2003 Toyota RAV4
small SUV / 4-door SUV
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2001-04 models built after October 2000 and before January 2004
Tested vehicle: 2001 Toyota RAV4 4-door 4wd
The Toyota RAV4 was redesigned for the 2001 model year. All 2001 and later RAV4 models manufactured after October 2000 include structural and airbag modifications to improve occupant protection in frontal offset crashes (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door). Further structural modifications were made beginning with 2004 models manufactured in January 2004 and later, so these ratings do not apply to the latest models.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of a 2001 RAV4 with the initial structural and airbag modifications in a 40 mph frontal offset crash test into a deformable barrier.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.
The grab handle on the driver door broke off at its upper end, and the dummy's left forearm hit a jagged plastic edge that gashed the vinyl "skin" near the elbow.
Forces on both lower legs were just high enough to indicate the possibility of injuries.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEF0106 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 11 |
| Left (cm) | 19 |
| Center (cm) | 18 |
| Right (cm) | 13 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 18 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 2 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 9 |
| Rearward (cm) | -2 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 2 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEF0106 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 357 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 73 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.9 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 46 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.39 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 23 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 0.9 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 3.8 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.85 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.80 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 2.4 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 4.1 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 85 |
| Right | 119 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2001-05 models
Tested vehicle: 2003 Toyota RAV4 L 4-door 4wd without optional side airbags
The Toyota RAV4 was redesigned for the 2001 model year. Beginning with 2004 models, side airbags were added as options and structural changes were made to improve occupant protection in side-impact crashes.
Note: Toyota reported that the structural changes alone would not significantly affect side-impact performance; therefore, the overall side impact rating for 2004-05 models without side airbags is the same (Poor) as for 2001-03 RAV4s. However, based on an Institute test of a 2004 RAV4 with side airbags, the structure rating improves to Acceptable for all 2004-05 models.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection The dummy's head was hit by the intruding barrier. This impact did not produce high head injury measures, but head hits with intruding objects such as other vehicles, trees, and poles should be prevented. |
|
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection The dummy's head was hit by the window sill and glass of the rear passenger door. These impacts did not produce high head injury measures, but the head protection is inadequate. |
|
View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing damage to the occupant compartment.
Action shot taken during the side impact crash test showing the driver dummy's head being hit by the intruding barrier.
Smeared greasepaint and glass marks show where the driver dummy's head hit the barrier.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0302 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -2.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CES0302 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 338 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 2.3 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.0 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 51 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 3.3 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 43 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 33 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 10.34 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 1.44 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 6.7 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.3 |
| Combined force (kN) | 9.0 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.8 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 57 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -32 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CES0302 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 206 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.3 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.2 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 49 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 2.0 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 45 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 33 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.90 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.80 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 3.9 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.7 |
| Combined force (kN) | 6.4 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.3 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 69 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 23 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: All seats
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | All seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 45 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 58 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Fail |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 13.4 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 93 |
| Force rating | 2 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 18 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 996 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.