Buying a used SUV is one of the smartest ways to stretch your budget without sacrificing practicality, comfort, or capability. While new models lose a significant chunk of their value within the first few years, many SUVs retain the features that matter most, like ample cargo space, advanced safety technology, all-wheel-drive capability, and dependable powertrains. That means you can often afford a higher trim level or a more premium model than you’d be able to buy new. Of course, not every SUV ages equally well, and some are far better long-term bets than others. Whether you’re looking for a family hauler, an adventure-ready crossover, or a comfortable daily driver, these used SUV models have earned reputations for reliability, value, and overall ownership satisfaction, making them well worth considering.
Subaru Forester
Best Model Years: 2022, 2023
The first top-performing SUV on our list is the fifth-generation Subaru Forester, which spans the 2019 to 2024 model years.
Pound for pound, the fifth-generation Subaru Forester is a solid SUV with no real major flaws. The standard 2.5-liter engine is not exhilarating by any measure, but it doesn’t pretend to be. The Forester is a well-balanced tool that is always up for the task and ready for any adventure, and if you have no need for automotive frivolities, the Forester delivers as much utility as an SUV can offer.
Pros
- The most efficient and advanced version of Subaru’s 2.5-liter boxer engine
- A true utility vehicle
- Plenty of cargo space, roominess, and comfort
Cons
- An electric powertrain would be better for both performance and economy at this point
- The base Crosstrek model is even slower
BMW X5
Best Model Year: 2023
BMW
BMW‘s current best-selling model is none other than the luxury-laden mid-size X5 SUV. The fourth-generation G05 X5 has proven a smash hit, with exceptional quality and finish levels across all trims.
Reliability seekers would do well to stick with the base xDrive40i and its top-in-class turbocharged inline-six. The twin-turbo V-8 xDrive50i is tempting, but the 40i will get 99 percent of prospective owners where they need to go — with more than enough power on tap at any moment.
Pros
- The highest average quality of any current BMW model
- Double perfect 5/5 Reliability Verdict and Owner Satisfaction
- BMW’s current bestseller, despite $$$
Cons
- BMW Curved Display not available until the 2024+ model year
- Still a very expensive vehicle ($40,000+ cash minimum)
- Are BMW’s SUVs better than their sports cars now?
Honda HR-V
Best Model Years: 2018, 2023
Our sole Honda entry on the list is the small yet capable HR-V compact SUV. It is the only model here that achieved a perfect 5/5 score across two generations — the second-generation HR-V built on the Honda Fit platform, and the third-generation “North America only” HR-V built on the larger Civic platform.
The third and current generation improves on virtually every aspect of the HR-V, yet despite the larger 2.0-liter inline-four engine, you will still find yourself wishing for a bit more power.
Pros
- Two generations of desirable models
- Not fast or fun, but good at everything else
- Honda’s most affordable SUV model
Cons
- Lacks a hybrid trim like its larger Honda siblings
- The 2nd generation manual model exists but is rare
Acura MDX
Best Model Year: 2015
Our only Acura on the list is the second model year of the third-generation MDX three-row SUV. This Acura SUV is understated in its ability to do everything right and very little wrong.
Honda’s V-6 engine has been the staple of Acura’s lineup for decades, and this iteration is among the most refined. The MDX’s weak point is the Honda six-speed automatic, which was replaced by a ZF nine-speed after the 2016 model year. Beyond that, you’ll have to nitpick hard to find shortcomings in the third-generation Acura MDX — it is as well-balanced a Japanese luxury SUV as you could hope for from any brand.
Pros
- Excellent comfort levels
- Large fuel economy improvement over the previous generation
- Packed with standard features
Cons
- Rough aspects of the infotainment system
- SH-AWD is expensive but works well
Mazda CX-9
Best Model Year: 2022
The most reliable Mazda SUV on our list is also the largest vehicle in Mazda’s lineup: the second-generation three-row CX-9, produced from 2016 to 2023.
By the 2022 model year, Mazda had addressed essentially every kink and major issue in the long-lived 2.5-liter turbocharged platform. The CX-9 has since been replaced by the more luxurious CX-90, but if reliability is your priority in a Mazda SUV, the 2022 model year is the clear choice.
