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

Large SUVs are the workhorses of the modern car scene. They're roomy, luxuriously appointed and supremely comfortable, and the best ones are also dependable companions that don't let you down. 

There are plenty of good models to choose from and the class has consistently performed well in our annual Reliability Survey. Last year the average score for large SUVs was 92.9% and this year it's only dropped slightly to 92.2%.

Overall, large SUVs are the fourth most dependable type of car, after small cars, small SUVs and family SUVs. 

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Most reliable large SUVs

1. Mercedes GLC (2015-present)

Reliability rating 97.9%

• Most common faults: battery 4%

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: more than a week

The GLC is the SUV equivalent of the C-Class saloon in the Mercedes line-up, and it sits between the smaller GLA and larger GLE. It's the second best Mercedes model for reliability, only surpassed by the A-Class.  It's generally a robust model, with few faults. The biggest headache for owners is the fact that remedial work can be slow when things do go wrong. 

Only 9% of the cars reported on in our survey had a glitch, with the 12-volt battery the most common cause for concern, followed by the bodywork and non-engine electrics including the sat-nav / infotainment system. All faulty cars could still be driven, but 60% of them were in the workshop for more than a week. 

The inconvenience stopped there, though, because Mercedes covered the cost of all necessary repairs. 

Mercedes GLC review

2. Volvo XC60 petrol/PHEV (2017-present)

Reliability rating 96.5%

• Most common faults: bodywork 5%, non-engine electrics 5%, sat-nav / infotainment 5%

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: 50% one day or less

The Volvo XC60 is ageing gracefully and can still manage to fend off newer rivals with its roomy, upmarket interior, well-judged ride and decent handling. It's also highly dependable, with a low fault rate. 

Petrol and PHEV versions of the XC60 go wrong slightly more often than diesels: 16% of petrol/PHEV examples had a fault compared with 14% of diesels. However, when they do it's far more likely that Volvo will pay owners' repair bills. Our survey respondents told us that 100% of petrol/PHEV problems were fixed for free, while only 67% of diesels were covered. 

Most faulty cars remained driveable and half of their issues were put right in a day or less. However, 33% of cars were stuck in the garage for more than a week.  

Volvo XC60 review

=3. Hyundai Tucson (2021-present)

Reliability rating 95.5%

• Most common faults: bodywork 4%, non-engine electrics 4%

• Average repair cost: 83% cost £0 

• Typical time off road: 56% one day or less

The Tucson is Hyundai's largest SUV, and it's exceptionally roomy for people and luggage. The punchy hybrid versions offer an economical alternative to diesel models. It is also a sound proposition if you're after a dependable large SUV because it - and the previous Tucson (see below) - suffer from very few faults. 

Although 18% of the cars in our survey went wrong, most issues were minor glitches with the bodywork and a range of electrical systems. Only 4% of cars were rendered undriveable by their faults, and more than half of them were sorted in less than a day. The brand's models are backed by a five-year/unlimited mileage warranty, and 84% of cars were fixed for free. Where owners were charged no bills exceeded £200 per fault.  

Hyundai Tucson review

=3. Porsche Macan (2014-present)

Reliability rating 95.5%

• Most common faults: non-engine electrics 5%, bodywork 4%

• Average repair cost: 77% cost £0, 8% cost more than £1500 

• Typical time off road: 46% more than a week

The Macan may not be the most practical larger SUV, but it is probably the most fun to drive.  And, with prices starting at £57,000, it's affordable compared with rivals such as the hotter versions of the Mercedes GLC. According to owners, their Macans didn't go wrong very often, but when they did, some could be slow and pricey to fix. 

Only 13% of the Macans in our survey had a problem, with a range of electrical systems and the bodywork causing the most headaches. Only 8% of cars broke down due to their faults, but only 15% were fixed in a day or less. Thirty-nine percent of faulty cars were out of action for up to a week, and 46% were stuck in the garage for more than seven days. 

Although Porsche covered the cost of 77% of repairs for owners, that left some having to foot the bill. Most faults cost less than £100 to put right, but 8% cost more than £1500 each.  

