Best Selling SUV of 2022

  1. Research Center
    2. /
  2. Car Buying Research Articles
    3. /
  3. Best Selling SUV of 2022
Toyota RAV4 Still on Top!
The reliable family haulers known as SUVs have taken over the sales of sedans, station wagons, and even mini vans, as the top selling vehicles for families on the go. For 2021, the top three best selling compact crossover SUVs were the Toyota RAV4 with sales of 407,739 units; the Honda CR-V with 361,271 units sold, and the Nissan Rogue came in third with 285,602 units sold across the land.

The best-selling Toyota RAV4 is not only consistently the biggest seller in America but has been so for the past five years. It is thought of as the "original" crossover, redesigned with clever new styling, new safety and driver assist features, and better overall performance in 2021. To show you how much America is embracing the SUV, overall sales were up over one million vehicles from the previous year.
 
It has been speculated that the reason the RAV4 stays in the top spot is in part due to Toyota's excellent service and maintenance programs as well as the fact that the RAV4 offers a practical and efficient package that meets most modern family's needs. With accolades from every corner, let's take a closer look at America's favorite SUV.

First Impressions

To start, with an entry level MSRP of $27,740, the base model is affordable. There are a total of six trim levels available and the mid-range trims offer an amazing array of features to make families happy. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder, front-wheel drive engine is standard married to an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is also available.
 
All versions of the RAV4 come with Toyota's excellent suite of safety and driver assist features including adaptive cruise control as standard equipment. The more upscale you decide to go, the more luxurious the interior becomes, with faux-leather upholstery, heated seats, and a JBL stereo system. If you are interested in better fuel economy than the EPA-rated 35 miles per gallon on the highway that come with the front-wheel drive variants, you can opt for the RAV4 Hybrid model which gets 41 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.
Updates for the 2022 models are actually very minor. Calvary Blue is a new color option, LED fog lamps are standard on the XLE Premium, Limited, Adventure, and TRD Off-Road variants, and new, more aggressive-looking headlamps show up on all but the base LE model.
 
As for which trim level to buy, we are partial to the mid-range XLE Premium. You get lots of the standard equipment that does not come with the LE or XLE trims, such as 19-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, faux-leather seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob. It even comes with a power liftgate for an MSRP of $30,885.

Under the Hood

All versions of the RAV4 utilize 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 203-horsepower. Meant to get your family where it is going without a fuss, zero to 60 mph times are in the 8-second range. The reliable motor is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. While front-wheel drive is standard, Toyota allows you to choose an all-wheel drive system, dependent on trim level. AWD allows you to disconnect the rear axle as needed to improve fuel economy.
 
When driving around town or on the highway, the RAV4 feels sure footed, solid, and very stable, inspiring confidence. In fact, you might be surprised at how well the little SUV tracks in twisty canyon roads. As far as real-world fuel economy, front-wheel drive RAV4s manage 35 mpg on the highway, as promised. The all-wheel drive versions manage 32 mpg highway.

In the Cabin

Inside the RAV4 you'll find family friendly ergonomics and an amazing amount of storage space. Cubby storage includes a shelf that stretches across the entire dash, complementing the center console. The creature comforts of the XLE Premium trim are most appreciated here as the interior is filled with soft-touch surfaces and imitation leather upholstery everywhere with a stitched and padded dashboard and center console armrest.
 
You'll find that the RAV4's rear seats are easy to stow, folding up to a nearly flat position, and opening up the cabin for cargo. You can fit a total of 10 carry-on suitcases behind the rear seat, or an astounding 22 carry-ons with the rear seats folded down.
When it comes to infotainment features, the base model comes with a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen and an 8-inch screen appears in XLE and higher trim levels. All include a 4G LTE mobile hotspot, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Optional extras include a premium JBL audio system, navigation, and wireless charging pad for your smartphone. All models include Scout GPS Link, allowing you to connect to GPS through your smartphone.
 
Safety and driver-assist feature abound in the RAV4. Toyota Safety-Sense suite includes automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control as standard. You can also add blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross-traffic alert, even on the base model.

The Wrap Up
In addition to industry standard three years of bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage and five years for the powertrain, Toyota includes two-years of complimentary scheduled maintenance, free of charge on the RAV4. As for accolades, the RAV4 earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick in 2021, the NHTSA's Five-Star overall Safety Rating for 2022, and Kelley Blue Book's Best Buy Award for 2022. You can see why the RAV4 is our pick for best-selling SUV for 2022.
 
Let Lithia Motors help you find the perfect RAV4 for you.