In association with MotorEasy
What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable family SUVs
In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable family SUVs in the UK...
Family SUVs are the most popular type of car for those with children because they're roomy, packed with practical features and relatively affordable. There's a huge range of family SUVs to choose from, ranging from the budget-conscious Citroen C5 Aircross to the luxurious Range Rover Evoque. Whichever you choose you'll get lots of family-friendly features and a lofty driving position.
The good news for buyers is that family SUVs are generally a reliable bunch, scoring an average of 93.4% in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey (conducted in association with MotorEasy) and 92.6% last year. Hybrid and petrol family SUVs have become more popular than those with diesel engines, and they're a good bet because they're often the most dependable.
Read on to find out more about the reliability ratings for family SUVs aged up to five years old.
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Most reliable family SUVs
1. Vauxhall Grandland (2024-present)
Reliability rating 99.6%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 4%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 37% one day or less, 42% more than a week
The second-generation Grandland is looking far more robust than its predecessor, with a minimal fault rate of just 4%, compared with 19% for the 2018-2024 model.
Unspecified non-engine electrical gremlins were the only issues reported by owners. All cars remained driveable, and all problems were dealt with in a day or less. That’s better than the previous Grandland’s record; only 37% of those were fixed in a day and 42% took more than a week to put right. Adding to satisfaction among owners of the latest model, Vauxhall took care of all repair bills.
Owner’s view: “I love everything about my Grandland, especially the build quality, which is top-notch.”
See the latest Vauxhall Grandland deals
2. Toyota RAV4 PHEV (2019-present)
Reliability rating 99.2%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 6%, 12-volt battery 3%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 67% one day or less, 33% one day to a week
The RAV4 is a regular feature at the top of our annual reliability charts, and it’s great to see that its durability isn’t tailing off as it ages. The 12-volt battery and infotainment system were the only areas to cause upset among the 12% of plug-in hybrid owners who told us their car had suffered a reliability issue.
Most faults were minor, though, and two-thirds of cars were put right in a day or less, with the rest rectified in less than a week. Best of all, Toyota covered the cost of all work required, so no owners were left out of pocket.
Reliability rating 99.0%
Most common faults: gearbox 1%, non-engine electrics 1%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 50% a day or less, 25% one day to a week, 25% more than a week
Our data covers the diesel and petrol-engined versions of the Macan (but not the latest Macan Electric), and models of both fuel types are proving remarkably resilient up to the age of five.
A mere 5% of the Macans reported on suffered any issues, and their failings were restricted to the non-engine electrical systems and the gearbox. Most problems were quick to rectify, too; half of the affected cars were fixed in a day or less, 25% took up to a week to repair and 25% took more than a week. All of the remedial work was paid for by Porsche.
See the latest Porsche Macan deals
=3. Kia Niro (2022-present)
Reliability rating 99.0%
Most common faults: 2%, brakes 1%, non-engine electrics 1%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 20% one day or less, 80% more than a week
The second-generation Kia Niro is competitively priced, generously equipped and thrifty on fuel. It's also impressively reliable in hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) form. Owners of these two fuel types told us their cars hardly put a foot wrong: only 6% of their cars had any issues. In contrast, 30% of the Niro Electric models we were told about suffered a glitch.
However, things were slow to put right when they did go awry, with four out of five cars taking more than a week to fix. At least Kia covered the cost of all remedial work, so nobody had any unexpected bills.
Reliability rating 98.9%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 4%, electric battery pack 1%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 60% one day or less, 40% one day to a week
The fifth-generation RAV4 was available as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid when it went on sale in 2019, but the hybrid was dropped from the line-up at the end of 2024. It's still a great option if you're looking for a dependable family SUV.
Although hybrid versions of the RAV4 aren't rated quite as highly as the plug-in hybrid versions, they still set an excellent standard for other family SUVs to aspire to. In fact, the fault rate for hybrid models is 5%, which is lower than that for PHEVs (12%), but cars that did go wrong were slower to fix - 40% spent up to a week in the workshop. The good news is that all faults were fixed at no cost to owners.
See the latest Toyota RAV4 deals
6. Mazda CX-5 petrol (2017-2025)
Reliability rating 98.4%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment 9%, bodywork 1%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 20% up to a day, 60% one day to a week
The CX-5 is due to be replaced in 2026, but the outgoing model still competes with the latest family SUVs for interior quality, refinement and practicality. It's also well priced and generously equipped, and it has a strong reliability record.
