You’re Kidding Me, I’ve Had My Toyota RAV4 for 6 Years And I Never Knew It Had a Secret Storage For My Rear Cargo Privacy Cover

"Why didn't my Toyota salesperson tell me?"

Imagine the shock of owning a Toyota RAV4 for six years and just now uncovering its hidden storage compartment underneath the rear cargo deck. It's the perfect spot to stow away the rear cargo privacy cover that came with your SUV, a discovery that would have made your life so much easier had you known. 

While researching the 2025 Toyota RAV4, I found this helpful TikTok video from Andre Drives (@andredrives). He explains how and why it's the best-kept secret on the RAV4 compact SUV. 

Andre says,

"Once you remove that privacy cover, you don't have to leave it at home; you can actually store it underneath the rear cargo deck."

Picture yourself using your privacy cover a few times when the car was new, and now it's stored away in the garage and just collecting dust. You pull it out now and then, but it's mostly forgotten. It's sitting at home when you need to cover your valuables while shopping. 

Why didn't the salesperson who sold you the RAV4 tell you about it when you first purchased the car? It's because they likely didn't even know about it.

It happens many times at the Toyota dealer.

Either the salesperson is new and does not know about all the features on the RAV4 or gets busy and forgets to tell the new owner during the pre-delivery process after all the paperwork is signed. They hand you the keys and say thank you, enjoy your new car.

Andre explains how it can be stored away.

"So, you'll want to pull the all-weather cargo liner up, and then you can see the storage cover that can be pulled up to reveal the spare tire donut underneath.” 

“However, small panels can be pulled out on either side with a slot in them. Now, you take your privacy cover facing forward and slip the ends on each side into the slots. It fits nicely and snugly.”

“After you do that, it will sit flush and can be stored away. Then, you fold the rear deck cover back down and replace the all-weather cargo liner, and there you have it. It is stored and safe from getting damaged or dirty. When you need it, it is there.”

You Aren't the Only RAV4 Owner Who Didn't Know About the Secret Storage Area.

Here are a few of the comments Andre received from viewers.

• Yoh-my-rahh - You're kidding me?! I've had my RAV4 for six years and never knew. 
• Grumpy-Care-Bear - I had that vehicle for six years and even worked at Toyota, but I didn't know this.
• CLS - Mine has been sitting in my garage, getting ALL KINDS OF SPIDER WEBS all over it for the last 5 years! What the heck?!
• Vanessa - Mine has been in my guest closet for about 2 years.
• KI - I've had my car for three years now, and I've spent the whole time just throwing it around, never finding a good spot for it.
• Erin - I had no idea. Thank you for sharing!
• Jacob Garcia - I just bought my RAV4 earlier this year. Thanks for this!
• Maya - I didn't even know the cover could be removed! 
• Chelsea C - So, I don't have to keep it in my house taking up space???
• Suzyq_007 - Seriously?!?!?! What the heck?!?! I owned two older RAV4s and had to leave them in my garage when I wasn't using them!!!
• jessbeeating - I wish I had known about this before my RAV was totaled last year. 

Why Didn't Your Toyota Salesperson Tell You?

It's not a secret; the Toyota salesperson didn't tell you when you took delivery of your new RAV4. This typically happens in the pre-delivery process, where the salesperson sits in the car with you and points out all the car's features. 

So, RAV4 owners have to turn to online forums like the Toyota RAV4 World, Toyota Nation Forum for owners, and Reddit r/rav4club. These are all good places to ask questions and get answers from other owners. 

One Toyota Nation post from maberma's says, 

"Most of the time, my cargo cover is stored under the bed in my bedroom, or if my wife finds it there, she throws it in the garage where it will get ruined, then I put it back under the bed for clean storage. The cycle repeats."

santhonyl on Reddit says, "I found this out last month when I decided I wanted to buy one for my wife's Highlander. I happened to look under there to find a good place to store it, and boom; there it was, sitting new, never taken out. I felt like an idiot, not knowing this the entire time that it was there."

Final Thoughts and Questions for RAV4 Owners

If there are any Toyota salespeople reading this, I urge you to tell your RAV4 customers about this little-known feature. It only takes a few extra minutes, but it can make a world of difference. Your customers will appreciate it, and it will save them tons of aggravation. They will love their car more and come back to you when they need a new car.

How About You?

Do you have a similar story to share? If you're a Toyota RAV4 owner who has just discovered the privacy cover storage, I want to hear from you. Click the red 'Add New Comment' link below and share your experience with the community.

Check out my Toyota RAV4 story: I Paid Too Much For My 2024 Toyota RAV4 Because the Dealer Stung Me By Issuing a Verbally Undisclosed Credit Card For an Extra $1,500 Down Payment

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via RAV4 Forum