SAFETY | 5 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
‘Good,’ frontal offset; ‘good,’ side impact, ‘good,’ rear impact; 'acceptable,' roof strength
IIHS
Three stars overall; three stars frontal; four stars side
NHTSA
That backup camera is a lifesaver when the window visibility is obscured by groceries or luggage.
MSN Autos
Hill-Start Assist Control, which holds the car in position for two or three seconds, is standard on V-6 models and four-cylinder RAV4s with a third-row seat
Cars.com
While the 2012 Toyota RAV4 has a great set of safety features, its crash-test results have been lackluster.
In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests, the 2012 Toyota RAV4 earns top 'good' scores in all categories except roof strength, where it earns just 'acceptable.' And that keeps it from earning IIHS Top Safety Pick Status. In the federal government's NCAP tests, the RAV4 has only achieved three-star frontal protection, and a four-star side rating, for an overall rating of three stars.
We're referring to 2011 ratings, which the feds still hadn't officially carried them over for 2012 at the time of writing (the RAV4 is structurally and cosmetically unchanged).
Driver and front passenger front-seat-mounted side airbags and first- and second-row roll-sensing side airbags are included in all RAV4s, along with electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes. All-wheel drive, stability and traction control, and electric power steering come together in Toyota's VSC system. Models equipped with the third-row seat also come standard with Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC)—two features that are derived from what Toyota offers in its off-road-worthy vehicles and would come in quite handy for negotiating a steep, snowy driveway.
Conclusion
Some lackluster safety ratings mean the 2012 RAV4 is near the back of the safety pack.
