What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable family SUVs

Family SUVs have taken over from family hatchbacks as the most popular type of car for those with children because they're roomy, packed with practical features and relatively affordable. There's a huge range of family SUVs to choose from, ranging from the budget-conscious Citroen C5 Aircross to the luxurious Range Rover Evoque. Whichever you choose you'll get lots of family-friendly features and a lofty driving position. 

The good news for buyers is that family SUVs are generally a reliable bunch, scoring an average of 92.6% last year in the annual What Car? Reliability Survey and 92.4% this year. Hybrid versions are not only frugal, they're also often the most dependable, and this year hybrid models from Lexus and Toyota take three of the top four spots.

Indeed, it was the Lexus NX that topped our list, because with a reliability rating of 100%, not a single owner reported a fault with their car. In contrast, the least reliable SUVs suffered with lots of problems that could be both lengthy and expensive to fix. 

Here we're looking at reliability data for family SUVs aged up to five years old.

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Most reliable family SUVs

1. Lexus NX (2014-2021)

Reliability rating 100%

• Most common faults: none

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: none

The previous-generation Lexus NX was ahead of its time as the first family SUV to be offered with either a hybrid or petrol engine, and not as a diesel. The NX 200t petrol model was phased out in 2016 due to poor sales, but the 300h hybrid continued until 2021 and was by far the more popular version.

Although it's not the last word in driver enjoyment, the NX is smooth and quiet when driven gently, and best of all it's supremely dependable. In fact, the previous-generation Lexus NX is your best bet if you want a fault-free family SUV. Not only is it the top scorer in this class, it also outperforms the latest NX, which scores 97.6% and lies in fourth place. No NX owners reported any issues with their cars, and that meant no time off the road for repairs and no unexpected repair bills.

Owner’s view: “My car has been faultless in the two years I’ve owned it.”

Used Lexus NX review

New Lexus NX review

2. Toyota RAV4 (2019-present)

Reliability rating 98.8%

• Most common faults: 12-volt battery 2%, hybrid battery pack 1%, non-motor electrics 1%

• Average repair cost: 83% £0, 17% £101-£200

• Typical time off road: 83% one day or less

Like the Lexus NX, the RAV4 is a hybrid, and that means it pumps out less CO2 than a number of city-dwelling small cars. It's available as a conventional hybrid that doesn't need to be plugged in, and a plug-in hybrid with an official range of 46 miles on pure electric power. Both versions are impressively frugal and hold onto their value well. 

Even better news is that the RAV4 is seriously dependable. Just 3% of RAV4 owners had any problems with their cars, mainly relating to the 12-volt battery or drive battery/charging system. While 50% of faults stopped cars from being driven, 83% were fixed in less than a week and the same proportion were fixed for free. Those who had to pay for repairs were asked for less than £200.

Toyota RAV4 review

3. Renault Kadjar (2015-2022)

Reliability rating 98.6%

• Most common faults: non-engine electrics 6%, suspension 6%

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: 100% a day or less

Good-looking, spacious and cheap to run, the Renault Kadjar is a fine family SUV with a bigger boot than its sibling the Nissan Qashqai. It was available in petrol and diesel form, and both versions were equally robust. 

In fact, the Kadjar is the highest-scoring Renault model for reliability, and it's helped the brand rise to ninth position in our latest brand reliability chart. Only 12% of Kadjar owners had a problem with their car, and these were restricted to non-engine electrics and the suspension. All cars were fixed in a day or less and all work was done for free. 

Used Renault Kadjar review

4. Lexus NX (2021-present)

Reliability rating 97.6%

• Most common faults: bodywork 8%, 12-volt battery 2%, brakes 2%, engine electrics 2%

• Average repair cost: 89% £0, 11% £301-£500

• Typical time off road: 78% one day or less, 22% one day to a week

The Lexus NX certainly isn't the cheapest family SUV you can buy, but it undercuts premium rivals, such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60, by a healthy margin. It's available as a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The latter is our preferred version because it's swift (0-62mph takes 5.8sec), and, officially, it can do up to 45 electric miles on pure electric power. 

The latest Lexus NX can't quite match the perfect reliability rating of its older sibling, but it comes close. Although 13% of NX models went wrong, the main complaint was with minor bodywork defects, and 78% of these were sorted out in a day or less. Lexus covered the cost of 89% of repairs, but some owners had to pay £301-£500. 

Lexus NX review

5. Honda CR-V (2018-present)

Reliability rating 97.2%

• Most common faults: non-engine electrics 6%, air-con 3%, 12-volt battery 2%

• Average repair cost: 90% £0, 10% more than £1500

• Typical time off road: 40% one day or less, 40% one day to a week

The Honda CR-V is good to drive and well equipped. It comes as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, the former is our top recommendation for private buyers, while the PHEV is the most economical model as a company car. Officially, the latter will cover up to 50 miles on electric power, although this is more likely to reduce to 37 miles in real-world driving. 

