In association with MotorEasy
Most and least reliable SUVs - What Car? reliability survey
There are plenty of SUVs to choose from, but they're not all as tough as their looks imply. We reveal the best and worst performers from our Reliability Survey...
While many SUVs rarely venture farther off-road than the kerb outside the school gates, they can still have a pretty tough time coping with family life. So you need to be confident that the one you choose won't leave you and your loved ones stranded at the roadside.
That’s where the annual What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, comes in. We asked more than 32,000 readers if their cars had suffered any faults over the past year, how long those issues kept their cars off the road, and how much they were charged for repairs.
The good news is that many SUVs are as rugged as they look, especially the used Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia EV3, which both gained our highest 100% reliability rating — meaning not a single owner who responded to our survey had a problem. However, other models have proved rather troublesome and expensive to live with.
As well as this round-up, you'll find information on the best and worst SUVs in five different articles: small SUVs, family SUVs, large SUVs, luxury cars and seven-seaters. Here we reveal the most dependable models, based on data for cars aged up to five years old. Reliability information for older models is in our Most reliable used cars feature.
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The 10 most reliable SUVs
=1. Hyundai Santa Fe (2018-2024)
Reliability rating 100%
Most common faults: none
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: n/a
This generation of the Santa Fe is a striking looking seven-seater SUV that comes as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid. Both versions come with the same 1.6-litre petrol engine, electric motor, and automatic gearbox — and both are capable and fairly frugal.
Another thing going for the Santa Fe is its exemplary reliability record. While results in the seven-seater category were disappointing in the latest reliability survey, this model managed an unblemished 100% rating. It’s also the second Hyundai model to gain a perfect score this year, alongside the much cheaper Hyundai i10 small car, showing the strength of the brand.
The Santa Fe’s perfect score means no owners had any issues or breakdowns in their cars in the previous 24 months, so none had to contend with unwanted repair bills.
Owner’s view: “The build quality and reliability of my Santa Fe are both exemplary.”
Used Hyundai Santa Fes for sale
=1. Kia EV3 (2024-present)
Reliability rating 100%
Most common faults: None
Average repair cost: n/a
Typical time off road: n/a
The EV3 is Kia's replacement for the Soul, and while some car buyers may lament the loss of the quirky small SUV, the EV3 is an excellent contender with a long range, comfortable ride and plenty of standard equipment.
It is proving impressively reliable so far, too. In fact, the EV3 is the first Kia model to attain a perfect 100% reliability rating in our survey. It’s the brand’s most affordable pure electric model, yet it outperforms many larger, more expensive electric SUVs – including the £75,000 BMW iX – when it comes to durability and build quality.
With no participating owners reporting a single fault with their cars, the EV3 also outscores its direct rival, the Hyundai Kona Electric, whose 24% fault rate puts it in ninth place in this class.
Owner’s view: “The EV3 was just what I’ve been looking for in an electric car, and it’s been totally dependable so far.”
3. 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 well-equipped, spacious and has a plush interior. However, it has tough competition in the family SUV class, and it's not able to beat the similarly priced, more practical and more comfortable Kia Sportage.
That said, the 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 drivable, 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.”
Leasing deals on the Grandland
4. Toyota RAV4 PHEV (2019-2026)
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 Toyota RAV4 has recently been replaced, but it remains a highly practical and extremely reliable large SUV that makes an eminently sensible used buy.
RAV4s of various generations are regular features at the top of our annual reliability charts, and it’s great to see that this version's 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.
5. Volkswagen T-Roc (2018-2025)
Reliability rating 99.0%
Most common faults: Bodywork 2%, gearbox/clutch 1%, non-engine electrics 1%, sat-nav/infotainment system 1%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 33% a day or less, 67% one day to a week
The first-generation Volkswagen T-Roc is good to drive, spacious and affordable. In fact, it's a sweet spot in the small SUV class and a great used buy. The model’s almost perfect reliability rating is all the more impressive when you consider that it’s been on sale since 2018, and many of the examples in our survey are four or five years old, so they’re outside their new car warranty period.
