Ranked: The UK’s most reliable family SUVs (2024)

Finding family SUVs to rely on

Extended car warranty provider Warrantywise has analysed the nation’s favourite family SUVS, aiming to uncover the most dependable car for the school run.

Warrantywise’s methodology uses the company’s own data to evaluate the average frequency of repairs requested for vehicles, along with the labour hours needed. This is matched with average vehicle age and mileage, drawing from more than 180,000 records.

This results in a score out of 100, ranking family SUVs into the 2024 Reliability Index. Join us for a look at the 10 best models.

=9th. Hyundai Tucson

Sharing ninth place is the popular Hyundai Tucson, which has worked its way up the sales chart to become one of the UK’s favourite SUVs. Last year, it even outsold the Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage.

When it comes to reliability, the Tucson scored 71 out of 100 in the Warrantywise survey. The company’s research found the average age of a Tucson requiring repairs was seven years, typically with 68,000 miles on the odometer.

Such an age would put the Tucson outside Hyundai’s standard five-year warranty, meaning owners could be left to shoulder repair costs themselves.

Hyundai Tucson

Warrantywise identified manual gearboxes as being the biggest cause of Hyundai Tucson models requiring a repair. Slipping gears, or problems with shifting, were found to be a problem for both manual and automatic transmissions, however.

Average repair costs for a Tucson came to £1,471.85, while the most expensive repair was almost £8,800 for a replacement gearbox.

=9th. BMW X3

Sharing ninth place with the Tucson is the BMW X3, which has recently seen an all-new fourth-generation car released.

Competing with the Mercedes-Benz GLC and Audi Q5, the X3 is top-rated premium model on the Warrantywise list, with a score of 71 out of 100.

Research found that X3s tend to require repairs when around seven years old, but that models sold after 2014 were typically the most dependable, especially those with a 2.0-litre diesel engine.

BMW X3

With increasing technological complexity, it should perhaps be no surprise that electrical issues were the most common cause for BMW X3 repairs.

Worn alternators, blown fuses and faulty wiring were all identified by Warrantywise as common problems.

Premium pricing extends to the £1,193 average repair cost for the X3, while the costliest repair was more than £5,600 for a gearbox.

=7th. Nissan Juke

First launched in 2010, the Sunderland-made Nissan Juke rapidly established itself as one of the most popular compact SUVs with UK motorists. Although sales have fallen away due to more competitors, there are still plenty remaining on the road.

Taking equal-seventh position, the Juke scored 72 out of 100 according to Warrantywise.

Models typically averaged 7.8 years in age before needing repairs, with 61,000 miles on the odometer. The latter is slightly less than other SUVs, which may reflect the Juke being preferred for shorter urban trips.

Nissan Juke

In common with other models on this list, gearbox problems tend to be the biggest cause of Warrantywise claims. Older models, combining the 1.6-litre petrol engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT), are noted for being the most problematic.

Average repair costs for the Juke came in at a considerable £1,252, potentially driven up by the amount spent on gearbox issues. The most expensive repair was an eye-watering £10,850, spent on engine problems.

=7th. Hyundai ix35

Matching the Nissan Juke with a score of 72 out of 100, and claiming equal seventh place, is the Hyundai ix35.

A rebadged version of the third-generation Hyundai Tucson sold between 2009 and 2016, the ix35 name was used throughout Europe. Somewhat curiously, it outscored the Tucson-badged version on Warrantywise’s list.

Impressively, issues with the ix35 typically do not appear until an age of 9.3 years, with the earliest repairs needed at 7.1 years.

Hyundai ix35

When it comes to problems with the Hyundai ix35, Warrantywise found that clutches caused the greatest number of repair requests.

Burning smells, soft clutch pedals and gears not engaging were the most obvious symptoms. On average, repairing the ix35 costs £900, making it slightly less worrying than some of the SUVs listed here.

One major engine bill did see a repair cost of more than £4,450, though.

6th. Renault Captur

Sharing the same platform as the Nissan Juke (and Renault Clio), sixth place on this list goes to the Renault Captur.

A score of 75 out of 100 puts it one place ahead of its Nissan cousin, although not quite enough to break into the top five. As one of Europe’s most-popular compact SUVs, there is no shortage of Capturs on the used market.

An average mileage of less than 57,000 miles when issues arise is one of the lowest on the Warrantywise list, with a typical age of 7.5 years noted. However, problems can occur from as young as 3.9 years – just outside of Renault’s warranty coverage.

Renault Captur

French cars and unreliable electrics are a typical internet trope, but it seems to be true when it comes to the Renault Captur. Faulty electrics have been noted as affecting the instrument panel, satellite navigation and even the air conditioning.

Thankfully, average repair costs for the Renault Captur came in at a reasonable £671, making it far cheaper than other SUVs listed here.

Both manual and automatic transmissions can lead to major bills, though. One repair for a gearbox and clutch cost almost £4,300.

5th. Ford EcoSport

Ford has been responsible for some of the greatest small cars to grace our roads.

