2001 Toyota RAV4

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Transmission & Drivetrain

Transmission & Drivetrain leads by volume: 190 of 309 complaints (61%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Body, Seats & Latches include more deaths (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed rose from 30 in 2000 to 309 in 2001.

Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.Also cataloged for 2001: 1 electric configuration(s), excluded from the figures and bar above; 2 configuration(s) of a different vehicle class, excluded from the comparison bar only (but included in the figures above).
Category19992000200120022003vs. 2001 Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
Annual fuel cost ($)2,700–2,9502,700–2,9502,600–2,8502,600–2,8502,600–2,850
Combined MPG21–2321–2322–2422–2422–24
City / Highway MPG19–21 / 23–2719–21 / 23–2720–22 / 25–2820–22 / 25–2820–22 / 25–28
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)386–423386–423370–404370–404370–404
Complaints filed6230309527314Not compared
Recalls issued53000Not compared
Crash-involved complaints145183618Not compared
Fire-involved complaints402154Not compared
Injuries reported14412488Not compared
Deaths reported02100Not compared
Configurations compared44222

Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2001 Toyota RAV4 have?

No NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026.

What is the most common complaint about the 2001 Toyota RAV4?

Transmission & Drivetrain: 190 of 309 NHTSA complaints (61%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2001 Toyota RAV4 get?

EPA rates it 22–24 MPG combined.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2001 Toyota RAV4?

EPA estimates $2,600–$2,850 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

EPA-Rated Configurations (5)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
ConfigurationTransmissionCylindersDisplacementDrivetrainFuel TypeVehicle ClassCityHighwayCombinedAnnual Fuel CostCO₂
Configuration 1Automatic 4-spd42.0LFront-Wheel DriveRegularSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD21 mpg26 mpg23 mpg$2,700386 g/mi
Configuration 2Manual 5-spd42.0LFront-Wheel DriveRegularSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD22 mpg (high)28 mpg (high)24 mpg (high)$2,600 (low)370 g/mi (low)
Configuration 3Automatic 4-spd42.0L4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSport Utility Vehicle - 4WD20 mpg (low)25 mpg (low)22 mpg (low)$2,850 (high)404 g/mi (high)
Configuration 4Manual 5-spd42.0L4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegularSport Utility Vehicle - 4WD20 mpg (low)25 mpg (low)22 mpg (low)$2,850 (high)404 g/mi (high)
Configuration 52-Wheel DriveElectricitySport Utility Vehicle - 2WD81 MPGe64 MPGe72 MPGe$1,0500 g/mi

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
CategoryComplaintsCrash-InvolvedFire-InvolvedInjuriesDeaths
Engine371010
Transmission & Drivetrain1902010
Fuel System50000
Electrical600200
Brakes316050
Steering61000
Suspension, Wheels & Tires71000
Airbags & Restraints179040
Driver Assistance & Speed Control223010
Body, Seats & Latches72031
Visibility & Lighting90000
Other150000

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls

No recalls have been issued for this model-year.