's SUV Selections, while not as Feature-Rich or Fuel-Efficient as a LOT of Offerings (Though I'm likely wrong when it comes to the Hybrid Options), has the SOLID Reliability that you come to expect from Both Toyota and Honda. And Given how much the Market for Vehicles has gotten more and more EXPENSIVE, People are WILLING to wait Months to a Year for a Toyota if it means having a Vehicle that will almost NEVER Break Down on the Side of the Interstate, or Put you in a Bad Side of Town with no way home. As Much as I HATE The SUV Market, Toyota has been hitting HOMER after HOMER with their SUVs, even if I don't drive them myself (I own a Tacoma, After All). Heck, every time someone asks me 'What SUV do you recommend I Buy?' My First Answer is ALWAYS Toyota RAV4 or the 4-Runner. Now, Regarding AWD/4WD or FWD, I'll say this: It really depends on where you live and if you'll actually use it. My Brother Owns a LE FWD, and it's done everything he's asked it to do. Genuinely, it really depends on what you use it for. If It's a Daily Driver, the FWD is more than enough for most people. If You actually plan to hit a Trail or Two, then 4WD can be an option. Just remember to balance the additional cost accordingly. In addition, The Argument for an ICE or Hybrid really comes down to how much you value Fuel Economy. If you live in a Big City with Start/Stop Nonsense, then Yeah, the Hybrid is Great for that! However, if you just want Simplicity, You can't go wrong with the Naturally Aspirated Engines. There may be some Rattle, but I believe that's due more to the Age of the Engine than the Vehicle Philosophy itself. Some of the 4-Cylinder Engines Toyota puts in their Vehicles are from Years Past, which may not sound good on paper, but in reality, they do what they need to do without overcomplicating the Vehicle itself, So pick whichever Engine that fits the environment that you live in. Overall, The RAV4 Deserve it's Popularity and Praise, as Toyota did a Fine Job of Balancing what people want in an SUV with the Reliability that they're known for. While Other Manufacturers try to 'Innovate or Revolutionize' the SUV, Toyota's doing a Damn good job of giving people what they need in an SUV. Keep up the Great Work Guys.

Currently in the market for a new vehicle and as such have started watching car videos. Have to say I think your reviews are the best. Love your no BS approach, and how you're obviously not sugarcoating stuff to appeal to the car manufacturers.

Great review guys! I got my 2022 Hybrid Limited this past July, I only had to wait 6 weeks…your review makes me feel extra good about my purchase! Great choice in music also! RIP Coolio ❤

We have a 2020 (in Germany 2019) RAV4 Hybrid AWD-I top trim (Lounge in Germany, limited in US) and drive it with 40-45mpg in daily use. It’s just their perfect family car. It rides good, has enough space and is very reliable. 👌🏼🙏🏼 I think that’s why 1.1 million people bought it 2021 all around the globe and made it the best selling car.

The best review I’ve seen on the rav4. 👏🏼👏🏼

Currently on a wait list for XLE hybrid here in California! Thanks for the long term review!

Sold my wife's 2020 Corolla XSE Hatch 6spd for a 2022 RAV4 SE hybrid (only a 9 day wait), what a great trade up. Tons of space and utility and 41mpg combined. I cannot state how much I love the hybrid system, it works so good, and there's nothing like being stuck in traffic or a drive thru and not use any gas.

Got excited about a vacuum cleaner I recently got. This is the car for me.

I love my RAV4 hybrid..don't regret it for a second. I waited 2 months for mine. The 2 year complimentary service has been stellar.

Not a fan of SUVs/CUVs and would never buy one, but I'll watch any videos you guys do on them - and hit the like button - because I am a fan of the channel. Looking forward to when you guys hit 1M subscribers.

Besides the almost ridiculous comment about replacing a hybrid battery system at 150k, you guys absolutely nailed the RAV4. Case in point, my wife and I (40 yo) were forced to get 2 cars at the same time right now. We randomly rented a RAV4 XLE. We set off to many many dealerships across several days. We both initially commented how we'd never buy a RAV4 after driving it just a little bit. So we went and test drive everything... CRV, HRV, Rogue, Forester, Equinox, Terrain, Encore, CX5, Niro, Tucson... probably more. In the end, we hated something about each and every one of them. We kept getting back in the RAV4, all pissed at how bad car manufacturers are and how slimey dealerships are....and it dawned on us, we did 700 miles in the RAV4 and we didn't absolutely hate it. Picked up our Certified Used 2020 RAV4 today. FML. Gonna drive a washing machine every day. I will say, fuel economy of the na is so good, I don't think you'd ever make up the price difference on the hybrid. Ehh, who knows.

