2021 Toyota RAV4 Safety Rating — 5 Stars Overall
NHTSA rates the 2021 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall — 4 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover. Check a specific RAV4’s crash and title history below.
Has this RAV4 been in a crash since it was tested?
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2021 Toyota RAV4— By the Numbers
- Overall rating
- 5★
- Frontal crash
- 4★
- Side crash
- 5★
- Rollover risk, single-vehicle crash
- 15.9%
- Recall campaign on NHTSA's file
- 1
Overall rating
Frontal crash
Side crash
Rollover risk, single-vehicle crash
Recall campaign on NHTSA's file
Quick Answer
- What is the 2021 Toyota RAV4 safety rating?
- NHTSA rates the 2021 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall — 4 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover. These are results for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
- Did NHTSA test every part of the 2021 Toyota RAV4?
- Yes — NHTSA published frontal, side barrier, side pole and rollover results for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD.
- Does the 2021 Toyota RAV4 have recalls or complaints on file?
- NHTSA's record for this version lists 1 recall campaign, 383 owner complaints and 0 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
What NHTSA did — and did not — test
A star rating is only as complete as the tests behind it. This is which of NHTSA's four crash tests the 2021 Toyota RAV4 actually went through.
Yes — NHTSA published frontal, side barrier, side pole and rollover results for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD.
2021 Toyota RAV4 crash-test ratings
Among the individual seat results, the driver's frontal score alone sits below the top, with the front passenger beside it rated higher.
NHTSA rates the 2021 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall — 4 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover.
The lower frontal result belongs to the driver, not the passenger, so after any front-end repair the driver's airbag and seatbelt are the parts you most want restored to factory condition. The complaint file is long against a short recall list, so a clean recall check says little about what owners reported.
Recalls, complaints and investigations
NHTSA keeps these alongside the crash-test results for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD. They answer a different question: not how the vehicle was built to perform in a crash, but what owners and the agency have reported since.
A recall campaign covers a range of vehicles; whether the repair was done on a particular car is a per-VIN question. Check open recalls by VIN.
The rating is for the RAV4NHTSA crashed. Check the one you’re buying.
Salvage and rebuilt brands, reported accidents and odometer records follow the VIN.
Inspecting a used 2021 RAV4
The ratings describe the RAV4 as it left the factory. A car that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt, or had its airbags replaced is no longer the car NHTSA tested.
Check the driver's restraints: the airbag warning light should come on and then go out at start-up, the steering-wheel airbag cover should sit flush and match the wheel, and the driver's belt should retract fully and lock on a sharp tug.
Look under the hood at the radiator support and headlamp mounts for fresh paint, disturbed bolt heads or mismatched parts, since the frontal test is where this record is lowest among its crash tests.
On a test drive on a marked road, let the standard lane departure warning trigger and watch that the forward collision system shows no fault; a cracked windshield near the camera or a chipped front emblem can take them offline.
Every rated version of the 2021 Toyota RAV4
NHTSA rates body styles and drivetrains separately, and the results are not always the same. Match the version to the car you are looking at.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 15.9% |
| 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV AWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 15.5% |
How NHTSA's current ratings work
NHTSA announced new NCAP crash tests and rating criteria in July 2008, including a new overall rating that combines the frontal, side and rollover results. It then postponed the change by a year: the new criteria apply to vehicles tested beginning with model year 2011, not 2010 as first announced.
In NHTSA's own words, its rollover resistance ratings “estimate the risk of rollover if a vehicle is involved in a single-vehicle crash.”
One limit applies to every vehicle here. NHTSA notes that the frontal crash rating “depends on vehicle mass, and cannot be compared across vehicle weight classes” — a full-size truck's frontal stars and a compact car's are not the same measure.
- Federal Register, 73 FR 79206 (Dec. 24, 2008) — new NCAP criteria begin with model year 2011
- Federal Register, 73 FR 40016 (July 11, 2008) — NCAP testing and rating changes, including the overall rating
- Federal Register, 68 FR 59250 (Oct. 14, 2003) — NCAP rollover resistance ratings
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Compare and keep going
Nearby model years and the same make, rated by NHTSA.
5 stars overall
5 stars overall
5 stars overall
5 stars overall
Whether a recall was repaired on one specific car.
Reported crashes and damage after the car left the factory.
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2021 Toyota RAV4 Safety FAQ
What NHTSA’s record shows for this model year, and what it cannot tell you about one car.
What is the 2021 Toyota RAV4 safety rating?+
NHTSA rates the 2021 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall — 4 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover. These are results for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
Did NHTSA test every part of the 2021 Toyota RAV4?+
Yes — NHTSA published frontal, side barrier, side pole and rollover results for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD.
Does the 2021 Toyota RAV4 have recalls or complaints on file?+
NHTSA's record for this version lists 1 recall campaign, 383 owner complaints and 0 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
Can I compare the 2021 Toyota RAV4's stars with a newer model?+
Yes, with other vehicles rated under NHTSA's current program (model year 2011 onward). Stars from before then came from different tests.
Does a good safety rating mean a used RAV4 is safe to buy?+
A rating describes the vehicle as it left the factory. A used RAV4 that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt from salvage, or had an airbag replaced is no longer the vehicle NHTSA tested. A VIN check reads its title brands, salvage and accident records from NMVTIS.
Five stars at the factory. What about since?
A crash rating can’t see a salvage title, a rebuilt frame or a replaced airbag. The VIN record can.
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