The petrol CX-5 is the one to go for because it has a low fault rate: 10% of the examples in our survey went wrong, compared with 30% of diesel versions. The infotainment system was the main bugbear, accounting for 9% of all issues. Those troubles didn't stop any cars from being driven, though, and 89% of them were put right by dealers in a day or less. All the remaining faults were sorted out in less than a week.
Reliability rating 98.3%
Most common faults: engine 7%
Average repair cost: 100% £51-£100
Typical time off road: 20% up to a day, 40% one day to a week, 40% more than a week
The second-generation Qashqai was consistently one of the best-selling family SUVs when it was on sale new because it's quiet, comfortable, practical and affordable. In previous years, the model has struggled with a high proportion of faults, but this year only 7% of the examples we were told about had any issues.
Although all problems were with the petrol or diesel engines, they were all sorted out in a day or less, and Nissan took care of all the costs.
Search used Nissan Qashqai deals
8. Lexus UX (2019-present)
Reliability rating 98.0%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 7%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 25% one day to a week, 75% more than a week
An interesting alternative to established premium family SUVs, the UX has distinctive looks and a very efficient hybrid system. It also comes with the reassurance that the Lexus brand has a long record of building dependable cars.
The UX follows this tradition - owners told us that only 7% of their cars had any difficulties, and the only area to cause concern was the infotainment system. While there was no charge for putting things right, the majority of owners were without their cars for more than a week.
Reliability rating 97.8%
Most common faults: exhaust system 6%, non-engine electrics 6%, gearbox 3%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 67% one day or less, 33% more than a week
It's unusual for a diesel version of a car to gain a higher reliability rating than its petrol counterpart, but that's what the diesel Kodiaq has achieved. While it sits in 9th position in this chart, the petrol Kodiaq is down at 47th place with a score of 92.2%.
Diesel versions of the Kodiaq went wrong more often than petrols: 19% had a problem, compared with 14% of petrols. However, Skoda dealers managed to repair two-thirds of faults in a day or less. In contrast, 71% of stricken petrol Kodiaqs were out of action for more than a week. Electric and 12-volt battery issues suffered by petrol and PHEV Kodiaqs appear to take longer to fix, going some way to accounting for the poorer rating of the petrol models.
No Kodiaq owners were left out of pocket, though, because the brand covered the cost of remedial work for petrol and diesel models.
See the latest Skoda Kodiaq deals
10. Renault Scenic E-Tech (2023-present)
Reliability rating 97.5%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 5%, sat-nav/infotainment system 5%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 100% one day or less
You'd be forgiven for picturing a boxy but practical people carrier when the name Scenic is mentioned. However, Renault has recreated the Scenic as a stylish-looking, pure electric SUV. The latest version offers good practicality, an official range of up to 379 miles and a respectable reliabiity rating.
Only 11% of the Scenic models reported on had any issues, and most were to do with the electrics, in particular the infotainment system. That meant that no cars were rendered undriveable, and all were in and out of the workshop in a day or less. As you'd expect for a car that's still under warranty, all repairs were done for free.
See the latest Renault Scenic E-Tech deals
Least reliable family SUVs
1. Volkswagen Tiguan (2024-present)
Reliability rating 64.2%
Most common faults: esat-nav/infotainment 31%, brakes 19%, non-engine electrics 19%, bodywork 13%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 28% less than a day, 41% more than a week
Some new models have flawless reliability records, but that’s far from the case with the latest generation of the Tiguan. It has the highest fault rate of any car in this year’s survey; 81% of the cars we were told about had some sort of problem.
The infotainment system accounted for 31% of issues, and the braking system and non-engine electrics each accounted for another 19%. Fixes were frequently slow, too; 41% of afflicted cars were off the road for more than a week and only 28% were in and out of the workshop on the same day. However, Volkswagen did cover the cost of all repairs.
Owner's comment: "The build quality of my Tiguan is nowhere near the level I would have expected from a Volkswagen.”