We had one of these for two years and it was pretty much all you could ask for in terms of reliable family transportation.

I’m a car enthusiast and I recommended my mother in law an XLE Hybrid premium. She loves it and it’s extremely reliable

Our 22 XLE HV is by far our favorite. Had a 2006, 2010, 2014, 2017. It’s the Swiss Army Knife of Compact SUV’s. Every one we have owned has been a Tank of Reliability. We average 43.1mpg City/Highway on the 2022. Highway never over 70mph. At the 9,000 mile mark currently. Just hop in and complete your daily schedule. No drama, no problem. Put a set of Cross Climate 2’s on it and forget about dedicated snows unless you live in a mountain range. Great review. Absolutely Nailed It ! 👍

Thanks for making your long term review video - there are precious few long term takes on this gen. It seems like the perfect jack of all trades car. A 2006-2008 SG Forester also has 69 Cu ft of cargo space, in a footprint the size of a Crosstrek. The SG Forester is also one of those distillations of form and function which makes everything simple and straightforward. That's why both of these cars are marvels of engineering, and thanks to your video I realize that is what I like most about both of them. The SG Forester rides and handles better than the RAV I think. I don't know why everyone doesn't go to jacked up AWD sport wagons. They are a dream. Still want the AWD of a Subaru and the NVH / handling of the CX-5, but the 8 speed auto transmission and the multiport injection, combined with the cargo space, lead to choosing the RAV4. If I were wealthier, I would have a 4Runner and a BRZ / 6MT in a two car garage. Some of us just want cars to be cars: not rolling technological surveillance bordellos.

Excellent review gentlemen. Informative, down to earth, relatable. New subscriber looking forward to future content.

Extremely fair review. I would add, however, that the interior space, while not necessarily "premium", is a bit more stylish than you give it credit for. Yes, it's "understated", but I don't really think it looks "cheap". It may lack a certain amount of "flair", but it's "pleasing", and makes you feel like you are sitting in something that was put together with quality in mind. That goes a long way. When you drive a Toyota, you know you are not driving a "shitbox".

My wife’s 2019 XLE has been great except for having wiring harness work under warranty. It started throwing random errors for TPMS failure and after 3-4 diagnostic visits the dealership had it for most of this summer (2022) waiting for backordered parts. They claimed it is a common corrosion problem with the wiring harness for that year that has (supposedly) been fixed since. She loves the car and we plan to keep it for many more years so fingers crossed it’s all permanently resolved.

As an enthusiast that requires some semblance of reliability Toyota has always had my heart. I have a 16 RAV4 hybrid and my wife has a 20 RAV4 hybrid and they just work, no bullshit they just perform. Saves money to have the fun car and know I have a reliable backup always ready to go

What you guys need to bring to light is the QC differences between Canadian built and Japanese built RAV4s. I've worked for Lexus for over a decade and the difference in build quality and fit/finish between the two plants is vast. The RX in particular, even the same pieces will have different part numbers depending on where they were built for some reason. The new NXs that are built in Canada are coming in with all sorts of problems.

Love how animated & high energy these guys are! Sub'd.

As a 2020 Model RAV4 Hybrid owner, since Dec 2019, I agree with this review wholeheartedly!

Awesome review guys as always! I remember not long ago here in Australia 🇦🇺 there was a 2-4 year wait for these Rav 4’s!

Still driving my 2007 RAV4 Limited V6, and you'll be prying the keys out of my dead fingers. 200,000 miles and the other day I moved a 30"x30"x36" steel cabinet that weighed 500-lbs IN THE CABIN. The guy at Grainger forklifted it right into my hatch. I then went to a metal supply house and picked up 80-lbs of bar steel in 10-ft lengths, which I strapped on the kayak cradles mounted to my luggage rack. Whenever my work crew and I go to lunch, I end up driving because most of them drive either pickups or Civics and they ALWAYS whine that they can't fit everyone comfortably.

I have a '21 Trail. Love that they brought back the 3500 lb towing capacity, and it has good ground clearance finally. We use it to tow our 14' trailer and ATV and SxS, two canoes on the roof at a time, hunting trail access, etc. No issues thus far, other than now we have to trade it for a '23 Sienna AWD...

