Most Reliable SUVs: What the Reliability Data Says (2026)

The most reliable SUVs, according to Consumer Reports and J.D. Power reliability data, are the Toyota 4Runner, Honda Passport, Lexus GX and Lexus TX, along with Toyota’s and Lexus’s hybrid SUVs. This guide uses only attributed survey results, Consumer Reports’ December 2025 survey and J.D. Power’s 2025 and 2026 Vehicle Dependability Studies, and shows where the two agree and where they do not.

NextCarReview does not own, drive or repair test vehicles. Every reliability statement below comes from a named survey, with its publication year. Where J.D. Power’s own site blocked access, we cite the outlet or automaker that reported its results.

Most Reliable SUVs: What Each Survey Says

The table lists SUVs that at least one major survey singled out for good reliability. The last column shows whether the two sources agree.

Sources: Consumer Reports, “Who Makes the Most Reliable New Cars?” (December 4, 2025); J.D. Power 2025 and 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study results as reported by Autoblog, AutoGuide, CarPro and Motor1. “No award reported” means no J.D. Power segment award appeared in the results we could open.

How the Two Reliability Surveys Work

Consumer Reports and J.D. Power measure different things, which explains most of their disagreements.

Consumer Reports predicted reliability. CR’s December 4, 2025 release covers about 380,000 vehicles from the 2000 to 2025 model years plus some early 2026 models. It predicts how new models will hold up and scores them from 1 to 100. To rank a brand, CR needs data on at least two models from at least two recent model years, and it warns that all-new or redesigned models are riskier buys. For context, CR says SUVs and minivans average 46, cars 58 and pickups 44.

J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The 2026 study, released in February 2026, counted problems reported by original owners of 2023 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. It reports problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), where lower is better. Subaru’s newsroom notes that the study covers more than 180 problem areas in nine categories. The industry average was 204 PP100 in 2026 and 202 in 2025.

So a J.D. Power award describes how a three-year-old model held up, while a CR score predicts how the current model will do. We list a model as most reliable only when one of these sources says so directly, and we flag it when the other source disagrees.

Most Reliable SUV Brands in 2026

Brand results matter when a model has not been rated, and both surveys put Toyota’s brands near the top.

• Consumer Reports (December 2025) brand scores: Toyota 66, Subaru 63, Lexus 60, Honda 59, BMW 58, Nissan 57, Acura 54, Buick 51, Tesla 50 and Kia 49. CR says Toyota is its most reliable brand for the first time since 2022.
• J.D. Power 2026 VDS, fewest problems: Lexus 151 PP100, Buick 160, Mini 168, Cadillac 175, Chevrolet 178, Subaru 181, Porsche 182, Toyota 185, Kia 193 and Nissan 194, according to Motor1. Lexus ranked highest overall for a fourth straight year.
• J.D. Power 2026 VDS, most problems: Volkswagen 301, Volvo 296, Land Rover 274, Jeep 267 and Audi 244 PP100.

The two lists do not always match. Buick ranks second with J.D. Power but eighth with CR, and BMW ranks fifth with CR. Our Toyota SUV lineup guide covers the brand’s models in detail.

Toyota 4Runner: Strongest Agreement Between Both Surveys

The 4Runner is the only SUV in this guide that both surveys rate highly at the model level. Consumer Reports gives it 95, Toyota’s top model score, and says it “scored well above average.” CR also credits “good reliability for the new Land Cruiser and redesigned 4Runner SUVs” with lifting Toyota to the top of its brand ranking. J.D. Power’s 2026 VDS named the 4Runner a co-winner among upper midsize SUVs, tied with the Buick Enclave, and CarPro lists it among Toyota’s eight model-level awards. For prices and trims, see our 2026 4Runner guide.

Honda Passport: Highest Consumer Reports Score

The Passport scores 97 in CR’s December 2025 data, the highest SUV score we found in CR’s published brand chart. CR names it with the Lexus IS and Toyota 4Runner as models that “scored well above average.” None of the J.D. Power results we could open gave the Passport a segment award, so this rests on CR’s survey alone.

