Japanese automaker Honda is known for making economical but impressive vehicles that can stand the test of time. But when it comes to searching for a used SUV, it can be hard to know which one will keep you happiest the longest. One of Honda’s most popular-selling SUVs ever, the CR-V, proves to be one of the most dependable used cars money can buy. And here’s the CR-V model year that outperforms and outprices them all.

The best Honda CR-V model year money can buy

U.S. News recently compiled a list of 25 Most Reliable Used SUVs and Crossovers Under $10,000 to help used car shoppers discover which models are the most dependable. Using only SUVs that earned a perfect five out of five points from J.D. Power in dependability, these 25 vehicles are also sorted by average sale price and U.S. News’ expert scoring. And after careful research, U.S. News places the 2008 Honda CR-V near the top of the list as one of the most reliable and best “bang for your buck” options out there. But what sets the 2008 Honda CR-V apart from others?

How the 2008 CR-V stacks up among the rest

According to the research done by U.S. News, the 2008 Honda CR-V tops the list of best used SUVs for a variety of reasons. Though other makes and models received the same impressive U.S. News overall score of 9.2 (out of 10), “the CR-V has the lowest average price” of all top scorers. As the 2008 CR-V is more than 10 years old, U.S. News experts can’t say it’s “necessarily ‘the best,'” but as far as used SUVs go? It’s great.

Not as large as others, the Honda CR-V still provides surprising spaciousness, versatility, and fantastic safety scores for a lower-than-average price of $6,281. U.S. News claims that the CR-V’s biggest drawback could be its only powertrain option: a “modest four-cylinder engine.” But combine low cost of ownership with high sales numbers and therefore high availability on the market, and the 2008 Honda CR-V is the most reliable CR-V of them all.

The 2008 Honda CR-V belongs to the third generation of CR-Vs, which Consumer Reports claims “became sleeker and more polished,” ranking it “among the best compact SUVs of its time.” The 2008 CR-V model year receives a seal of recommendation from Consumer Reports as well as a super-impressive reliability rating of five (out of five). More than 80 percent of 2008 Honda CR-Vs have had “fewer problems overall than the average model of that year,” making it one of the most reliable SUVs of that model year.

The dependability of the Honda CR-V

Looking at the reliability history of the Honda CR-V, it’s easy to see how the 2008 CR-V is ranked as one of the most dependable and cost-friendly used vehicles out there. Consumer Reports’ overall reliability verdict of the CR-V has been good, with most model years receiving above average and higher scores.

Repair Pal gives the Honda CR-V a great overall reliability rating of 4.5 (out of five), for all model years. This ranks it second overall in reliability out of 26 total compact SUVs. The average annual cost of ownership of the CR-V is estimated at around $400, less than that of the average SUV and far less than the $650 average for all vehicle models. The Honda CR-V also tends to need repairs less and experience less-severe problems than the average.

Today, not much has changed with the Honda CR-V’s reliability. Still one of the dependable bargains on the market, the 2019 Honda CR-V is currently ranked as U.S. News’ Best Compact SUV for the Money and Edmunds’ Best Small Family SUV, according to Honda. But the CR-V’s continuous awards are unsurprising when backed by a brand like Honda, which has been named U.S. News’ Best SUV Brand for many years in a row.