Excellent review Jack and Mr.Geese 👍

Have it since February, amazing car. Only big issue is that the glare from the chrome/silvery bits in the cockpit can be really annoying at certain times when the reflection goes straight to the eyes, but apart from that, everything has been great, from offroad use to the fuel economy being better than the official figures. And disagree about it being just an appliance and the "cheap interior": can be really fun to drive in some conditions, and honestly, I don't see how the interior might look cheap, especially since what's passing around as "premium" these days it's the actually cheap screens and piano black everywhere

I bought a Brand New 2022 Toyota Rav4 LE AWD Hybrid in August of this year. Someone didn't get financing approved so they backed out so I bought it at sticker for $31,859. It's made in Japan and the built quality is really good. I say perfect built quality. Only had to wait 20 days to get it. Good review.....Nicolas Cage pillow in the back adds a nice touch 😆😆😆

One thing I’d just add about the hybrid- wether you have a garage or not makes a huge difference on the degradation

I loved how they threw in the subtle nod to Coolio when they were going over the infotainment system.

I appreciate how you guys praised the gas model without the hybrid. I think that speaks volumes to how good a car it still is without being a hybrid. I mean even averaging 29-32 MPG in a year round car that isn’t a hybrid is impressive.

Nice video, nice car. Ordered 2023 RAV4 XLE AWD

Jack’s laugh doesn’t fade gradually like most people. He goes from 0 - 60 in .5 seconds then slams the brakes with a deadpan stare.

I think the 2019+ RAV4 is a great all around SUV even today. The JBL sound system it comes with is pretty decent, very roomy, and the layout is very practical. But as you said, the Infotainment is dated, as expected of Toyota, but usable. The quality of some parts, however, could be better. My mom's 2020 RAV4 has shaky side mirrors, like literally it would shake at speed so you can't tell what's reflected in the mirror. There was a TSB on it so we took it in to get it fixed. While the passenger side mirror was fixed, the driver's side still has a noticeable shake to it. The body panels also sound and feel very thin. The hood weighs almost nothing and when you close it, it always has a loud "pang". The doors, like the hood, are also very light and would shake if you close them with just a bit of effort. The gas door is literally just a sheet of thin stamped metal that rings every time you open and close it. And whenever it rains medium-sized pellets, the roof gets very loud. The rear door hatch is probably the most solid of all the panels. Other than that, it handles pretty well and the visibility is pretty good. The hybrid with the eCVT transmission has a pretty smooth transition between the engine and battery. The brakes with the regenerative braking stops the vehicle pretty well, too. One of the things I could probably live without is the rear view mirror camera. It's neat to see a video of what's behind you instead of just the mirror itself but it's a pretty poor quality image.

nice to see this video after multiple uploads from other youtubers on new honda crv hybrid

Fact both your gfs have a rav4 when you guys could influence them into anything basically due to your job, is a huge endorsement for Toyota.

I've put 10K miles on my 2021 Rav4 Prime (so far), and you guys got it right. The Rav4 is absolutely adequate, completely competent, and brutally boring. There's nothing really fun or enthusiast about this car, and Toyota can't make them fast enough. That pretty much sums up the car market in this country. Good review of a model that everybody takes for granted - and it excels at that.

Thanks to SG for continuing to review normal cars (we like GT3s but we daily drive RAV4s). Thanks Toyota to keep serving people with no Bullsh#t products

My Acura MDX just went out tonight and got towed home. Been stalking a rav 4 for a couple years now and think this is the choice. Everything you mentioned is looking for. Just a solid, dependable car that can last 10+ years, 300k miles, etc.

Appreciate the honesty

Please review an Escape Hybrid. I’d love to hear your thoughts on differences between the two, especially considering they are direct competitors.

Having had the non-hybrid for a rental last year, really felt like there is a lack of storage space in the front portion of the cabin. Which is bothersome because is seems like the center arm rest and gear selector area is just dead space underneath.

How come you went with a different set of wipers vs buying the rubber inserts? Are the Bosch worth the $10 hike?

RIP Coolio! :) Keep up the amazing work fellas.