Porsche Macan review

5. Audi Q5 petrol/PHEV (2018-present)

Reliability rating 95.1%

• Most common faults: non-engine electrics 10%, bodywork 5%

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: 55% one day or less

The Audi Q5 has long been a popular choice for anyone who wants a roomy five-seater SUV. It's smarter inside than a BMW X3 and better to drive than a Volvo XC60.

If you want the most hassle-free experience, we'd recommend a petrol or PHEV model. These versions gain a far higher reliability rating than diesel models because they're quicker and cheaper to repair. 

Owners told us 23% of petrol/PHEV models went wrong, compared with 35% of diesels. Both had electrical issues, and while Audi paid for all petrol/PHEV cars to be fixed, it only shelled out for 82% of diesels. Petrols were quicker to fix too: four out of five cars were back on the road in less than a week, 55% in a day or less.  

Audi Q5 review

6. BMW X3 petrol (2018-2024)

Reliability rating 94.3%

• Most common faults: sat-nav / infotainment system 12% 

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: 43% one day or less

The BMW X3 combines a great driving experience with a premium interior and plenty of space for a family of five. All versions offer decent performance, agile handling and a class-leading infotainment system. 

Petrol versions of the X3 outdo diesels in our reliability ratings because they're more affordable to live with: BMW covered the cost of 100% of remedial work for their owners, whereas 22% of diesel X3 faults were not fixed for free. 

Most X3s could still be driven in spite of their faults, but 43% of petrol car issues were resolved in a day or less, while only 28% of diesels were put right this quickly. The main gripe of petrol X3 owners was issues with the sat-nav / infotainment system, and there were also some reports of problems with the bodywork, electrics and interior trim. 

BMW X3 used review

7. Jaguar F-Pace (2016-present)

Reliability rating 94.2%

• Most common faults: bodywork 5%, brakes 4%

• Average repair cost: 79% cost £0

• Typical time off road: 42% one day or less

The Jaguar F-Pace balances fantastic driving dynamics, a generous amount of standard kit and a smart interior. It's also one of three Jaguar models that scores well for dependability; the others are the E-Pace and XF. 

F-Pace owners told us that 17% of their cars had suffered a fault, with the bodywork, brakes, electrics and exhaust the main culprits. All cars could still be driven and 42% of issues were resolved in a day or less, most of the rest were sorted out in less than a week. 

Although Jaguar paid for fixes to 79% of cars, some owners faced hefty bills: 10% of faults cost between £751 and £1500 to put right. 

Jaguar F-Pace review

8. Hyundai Tucson (2015-2020)

Reliability rating 93.2%

• Most common faults: 12-volt battery 4%, bodywork 4%, gearbox 4% 

• Average repair cost: 75% cost £101-£750

• Typical time off road: 50% one day or less

The previous-generation Tucson is a great secondhand proposition because it's practical, well-equipped and reliable. It actually has a lower fault rate than the current model: 12% of older Tucsons went wrong, compared with 18% of newer ones. Problems were split among three areas: the battery, bodywork and gearbox. 

Half of faults were fixed in a day or less and 25% were put right in less than a week. Only 25% were rendered undriveable by faults that took more than a week to remedy. 

The only major downside for owners was the cost of repairs: only 25% of faults were fixed for free, and the other bills ranged from £101 to £750.  

Hyundai Tucson used review

9. Volvo XC60 diesel (2017-present)

Reliability rating 92.6%

• Most common faults: non-engine electrics 7%, sat-nav / infotainment 7%

• Average repair cost: 67% cost £0

• Typical time off road: 44% one day or less

Although the diesel XC50 doesn't score as well as the petrol, it's still a sound buy. In fact, the best seller of the line-up is the 2.0 D4 diesel, and this is the one we'd seek out because it's punchy enough, reasonably economical and relatively refined.

So what goes wrong? Owners told us that 14% of their cars went wrong, with electrical issues, including infotainment system faults, the main headache. 

Volvo covered the cost of 67% of repairs, and none of the owners who were asked to contribute to the cost were charged more than £300 per fault. Forty-four percent of cars were fixed in a day or less, and most of the rest were put right in less than a week.  

