Used SUVs: years to avoid and the most consistent models
We checked every model year from 2011 to 2022 of 83 popular SUVs. Each car is compared with its own other model years, so a big seller is not penalized for having more owners.
Popular SUVs with no standout bad year since 2011
No model year in this period had more than twice the typical complaints of the same car. This shows consistency, not that a model has few problems: a car with the same problem every year also appears here, so check its most common problems. Sorted by number of owner complaints, as a rough measure of popularity.
| Model | Best years | Typical score | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Equinox | 200920212022 | 75 | 9,225 |
| Nissan Rogue | 201020202022 | 73 | 7,438 |
| Nissan Murano | 201320162017 | 75 | 5,969 |
| Toyota 4RUNNER | 201320172021 | 76 | 5,874 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 201320212022 | 74 | 5,526 |
| Dodge Journey | 201120172019 | 78 | 5,298 |
| GMC Terrain | 201720212022 | 77 | 3,141 |
| Nissan Xterra | - | 94 | 3,098 |
| Toyota Sequoia | - | 86 | 3,065 |
| Volkswagen Atlas | 201820202022 | 68 | 2,033 |
| Ford Ecosport | - | 70 | 1,871 |
| Cadillac Escalade | 200620132020 | 84 | 1,734 |
| Lincoln MKX | 201420152018 | 84 | 1,418 |
| Chevrolet Trax | 201520202021 | 75 | 1,010 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLK350 | 201120142015 | 67 | 904 |
| Lexus RX350 | 201420182022 | 75 | 838 |
| Hyundai Kona | 201820212022 | 73 | 816 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 | 201920212022 | 69 | 665 |
| Volvo XC60 | 201420172020 | 74 | 660 |
| Volkswagen Touareg | 200920112015 | 73 | 646 |
| Lincoln MKC | 201620182019 | 74 | 608 |
| Buick Encore | 202020212022 | 77 | 605 |
| Porsche Cayenne | 200920152018 | 73 | 509 |
| Toyota Venza | 201220142015 | 82 | 454 |
| Volvo XC70 | 201320152016 | 88 | 418 |
SUV model years to avoid
Model years with the most complaints compared with a typical year of the same car.
| Car | vs typical year | Score | Main problem |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Audi Q7 | 9.8x | 5 | Lights |
| 2016 Hyundai Tucson | 8.8x | 5 | Transmission |
| 2019 Acura RDX | 8.3x | 5 | Visibility |
| 2015 Acura RDX | 7.9x | 5 | Lights |
| 2017 Jeep Renegade | 7.1x | 5 | Engine |
| 2020 Acura RDX | 6.6x | 5 | Visibility |
| 2013 Nissan Pathfinder | 6.5x | 5 | Transmission |
| 2015 Jeep Renegade | 6.4x | 7 | Transmission |
| 2016 Honda Pilot | 6.3x | 5 | Engine |
| 2011 Kia Sorento | 5.9x | 6 | Engine |
| 2017 Hyundai Tucson | 5.9x | 10 | Engine |
| 2018 Jeep Renegade | 5.5x | 13 | Engine |
| 2016 Jeep Renegade | 5.4x | 14 | Engine |
| 2014 Infiniti QX60 | 5.3x | 10 | Transmission |
| 2017 Cadillac XT5 | 5.2x | 15 | Transmission |
| 2018 Jeep Compass | 5.2x | 12 | Engine |
| 2016 Kia Sorento | 4.9x | 11 | Engine |
| 2016 Volvo XC90 | 4.8x | 11 | Engine |
| 2019 Subaru Forester | 4.7x | 18 | Visibility |
| 2014 Acura RDX | 4.6x | 19 | Lights |
| 2018 Honda CR-V | 4.5x | 18 | Fuel system |
| 2018 Audi Q7 | 4.4x | 21 | Engine |
| 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander | 4.2x | 18 | Body |
| 2014 Nissan Pathfinder | 4.2x | 14 | Transmission |
| 2013 Ford Flex | 4.2x | 19 | Electrical |
| 2019 Subaru Ascent | 4.2x | 17 | Electrical |
| 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe | 4.1x | 20 | Engine |
| 2020 Chevrolet Blazer | 4.1x | 23 | Electrical |
| 2019 Subaru Crosstrek | 4.0x | 20 | Visibility |
| 2014 Ford Transit Connect | 4.0x | 19 | Body |
Every SUV we rate
Years to avoid and best years between 2011 and 2022.
How these rankings work
We do not compare raw complaint counts between models, because a car that sells ten times more gets more complaints. Each model year is compared with the other years of the same car, and only model years with at least four years on the road count.
Questions about the used SUVs
Which used SUV models have no bad years?
Among popular models, these have no model year with more than twice the usual complaints since 2011: Chevrolet Equinox, Nissan Rogue, Nissan Murano, Toyota 4RUNNER and Chevrolet Traverse. That means no year stands out, not that they have no problems, so check each model's most common problems before you buy.
Which SUV years should I avoid?
The model years with the most complaints compared with a typical year of the same car are 2017 Audi Q7, 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 2019 Acura RDX, 2015 Acura RDX and 2017 Jeep Renegade.
Other rankings
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