If reliability is your priority, start with specific model years—not a nameplate’s reputation alone. Consumer Reports’ Buying Guide 2026 identifies above-average used-vehicle reliability for selected years of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, Lexus NX, Toyota 4Runner, and Lexus RX. These are candidates to investigate, not guarantees about an individual car. The original title’s “in 2024” is historical: the year ranges below come from the later 2026 guide, alongside clearly identified 2024 J.D. Power study results.
Which used SUVs have the strongest reliability evidence?
Consumer Reports’ Buying Guide 2026 lists the following SUVs among its used-car picks with above-average reliability for the model years shown. The guide groups vehicles by price band; the available information here establishes its year blocks, but not the corresponding price-band values. Local asking prices will also depend on mileage, trim, condition, and location.
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| Size category | Model | Model years listed by Consumer Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Small SUV | Toyota RAV4 | 2015; 2016–2018; 2019–2020; 2021–2022; 2023–2024 |
| Small SUV | Honda CR-V | 2015–2016; 2019; 2020–2021; 2022; 2024 |
| Small SUV | Mazda CX-5 | 2016–2018; 2019; 2023; 2024 |
| Small SUV | Subaru Forester | 2021; 2022–2024 |
| Small SUV | Lexus NX | 2015–2017; 2018–2019; 2020; 2021–2022 |
| Midsize SUV | Toyota 4Runner | 2015–2016; 2017–2019; 2020–2022 |
| Midsize SUV | Lexus RX | 2015; 2016–2017; 2018–2019; 2020–2021 |
These are the guide’s listed year blocks, not a claim that every SUV of a given model year is equally reliable. Check the specific year you are considering against the guide and the vehicle’s own records. Consumer Reports’ used-car buying guide also lists the Toyota Highlander—2015–2017, 2018–2019, 2020, and 2021–2022—as a midsize option.
What the reliability rankings actually measure
Consumer Reports: reliability histories across model years
Consumer Reports says its reliability histories draw on its latest subscriber survey, covering vehicles from 2000 through 2025 and 20 potential trouble spots. That history can help compare reported patterns across years, but it does not inspect or certify a particular used vehicle, establish its maintenance history, or promise trouble-free ownership. Consumer Reports’ reliability FAQ describes the survey basis; the 2026 used-car guide is the source for the model-year recommendations above.
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J.D. Power: a three-year dependability study
J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study surveyed 30,595 original owners of 2021 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. Fieldwork ran from August through November 2023. It reported an industry average of 190 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), four more than in 2023. The study also found that reported problems rose 17% between 90 days and three years of ownership, compared with 12% in 2023. These figures describe the study’s owner-reported cohort; they are not lifetime failure rates. J.D. Power’s 2024 study details explain the sample and measures.
J.D. Power’s 2024 segment awards offer another way to identify candidates from that 2021 cohort: the Buick Encore won small SUV, Chevrolet Equinox compact SUV, Lexus NX compact premium SUV, and Toyota 4Runner midsize SUV. Toyota Motor Corporation received nine model-level awards overall. The awards measure the type and number of problems owners reported during the preceding 12 months in three-year-old vehicles; fewer reported problems yield a higher score. They should not be read as a verdict on every used example or as a direct substitute for longer-term reliability histories. See J.D. Power’s 2024 dependability award results.
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New-model ratings are a different data point
J.D. Power’s page for 2024 compact SUV ratings gives the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester scores of 84 and the Mazda CX-5 a score of 82. The page says its rankings are powered by VIN-verified owners and updated each September. These scores concern 2024 models; they are not used-car reliability histories and should not be mixed with the three-year dependability study or Consumer Reports’ year-specific used picks. J.D. Power’s 2024 compact SUV rankings provide that separate comparison.
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How to choose between the candidates
- Pin down the model year. Compare the exact year with Consumer Reports’ listed blocks rather than assuming that every year in a model’s lifespan has the same reliability record.
- Keep the evidence types separate. Use Consumer Reports’ survey-based history for year-specific used-car candidates. Treat J.D. Power’s 2024 dependability awards as results for owners of 2021 vehicles, and its 2024-model ratings as a separate new-model measure.
- Compare actual listings in your budget. The CR guide organizes recommendations by price band, but a real asking price also reflects location, mileage, trim, and condition. Compare like with like rather than assuming one model is always cheaper.
- Assess the individual vehicle. Review maintenance and accident records, and consider a qualified pre-purchase inspection. Model-level survey results cannot tell you how a specific SUV was maintained or whether it has hidden damage.
- Match the configuration to your needs. Compare seating and cargo needs, fuel type and hybrid configuration, drivetrain, and expected operating costs. The reliability sources cited here do not establish a head-to-head comparison of cargo room, fuel economy, or total ownership cost.
What these recommendations do—and do not—establish
The year-specific CR selections make the RAV4, CR-V, CX-5, Forester, NX, 4Runner, and RX reasonable starting points for a reliability-led search. J.D. Power’s separate 2024 awards reinforce the 4Runner and NX in their respective segments and surface the Encore and Equinox as additional candidates for the studied 2021 cohort. Neither source replaces checking the exact model year, service record, condition, and asking price of the SUV in front of you.
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