The Most Reliable Compact SUV Isn’t a Toyota but Another Well-Known Dependable Brand
Toyota is a popular Japanese auto giant that is perhaps most well-known for its cars’ reliability. With that being said, Toyota doesn’t dominate the American market in terms of reliability, as many other brands also produce reliable vehicles. In fact, as far as the most reliable compact SUV on the American car market goes, Toyota didn’t win by some perspectives.
The most reliable compact SUV isn’t the Toyota RAV4
iSeeCars recently published a list of the most reliable SUVs on the market, and the Toyota RAV4 did get a spot on the list, though it wasn’t a very high spot. The site’s methods were simple: analyzing 1.8 million cars and sorting them by those most likely to hit 200,000 miles. The site then listed the top SUVs to hit that benchmark in each segment.
Regarding compact SUVs, the RAV4 ended up at No. 5. It was behind the Subaru Forester, the Subaru Outback, the Jeep Wrangler, and the Honda CR-V. While the RAV4 ranked at No. 5, it’s by no means a bad vehicle. The RAV4 is still one of the best-selling SUVs in America, so it’s clear that car shoppers like what Toyota is offering with the SUV.
A brand-new RAV4 starts at about $31,500, and a three-year-old version costs about the same. Compared to the other compact SUVs on the list, that’s actually a good deal. Since it’s a Toyota, it’s very dependable, with a reliability score of 8.0 out of 10. Additionally, as far as its other specs go, the RAV4 is still a solid and well-balanced SUV.
Why the Honda CR-V is the most reliable compact SUV on the market
The Honda CR-V was tied with the Jeep Wrangler regarding their reliability scores, as both SUVs got an 8.5 out of 10. However, the site gave the CR-V the nod overall. A brand-new CR-V starts at about $30,600, making it about $1,000 cheaper than the Toyota RAV4. That being said, a three-year-old used CR-V will cost about $31,400, almost the same as a three-year-old used RAV4.
Besides being one of the most reliable compact SUVs on the market, the CR-V is also a great vehicle in different ways. In fact, Honda redesigned the CR-V for the 2023 model year, which gave the SUV many improvements. The compact SUV’s interior is a high point, as it was spruced up with the redesign. The CR-V also has an above-average amount of passenger space, cargo capacity, and fuel economy for an SUV of its class.
Toyota did very well in other segments
While Toyota didn’t win in the compact SUV segment, the Japanese auto giant did very well in other categories. For example, in terms of large SUVs, the Toyota Land Cruiser was named the most reliable SUV, and the Sequoia was named the second most reliable SUV. Both options also received a high-reliability score, as the Land Cruiser scored 9.8 out of 10, and the Sequoia scored 9.4 out of 10.
Toyota also beat Honda in the midsize SUV segment. The Toyota 4Runner was named the most reliable midsize SUV thanks to its 8.8 out of 10 reliability score. In comparison, the Honda Pilot came in at No. 2 with a reliability score of 8.6 out of 10. As far as subcompact SUVs go, neither Toyota nor Honda made the top five. Instead, the Jeep Compass won that segment with its reliability score of 7.3 out of 10.