Lexus GX, TX and NX: The Luxury Leaders

Lexus has the best luxury SUV data in both surveys. J.D. Power named the Lexus GX the most dependable midsize premium SUV in both 2025 and 2026, and Lexus was the top brand overall in the 2026 study at 151 PP100. Consumer Reports says every Lexus model rates average or better, that the TX “tops the luxury midsized three-row SUV category,” and that “the three most reliable luxury small SUVs are the Lexus NX, NX Hybrid, and UX.” One exception: CR’s lowest Lexus score is the NX Plug-in Hybrid, at 42. Our 2026 Lexus NX guide covers the hybrid in detail.

Hybrid SUVs: Where the Data Is Strongest

Consumer Reports’ 2025 results favor conventional hybrids. CR says the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid has the best reliability in its category, and that the Honda CR-V Hybrid, Lexus NX Hybrid and Subaru Forester Hybrid scored near the top of theirs. Of about 30 hybrids with enough data, CR’s article names the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and the Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid as the below-average ones, and CR’s press release also lists the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. CR also says that for 13 of the 26 brands it ranks, the least reliable model is an EV or plug-in hybrid, and that no conventional hybrid is the least reliable model for any brand.

Among compact and electric SUVs, CR names the gas-only Hyundai Tucson the most reliable compact SUV (score 67) and the Tesla Model Y the most reliable electric SUV (score 81).

When the Surveys Disagree: Murano, Enclave and Equinox

Three SUVs show why one award is not enough.

• Nissan Murano: J.D. Power’s top midsize SUV in 2025 and 2026, but CR scores it 41, Nissan’s lowest. The VDS awards cover 2022 and 2023 Muranos, while CR’s score predicts the current model.
• Buick Enclave: co-winner for upper midsize SUVs in J.D. Power’s 2026 VDS, but CR says the Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse, both redesigned for 2024, are below average, and scores the Enclave 33.
• Chevrolet Equinox: J.D. Power’s 2026 compact SUV winner, but CR says the redesigned Equinox has well-below-average reliability and scores it 17.

J.D. Power’s 2026 awards cover 2023 models, and for the Enclave and Equinox, CR ties its lower scores to the redesigned versions. CR’s own advice: “If you want to avoid reliability issues, don’t buy an all-new or redesigned model.”

SUVs With the Weakest Reliability Data

Consumer Reports’ December 2025 results put these SUVs below or well below average:

• Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and GMC Acadia (well below average; Acadia scores 14).
• Mazda CX-70 and CX-90, gas and plug-in hybrid (CR: “All models scored below or well below average”; CX-90 Plug-in Hybrid scores 20).
• Jeep Grand Cherokee (consistently below average), with the Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrid well below average at 10.
• Cadillac Lyriq and Optiq, plus the Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid (below average).
• Ford Explorer, with a score of 30, Ford’s lowest in CR’s chart.

How to Use Reliability Data When You Shop

First, match the model year. A J.D. Power award or CR score for one generation tells you little about a redesign. Second, prefer models that both surveys rate well, like the 4Runner and the Lexus GX. Third, treat a high score as a probability, not a guarantee: these are averages across thousands of owners.

If you buy a model with weaker data, read the warranty carefully. Our guide to whether an extended car warranty is worth it explains what the FTC and CFPB say about those contracts.

The Bottom Line

The most reliable SUVs, by the data, are the Toyota 4Runner (strong in both surveys), the Honda Passport (CR 97), the Lexus GX (J.D. Power’s midsize premium winner two years running) and the Lexus TX and NX. Toyota-built hybrids also score well. Avoid treating any single award as proof, and look for models where Consumer Reports and J.D. Power agree. For a broader buying guide, see our best SUVs of 2026.

Morgan Reyes

Morgan Reyes is the founder and editor-in-chief of NextCarReview, which Morgan launched in August 2024. A 2022 graduate of Columbia University, Morgan is based in New York and writes and edits the site’s reviews, comparisons and buying guides. Morgan does not road-test vehicles. Every article is built from published primary data: EPA FuelEconomy.gov ratings, NHTSA crash ratings, recalls and owner complaints, IIHS results, and manufacturer specifications and pricing, with each figure cited and checked before publication. Contact: admin@nextcarreview.com

Back to top ↑