I think you guys are right about the majority of the audience for the RAV4 being value and practicality-based shoppers. But I do think right now there is a pretty massive hole in the market for people like myself who need a CUV for practicality but care about design/performance AND efficiency. For people who aren't ready to commit to EVs, and are in the $30-40k price bracket, we are basically forced to choose between the boring efficient route or the fun inefficient route. As an urban California driver, I can't justify going traditional ICE for my next family vehicle with current gas prices. If the CX-50 Hybrid was available now, or a VW hybrid, or hell even the XC40 PHEV that Europe gets but we don't, I'd have options to seriously consider that would bring fun and style to the table. But from where the market stands today if I have to purchase a family car in 2022 and want good gas mileage, it's going to be a boring one. And that's a damn shame.

Great review guys. Been a Honda guy my whole life having owned 3 CRVs and 3 Odysseys…wanted a change. Didn’t care much for the RAV4 regular or hybrid after owning a couple of EVs, so got the RAV4 Prime. It was a great vehicle. All the comments you mention about the usability and interior was spot on. My biggest peeve with it (I had the SE), was the infotainment…slow, old, and the stereo was the biggest POS I’ve ever heard in a car…Tried to even change out some of the speakers to no avail…just terrible. Had to unload it. Thankfully I bought it before COVID and made about 9k on it! I’d love to get another, but I’d get the XSE next time.

Good appliance :) any flair is appreciated but I feel the same admiration towards this as a stout well made kitchen mixer

Love the high production value of every Savage Geese videos. I love footage of the car under lift, it's the most substantial part of your videos. May I provide some feedback on the audio? Is it possible for ya'll to do some sound compression on Jack's voice? His voice is a bit boomy under the lift and the way he talks, he can fade out on certain sentences. Jack makes some great points and I hate reading the close caption, because it takes away from enjoying the video's artistry. Jack's voice is higher pitch during the drives so its better. Mark's voice is higher pitch so it's perfect at all locations.

I've got a 2013 that I drive everyday and think about this all the time, how it's just a really good car, but nothing else.

In a world of unknowns this is a known quantity pure and simple.

As my family gets older, more tired and wiser, we are moving en mass to Toyota. The RAV4 is vehicle of choice. A fine workhorse.

Funny twist that both your SOs aren't car people. No wonder you guys make such a great couple!

We got a 2019 Adventure. I really need to try the towing to see how well it does.

Absolutely love how simple the climate and infotainment is

Do you know if they sell an aftermarket kit to help with the wind noise? It's the one downside that bothers me.

I hope you guys can do a video on the new cry 1.5 and hybrid soon.

The RAV 4 prime that I have is super fun to be honest. Have driven rav 4 hybrid and the difference is night and day. 50 miles as EV is the best feature of the Rav 4 prime. This should be highlighted.

Do you have a long term test of a 2022 CRV ?

Do you all live in IL? Hello from Oak Park IL!

My daily beater 2012 RAV4 2.5L is at 264,000 miles and still going strong. Not my favorite car but it's tough to ignore that I've only had to do basic maintenance and component replacements. I had earlier considered a hybrid RAV4 replacement but some of these points have me back to a non-hybrid. This time only a 2WD to avoid the 4WD un-needed complexity.

I have a 21' year RAV4 gas version in the high trim range for middle east regions with peral white color and my experience with it have been so great and I've had doubts about this generation when it came out because it had problems with the torque vecotring system and the high speed test that could make the car flip if turns where taken at high speed but they got that all fixed and its a great car for even a youngster like me age 19.

Appliance reviews are my favorite kind

Food for thought. Do you guys think that you love the traditional knobs and physical buttons over screens because you are "old"? I love my buttons but my young cousins do great with big touchscreens and feel weird with buttons.

One other cost factor in terms of consumables are brake pads. Since the hybrids use their motors to generate a good amount of the braking forces, brake pads wear much more slowly. It's common for the original front pads on a Prius to last to 150,000 miles. So sure, you have the battery pack replacement to look forward to, but you can also deduct a couple of brake pad changes during that time.

So was the non hybrid 2.0L or 2.5L. Did they not mention this at all or did i miss it?

Thanks guys!

I’m a car guy and love my hybrid rav4, just maybe not the type of car guy that you had in mind 😁 I’m a practical car guy that likes smooth ride, comfort and reliability. Also - mountain area, 4WD is a must

Thanks for the good explanation of who the buyer is. I would buy a CX-5 way before one of these, but I see that's because I care how a vehicle drives. Mazda reliability has been great for us so far (2 x Mazda 3's).

