Which SUV Has the Best Reliability in 2024?

When it comes to the SUV market, some clear winners are defining the industry standards in 2024. Among them, top names such as the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Ford Escape are particularly noteworthy. With a data-driven approach, we focused on consumer-reported car service calls as an index of reliability, and analyzed the number of service calls per 10,000 cars sold against the age of each vehicle. Let's review our findings.

Toyota RAV4

Looking at the Toyota RAV4, service calls steadily decrease as the car ages. Starting at around 13 calls per 10,000 vehicles for a brand-new car, this number sinks to less than 3 service calls for a car that's 13 years old. This pattern, combined with Toyota's reputation for quality and durability, suggests that the RAV4 is incredibly reliable. The RAV4's technical design contributes to this reliability as well. Its sturdy engine build, combined with the brand's focus on regular preventative maintenance, makes this a car that can take you far.

Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V follows a similar pattern, albeit with slightly more service calls initially (close to 18 per 10,000 vehicles). However, Honda quickly catches up to Toyota as the cars age, showing a similar decrease to just over 2 calls per 10,000 vehicles at 13 years. Honda's reliability is widely recognized, with the CR-V being a classic example. Much of this can be attributed to the thoughtful design and high-quality production - many of the components in the CR-V are designed to last well beyond the car's expected lifespan.

Subaru Forester

Subaru's Forester was slightly more prone to service calls early on but quickly stabilized, and by the time they're 13 years old, boasts the lowest call rate of these exemplars at less than 1 call per 10,000 vehicles. Subaru's Boxer engine (a horizontally opposed engine design) is known for its longevity and balance, and the Forester's Symphony II system ensures optimal traction and stability, contributing to this low maintenance requirement.

Ford Escape

The Ford Escape presented an interesting case. Even for a new car, it had a high call rate, peaking at 35 calls per 10,000 vehicles when the car was three years old before gradually decreasing. These figures may be attributable to its popularity combined with possible issues with powertrain durability that are known to occur in the early years of ownership. Nonetheless, Ford has been responsive to these issues over the years and has made significant improvements in their newer models.

Conclusion

Upon analyzing the data, it is clear that all four car models maintain a good reliability rating overall as they age. However, the Subaru Forester stands out due to its significantly lower rate of service calls in the latter stage of the vehicles' life span, making it an excellent choice for long-term reliability.

It is important to remember that this data should be just one piece of the decision-making puzzle. Prospective buyers should also consider factors like cost, safety features, fuel efficiency, and above all, personal preference when deciding on their next SUV.

Considering all these factors, and embracing a holistic view of reliability, this study concludes that the Subaru Forester exhibits the best reliability among the SUVs we examined in 2024. However, it's worth noting that the differences between these top models are marginal and each of these vehicles could serve as a reliable choice for prospective buyers.

Reliability doesn't mean that the car never breaks, but when it does, it makes you believe it won't happen again.