Only 11% of the CR-Vs in our survey went wrong, and the main causes of concern were the air-con, 12-volt battery and non-engine electrical systems. While Honda paid for fixes in 90 % of instances, that left the remaining owners with bills totalling more than £1500 per fault. Forty percent of cars were fixed in a day or less, and most of the rest were put right in less than a week.  

Honda CR-V review

6. Volvo XC40 PHEV (2017-present)

Reliability rating 97.0%

• Most common faults: air-con 3%, 12-volt battery 3%, hybrid battery pack 3%, interior trim 3%, non-engine electrics 3%

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: 20% up to a day, 60% one day to a week

The Volvo XC40 is a brilliant family SUV that offers a great mix of performance, practicality, comfort and interior space. It's no wonder that we voted it our What Car? Car of the Year in 2018, and still regard it as one of the best family SUVs you can buy. It's available with a petrol engine, or as a plug-in hybrid or as the pure electric EX40.

Plug-in hybrid versions of the Volvo XC40 have half the faults of their petrol counterparts - 11% of PHEV XC40s went wrong compared with 22% of petrols. Issues were fairly slow to sort out, with 60% of cars out of action for up to a week, but Volvo paid for all remedial work. Problem areas included the air-con, 12-volt battery, electric battery and non-motor electrics. 

Volvo XC40 review

7. BMW X1 petrol (2015-2022)

Reliability rating 96.6%

• Most common faults: 12-volt battery 2%, brakes 2%, interior trim 2%, non-engine electrics 2%

• Average repair cost: 80% £0, 20% £201-£300

• Typical time off road: 20% up to a day, 40% one day to a week, 40% more than a week

This second-generation BMW X1 is a much better proposition than the first X1, which wasn't that great to drive. Fitted with new engines and lots of improved technology, this version is regarded as a competitive choice in the family SUV market. It has good handling, a comfortable ride and a spacious interior.

We only had enough responses to rate petrol versions of the BMW X1, and they certainly look to be ageing well. Only 7% of the cars we were told about went wrong; issues with the 12-volt battery, brakes and various electrical systems were the main culprits. Two-thirds of faulty cars were fixed in less than a week, but BMW only covered the cost of 40% of repairs, leaving the other owners with bills of up to £1000 each. 

Used BMW X1 review

New BMW X1 review

8. Kia Niro hybrid/PHEV (2016-2022)

Reliability rating 96.4%

• Most common faults: Interior trim 4%, non-engine electrics 4%, 12-volt battery 2%, bodywork 2%, sat-nav/infotainment system 

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: 33% up to a day, 55% more than a week 

The Kia Niro looks rather conventional, but it was quite radical when introduced as one of the first SUVs to be offered in petrol, hybrid and electric form. Whichever version you choose, you'll get a well-made car, that's sensible, practical and cheap to run.

Although 13% of Niro hybrid and PHEV models went wrong, Kia paid for all repair work. The problem areas included the 12-volt battery, electrics, interior trim and sat-nav/infotainment system. Most cars remained driveable, and a third were fixed in a day or less, but 55% were in the workshop for more than a week. 

Used Kia Niro review

New Kia Niro review

9. Mazda CX-5 petrol (2017-present)

Reliability rating 96.1%

• Most common faults: Sat-nav/infotainment system 10%, bodywork 7%, non-engine electrics 3%

• Average repair cost: 87% £0, 13% £50-£100

• Typical time off road: 67% one day or less, 20% one day to a week, 13% more than a week

The latest Mazda CX-5 has been heavily updated so it can keep up with rivals, such as the Citroën C5 Aircross, Honda CR-V and Peugeot 5008. It's a five-seat family SUV that's fairly compact, enjoyable to drive and much cheaper to buy than the equivalent German-built alternatives.

If you're after a dependable CX-5 you may want to pick a petrol model because they went wrong far less often than their diesel counterparts, and when they did, they were cheaper to fix. Seventeen percent of petrol CX-5s had a fault, compared with 48% of diesels, and 87% of petrols were fixed for free, while only 71% of diesels were. Bodywork glitches and problems with the sat-nav/infotainment system were the biggest concerns. Two-thirds of cars were fixed in a day or less, and most were back on the road in less than a week. 

