Review - 1998 Toyota RAV4

"TheJacobJones" (fartyjr) 06/18/2014 at 21:12 • Filed to: 1998 Toyota RAV4, Toyota, 4x4, SUV

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This review was conducted in various areas of beautiful Duluth, MN. I wrote this because I love automobiles and love driving and writing about them.

Here in Duluth where I live and conduct reviews, practical four wheel drive vehicles dominate the automotive population. Among the most popular is the Toyota RAV4. Yes, I already reviewed one but that one was barely two years old and has less than 20,000 miles on it. Here's one that (if you're like me) you'll be more likely to be able to afford or even find.

So, the 1998 Toyota RAV4. This particular example has an experienced 179,000 miles and the standard two liter 3S-FE inline four.

The 3S-FE was never known for its looks. In fact, upon first glance/drive, some people might think this engine is a looser. It hauls around a 2800lb vehicle with 127 horsepower and 132lb-ft of torque. Far from impressive figures but not bad. I have one phrase that sums up the engine: It's adequate.

Sure, zero to sixty in thirteen seconds might make you think otherwise, but after driving it, the "adequate" label starts to make sense.

The engine's characteristics are very tame. The power doesn't really seem to drastically climb or fall at any particular part of the rev range. This makes it pretty easy to modulate and would be handy for winter starts. However, a sticky throttle pedal can sometimes make for some jerky starts.

A four speed automatic transmission sends power to the wheels through a fixed center differential. It works well enough. Sometimes it takes far too much throttle input for it to downshift making climbing steep hills or overtaking a bit clunky at times. Otherwise it pretty much goes along with my saying for the engine: It's adequate.

Upon first driving the RAV4, the drivetrain probably wont impress you, but the steering will. Taking simple turns at intersections tells you more than you'd expect. The steering is a bit heavier than I'm used to but the extra heft felt right. It has great on center feel and weighs up exactly how you'd think it would in the sharper turns. Bumps and other road imperfections can be felt through the wheel just enough where I noticed them but wasn't distracted by it. And with this kind of vehicle, I think that's exactly how it should be.

This first generation RAV4 handled Skyline parkway well for 15 year old. Entering a corner the vehicle initially understeers and if pushed too hard can even start to lose grip up front. But the understeer can be quelled with by lifting off the throttle or pushing it in a bit more depending on the situation. After a turn or two, I was able go through the rest of the corners with little difficulty. Like the previously reviewed 2012 RAV4, I was impressed by how this little machine went through the bends.

Normal in-town driving is very relaxed for the most part. The ride is smooth. The front end feels buttoned down nicely but the rear can clunk around going over some of the harsher imperfections. Moving through residential streets, the engine seems to be thrumming along fairly easily trough starts and stops, but it can seem strained when climbing even some small hills. The front discs and rear drums stop the vehicle well. The brake pedal is nice and firm, with a small but noticeable dead zone at the top of travel.

The RAV4 doesn't coast very well, probably due to its four wheel drive system, but this makes descending down steep hills great. Going down the steep Piedmont Avenue was very easy because I could coast almost the whole way down holding a fairly steady speed. Going up steep hills like Duluth's 21st Avenue East wasn't much of a challenge, but the engine was screaming most of the way up.

On the highway, the RAV4 cruises in between 2000-3000RPM depending on your speed. That's a bit high, but after cruising for a minute or two I stopped noticing it.

In the end the '98 RAV4 is a great driver. It's slow and seems to put a lot of effort into climbing hills but it makes up for that in the twisties.

The outside of the RAV4 is very simple. Nothing special about the styling but I've never heard anyone say it's ugly or a bad looking vehicle. The spare on the back fits the vehicle's style well.

Gotta love that flower spare cover!

Inside, the seats are kinda small and are adorned with some interesting looking cloth. They're not very comfortable. Lumbar support is non-existent and there isn't much for an armrest on either side of the driver. The instrument cluster is simple and easy to read. The backseats are cramped and also not very comfortable. However, on the upside, visibility is fantastic. The back has plenty of storage space, but like the 2012 RAV4 that right-side hinged door is weird at first when loading from curbside.

Even though it's almost 15 years old, this little RAV4 is still a very capable vehicle. Yeah it's slow and doesn't have a ton of features, but it gets the job done and is still more practical than most vehicles its size.

Final Details:

1998 Toyota RAV4 L ~ 179,000 miles

Seats 5 (including driver)

Engine: 3S-FE, 127HP@5400RPM, 132lb-ft torque@4600RPM

Transmition: 4-Speed Automatic

EPA Gas Mileage Figures: 21 Ctiy/26 Highway

Thanks For Reading

Photos by TheJacobJones

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > TheJacobJones 06/18/2014 at 21:31

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my dad has had a 3-door for over a decade now, I've had it on 3 wheels a few times around corners. I wouldn't consider the 3S-FE in the 3-door to be slow.. but I always wondered what the JDM 3S-GE version was like to drive.

TheJacobJones > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard 06/18/2014 at 21:50

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I've never thought about it, but now that you mention it, I bet the 3S-GE version would be awesome.

HammerheadFistpunch > TheJacobJones 06/18/2014 at 22:12

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That was a fun review, I had a 1996 emerald green 5 speed with the torsen LSD in the rear. Man that was a great little car and it was proof that light makes right.

That thing had the greatest steering feel through the small tick wheel and was very involving to drive, neutrally balanced, and if you had the manual the engine was a treat too (though power drops off fast after 5600 rpm) a fun fact; the 3S block is famous in racing circles as it was the foundation for Toyota's Celica WRC racing engine as well as their GT500 car. Steel block (not iron) with square bore/stroke designed specifically for throttle response it ranged in power from the 127 in the rav4 to over 250 in the celica gt all trac (on onto 500 hp in the Tom Supra GT500 JGTC car...heavily modified of course).

Way better off road than most cute utes today because of its good angles and high profile tires (and lack of rear sway bar) if you locked the center diff and used the handbrake to lock the torsen you had a true 3 wheel drive, basically what you got on land rover discovery (without the low range)

it was noisy on the freeway, cramped in the backseat and woefully underpowered above 60 mph (thanks huge greenhouse!) and got crap mileage (21 highway) it is the car I miss most that I've owned. Damn Deer.

HammerheadFistpunch > TheJacobJones 06/18/2014 at 22:16

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I thought about a swap, my Uncle who works for Toyota advised against it, citing the torque profile for the engine was poorly suited to the chassis (he having driven a prototype before it was crushed) and he mentioned dismal fuel economy (16) as good reasons. now a 3S-GTE. Holy hell that would be fun.

TheJacobJones > HammerheadFistpunch 06/18/2014 at 22:57

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I didn't know that about the 3S. That's super cool. They're awesome in the snow too. Stable when you wanted and can do easy drifts when you wanted.

HammerheadFistpunch > TheJacobJones 06/19/2014 at 00:27

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Very good in the snow, though they plow like crazy off power.