See the latest Volkswagen Tiguan deals
2. Kia Sportage (2016-2021)
Reliability rating 72.9%
Most common faults: Engine 1%, gearbox/clutch 21%, non-engine electrics 17%, brakes 13%
Average repair cost: 90% £0, 5% £101-£200, 5% £1500 or more
Typical time off road: 18% a day or less, 50% more than a week
The Kia Sportage is one of the cars that has boosted the Korean firm's sales over the past few years, and it has accounted for a large chunk of its overall sales. The fourth generation of this family SUV makes a great used buy because it is attractively styled, practical, cheap to buy, and many will still be covered by some of Kia's splendid seven-year-from-new warranty.
That may be a good thing if you choose a diesel Sportage because some models with this type of engine suffered a high percentage of faults and were slow to be repaired. Diesel Sportage owners told us 56% of their diesel Sportages went wrong, compared with only 20% of petrol models. Half of faulty cars were in the garage for more than a week, and 5% of bills exceeded £1500; 90% of cars were fixed for free.
Search used Kia Sportage deals
3. Mazda CX-60 (2022-present)
Reliability rating 76.2%
Most common faults: suspension 27%, steering 18%, bodywork 14%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 41% up to a day, 44% more than a week
As a brand, Mazda managed only a mid-table finish for reliability this year, and the CX-60 is partly responsible for its lacklustre showing. Half of the examples reported on had a fault, and 27% of these were with the suspension. Other problem areas included the fuel system, gearbox and steering, as well as the 12-volt and hybrid batteries of PHEV versions.
Most (85%) of the faulty cars could still be driven, but repairs could be slow; 41% of cars were fixed in a day or less, but 44% were in the workshop for more than a week. Mazda paid for all remedial work, though.
See the latest Mazda CX-60 deals
Reliability of family SUVs aged up to five years old
| Rank | Make and model | Score |
| 1 | Vauxhall Grandland petrol (2024-present) | 99.6% |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 PHEV (2019-present) | 99.2% |
| 3 | Porsche Macan petrol/diesel (2014-present) | 99.0% |
| 4 | Kia Niro PHEV (2022-present) | 99.0% |
| 5 | Toyota RAV4 hybrid (2019-2024) | 98.9% |
| 6 | Mazda CX-5 petrol (2017-2025) | 98.4% |
| 7 | Nissan Qashqai (2014-2021) | 98.3% |
| 8 | Lexus UX (2019-present) | 98.0% |
| 9 | Skoda Kodiaq diesel (2016-2024) | 97.8% |
| 10 | Renault Scenic E-Tech (2023-present) | 97.5% |
| 11 | Tesla Model Y (2021-present) | 97.1% |
| 12 | Peugeot 3008 diesel (2017-2024) | 96.8% |
| 13 | Kia Sportage petrol/hybrid (2021-present) | 96.5% |
| 14 | BMW X1 (2015-2022) | 96.2% |
| 15 | Nissan X-Trail (2022-present) | 96.1% |
| 16 | Mercedes GLB (2019-present) | 96.0% |
| 17 | Nissan Qashqai petrol (2021-present) | 95.9% |
| 18 | Peugeot 3008 petrol (2017-2024) | 95.8% |
| =19 | BMW iX3 (2021-present) | 95.5% |
| =19 | Honda CR-V (2018-present) | 95.5% |
| 21 | Vauxhall Grandland (2018-2024) | 95.4% |
| 22 | Lexus NX (2021-present) | 95.2% |
| 23 | Citroen C5 Aircross PHEV (2018-present) | 95.1% |
| 24 | Mazda CX-5 diesel (2017-2025) | 94.9% |
| 25 | Lexus NX (2014-2021) | 94.8% |
| 26 | Nissan Qashqai hybrid (2021-present) | 94.7% |
| =27 | Mercedes GLC (2015-present) | 94.6% |
| =27 | Kia Niro hybrid/PHEV (2016-2022) | 94.6% |
| 29 | Volvo C40 (2021-present) | 94.5% |
| =30 | Jaguar F-Pace (2016-2024) | 94.4% |
| =30 | Vauxhall Grandland Electric (2024-present) | 94.4% |
| =32 | Mercedes GLA (2020-present) | 94.3% |
| =32 | Hyundai Tucson (2021-present) | 94.3% |
| 34 | Mercedes EQA (2021-present) | 94.1% |
| 35 | Cupra Formentor (2020-present) | 93.9% |
| 36 | Volvo XC40 PHEV (2017-present) | 93.8% |