Pros
- Stoutest iteration of the 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four
- Drives well, looks good, and offers high comfort levels
- 2022 makes AWD standard for those who seek it
Cons
- Solid standard features but hit-or-miss infotainment
- Offers less interior space than some competitors
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Best Model Years: 2017, 2018, 2022
Our first Toyota SUV on the list is America’s bestselling SUV, the Toyota RAV4. No variant is more compelling than the fuel-efficient Hybrid, and Toyota earned perfect scores in two separate generations — fourth and fifth — thanks to the high-performing RAV4 Hybrid. It is also the first model on our list to achieve a perfect score across three individual model years, and the first hybrid to appear.
Making a hybrid more reliable than its ICE counterpart is inherently difficult — hybrid systems are complex and costly to repair. Yet if any automaker is going to pull it off, it’s Toyota, and the RAV4 Hybrid stands as one of the brand’s finest achievements of the last decade.
Pros
- Class-leading fuel efficiency
- Drives better than you’d think
- 32 Combined MPG for fourth-gen and 40 Combined MPG for fifth-gen
Cons
- Base models feel a bit dry of features
- Engine sound is noisy and tinny
- The brake pedal feel is subpar
Toyota 4Runner
Best Model Years: 2021, 2022, 2023
Toyota is the largest automaker in the world, and one of the few brands that can simultaneously sell you the most modern and efficient SUV possible (the RAV4 Hybrid) and the very opposite of that: the old-school 4Runner.
The body-on-frame 4Runner has taken its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V-6 to hell and back for well over a decade, and despite minimal updates throughout its lengthy tenure, the faithful love it. The 4Runner is not the most comfortable, luxurious, or quick SUV on the market, but its classic off-road appeal has earned it a near-cult following that shows no signs of fading.
Pros
- Smart key standard
- LED headlights standard
- If you go off-road more often than not, you get your money’s worth
Cons
- The V-6 is dated, slow, and gets bad MPG
- Big as sin, but not very comfortable
- The interior quality is mediocre
Lexus GX
Best Model Year: 2020, 2021, 2023
For lack of a better comparison, the second-generation Lexus GX is effectively the luxury counterpart to the fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner. The Lexus GX pairs impressive off-road capability — courtesy of its body-on-frame construction — with the beloved, if long-in-the-tooth, 4.6-liter V-8 engine.
This generation of the GX lasted well over a decade, and while it isn’t exceptional in much beyond off-road prowess, the tail end of its production run demonstrated impressive consistency in reliability and build quality. Lexus launched the all-new third-generation GX for the 2024 model year, bringing an updated platform and a new 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6, though its long-term reliability is still being established.
Pros
- The tried-and-true 4.6-liter V-8 is not a standout performer, but it is robust
- Unquestionable off-road capability
- “King in the castle” seating position
Cons
- Not Lexus’ best seats
- The third row needs more room
Lexus RX
Best Model Year: 2017, 2021, 2022
The fourth generation of Lexus’ bestselling vehicle is universally praised for its quality and comfort levels, with three different RX model years earning a 5/5 score.
Lexus built the backbone of their reliability reputation on this 2GR V-6 engine, and it reaches one of its most developed forms in the fourth-generation RX. Between the 2017 and 2021 models, a significant facelift arrived for 2020 bringing notable exterior design updates and improved infotainment with standard Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay. If those updates aren’t a priority for you, the 2017 model is effectively the same vehicle for less money — and one you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Pros
- The standard in luxury SUV comfort
- Unkillable tried-and-true V-6 platform
- Top-level fit and finish
Cons
- We would spend more money and lose reliability points for the efficiency of the hybrid model
- The 2017 model’s infotainment is dated
Lexus NX
Best Model Year: 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021
The Lexus RX’s smaller sibling, the compact Lexus NX, is our top-rated SUV of the last decade. The first-generation NX was a genuine smash hit — it is the only model here to earn 5/5 scores across four different model years within a single generation.
The compact but capable NX succeeded from the outset because it is, in essence, a luxury Toyota RAV4 — sharing components with a platform that has been a global bestseller for decades. The 2017 model year brought a facelift, but the core underpinnings of the NX remained consistent throughout the entire first generation.
Pros
- Impressive comfort levels
- Whisper-quiet cabin
- Solid performing base engine platform
Cons
- Lower average quality than the bigger and more expensive RX SUV
- 2020+ model required for standard Android Auto/Apple CarPlay
- You’ll wish you had more cargo room