Mazda CX-5 review

10. Kia Sportage (2021-present)

Reliability rating 96.1%

• Most common faults: Sat-nav/infotainment system 7%, bodywork 5%, exhaust system 3%, non-engine electrics 3%

• Average repair cost: 90% £0, 10% £50-£200

• Typical time off road: 42% one day or less, 42% more than a week

A great all-rounder that’s also reasonably priced, the Sportage has been a top-selling family SUV for some years. It has a spacious interior and comes in a wide range of trim levels to suit all budgets. On top of this, all the engines come with some form of hybrid assistance to improve efficiency and reduce emissions; you can have a mild hybrid, a regular hybrid or a plug-in hybrid.

Although 15% of Kia Sportages went wrong, most faults were minor and were fixed under warranty. Kia covered the cost of 90% of repair work and owners who had to pay weren't billed for more than £200. Nearly half of faulty cars were fixed in a day or less, but many of the others took more than a week to put right. The most common problem areas were the bodywork, exhaust, electrics and sat-nav/infotainment system. 

Kia Sportage review

Least reliable family SUVs

While the latest Sportage is proving to be a robust choice, the same can't be said for the previous-generation Kia Sportage diesel, built between 2016 and 2021. Worryingly, more than two-thirds of owners reported some kind of fault.

1. Kia Sportage diesel (2016-2021)

Reliability rating 66.2%

What went wrong? Engine 24%, gearbox/clutch 20%, non-engine electrics 16%, brakes 8%, engine electrics 8%, bodywork 4%, exhaust 4%, fuel system 4%, sat-nav/ infotainment system 4%

• Most common faults: Engine 24%, non-engine electrics 16%, bodywork 4%, exhaust 4%, fuel system 4%, sat-nav/infotainment system

• Average repair cost: 83% £0, 13% £1000 or more 

• Typical time off road: 17% a day or less, 50% more than a week

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 8% of bills exceeded £1500; 83% of cars were fixed for free.

Owner's view: "I’ve had to take my car to the dealership to have things fixed eight times in three years of ownership."

Used Kia Sportage review

New Kia Sportage review

2. Range Rover Evoque (2011-2019)

Reliability rating 73.8%

• Most common faults: engine electrics 15%, suspension 15%, exhaust 12%, bodywork 8%, engine 8%, interior trim 8%

• Average repair cost: 86% £0, 14% more than £1500

• Typical time off road: 38% less than a day, 56% more than a week

The Range Rover Evoque is one of the most desirable used cars on the market today. It's attractively styled, good to drive and has a well-equipped, luxurious interior. 

However, the previous Evoque is the lowest-scoring model in the Land Rover line-up with a 35% fault rate. Issues with the engine electrics and suspension each accounted for 15% of faults. Two-thirds of cars were off the road for more than a week, and while 86% of cars were fixed for free, the rest cost more than £1500.

Used Range Rover Evoque review

New Range Rover Evoque review

3. Alfa Romeo Stelvio (2017-present)

Reliability rating 85.5%

• Most common faults: 12-volt battery 16%, non-engine electrics 11%, sat-nav/infotainment system 11%, engine 5%, interior trim 5%

• Average repair cost: 67% £0, 22% £301-£750

• Typical time off road: 33% up to a day, 55% more than a week

The Stelvio has been designed to out-handle rivals, and it does this well, but this ability also results in a firm ride that can be jarring when driving over potholes. It has attractive exterior styling and a range of punchy engines, but its interior feels cheap in places and it's not as roomy as rivals. 

The biggest concern for potential buyers is likely to be the poor reliability record of the brand, and the Stelvio doesn't dispel this. Lengthy stints in the workshop were the biggest gripe of the 32% of Alfa Stelvio owners who told us their car had gone wrong. Although most faulty cars could still be driven, 55% of them were with dealers for more than a week to get fixed. Things went wrong with the 21-volt battery, engine, interior trim and electrical systems including the sat-nav/infotainment system. Alfa paid for 67% of remedial work, but some owners had bills of up to £750.  

Alfa Romeo Stelvio review

Reliability of family SUVs aged up to five years old

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 large SUVs 
Most reliable seven-seaters 
Most reliable electric cars 
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

To compile the annual What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, we asked thousands of car owners to tell us how dependable their cars have been 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.

This year, the survey had 29,967 responses and that enabled us to report on 199 models (up to five years old) from 31 brands. 

About the report author

Claire Evans has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years, and has focussed on consumer issues for much of that time. She was the advice columnist for Carweek magazine in the 1990s, helping car owners with faulty cars get the right level of reparation from car makers.

She also spent six years working on motoring content for Which?, and it is here she oversaw the running of the charity's annual used car reliability survey.

Claire launched the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2017, and since then has helped thousands of buyers choose the most reliable new cars and SUVs, as well as the most dependable used cars.

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