2016 Toyota RAV4 2.5L Hybrid electric (clean) · LO66 DTY

The defining mechanical story of this RAV4 centres on a suspension and tyre wear pattern that has surfaced intermittently across its MOT history, rather than any outright failure or structural concern. Five test passes have been recorded against a single Minor defect on the offside front lower suspension arm ball joint dust cover in December 2023, which suggests the cover had perished enough to expose the joint but not enough to compromise its function at the time of test. Two rear trailing arm bushes were flagged as advisories on the same visit, and a front brake disc wear advisory appeared back in 2019. The most recent tests in October 2024 and November 2025 returned clean sheets with no advisories or defects recorded, which indicates that the more significant wear items have either been rectified or have not yet progressed to recordable levels. Taken as a whole, the trajectory is not deteriorating in any obvious linear fashion, but the components flagged warrant closer inspection given their role in long-term handling integrity. With around 101,591 miles accumulated over roughly a decade of use, this RAV4 has covered approximately 10,000 miles per year on average, which sits within typical parameters for a privately owned family SUV of this age and does not suggest prolonged standing periods or unusually heavy motorway use. There are no multi-year gaps in the testing record, so the mileage trend can be observed continuously, and the accumulation rate appears steady rather than subject to sudden spikes. Mechanically, this kind of consistent usage tends to keep consumables cycling through at a predictable rate and reduces the risk of dried-out seals, perished coolant hoses, and seized brake calipers that are commonly associated with low-mileage or laid-up vehicles. The components that have attracted attention so far are consistent with a chassis of this age and mileage encountering normal wear at the suspension joints, bushes, and braking surfaces. Given the trailing arm bush advisories from late 2023, a prospective buyer should pay particular attention to the rear suspension behaviour on a test drive. Listen for any clonks or knocking from the rear over uneven surfaces, particularly when accelerating or braking sharply, and feel for vagueness in the rear end during direction changes. With the vehicle unloaded, push down firmly on each rear corner and release; a single, well-controlled rise indicates healthy dampers and bushes, whereas a secondary bounce or a noisy, wandering rebound suggests damping or bush wear. The offside front lower suspension arm ball joint dust cover was recorded as severely deteriorated, so the joint itself should be inspected for any current splits in the rubber boot, and the test drive should be conducted over broken tarmac to listen for any front-end knock that was not present at the time of test. Uneven tyre wear on turns, or a steering wheel that does not self-centre smoothly, would indicate the joint or related linkage has begun to play. The 2019 front brake disc advisory and the cluster of nearside tyre wear advisories from 2022 also merit direct checks. Feel for any pulsing or vibration through the brake pedal under firm application, which would indicate disc runout or warping, and listen for any scraping or grinding that suggests pad material has worn down to the backing plate. The front discs should be visually inspected for a pronounced lip at the outer edge, a score mark around the circumference, or any surface corrosion that has become pitted rather than just a light dusting of surface rust. On the test drive, perform several moderate stops from around 40 mph to confirm the vehicle pulls straight and the pedal feels firm and progressive rather than soft or spongy. Finally, a thorough underside examination on a ramp is advisable to confirm the trailing arm bushes, front lower arms, and anti-roll bar linkages are free from advanced perishing, and that there is no corrosion developing on the rear subframe mounting points, as these areas are typical rust initiation sites on RAV4s of this generation.