Most reliable used midsize and three-row SUVs

Midsize SUVs cost more to fix than small ones. Many have V6 engines, nine- or ten-speed automatics, power tailgates and third rows full of motors and wiring, so a bad year can be an expensive one. The spread between models is also huge. Across the 25 midsize, three-row and full-size SUVs we track, average complaint rates run from 61 per 100,000 sold to more than 650.

We ranked each model by its average complaint rate from 2012 to 2022, counting complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators and dividing by U.S. sales. Lower is better.

The ranking

The two standouts

The Lexus RX and Toyota 4Runner have the lowest averages of any midsize SUV in our data, and among the lowest of any vehicle. Both changed little over the years we cover, and both use simple, proven V6 engines. The 4Runner’s 2017, 2020 and 2021 drew only 25 to 28 complaints per 100,000 sold. The RX’s worst years, 2016 and 2017, are still well below the average midsize SUV, with brake actuator noise and sunroofs that shatter as the main complaints. If you need a third row, the Highlander is the closest thing to them, and its 2016 is the best Highlander of the decade.

Good picks if you choose the year

The Murano, Enclave and Traverse all have a few bad years and many good ones. The 2018 Murano drew just 19 complaints per 100,000 sold, one of the lowest numbers in our data, while the 2015 redesign had CVT judder and exploding sunroofs. The Enclave and Traverse share a platform with the Acadia. Their early years had timing chain wear, StabiliTrak warnings and air bag recalls with long waits for parts, and their later years are much cleaner.

The newer three-row SUVs

The Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade are popular and well reviewed, but both have high complaint rates. Their 2020 launch years drew the most, led by oil consumption, cracked windshields and, on the Telluride, failing high beams. The Subaru Ascent and Volkswagen Atlas also had rough first years, with dead batteries on the Ascent and battery and engine faults on the Atlas. All four improve in later years. Among full-size SUVs, the 2015 and 2021 redesign years of the Suburban and Yukon drew the most complaints, while their 2018 and 2020 models are much cleaner.

Big names with bad years

The Pilot, MDX and Outback are popular for good reason, but each has a stretch to avoid. The 2016 Pilot redesign drew about three and a half times the Pilot’s usual complaints, led by engine bearing failures that Honda later recalled, and the 2016 and 2017 MDX share that engine and the nine-speed transmission. The 2019 and 2020 Outback drew complaints about batteries that go flat overnight, cracked windshields and touch screens that press themselves.

The bottom of the list

The Explorer, Durango, Sorento and Edge each have years with complaint rates four to six times higher than a Lexus RX. The Explorer’s 2013 to 2016 years drew complaints about steering that locks up and exhaust fumes in the cabin. The 2012 to 2016 Sorento is part of the Hyundai and Kia engine failure story. The 2013 Edge drew more complaints per car than any SUV we track, mostly a door-ajar fault that drains the battery and brake boosters that fail. All four have much better later years, which are listed in the table.

Before you buy

Run the VIN through the free federal recall lookup, use our used car check list for questions specific to that model and year, and pay for an independent inspection. On any three-row SUV, test the power tailgate, fold and raise every seat and run the rear climate controls during the test drive.

Questions

Why is the Outback in this list? It is a wagon, but most shoppers compare it with midsize SUVs, so we include it here.

Is a high-mileage 4Runner still a good buy? Usually, if it has maintenance records and no frame rust. Check underneath carefully if the truck spent time in a snow state.