Despite this, Volkswagen paid for all remedial work on the 4% of faulty cars we were told about, with bodywork problems being the most frequently cited, followed by gearbox and electrical faults. A third of cars were sorted in a day or less and the rest were back on the road in less than a week. All affected cars could still be driven.
Used Volkswagen T-Rocs for sale
6. Porsche Macan (2014-present)
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
If you're looking for a sporty, premium SUV, the Porsche Macan is an excellent option. It's stunning to drive and very well made. 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.
7. Kia Niro PHEV (2022-present)
Reliability rating 99.0%
Most common faults: brakes 1%, non-engine electrics 1%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 50% more than a week, 25% one day or less, 25% one day to 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.
8. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (2019-2024)
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
This fifth-generation of the RAV4 appears twice in our round-up because we have separate data for the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. It was available with both power options 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, though.
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.
Reliability rating 98.7%
Most common faults: bodywork 3%, non-engine electrics 3%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 33% one day or less, 33% one day to a week, 33% more than a week
The first-generation Hyundai Kona was available with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. Our favourite version is the 1.0-litre petrol, which is both punchy and economical. Here we're looking at the Kona Hybrid, which is a consistently strong performer for reliability; it came third in the small SUV category last year and its score has dropped by only 0.3% since then. A fault rate of 8% is far lower than those for the petrol and electric versions of the Kona.
The bodywork and non-engine electrics were the only areas of concern for owners, and all defects were rectified by Hyundai at no charge. A third of the faulty cars were put right in less than a day, while another third took less than a week, but the rest took longer than that to repair.
10. Audi Q2 (2016-present)
Reliability rating 98.5%
Most common faults: Engine 5%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 50% less than a day, 25% one day to a week, 25% more than a week
There's plenty to like about the Q2 because it offers all the desirability of larger SUVs from Audi, but has a far more affordable price tag. It's also the highest scoring model for reliability in the brand's line-up, and has a far better rating than many of the larger models.
Only 10% of the Q2s we were told about went wrong, and the only area to give any trouble was the engine. Even though older examples will be outside their three-year new car warranty, Audi paid for all fixes to be done. The only downside is that a quarter of cars with issues were in the garage for more than a week.
Least reliable SUVs
1. Nissan Juke petrol (2019-2025)
Reliability rating 55.2%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 12%, engine 12%, fuel system 6%, non-engine electrics 6%, air-con 3%, bodywork 3%, brakes 3%, engine electrics 3%, exhaust 3%, gearbox/clutch 3%, steering 3%, suspension 3%
Average repair cost: 30% £0, 60% more than £1500
Typical time off road: 27% one day to a week, 64% more than a week
There's plenty to like about the second-generation Nissan Juke. It is an affordable, smart and practical small SUV, but a very poor reliability record lets it down. A combination of slow repairs and some huge repair bills has dragged the petrol Juke to the bottom of the chart for small SUVs. In fact, its 55.2% reliability rating is the lowest of all the cars included – in any category – in the latest reliability survey.
Although only 24% of petrol Juke owners said their car had gone wrong, 64% of those said their cars were out of action for more than a week, and 60% had to pay more than £1500 per fault for repairs; only 30% of problems were fixed for free. The engine and 12-volt battery were the biggest headaches, followed by fuel system and non-engine electrical glitches.
2. Volkswagen Tiguan (2024-present)
Reliability rating 64.2%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 31%, brakes 19%, non-engine electrics 19%, bodywork 13%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 41% more than a week, 28% less than a day
The latest Tiguan is a practical family SUV that’s available with petrol, diesel and petrol plug-in hybrid engines. It has plenty of space for five occupants, a big boot and neat driving manners, but the Skoda Karoq represents better value, and the Volvo XC40 has better ride quality.
There is also a concern about its reliability. While some new models have flawless dependability records, that’s far from the case with the latest Tiguan. It has the highest fault rate of any car in the latest reliability 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.
3. Kia Sportage (2016-2021)
Reliability rating 72.9%
Most common faults: engine 21%, 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: 50% more than a week, 18% a day or less
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.
