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Toyota RAV4 HybridModel year report

2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Problems

Complaints
15filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
13,000miles, 12 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
32 mpgcombined, 2.5L 4-cyl · hybrid AWD · 34 city / 30 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 15 consumer complaints for the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The part named most often is other or unknown, with 5 complaints (33% of the total), followed by brakes (3) and fuel system (2). 12 of the complaints include a mileage, and 83% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 13,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 76 technical service bulletins for this model year. Other or unknown complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Other or unknown: “While actively braking at low speed to line up to a ticket dispenser in a parking garage, the car suddenly accelerated as if the gas pedal was floored. I slammed the brake and the car stopped at about 10 feet. The parking arm went over the hood about halfway. When I tried to reverse I saw the gear shift had moved and the engine was off.”

NHTSA complaint #11194412, filed 2019-04, 26,500 miles

Brakes: “I was driving on the freeway with adaptive cruise control on. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a vertical red line flash once on the dash display. Suddenly the car braked and came to a complete stop. There was also a loss of power as I could not steer the car to the shoulder. There was nothing in front of me at the time. Thankfully the truck behind me was able to swerve and avoid hitting my car. After stopping, I shifted the car into a lower gear and then back, and was able to drive again. I brought the car to the Toyota dealer, but they could not reproduce the problem.”

NHTSA complaint #11187252, filed 2019-03, 18,900 miles

Fuel system: “I pulled into a parking spot. It was sloped backward. The car was stopped completely, and silent. I was distracted by a minor task, and then exited the car, inadvertently with the power on and the transmission in drive, not park. When I noticed that I could not lock the car, and realized that the car was still energized, I reached over and pressed the on button to turn-off the car-- which it did. …”

NHTSA complaint #11204012, filed 2019-04, 6,300 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “While driving on long trip going south on hwy 101, vehicle started bucking and jerking going 70ish MPH. Ev light would come on like it wanted to switch to EV mode. It happened going down a steep grade near san luis obispo. It stopped when we got to flat ground. About 25 miles later it did it again and I was able to record a quick video of instrument cluster. Took it to one Toyota in oakland ca and they were unable to duplicate concern. Wife was driving vehicle on another long trip a few months later and it happened to her for about 1 1/5 hours. …”

NHTSA complaint #11210210, filed 2019-05, 15,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

83% of the 12 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 2,000 and 26,500 miles.

42%0–1025%10–2517%25–508%50–750%75–1008%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (12 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 13,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

2018720192025
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
RAV4 Hybrid · SUV AWD★★★★★4 / 4554 · 16.9% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2018 model year: forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard.

Neighbouring years: 2017: same overall rating; 2019: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
RAV4 Hybrid AWD2.5L 4-cyl · hybridCVT343032$2,100

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 76 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 76 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026303001—38Too new to compareToo new
202557,2852—39—Too new
2023936,0001540—Too new
2022516,2562540—Not enough data
20212235,0001540—Rising
20201353,0005540—Not enough data
2019221,8093540—Rising
20181513,0000532—Rising
2017149,4251532—Not enough data
2016172,0000—32—Stable

All Toyota RAV4 Hybrid model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid have?

NHTSA recorded 15 consumer complaints for the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is reported most often?

Other or unknown is named most often, in 5 complaints (33% of the total), followed by brakes with 3.

Has the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid get?

The EPA rates the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (RAV4 Hybrid AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl · hybrid) at 32 mpg combined, 34 city and 30 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid reported?

Among the 12 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 13,000 miles and the middle half falls between 2,000 and 26,500 miles; 83% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.