The Toyota RAV4, a popular compact SUV, was redesigned in 2019, and the 2022 model continues to offer impressive safety features and crash protection. Sharing the same platform as the Toyota Venza (re-introduced in 2021), the 2022 Rav4 has undergone rigorous testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). As experts in auto repair and content creators for mercedesbenzxentrysoftwaresubscription.store, we’ve analyzed the IIHS reports to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the 2022 RAV4’s safety performance.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The driver-side small overlap front test simulates a collision where the front corner of the vehicle impacts another vehicle or a narrow object like a tree or pole. The 2022 Toyota RAV4 earned a Good rating in this challenging test.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The RAV4 demonstrated excellent structural integrity, maintaining its safety cage well during the impact. Measures taken during the test indicate a low risk of injury to the driver’s head, neck, chest, hip, thigh, and lower leg/foot. The restraint system also performed effectively in controlling the dummy’s movement.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
In the passenger-side small overlap test, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 also achieved a Good rating, mirroring its driver-side performance. This test assesses how well the vehicle protects the passenger in a similar frontal offset collision.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The structural performance and passenger protection were again rated as “Good,” ensuring a high level of safety for front-seat occupants in this type of collision. The images from the crash test clearly show that the passenger’s survival space was well-maintained, and the airbags deployed effectively.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test simulates what happens in a head-on collision between two vehicles of similar weight. In the original moderate overlap test, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 received a Good overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | G |
| Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The RAV4 demonstrated good protection in this more traditional frontal crash scenario. All injury measures for the driver were rated as “Good,” indicating a low risk of significant injuries.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Updated Test
IIHS updated the moderate overlap front test to include a rear passenger dummy to assess rear seat safety. In this more stringent updated test, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 received a Marginal overall rating. While the structure and driver injury measures remained “Good,” the rear passenger protection was a point of concern.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | M |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Thigh/hip | G |
| Leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | A |
| Thigh | G |
| Rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | M |
Although driver safety remained high, the “Marginal” rating was due to rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics, specifically related to the lap belt moving out of position and the rear passenger dummy’s head moving outside the side curtain airbag during rebound. This indicates a potential area for improvement in rear passenger safety for the RAV4.
Side Crash Test: Original Test
In the original side crash test, representing a typical intersection collision, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 earned a Good overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
The RAV4 provided excellent protection to both the driver and rear passenger in the side impact scenario. All injury measures were rated “Good,” and head protection was also deemed effective for both front and rear occupants.
Side Crash Test: Updated Test
The IIHS updated the side crash test to be more demanding, using a heavier barrier and higher impact speed to better reflect real-world side-impact crashes. In this updated side test, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 received an Acceptable overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | A |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | A |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | M |
While structural performance and driver injury measures remained strong (“Good”), the overall rating was downgraded to “Acceptable” due to “Acceptable” pelvis protection for the driver and “Marginal” rear passenger head protection. The images highlight that in the more severe test, the rear passenger dummy’s head contacted the C-pillar, indicating a need for improved side curtain airbag coverage for rear occupants in more forceful side impacts.
Roof Strength
The roof strength test evaluates the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash. The 2022 Toyota RAV4 achieved a Good rating in roof strength.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,500 lbs |
| Peak force | 21,009 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 6.00 |
With a strength-to-weight ratio of 6.00, the RAV4’s roof is more than capable of withstanding forces significantly greater than the vehicle’s weight, providing good protection in rollover scenarios.
Head Restraints & Seats
The design of head restraints and seats plays a crucial role in preventing neck injuries in rear-end collisions. The 2022 Toyota RAV4’s head restraints and seats earned a Good overall rating.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
Both dynamic testing and geometric measurements indicate that the RAV4’s seat and head restraint design effectively minimize the risk of whiplash injuries in rear impacts.
Headlights
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime visibility and accident prevention. The 2022 Toyota RAV4 offers two different headlight variations. Certain trim levels (XSE, Limited, XLE, XLE Premium, TRD, Adventure, SE) come with LED projector headlights that received a Good overall rating.
Trim level(s) with Good Headlights
- XSE trim
- Limited trim
- XLE trim
- XLE Premium trim
- TRD trim
- Adventure trim
- SE trim
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating (Applies to 2022-25 models) | G |
These LED projector headlights provide good visibility on straightaways and curves, with high beam assist further enhancing nighttime driving safety.
Trim level(s) with Marginal Headlights
- LE trim
The base LE trim comes with LED reflector headlights that received a Marginal overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating (Applies to 2019-22 models) | M |
While still LED, these reflector headlights offer less optimal visibility, especially on curves, compared to the projector headlights available on higher trims.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, which includes vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. This system earned a Superior rating.
Overall evaluation (Applies to 2022 models)
Superior
The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph vehicle-to-vehicle tests, demonstrating its effectiveness in mitigating frontal collision risks.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
The pedestrian front crash prevention system on the 2022 Toyota RAV4 also received a Superior rating.
Overall evaluation (Applies to all 2022-25 models)
Superior
The system demonstrated excellent performance in various pedestrian scenarios, including crossing child, crossing adult, and parallel adult scenarios, effectively reducing or avoiding impacts with pedestrians in daytime conditions.
Seat Belt Reminders
Seat belt reminders are important safety features that encourage seat belt use. For the 2022 model year, the Toyota RAV4 received a Marginal rating for its seat belt reminders.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | M |
While the front row reminders are adequate, the system’s overall rating is “Marginal” due to limitations in the second-row seat belt reminder system, particularly in terms of audible alerts and duration.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
For families with young children, ease of use of child seat anchors (LATCH) is important. The 2022 Toyota RAV4 received a Good + Extra LATCH positions rating for its child seat anchor system.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G + extra LATCH positions |
The RAV4 offers two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor and the ability to borrow lower anchors, providing flexibility for installing child seats.
Conclusion
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 stands out as a safe vehicle, achieving mostly “Good” ratings in IIHS crash tests. It offers “Superior” front crash prevention systems for both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian scenarios. While the updated moderate overlap and side tests revealed areas for potential improvement, particularly regarding rear passenger protection, the 2022 RAV4 overall provides a high level of safety for its occupants and remains a top choice for safety-conscious buyers. As experts in auto repair, we recognize the importance of these safety features in vehicle design and encourage consumers to consider these ratings when making purchasing decisions.