4. Mazda CX-60 (2022-present)
Reliability rating 76.2%
Most common faults: suspension 27%, steering 18%, bodywork 14%, fuel system 9%, gearbox 9%, hybrid battery pack 9%, non-engine electrics 9%, 12-volt battery 5%, brakes 5%, electric motor 5%, engine 5%, interior trim 5%, sat-nav/infotainment system 5%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 44% more than a week, 41% a day or less
The CX-60 is a sizeable five-seat family SUV that’s roomier, more powerful and a bit more plush than the Mazda CX-5. It's available with a diesel mild-hybrid engine in two power outputs, or as a petrol plug-in hybrid (PHEV). At one end of the price spectrum, it is priced to tempt buyers away from the Toyota RAV4 PHEV, but pricier plug-in hybrid versions rival the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Lexus NX.
However, it's the third lowest scoring family SUV in our latest survey because 50% of the cars we were told about had a fault and getting things put right could be a slow process. The most common complaint was with the suspension, followed by the fuel system, gearbox and steering.
Most (85%) of the faulty cars could still be driven, but 44% were in the workshop for more than a week. On a positive note, 41% of cars were fixed in a day or less, and Mazda paid for all remedial work.
5. Audi Q7 (2015-present)
Reliability rating 78.6%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 20%, engine 7%, exhaust 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 7%
Average repair cost: 57% £0, 29% £1500 or more
Typical time off road: 56% one day to a week, 44% more than a week
The Audi Q7 is a comfortable and quiet cruiser with plenty of space for up to seven occupants. The latest versions have three-zone climate control and adaptive air suspension as standard, and the new TFSIe plug-in hybrid can officially do up to 52 miles on pure electric power.
However, the big Audi SUV is beset by a lot of problems — owners told us that 47% of their Q7s had a problem. Most were caused by non-engine electrical issues, but there were also concerns about the engine, exhaust and infotainment system.
No faults were rectified in a day or less; instead, 56% of cars spent up to a week in the garage and the rest were there for longer. Only 57% of expenses were paid for by Audi; some owners were left with bills of up to £200 and 29% ended up more than £1500 out of pocket.
6. Volkswagen ID 4 (2021-present)
Reliability rating 79.6%
Most common faults: electric motor 18%, EV battery pack 11%, bodywork 7%, suspension 7%, 12-volt battery 4%, brakes 4%, electric motor 4%, charging system 4%, non-motor electrics 4%, sat-nav / infotainment system 4%, steering 4%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 67% more than a week, 19% a day or less
The ID 4 pure electric family SUV has lots going for it - it's big, practical and has a decent range. However, it sits in what is arguably the most competitive sector of the car market, with rival electric SUVs including the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y. Many of its rivals are faster, smarter inside and take less time to charge.
Many are also more dependable and gain a higher reliability rating than the ID 4. Owners told us 36% of their cars went wrong, and 58% of them couldn't be driven. Problems occurred in a range of areas from the electric motor to the suspension, and 67% of the affected cars were in the garage for more than a week. The only good news is that the car maker paid for all remedial work.
7. Renault Austral (2023-present)
Reliability rating 80.4%
Most common faults: engine 11%, sat-nav/infotainment system 11%, 12-volt battery 6%, hybrid battery pack 6%, bodywork 6%, exhaust 6%, interior trim 6%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 44% more than a week, 31% a day or less
The Austral family SUV is only available as a regular hybrid, powered by a petrol engine that is aided by a small battery and an electric motor. That not only allows you to drive short distances on electric power alone but also promises to reduce fuel consumption. Rivals include the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Toyota C-HR, all of which are available in plug-in hybrid form with a much longer electric range.
Engine and infotainment issues were the main bugbears of the 44% of Austral owners whose cars went wrong. Although nearly two-thirds of faulty cars could still be driven, 44% of them were in the workshop for more than a week getting things put right. Renault did prevent anyone from getting an unexpected bill, though, by covering the cost of all the necessary repairs.
Reliability rating 80.9%
Most common faults: electric motor 17%, bodywork 11%, brakes 11%, non-motor electrics 11%, 12-volt battery 6%, EV battery pack 6%, motor electrics 6%, interior trim 6%, sat-nav/infotainment system 6%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 50% a day or less, 28% more than a week
Nissan's pure electric family SUV is well equipped, practical and has a good range - especially if you go for the Long Range, which will officially do around 330 miles between charges.
