Most Reliable Used SUVs (2015–2022)

Ranked by NHTSA owner-complaint rate per 1,000 sold · 26 SUVs

By CarWhere Research · Published Jul 14, 2026 · Updated September 2026 · NHTSA source data

Across 26 used SUVs from 2015–2022, ranked by NHTSA owner-complaint rate per 1,000 vehicles sold, the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Murano, Lexus RX have the lowest rates — the Toyota RAV4 is lowest at 0.182 complaints per 1,000 sold per year of vehicle age. This adjusts federal complaint volume for how many were sold; it is not a holistic dependability score. Data as of September 2026.

How to read this. This ranks the federal complaint rate — NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold — not overall dependability. It is a different lens than Consumer Reports or J.D. Power, which weigh many systems and owner surveys. A model can place differently here than on those lists. Counts are severity-weighted; sales figures are cited per model. How we score complaints.

About this study

Models ranked: 26
Complaints analyzed: 148,903
U.S. units represented: 31,107,343
Model-years: 208 (2015–2022)

Method. For each model, NHTSA owner complaints (severe complaints — crash, fire, injury — weighted double) are divided by U.S. units sold (per 1,000) and by years of vehicle age, then the model's median across years is taken. Calendar-year sales are used as each model-year's cohort size. Complaint records are matched to NHTSA's body-style/trim model names and de-duplicated by complaint ID; where a sales figure covers a whole line (marked *), complaints are aggregated across the same variants. NHTSA data extracted September 2026.

Scope. 26 high-volume SUVs with a cited U.S. sales figure and enough complaint volume to rank; models with too few units or complaints to be statistically stable are excluded. This is a used-vehicle complaint-rate study (2015–2022 model years), not a ranking of new SUVs.

Used SUVs ranked by complaint rate

#	Model	Complaints / 1k sold / yr	Rating
1	Toyota RAV4	0.182	Lowest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
2	Nissan Murano	0.2	Lowest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
3	Lexus RX*	0.202	Lowest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
4	Mazda CX-5	0.246	Lowest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
5	Nissan Rogue	0.341	Lowest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
6	Chevrolet Equinox	0.353	Below-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
7	Buick Enclave	0.369	Below-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
8	Nissan Pathfinder	0.377	Below-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
9	Toyota Highlander	0.393	Below-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
10	Honda CR-V	0.497	Below-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
11	Kia Sportage	0.508	Below-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
12	Chevrolet Tahoe	0.517	Average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
13	Subaru Forester	0.525	Average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
14	Acura RDX	0.541	Average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
15	Hyundai Santa Fe	0.552	Average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
16	Mazda CX-9	0.558	Average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
17	Jeep Grand Cherokee	0.592	Above-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
18	Dodge Durango	0.613	Above-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
19	GMC Acadia	0.811	Above-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
20	Ford Explorer	0.918	Above-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
21	Hyundai Tucson	0.966	Above-average complaint rate	Years to avoid →
22	Honda Pilot	1.073	Highest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
23	Jeep Wrangler	1.119	Highest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
24	Acura MDX	1.207	Highest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
25	Jeep Cherokee	1.269	Highest complaint rate	Years to avoid →
26	Kia Sorento	1.294	Highest complaint rate	Years to avoid →

Lower is better. Rate = severity-weighted NHTSA complaints ÷ (U.S. units sold ÷ 1,000) ÷ years of vehicle age, median across a model's years. All 26 curated SUVs ranked. A * marks a model whose sales figure covers the whole line — complaints are aggregated across the same variants to match. Complaint data: NHTSA. Sales: cited per model below.

Five used SUVs with the lowest complaint rates (2015–2022)

Toyota RAV4 — 0.182 complaints per 1,000 sold per year of vehicle age.
Nissan Murano — 0.2 complaints per 1,000 sold per year of vehicle age.
Lexus RX — 0.202 complaints per 1,000 sold per year of vehicle age.
Mazda CX-5 — 0.246 complaints per 1,000 sold per year of vehicle age.
Nissan Rogue — 0.341 complaints per 1,000 sold per year of vehicle age.

What this measures: how often owners file federal safety/defect complaints, adjusted for how many were sold. It does not measure repair cost, breakdown frequency, or the survey-based dependability that Consumer Reports and J.D. Power report — use it alongside those.

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Frequently asked

What is the most reliable used SUV by complaint rate?

Among the 26 used SUVs (2015–2022) we analyze, the Toyota RAV4 has the lowest NHTSA owner-complaint rate — 0.182 complaints per 1,000 sold per year of vehicle age — followed by the Nissan Murano and Lexus RX. It adjusts federal complaint volume for units sold, so it rewards models owners complain about least relative to how many were sold.

How is this SUV ranking calculated?

For each model we take its NHTSA owner complaints, weight severe (crash/fire/injury) complaints double, and divide by U.S. units sold (per 1,000) and years of vehicle age. That yields a complaint rate comparable across models regardless of how many were sold — a best-seller is no longer penalized just for volume. Where a sales figure covers a whole model line, complaints are aggregated across the same variants. Sales figures are cited per model; complaints are the federal record.

Does this match Consumer Reports or J.D. Power reliability?

Not necessarily. Consumer Reports and J.D. Power measure owner-reported problems and predicted dependability across many systems. This ranks only NHTSA safety/defect complaint rate — a narrower, public, federal signal. A model can rank differently here than on those lists; both are valid, they measure different things. Use this alongside them, then check the specific VIN.