The EcoSport was not one of them, with poor ride and handling, a small boot and a retro-tastic spare wheel mounted on the tailgate. Somehow it remained on sale until 2022, being listed alongside the far more impressive Ford Puma.

Nonetheless, it managed to score 77 out of 100 in the Warrantywise study, balancing reasonable reliability against some higher repair costs.

Ford EcoSport

Problems with the Ford EcoSport are typically seen by Warrantywise after around 6.9 years. This is earlier than a lot of the SUVs on the list, but has to be balanced against the budget pricing of the EcoSport.

Turbochargers were the most common cause of EcoSport repair requests. Other issues include noisy brakes, transmission faults and problems with doors that fail to lock.

Repair costs for the EcoSport average more than £1,100, which is a concern when weighed against the low cost of purchase. One EcoSport required an engine replacement, resulting in a bill of almost £7,250.

4th. Kia Sportage

A consistent best-seller in the UK across the last decade, the Kia Sportage has emerged as a major challenger to the Nissan Qashqai. This family SUV offers practicality, value for money, and an interior packed with technology. Oh, and Kia’s class-leading seven-year standard warranty.

A score of 78 out of 100 puts the Sportage into fourth place on the Warrantywise list, confirming its reputation for dependability.

Despite Kia’s seven-year factory warranty, however, repairs were recorded as being needed from less than four years old.

Kia Sportage

In terms of the issues most likely to require attention, clutch problems present themselves as the chief worry with the Kia Sportage. Warrantywise notes that while many clutch issues can be relatively minor, these can lead to major expenses with the engine and transmission.

Average repair costs for the Kia Sportage are recorded at a substantial £1,199, making this one of the more expensive SUVs listed here.

This higher average repair cost works against the Sportage’s score, as does the priciest fix. Some £10,404 was needed to cover the cost of replacing an engine.

3rd. Dacia Duster

The Dacia Duster has established itself as a no-nonsense SUV option, with budget pricing and dependability core to its appeal. More than 100,000 have been sold in the UK since the first-generation car was launched in 2010.

A score of 79 out of 100 means the Duster takes the bronze medal position on the reliability podium, combining reliability and costs that are below average even when repairs are required.

From the Warrantywise data, problems with the Dacia Duster are seen on average in models that are 7.7 years old. This is inside the overall average age of all cars owned across the UK, which now stands at nine years.

Dacia Duster

When the Dacia Duster does go wrong, electrical gremlins are likely to be the most common cause. It proves that, while the Duster may be a more simple machine, issues seen in more complicated SUVs can still strike.

Fortunately, fixing the Duster should be as affordable as buying one in the first place. Average repair costs stand at just £685, less than half that of the SUV taking second place above the Dacia.

The most expensive repair recorded for a Dacia Duster is among the lower figures here, too. Replacing a turbocharger cost just over £4,325 for the budget-conscious family SUV.

2nd. Mitsubishi Outlander

Runner-up on the Warrantywise list is the Mitsubishi Outlander. First launched in 2001, three generations of the Japanese SUV were sold in the UK before Mitsubishi left the British market completely by the end of 2021.

This was despite the success of the Outlander which, especially in plug-in hybrid form, proved to be a popular SUV choice with British customers. The Outlander PHEV typically appealed to company car drivers, who liked its low running costs and attractive Benefit-in-Kind tax rates.

When it comes to reliability, the Mitsubishi Outlander scored a very respectable 81 out of 100, with an average age of eight years before repairs are required.

Mitsubishi Outlander

Suspension problems are the most common issue noted by Warrantywise for the Mitsubishi Outlander. Potentially, these are exacerbated by the added weight of plug-in hybrid models.

The typical cost of fixing is high: more than £1,500. Mitsubishi leaving the UK should not complicate this process, though, as a network of dealerships and service centres remain.

The Mitsubishi Outlander may take second place overall, but it does top the list for the single most expensive repair. A slightly terrifying £14,300 was required to deal with an engine failure.

1st. Honda CR-V

Taking the top spot on the Warrantywise 2024 SUV Reliability Index is the Honda CR-V. It recorded a score of 85 out of 100, based upon data from 2021 to 2024.

Crunching the numbers saw the CR-V come out on top, thanks to its high level of dependability and reasonable costs when repairs are needed.

The original CR-V was one of the very first modern SUVs, originally launched in 1995. Now into its sixth generation, continuous refinement and development have contributed to the Honda’s strong reliability.

Honda CR-V

Repair requests for the Honda CR-V typically arise on models that are 7.6 years old, and with around 76,000 miles on the odometer. This is broadly comparable to other SUVs listed here, but an average repair cost of only £614 makes the CR-V more affordable to fix.

Electrical issues, with the alternator highlighted as a particular problem, are likely to be the most common repairs needed for a Honda CR-V.

At the top end of repair costs, Warrantywise recorded a catalytic converter replacement, requiring an outlay of £2,519. Although considerable, it is still well below the costs for many other SUVs here, making it clear to see why the Honda scores so well.