1:48 I had a 2005 Camry and it had wind noise on the highway that sounded like the right rear window wasn't up all the way or something. The car was 9 years old when I bought it so I just figured it was old rubber around the door causing a bad seal and just dealt with it. Last year I traded that Camry in for a 2017 Camry with 33k miles and it has the same exact sounding wind noise on the highway seemingly coming from the same area. So it seems to be happening on a lot of their line up in a huge range of years and not just recently where you can blame it on low quality control due to covid.

I bought a 2021 Rav4 Prime at MSRP last year in Texas with a one-week wait and took advantage of the $7,500 tax credit that was available for the vehicle at the time. I was thinking about upgrading to the 2022 version until I found out that not only are dealers now asking an average of 7K over MSRP for any Prime model but also that there is a waiting list for the Prime at all Toyota locations that get any Prime allocations because they are manufactured in Japan. Plus there is no more available $7,500 tax credit for the Prime models in the U.S. I suppose I should be happy with what I got last year at MSRP alongside the $7,500 tax credit.

Yes. RAV4 is an appliance. Nothing wrong with this good appliance!

Would have been fun to hear about the #cablegate issue going on with 2019 - 2022 RAV4 AWD Hybrid/Hybrid Plug-In versions. It affects a few 10s of thousands of vehicles, mostly in Canada and Northern states because of snow and calcium, so something to take into consideration right now. Toyota tried to make clients pay for their weather-proofing mistakes and are now back-tracking after some media and press backlash. Still a fan of Toyota, but goes to show that even companies that you've always loved can disappoint you.

I'm just past 1 year waiting for a hybrid Ford Maverick. My build date just got pushed back to the end of November which will mean waiting for at least 14 months for delivery. Any inexpensive vehicle that gets good milage is a long wait right now.

That interior looks snazzy to me!

You are absolutely right. Had RAV4 HSD 2016, changed it for the next gen RAV4 HSD 2021 for all reasons mentioned. I am a very happy driver of BMW M240i (rear drive, manual), which says something about the appreciation of driving, but RAV4 was an obvious choice for a 2nd car (well, 1st in fact), again for all the reasons you mentioned. And I haven't regretted it in those 6 years so far. Excellent and honest review, as usual. Keep it this great 👍

When Avalon and ES production end in Kentucky, the waiting lists for RAV4 Hybrids may be shortened. Off the top of my head, I can't think of too many cars that get good mpg at 85 mph🤔

3 of this generation in my extended family, might be a forth coming. All hybrids, an LE, XLE and a Limited, none of them are mine but if it was me I'd either get the hybrid LE or if I felt spendy, the hybrid Woodland Edition. Significant other has one so I've driven it quite a bit...it's fine, perfectly fine, not as fuel efficient as I would like, but for what it is pretty okay. (39mpg mostly highway driving)

Does anyone know how to get those fog lights?? Part number?

Wonder how the CRV Hybrid and gas compares to this.

got 2021 rav4 xse hybrid, tech package. Got 90,000km on it already. JBL sound system is really decent for what it is, gas savings amazing, the space is great to load up things for camping and shopping, but I do a lot of highway, and it's so frustratingly loud.. you hear cars, wind, rain, engine... It's just too much...

Love that you are doing these long term style videos, are you planning to only do long term on the vehicles you recommend? Or are you going to long term some alternatives to the obvious choices? Maybe some with more enthusiasm to see if its worth the other sacrifices? Love the channel thank you for what you do!

You are right on with the fact that if you are in and out of a lot of cars you’ll hate the rav4. They just work. That’s it. There’s no cool or anything enticing about the rav4. Its something you buy when you never want to think about your car again.

i grabbed a 2020 at the start of the pandemic because it was time to have a car again and i wanted something reliable (plus i was worried about eventual shortages). agreed, it's an appliance. our previous car was a VW GTI and it's definitely not that level of fun. i am curious why you (the SG guys) refer to this as an SUV instead of, say, a crossover. (or even the modern take on a station wagon). maybe i'm being too inflexible thinking the dividing line has something to do w/ body on frame vs unibody. thoughts?

What would it take to fix the wind gap on the 2020 RAV4 in the video? I’m genuinely curious. Does it need a new door or new rubber seals around the door?

Was that snow during the b footage for the final thoughts?... it's early October 😒...

