Most reliable used small SUVs, ranked by owner complaints

Compact SUVs are the best-selling vehicles in America, which means the used market is full of them. They are not equally reliable. Across the 24 small SUVs we track, the average complaint rate ranges from about 55 per 100,000 sold to more than 600, and the gap between a model’s best and worst year can be even larger.

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 top of the list

The Lexus NX, Buick Encore and Mazda CX-30 have the lowest averages. The NX is the pricier choice, but its complaint rate is one of the lowest in our data. The Encore and CX-30 are smaller and cheaper, and both have very clean later years. On a CX-30, check the oil level, because the 2021 drew low oil warnings. The Subaru Crosstrek and Honda HR-V are close behind; skip the 2019 Crosstrek for its cracking windshields and the 2016 HR-V for CVT complaints.

The RAV4 and Trax are the safest mainstream bets. The RAV4 is the obvious choice for most buyers: the 2016 drew just 73 complaints per 100,000 sold, and the 2022 only 44. The only year to look at closely is the 2019 redesign, which had a fuel tank that would not fill completely and coolant valve warnings. The Trax is a smaller, cheaper and slower car, but its complaint record is just as clean, with no year far above its average.

The Equinox, Rogue and CX-5 are good if you pick the year. All three have a low average, but each has one or two years to skip. On the Equinox and its twin, the GMC Terrain, the 2012 and 2013 2.4-liter engine is known for burning oil and wearing its timing chain. The 2013 Rogue has the worst CVT record of any Rogue. The 2014 and 2016 CX-5 drew complaints about failed daytime running lights, cracked windshields and sticking rear brakes.

The middle

The CR-V is the best-known name here, and its 2016 and 2021 are excellent. The 2017 and 2018, though, drew more than twice the usual complaints because the new 1.5-liter turbo can let fuel mix into the oil. Honda released a software update and extended the warranty, so a 2017 or 2018 with the update done is a much better bet. The Forester’s 2019 drew the most complaints of any recent Forester, led by windshields that crack on their own.

The bottom

The Tucson, Sportage and Soul all share Hyundai and Kia engines from the years covered by large engine recalls and warranty extensions. Their later years are a different story: the 2021 Tucson and the 2022 Sportage are among the lowest-complaint SUVs we track. The Escape and Jeep Cherokee have high averages in most years. If you want one, the 2019 and 2021 Escape and the 2021 and 2022 Cherokee are the safest picks.

How to use this ranking

A low average tells you a model is usually safe, and the best years tell you where to aim. Neither replaces checking the actual car. 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 before you buy.

Questions

Why is the Trax ranked above the RAV4? The two are nearly tied, 108 against 110 complaints per 100,000 sold. The Trax is a smaller, cheaper and less powerful vehicle, so most buyers comparing the two will still prefer the RAV4.

Which small SUV should I avoid most? The 2018 Toyota C-HR, for CVT bearing failures, and the 2015 and 2017 Jeep Renegade have some of the worst single years among the newer additions. The Ford Escape and Jeep Cherokee have the highest averages overall.

Why are some popular small SUVs missing? We add models as we gather official sales figures for every year, and plan to add more over time.