2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
22 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2017 RAV4 Hybrid, an AVOID at 48 on 302 complaints with Electrical System at 107; buy any other year, since the 2016 and 2018 to 2025 cars all score between 76 and 93. The whole record holds 408 complaints, and every year except 2017 is on low evidence, so the scores rest on small numbers. Read the full note on the model page. 2019 specifically: a year the record favours — 22 complaints, score 82/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Toyota RAV4: the 2019 and 2020 problem, and the years around it, including 2019 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 22 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 3.14
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact discovered that an unknown fluid was leaking behind the brake pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that brake fluid was leaking and that the brake booster pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufactu…
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact heard a water-slashing sound inside the vehicle. The contact performed an inspection and noticed that the driver's side rear door panel was filled with water. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was no…
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow down, the contact became aware of an abnormal resistance on the brake pedal, which required excessive force on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The VSC Off warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken …
Recalls: 3 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V064000 | Engine And Engine Cooling | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally. |
| 20V286000 | Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. The front lower suspension arms may have cracks, which may result in the suspension arm separating from the front wheel assembly. |
| 19V544000 | Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Lexus LS500, LC500, ES300h, UX250h, LS500h, Toyota Prius, RAV4 HV, 2019-2020 Toyota Prius Prime, and 2020 Corolla HV vehicles. The brake booster pump may fail causing a deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system and a loss of braking assist. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 40 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,550
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Fuel/Propulsion System11 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Service Brakes4 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Fuel System3 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Gasoline3 complaints · typical job: Fuel delivery and emissions repair (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,360
- Hydraulic2 complaints · typical job: Brake master cylinder or ABS module replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,520
- Electrical System1 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
Other Toyota RAV4 Hybrid years
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Fuel/Propulsion System (11 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 22 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid's most common problem?
11 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid sit in the Fuel/Propulsion System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is fuel pump or injector replacement: about 3.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $680–$1,620 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid cost to run per year?
About $3,259 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $16,295 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/02/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 22 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 22 NHTSA complaints on record (3.1/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (2.2/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality