The Toyota RAV4, a popular compact SUV, underwent a redesign for the 2001 model year, bringing enhanced safety features. Significantly, 2001 and later models produced after October 2000 incorporated structural and airbag improvements to better protect occupants in frontal offset crashes. These crucial modifications extend to the 2002 Toyota Rav4, making safety a key consideration for potential buyers of this model year. It’s important to note that further structural enhancements were introduced in 2004 models manufactured from January 2004 onwards, meaning this specific evaluation focuses on the earlier design, relevant to the 2002 Toyota RAV4.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rigorously tested a 2001 Toyota RAV4, equipped with the initial structural and airbag upgrades, in a 40 mph frontal offset crash. This test provides valuable insights into the safety performance you can expect from a 2002 Toyota RAV4.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | A |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | A |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | A |
| Leg/foot, right | A |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The 2002 Toyota RAV4, mirroring the tested 2001 model in design and safety enhancements, achieved an “Acceptable” overall rating from the IIHS in this demanding frontal offset crash test. This is a commendable result for a vehicle in its class and from this era. Looking deeper into the evaluation criteria, the RAV4 demonstrated “Good” protection for the structure and safety cage. This is a critical aspect of crashworthiness, indicating that the vehicle’s fundamental structure effectively maintained its integrity during the impact, helping to preserve survival space for the occupant.
Action shot from the IIHS frontal offset crash test of a 2001 Toyota RAV4, demonstrating vehicle deformation during impact, relevant to the 2002 model.
In terms of driver injury measures, the 2002 Toyota RAV4 equivalent showed “Acceptable” protection for the head and neck, and “Good” protection for the chest. These ratings suggest a good level of safety for critical upper body regions. For lower extremities, the ratings were also “Acceptable” for both left and right leg/foot, indicating a reasonable level of protection in the footwell area. Furthermore, the driver restraints and dummy kinematics were rated as “Good”. This signifies that the safety systems, including seatbelts and airbags, functioned effectively to control the dummy’s movement during the crash, contributing to reduced injury risk.
Post-crash dummy position inside the 2001 Toyota RAV4, illustrating well-maintained driver survival space, a safety characteristic shared with the 2002 model.
Despite the largely positive results, the IIHS testing also revealed some specific points. As seen in the images and detailed measurements, the driver’s survival space was indeed maintained well, a testament to the robust structure of the 2002 Toyota RAV4 and similar models. However, the grab handle on the driver’s door broke during the impact, and the dummy’s forearm contacted a sharp plastic edge, causing some damage to the dummy. This highlights a potential area for minor injury, although not impacting the overall safety rating significantly.
Close-up of the damaged grab handle and jagged plastic edge inside the 2001 Toyota RAV4 after the crash test, indicating a minor injury risk point relevant to the 2002 model.
Technical measurements further indicated that forces on both lower legs were marginally high enough to suggest a possibility of injuries in real-world scenarios.
Measurement analysis of lower leg forces on the crash test dummy in the 2001 Toyota RAV4, suggesting a marginal risk of lower leg injuries, applicable to the 2002 model.
Diving into the technical data, measurements of occupant compartment intrusion on the driver’s side showed footwell intrusion ranging from 11 to 19 cm depending on the location, and brake pedal intrusion of 18 cm. Instrument panel rearward movement was minimal, at 2 cm on the left and 1 cm on the right. Steering column movement was 9 cm upward and -2 cm rearward, with A-pillar rearward movement of 2 cm.
Technical Measurements: Occupant Compartment Intrusion (Driver Side)
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Technical Measurements: Driver Injury Measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Driver injury measures recorded in the test included a Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) of 357, chest maximum compression of 23mm, and femur forces of 0.9 kN (left) and 3.8 kN (right). These detailed measurements, while technical, contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the safety performance of the 2002 Toyota RAV4 and similar models in a frontal crash scenario.
In conclusion, the IIHS frontal offset crash test of a 2001 Toyota RAV4, directly relevant to the 2002 Toyota RAV4 due to shared design and safety enhancements, indicates an “Acceptable” overall safety performance. The vehicle demonstrates robust structural integrity and good occupant protection, particularly for the chest and driver restraints. While there were minor points regarding potential leg injuries and interior component damage, the 2002 Toyota RAV4 stands as a reasonably safe compact SUV in its class, based on these objective crash test evaluations. This information is valuable for anyone considering a 2002 Toyota RAV4 and prioritizing vehicle safety.