Volvo XC60 review

10. BMW X3 diesel (2018-2024)

Reliability rating 92.4%

• Most common faults: engine 4%, electrics 4%, exhaust 4%

• Average repair cost: 78% cost £0

• Typical time off road: 28% one day or less, 27% more than a week

The BMW X3 may have been recently replaced by a fourth-generation model, but the outgoing version is still one of the best large SUVs you can buy. It has a range of strong engines, sharp handling and is good value as a used buy. 

Diesel models don't score as highly as petrol/PHEV X3s for reliability because their faults can be slower and more costly to fix. Owners told us that 23% of their diesel X3s went wrong with a range of areas affected, including the engine, electrics and exhaust system. Only 28% of cars were fixed in a day or less, and 27% of faults took more than a week to put right. 

Although BMW put its hand in its pocket for 78% of fixes, 11% of owned paid £501-£1000 and 6% had to find more than £1500. 

BMW X3 used review

Least reliable large SUVs

1. Mazda CX-60 (2022-present)

Reliability rating 68.8%

• Most common faults: suspension 33%, steering 24%, non-engine electrics 19%

• Average repair cost: £0

• Typical time off road: 43% one week or more

Mazda is generally regarded as a dependable brand, but the CX-60 doesn't follow this trend. It's not only the least dependable model in the current Mazda line-up, it's also the lowest scoring large SUV.

A whopping 62% of owners told us they'd had glitches with their cars. A third had suspension issues, a similar proportion had engine and non-engine electrical faults and 24% had steering problems.

Although 33% of faults were fixed in a day or less, owners told us that 43% of problems took more than a week to put right. The only good news is that Mazda covered all repair costs.

Mazda CX-60 review

2. Range Rover Velar (2017-present)

Reliability rating 82.2%

• Most common faults: bodywork 26%, interior trim 11%

• Average repair cost: 89% cost £0

• Typical time off road: 55% more than a week

The Range Rover Velar is a refined, luxuriously equipped and seriously appealing large SUV. However, it's the lowest scoring model for reliability in the car maker's current line-up. In fact, only the previous generation 2011-2019 Evoque family SUV gains a lower rating (73.8%).  

Just over 42% of the Velars in our survey went wrong, with bodywork and interior trim issues the main bugbears for owners. Although most cars could still be driven, 55% took more than a week to be fixed. While 89% of work was paid for by Land Rover, 7% of issues cost more than £1000 to fix.

Range Rover Velar review

3. Ford Kuga diesel (2013-2020)

Reliability rating 83.8%

• Most common faults: 12-volt battery 13%, exhaust 13%, non-engine electrics 13%, sat-nav / infotainment system 13%

• Average repair cost: 82% cost £0

• Typical time off road: 36% more than a week

The previous generation Kuga is well equipped, agile for an SUV and economical, especially if you pick a diesel. However, doing so could mean you spend more time than you'd like in the workshop. 

That's because diesel versions of the used Ford Kuga have a fault rate of 44%. They could also be slow to fix: 36% of diesel Kugas were out of action for more than a week, although a similar percentage were fixed in a day or less. 

Ford paid for all remedial work on 82% of diesel Kugas, though, and those do did have to pay only needed to find £101-£200 per fault.  

Ford Kuga used review

Reliability of large 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 (2024)
Most reliable car brands (2024)
Most reliable small cars (2024)
Most reliable family cars (2024)
Most reliable executive cars (2024)
Most reliable luxury cars (2024)
Most reliable small SUVs (2024)
Most reliable family SUVs (2024)
Most reliable seven-seaters (2024)
Most reliable electric cars (2024)
Most reliable electric SUVs (2023)
Most reliable sports cars (2024)
Most reliable diesel cars (2023)
Most reliable petrol cars (2024)
Most reliable hybrid cars (2024)

How the research was carried out

The latest What Car? Reliability Survey gained 29,967 responses and that enabled us to report on 199 models (up to five years old) from 31 different brands. 

To compile the survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, we ask thousands of car owners to tell us how well their cars had behaved 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.

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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