Toyota RAV4 XA40 and XA50 used: hybrid years, faults and fair prices

A used Toyota RAV4 from 2013 onwards is one of the safest bets among family SUVs, with two catches. The 12V starter battery is the most common reason a RAV4 hybrid needs roadside help, and several XA50 recalls touched brakes and suspension arms. This guide covers the fourth generation (XA40, 2013-2018) and the fifth (XA50, 2019-2025), including the plug-in hybrid.

Which RAV4 years and versions exist

The XA40 reached UK showrooms in March 2013 with a 2.0 petrol and 2.0 and 2.2 D-4D diesels, according to Auto Express. Toyota facelifted it in December 2015 with a new nose, a revised cabin and the first RAV4 hybrid, which arrived a month later. The facelift also brought a Euro 6 2.0 diesel supplied by BMW, as the dpa used-car check notes. Every XA40 is a five-door; the three-door body was dropped generations earlier.

The XA50 went on sale in January 2019 and, according to the ADAC catalogue, stayed in production until March 2026. In Europe it is almost entirely a 2.5 self-charging hybrid, with front-wheel drive or AWD-i, which adds an electric motor on the rear axle. The plug-in hybrid joined in spring 2021 with an official electric range of 46 miles (about 74 km) and a top speed of 84 mph (about 135 km/h) on electricity, per Auto Express. Its battery under the floor takes 60 litres out of the boot.

The RAV4 model page lists the full specifications of every generation.

Engines and drivetrains: what to choose

The outputs for the XA40 come from the dpa/t-online check and the ADAC catalogue; the XA50 figures come from ADAC and Auto Express. In the XA40 hybrid, the 2AR-FXE petrol engine makes 114 kW (155 PS) and 210 Nm, and the AWD version adds a 50 kW (68 PS) rear motor (ADAC). The XA50 combines a 130 kW (177 PS) petrol engine with an 88 kW (120 PS) front motor; the AWD-i version is rated at 219 bhp, about 163 kW (222 PS).

The 2.0 petrol is the one to think twice about. The cars.co.za buyer's guide puts its real consumption around 9.5 l/100 km against a claimed 7.7, and calls the manual gearbox clunky. For towing, choose AWD: Auto Express quotes 1,650 kg for the AWD hybrid, 1,500 kg for the 2.0 petrol and the plug-in, and only 800 kg for the front-drive hybrid.

How reliable the RAV4 really is

The TUV numbers are among the best in the class. In the TUV Report data published by AUTO BILD in 2025, 64.3% of RAV4s aged 12-13 years passed with no defects (average 56.4%) and 22.1% had significant defects (average 28.1%). No age class contained a single car rated unsafe. The XA40 has two weak spots at inspection: the parking brake and the foot brake fail more often than the RAV4's overall record suggests. Its axle suspension also draws more findings than the XA50's. Rust is rare, even on the exhaust after 13 years.

Breakdowns tell a different story. The ADAC catalogue records 51.7 breakdowns per 1,000 cars for 2019 registrations and 53.7 for 2020, then 38.4 for 2021 and 31 for 2022. The starter battery is listed as the main cause for 2016-2023 cars. Toyota has released a software update for the RAV4 to address it, according to auto motor und sport. In the UK, What Car? named the 2013-2019 RAV4 the most reliable used large SUV out of 18 entrants. The XA50 came 4th overall in the Driver Power 2024 survey.

Hybrid battery, servicing and running costs

The traction battery is rarely the problem, but its warranty is worth understanding. Toyota Ireland's Hybrid Battery Extended Care adds one year or 15,000 km of battery cover after every hybrid service at a Toyota dealer, renewable up to the car's 15th registration anniversary. Terms differ by country, so ask the local importer. A car with an unbroken dealer history is worth more for that reason alone.

Auto Express lists a service every 12 months or 10,000 miles (about 16,000 km), brake fluid every two years, and the first coolant change at 10 years or 100,000 miles. Every engine in this guide has a timing chain, so there is no cambelt bill. Official NEDC consumption is 5.0 l/100 km for the XA40 hybrid AWD and 4.5 l/100 km for the front-drive XA50 hybrid (ADAC); expect more in winter and on the motorway.

If you are deciding between powertrains, the guide to petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric sets out when a hybrid saves money and when a diesel still makes sense.

Prices today and what the money buys

The catalogue shows a clear step between the two generations. The XA40 cost from about €26,290 at launch in 2013 (ADAC list price in Germany, cheapest version). AutoScout24 asking prices in November 2026 put its median around €17,900, with most cars between €11,700 and €20,000 across 888 offers. The XA50 started at €29,990 in 2019 and now asks a median of about €24,900, with the middle of the market between €22,900 and €29,000 from 2,554 offers in November 2026.

These are asking prices for the whole generation. The bottom of the XA40 range is early petrol and diesel cars with high mileage; the top is late hybrids. The XA40 median is still about two thirds of its 2013 launch price, which shows how slowly these cars lose value, so a cheap RAV4 usually has a reason. Real prices depend on year, mileage, engine and condition.

RAV4 against its rivals

The RAV4 asks more than most rivals of the same age. A used Nissan Qashqai is a size smaller, and a Kia Sportage of the same years is the closest like-for-like rival, so compare both before paying the Toyota premium. Owners in the cars.co.za guide rated the XA40 below the VW Tiguan and Hyundai Tucson for rattles and squeaks, and its early cabins drew criticism for hard plastics. What the RAV4 offers in return is a low defect rate at inspection, chain-driven engines and a hybrid system with long battery cover.

How to find a good one

Start with the VIN and a Toyota dealer: several recalls only apply to narrow build windows, and a dealer can tell you in minutes which ones are still open. On an XA50, the key campaigns are the brake booster pump (October 2019), the cracked front wishbones (June 2020), the eCall updates and, on plug-in hybrids, the DC-DC converter (November 2023).

Ask for the hybrid health check reports and the date of the last 12V battery. Then drive the car from cold. A healthy hybrid starts silently, pulls away on electric power and brings the petrol engine in smoothly. On an XA40, check that the parking brake holds on a slope and listen for knocks from the front suspension over speed bumps. If the seller describes rattles as a failed dual-mass flywheel, Auto Express notes that the culprit is usually the exhaust or the manifold cover.