| 37 | Citroen C5 Aircross petrol (2018-present) | 93.4% |
| 38 | BMW X3 diesel (2018-present) | 93.1% |
| 39 | Volvo XC60 PHEV (2017-present) | 93.0% |
| 40 | Audi Q3 P D H (2018-present) | 92.8% |
| =41 | BMW X1 (2022-present) | 92.6% |
| =41 | Volkswagen Tiguan petrol (2016-2024) | 92.6% |
| =43 | Volvo XC60 petrol/diesel (2017-present) | 92.5% |
| =43 | MG HS PHEV (2019 -present) | 92.5% |
| =43 | Peugeot 3008 PHEV (2020-2024) | 92.5% |
| 46 | Kia E-Niro (2019-2022) | 92.3% |
| =47 | Skoda Kodiaq petrol (2016-2024) | 92.2% |
| =47 | Kia Niro EV (2022-present) | 92.2% |
| 49 | Skoda Enyaq (2021-present) | 91.3% |
| 50 | Jaguar E-Pace (2017-2024) | 91.2% |
| =51 | Range Rover Velar (2017-present) | 90.5% |
| =51 | Range Rover Evoque (2019-present) | 90.5% |
| 53 | Audi Q4 E-tron (2021-present) | 90.4% |
| =54 | Volvo XC40 petrol (2017-present) | 90.4% |
| =54 | Ford Kuga (2019-present) | 90.3% |
| 56 | Kia Sportage PHEV (2021-present) | 90.1% |
| 57 | Volkswagen Tiguan diesel (2016-2024) | 89.7% |
| 58 | BMW X3 petrol / PHEV (2018-present) | 89.6% |
| 59 | Kia EV6 (2021-present) | 89.5% |
| 60 | DS 7 Crossback (2018-present) | 88.5% |
| 61 | MG HS petrol (2019-present) | 87.9% |
| 62 | Audi Q5 diesel (2018-present) | 87.8% |
| 63 | Genesis GV60 (2022-present) | 87.3% |
| 64 | BMW iX1 (2022-present) | 86.8% |
| 65 | Peugeot e-3008 (2023-present) | 86.4% |
| 66 | Alfa Romeo Stelvio (2017-present) | 85.3% |
| 67 | Audi Q5 petrol PHEV (2018-present) | 84.3% |
| 68 | Renault Arkana (2021-2025) | 83.4% |
| =69 | Land Rover Discovery Sport (2014-present) | 81.8% |
| =69 | MG ZS Electric (2019-present) | 81.8% |
| 70 | Nissan Ariya (2021-present) | 80.9% |
| 72 | Renault Austral (2023-present) | 80.4% |
| 73 | Volkswagen ID.4 (2021-present) | 79.6% |
| 74 | Mazda CX-60 (2022-present) | 76.2% |
| 75 | Kia Sportage (2016-2021) | 72.9% |
| 76 | Volkswagen Tiguan (2024-present) | 64.2% |
To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:
Most and least reliable cars overall (2025)
Most reliable car brands (2025)
Most reliable small cars (2024)
Most reliable family cars (2024)
Most reliable executive cars (2024)
Most reliable luxury cars (2024)
Most reliable small SUVs (2024)
Most reliable large SUVs (2024)
Most reliable seven-seaters (2024)
Most reliable electric cars (2024)
Most reliable electric SUVs (2024)
Most reliable sports cars (2024)
Most reliable diesel cars (2024)
Most reliable petrol cars (2024)
Most reliable hybrid cars (2024)
How the research was carried out
To compile the annual What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, we asked thousands of car owners to tell us how dependable their cars have been over the previous 24 months.
For every car that has suffered a fault, we ask in what area the issue occurred, plus how much it cost to repair and how long it spent in the workshop. This information is used to create a reliability rating for each model and brand where we have a large enough response rate.
This year, the survey had 29,967 responses and that enabled us to report on 199 models (up to five years old) from 31 brands.
About the report author
Claire Evans has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years, and has focussed on consumer issues for much of that time. She was the advice columnist for Carweek magazine in the 1990s, helping car owners with faulty cars get the right level of reparation from car makers.
She also spent six years working on motoring content for Which?, and it is here she oversaw the running of the charity's annual used car reliability survey.
Claire launched the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2017, and since then has helped thousands of buyers choose the most reliable new cars and SUVs, as well as the most dependable used cars.