I know this is an older video to pardon the late-to-the-game comment, but the motor in the non-hybrid (A25A-FKS) does some fairly exotic things for the market segment this vehicle is in. For example : The intake Cam Shaft in this engine rotates via an electric motor rather than a conventional setup with a timing chain connected to a hydraulically actuated valve to modify timing (for an engine with Variable Valve timing that is... which the Camry & RAV4 have been for quite some time). Very high mileage versions of the early A25A-FKS motors have shown up at Toyota dealers in limp mode when this camshaft electric motor fails. Also, this engine also uses an electric water pump (as opposed to be spun by an accessory drive belt in just about every internal combustion model made in the last 80 years), which is going to make this a wear item that will most likely need to be replaced more often than a traditional water pump. So why did 'Yota do this? Well, in the name of fuel economy of course. With this cutthroat segment of the market where those MPG numbers will be a deal-breaker for some, I can't say I blame them. Also, the specs for the A25A-FKS show it running at something like a 13-to-1 compression ratio. It continues to amaze me that engineers have figured out to run compression this high with something like 87 octane (or lower in the western states) and the engine just not rattle itself apart from knocking. Someone feel free to correct me if I'm off course here, but I would bet that compression ratio on regular gas along with 2-sets of injectors have a lot to do with why this engine sounds the way that it does. As I said above, the A25 motor is also uses Toyota's _D4S_ tech, which means that eventually you'll be replacing two sets of fuel injectors, with the high-pressure Direct Injection injectors costing a bit more than the Port-Injection counterparts. While I'm not wild about essentially doubling the part count of the fuel delivery mechanism, I think long-term we're going to see *way* more RAV4s on the road longer than it's Honda or GM counterparts who have chosen to go "all-in" on Direct Injection only. *To be clear* - I'm not saying these are bad things, I'm just saying these are things to be mindful of if you're a DIY'er or if you're buying high-mileage examples of these vehicles down the road. As always, many thanks to Mr. Goose and Jack "The Business" Singapore for their great content!

Mark is my all time favorite, the channel remains excellent though.

I take offense at my RAV4 being called an appliance. I have an awesome stove that always starts up, a refrigerator that hums along through all types of weather, and a washer that gets the Adidas cologne smell out of the ass-smelling doggie bed. We have owned 4 RAV4s since 2004. My favorite was a 2009 V6 that lasted 299k miles until a moose and a tree killed it. I'm now leasing a 22 gas model because I didn't want to wait for a hybrid. Also concerned about corrosion in the high voltage battery. For my lifestyle in Vermont, the all weather reliable travel box is fine. When I want to have fun, I have my 2010 Mazda Miata to toss around. It's even fun in the snow with snow tires. Just have nowhere to put the canoe. Always loved your content. I'll watch just for the entertainment factor and killer soundtrack.

In UK we replaced my wife’s manual 4th gen EXi CRV with a new 22 reg Toyota RAV 4 Excel Hybrid with front wheel drive instead of a Honda CRV EX Hybrid for some of the following reasons: My wife likes the auto transmission of the RAV which also has faster acceleration than the CRV hybrid. Local rural running around gets 52 mpg, on long motorway/main roads fully loaded 48 mpg. The RAV 4 Excel in front wheel drive is available in top trim with an electrically adjustable driver’s seat etc & this keeps the list price in UK below £40k so avoiding a much higher annual road tax that an EX Hybrid CRV would be subject to. The RAV 4 Hybrid comes with a space saver spare wheel, providing a sunroof is not specified, whereas no space for any spare in current CRV Hybrid. The RAV 4 Hybrid has a lager cargo volume with rear seat back up than Hybrid CRV. The front wheel drive RAV 4 is not subject to corrosion problems occurring in the electrical wiring of rear wheel drive of the 4WD RAV 4 Hybrid. The RAV 4 Hybrid does "crash" over severe bumps in the road compared to previous EXi CRV & the CRV felt nicer to drive on twisty country roads which we only encounter when away on holiday. If serviced by a Toyota dealer the standard five year warranty will be extended to ten years, CRV warranty is only three years. I have a Honda Civic Type R GT FK8 & do not find the RAV 4 Hybrid petrol engine agricultural when I drive it, although it is not as turbine smooth as my FK8 engine Road & wind noise are not an issue in the RAV 4 Hybrid, it is probably a bit quieter than EXi CRV.

What can be done to protect the catalytic converter from theft on this or other cars?