Trims and Mechanical Details

RAV4 buyers have a half-dozen trim grades to choose from: LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure, TRD Off-Road, and Limited. They all have a powertrain made up of a 203-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The standard drivetrain on most trims is front-wheel, with AWD an option – except on the Adventure and TRD Off-Road, which only come with AWD.

The EPA’s official fuel economy estimates show the FWD RAV4 LE as getting the best mileage with a rating of 27 mpg in city driving and 35 mpg on the highway. The AWD LE and the remaining trims with FWD achieve 27 city/34 highway. Highway gas mileage on the higher trims with AWD dips a tad to 33 mpg.

Standard Amenities

Toyota equips the base LE with some nice features, ranging from remote keyless entry to LED headlights and daytime running lights. It also has a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, illuminated vanity mirrors, one media USB port, two USB charge ports, two 12V power outlets, a height-adjustable cargo floor, and a fold-flat rear seat that splits 60/40 and has a center armrest and cupholders. The XLE is upgraded with dual-zone automatic climate control, Smart Key (proximity entry), heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn-signal and blind-spot indicators, low-profile roof rails, push-button ignition, a power driver’s seat, and two more USB charge ports. The XLE Premium adds LED fog lights, SofTex seating, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter.

The Adventure is eligible for a two-tone exterior, but it goes without the moonroof and power liftgate. The roof is fully set up for carrying gear, thanks to its factory crossbars and raised rails. This specialized trim also gets orange interior accents, a drive-mode selector, hill descent control, and a 120V power outlet. The TRD Off-Road gets the power liftgate and moonroof while going a bit more rugged with a front skid plate, all-terrain tires, an off-road suspension, and all-weather floor mats. Its shocks and interior trim are done in red, and it’s also eligible for the two-tone paint job. The Limited start with the standard features of the XLE Premium and adds puddle lights, a power passenger seat, position memory for the driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, ambient interior lighting (blue), an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster.

Advanced Safety Technology

Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 comes standard on every ’23 RAV4. Its components are automatic high beams, full-speed dynamic radar cruise control, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, and road sign assist. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert is added at the XLE level, but it’s an option for the LE. The Limited receives front and rear parking sensors and reverse automatic emergency braking – features that are available on the XLE Premium and TRD Off-Road. The TRD Off-Road and Limited are eligible for a surround-view camera.

Infotainment and Connectivity

As mentioned, Toyota has revamped the RAV4’s infotainment system this time around. The LE, XLE, XLE Premium, and Adventure have an 8-inch system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an audio system with six speakers. A 10.5-inch touchscreen (which can be ordered for the XLE Premium and Adventure) is issued for the TRD Off-Road and higher trims, but the XLE Premium, Adventure, and TRD Off-Road are qualified for the available 11-speaker JBL audio system that the Limited gets as a standard feature.