Toyota Rav4 Third Row: Does It Have One?

Larger families might need the use of larger SUV vehicles like the Toyota Sienna but the average family size in the US is around 3.15 people, according to Statista which means a second-row of seats is plenty enough for an average family.

If you are looking for a vehicle that can seat a few more people you might be wondering if there is a third row seat for the Rav4.

The Toyota Rav4 offered a 3rd row seating option for the model years of 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, & 2012. Except for those model years you are out of luck trying to get a 3rd row seat in the Rav4.

No newer Rav4 models even offer 3rd row seating as an option no matter what trim level that you get. So if you need to seat more people in your SUV you will want to go up to the bigger models like the Highlander, Sequoia, & 4Runner as they all have third rowing seating options.

If you’re looking for a vehicle with a third row of seating, then the Rav4 models are not for you. If you, however, are in the market for a reliable vehicle with decent cabin and luggage space, as well as a great fuel economy, then the lack of the third row in the latest Rav4 models shouldn’t be an issue for you.

Read on to become better acquainted with the specs and features of the famous Toyota Rav4.

Does the Toyota Rav4 Have Third-Row Seating?

Not all Toyota Rav4 compact SUVs come with a third-row option. In fact, only some of the Rav4 cars in the second and third generation had the option for additional 7-passenger seating.

Rav4 2005 through to 2012 offer third-row seating but no other year or model does and it’s mainly because the people buying the Rav4 aren’t in the market for additional seats.

The Rav4 is a smaller designed SUV that targets many younger drivers that want the benefits of a 4WD but can’t necessarily afford the larger price tags that come with the Toyota 4WD options like the Land Cruiser.

The Rav4 is a great little SUV and can comfortably sit 5 – 7 passengers (depending on the year) with plenty of cargo space for luggage all while boasting an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system for handling many types of terrain, especially snow.

Here’s a quick recap:

• Rav4 offered third-row seats in some of their earlier models between 2005 – 2012
• The third-row seats were a 50/50-split flat-folding stow-away design
• The third-row seating in the Rav4 is better-suited to smaller families with younger children
• Most Toyota Rav4 cars fit 5 passengers, including the driver
• The Toyota Rav4 cars that come with seven-seat options are not popular, hence why they are no longer manufactured or offered on the market as an additional feature

The Rav4 is one of the best-selling cars on the market worldwide, which seems to mean it has no use for seven seats or an additional third-row option to keep selling. It’s already popular and reaches a wide audience without the need for more seats.

If you need a car that has the same reliability as a Rav4 but comes with more seats, Toyota has multiple other options that might suit you.

Which Toyota Models have a Third-Row Seating Option?

The Rav4 is one of the best-selling vehicles today and has been for years due to its capable road handling abilities, preferred compact size in bigger city areas, its simple, yet comfortable interior design, and its exceptional towing capacity.

But, if the Rav4 just doesn’t have enough seating for you, your family, and your requirements, Toyota has plenty of other vehicles that probably have what you need.

The Rav4 has a starting price of approximately US$26,150 for the basic models, while the prices of the cars mentioned below are a fair bit higher, so you’ll want to check your budget fits in. Otherwise, a used Toyota Rav4 with 7 seats might cost you around US$15,000 – US$20,000 for a decent one.

Take a look at some other Toyota vehicles that offer third-row seating and might be better suited to you:

·         Toyota Highlander

The Highlander is a reasonably priced Toyota SUV with around 6 different trim levels for each year model released.

The third-row seating is offered as a standard addition on the XLE, XLE Hybrid, XSE, Limited, Limited Hybrid, Platinum, and the Hybrid Platinum and provides seating for 7 to 8 passengers.

The Highlander gets good ratings in technology, safety, and comfortability, and has ample space in both the front, second, and third-row seating spaces.

The fuel economy is great considering its size, it consistently delivers adequate power for highway driving, and it is rated as a practical and functional family SUV.

·         Toyota Land Cruiser

Although the Land Cruiser is being discontinued in the American market, it is an incomparable vehicle when it comes to reliability, consistency, and dependability. The Toyota Land Cruiser is one of the longest-lasting vehicles still on the roads today and even used Land Cruisers are well-sought-after vehicles because they are known to last over 600,000 miles in their lifetime.

You can get a Toyota Land Cruiser with a third-row seating option in most of their trims as either standard or an additional feature for an extra cost and they can seat up to 8 passengers.

The Land Cruiser is a much larger SUV than the Rav4 and it comes with a much more expensive price tag too. Considering how much this beast can handle though, the price tag is worth it.

·         Toyota 4Runner

The 4Runner is another beautifully made SUV by Toyota and offers third-row seating. Although the third row is for two passengers only meaning you can fit up to 7 passengers rather than 8, these vehicles offer more interior space too.

Not all 4Runner have the third-row option so if three rows is something you’re keen on be sure to go for the SR5, Limited, and Nightshade models to ensure the additional seats are included.

The 4Runner was introduced in 1984 and has been a popular vehicle on the American market since. Classed as a mid-size SUV the 4Runner also has pretty decent reviews and a similar price tag to some of the Rav4 configurations.

·         Toyota Sienna

No, the Toyota Sienna is not an SUV, but it does come with outstanding passenger seating options and cargo and interior space to boast about. If you have a large family or need additional seats because you’ve been put on after-school curricular activity duty, you might consider the Sienna.

All Sienna models are offered with 7 seats, and some are offered with an additional configuration that can seat up to 8 passengers.

The Sienna is a vehicle that has been designed with larger families in mind. It’s spacious, the back seats are stow-away so there’s ample space for luggage when needed and the second-row seats are recliners for optimal comfort on longer trips.

The Sienna also comes with family-friendly technology features like a driver’s seat microphone so kids can hear you all the way at the back of the car, and an entertainment system to keep the kids busy so you can confidently keep your eyes on the road.

Conclusion

The Toyota Rav4 was more popular without the seven-seater option and Toyota stopped making the third-row option after 2012. You can still purchase used Rav4 vehicles between the years 2005 – 2012 and expect them to have 7-seater options available.

All models of the Rav4 since 2012 have been 5-seat passenger vehicles including the driver seat. Due to the Rav4 being a compact SUV the interior space is already quite limited and is more suited to a 4–5-person family.

The latest edition of the Rav4, the 2021 – 2022 models are also not offered with a third-row seating option and Toyota has not released any information about whether future models will be manufactured to seat additional passengers.