It's not had the best start when it comes to reliability, though. Owners told us that 39% went wrong, and 56% of those vehicles couldn't be driven because of their faults. The electric motor was the most common cause for concern, but there were lots of other electrical gremlins, too.
Nissan did a good job of fixing problems swiftly, though - half of faults were rectified in a day or less, and only 28% of cars took more than a week to fix. It's also reassuring to see that the car maker covered the cost of all remedial work.
9. BMW iX (2021-present)
Reliability rating 81.0%
Most common faults: EV battery pack 10%, sat-nav/infotainment system 10%, interior trim 7%, bodywork 3%, brakes 3%, motor electrics 3%, charging system 3%, non-motor electrics 3%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 43% more than a week, 38% one day to a week
The BMW iX luxury SUV is one of the quietest cars we've ever tested. In many ways, it fulfils its brief as a premium contender, being quick, comfortable and quiet on the move, as well as plush and spacious inside. It’s better than the rival Mercedes EQE SUV, despite being similarly priced.
Its reliability rating of 81% doesn't fit well with its lofty ambitions, though. Although its fault rate of 33% isn't terrible, the fact that 62% of faulty cars couldn't be driven doesn't help. The slow repair rate — 43% of cars were out of action for more than a week and very few issues were resolved in a day or less — also drags its score down. At least BMW covered the cost of putting things right for all the affected vehicles.
10. Land Rover Discovery Sport (2014-present)
Reliability rating 81.8%
Most common faults: bodywork 11%, electric motor 9%, hybrid battery pack 5%, non-engine electrics 5%, brakes 4%, exhaust 4%, gearbox 4%, sat-nav/infotainment system 4%
Average repair cost: 87% £0, 8% £1500 or more
Typical time off road: 42% one day to a week, 39% more than a week
The Discovery Sport offers a great blend of luxury and practicality. It has plenty of room for five people, and most versions can be had with a third row of seats for seven-seat practicality. On top of that, it promises a plush interior, impressive towing capability and supreme off-road skills.
However, while some Land Rover models have finally bucked the brand's trend for patchy reliability, this doesn't look to be the case for the Discovery Sport. Owners told us that 42% of their cars went wrong, and 78% of them were rendered undrivable by those issues. No problems were fixed in a day or less, and 39% of vehicles were in the workshop for more than a week. On top of that, Land Rover only paid for 87% of remedial work, leaving some owners with bills that topped £1500 per fault.
Land Rover Discovery Sport review
Land Rover Discovery Sport leasing deals
To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:
Most and least reliable cars overall
Most reliable car brands
Most reliable small cars
Most reliable family cars
Most reliable executive cars
Most reliable luxury cars
Most reliable small SUVs
Most reliable family SUVs
Most reliable large SUVs
Most reliable seven-seaters
Most reliable electric SUVs
Most reliable sports cars
Most reliable diesel cars
Most reliable petrol cars
Most reliable hybrid cars
How the research was carried out
The annual What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, polls thousands of car owners about the reliability of their cars. The latest survey gained 29,967 responses and that enabled us to report on 199 models (up to five years old) from 31 different car brands.
All car owners are asked to tell us if their car suffered any faults 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.
To gain a better insight into the areas that are causing problems, we also ask owners to let us know what part of the car was faulty. For all cars we have 14 different fault areas: air-con, battery, bodywork, brakes, engine or motor, engine or motor electrics, exhaust, fuel system, gearbox/clutch, interior trim, non-engine or motor electrics, sat-nav/infotainment, steering and suspension systems. On top of this, we've added two new categories for electric cars: charging and drive battery issues, and difficulties with electric motors.
About the report author
Claire Evans has spent more than 30 years working as a motoring journalist, and has spent much of that time working on consumer issues. In the 1990s, she was the advice columnist for Carweek magazine, helping car owners with all sorts of automotive issues.
She also worked on the motoring desk for Which? for six years, overseeing the running of the charity's annual used car reliability survey.
Claire launched the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2017, and since then has used the data collected each year to help thousands of buyers choose the most reliable new cars and SUVs, as well as the most dependable used cars.
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