Steer Clear: 13 SUVs To Avoid if You Care About Reliability
Love them or hate them, SUVs are clearly one of the most popular forms of automobile currently on sale. There is almost no escaping how many are currently on the market, although some of them are incredibly useful and practical.
Despite the success of some SUVs, there is good reason to avoid a large number of those currently on the market. Because there are some truly terrible models for sale, both used and new, that offer almost no reliability.
This list contains some of the worst SUVs currently for sale that you should avoid at all costs because of poor performance, high price, and, most importantly, their unreliability.
2014 Nissan Rogue

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The J.D. Power reliability rankings are a good barometer for gauging how reliable or unreliable a car is. According to their studies, one of the worst is the 2014 Nissan Rogue, the first model of the second-generation Rogue.
The 2014 Rogue scored just 77/100 on J.D. Power, while it also scored poorly on sites such as Car Complaints and RepairPal. On the former, some of the most common issues reported were related to the air-conditioning and heater, with transmission and engine problems also a big worry.
Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer entered its sixth generation in 2022, as it cemented itself as one of the most successful SUVs currently on sale in North America. Despite the success of the SUV, it has not always been smooth sailing, particularly in the last few years.
On Consumer Reports, the 2020 and 2021 Explorer models scored just one out of five for reliability, only slightly rising to two in 2022. Common issues reported include problems with the electronics, integrity of the body, and some minor transmission issues.
Jaguar F-Pace

While plenty of owners love the Jaguar F-Pace, unfortunately, the striking SUV hasn’t always had things its own way. British publication “What Car?” states that many F-Pace owners have experienced problems with the air conditioning, bodywork, electronics, and even the engine and exhaust.
The website reported that 33 percent of F-Pace owners had problems with their cars. Quality control is a well-known issue with the F-Pace, but it’s worrying that it seems to have morphed into some broader and more significant problems for the SUV.
2013-2018 BMW X5

While the BMW X5 is generally one of the most reliable SUVs on the market, some model years don’t uphold its reputation. In particular, those from 2013-2018 appear to let the side down.
Owners have reported spending up to $1,500 in repair bills for their X5, and BMW dealerships also took a long time to fix their cars’ problems. Suspension and braking issues were two of the most severe and alarming issues with the otherwise popular and reliable SUV.
Subaru Ascent

Subaru has forged a legendary reputation when it comes to off-roaders and rallying. However, only some things the Japanese manufacturer has produced have covered itself in glory, and the Ascent is one of those rare occasions where things have been wrong.
While it has a simple and clean design, it’s also arguable that the Ascent is quite dull compared to other rival SUVs; the more significant issue, though, is its terrible fuel economy, with the Ascent only able to achieve 21 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway.
Chevrolet Trax

Chevrolet released the Trax in 2013, and it’s one of the smallest SUVs currently on sale amidst a sea of giants. On paper, the Trax has some good points, with it being affordable at $21,000 and having solid performance thanks to its 177 horsepower engine.
Sadly, the Trax’s downsides outweigh its upsides. The SUV’s 1.4-liter engine can’t keep up with many of its rivals, and thanks to its compact design, it’s also not the roomiest of SUVs inside. Perhaps the more significant issue, though, is that the Trax lacks some of the critical safety features, such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist, that other compact SUVs have.
Mazda MX-30

On paper, there is a lot to like about the Mazda MX-30. The Japanese manufacturer’s compact, fully electric SUV has a far more luxurious interior than many of its more expensive rivals.
Sadly, though, that is where the good ends for the MX-30. Mazda only offered the MX-30 in California, and sales have not been high enough to warrant expanding its availability. Mazda sold just 323 MX-30s in 2022, which dropped to 100 in 2023. Plus, with only 100 miles of range, the MX-30 doesn’t have the range you’d expect from an SUV. Mazda decided to discontinue the MX-30 after its terrible 2023 sales.
Pontiac Aztek

Few people have a good word to say about the Pontiac Aztek. The American company introduced the model in 1999 with what it called “Xtreme” futuristic styling. However, this would become its downfall, as the Aztek was unable to drum up the success required.
In 2008, U.K. newspaper The Daily Telegraph ranked the Aztek number one on a list of the 100 ugliest cars ever. Pontiac had hoped the SUV would bring in a younger audience, but just ten years later, Pontiac ceased to exist.
Suzuki X-90

Not only was the small Suzuki X-90 an unreliable SUV, but it was also one of the most dangerous ever made. The Japanese SUV was aimed at attracting younger people to the brand’s cars and creating a quirky, sporty SUV without large proportions.
However, it wasn’t sporty at all, due to the 1.6-liter 16-valve engine producing just 95 horsepower. The biggest issue was the X-90’s tendency to roll over in sharp cornering situations. Thanks to this, the X-90 was never a success, and in 2013, Top Gear Magazine placed the X-90 on its list of the 13 Worst Cars of the Last Twenty Years.
Fiat 500X

If you want unreliability in a nutshell, then you only have to look at the frankly terrible Fiat 500X. This abomination of an SUV bears the same name as the original 1950s supermini and its revived modern incarnation, yet it looks nothing like the car whose name it bears.
But what the 500X does carry over from the original is its terrible reliability record. Sales have also dropped massively over the years, from a peak of 104,931 in Europe in 2016 to just 31,519 in 2023. Quality control with the 500X is poor, and it’s one of the most feeble attempts at an SUV in recent years.
Jeep Renegade

Jeep has forged a fantastic reputation for producing brilliant off-roading vehicles. The Renegade is no exception, as it is easily one of Jeep’s best off-roaders and one of its strongest SUV offerings. Paradoxically, however, the Renegade is also one of Jeep’s worst products.
The Jeep Problems website catalogs a plethora of issues with the SUV. Notably over 550 complaints about the Renegade over its seven model years. The 2.4-liter Tigershark engine, for example, is prone to burning an excessive amount of oil. The transmission is also prone to weird shifting issues, and a wiring harness defect can cause sudden shutdowns and send the Renegade into neutral.
Lamborghini Cheetah
However, things took a turn for the worse. The Cheetah was, in fact, a copy of the FMC XR311, and FMC sued Lamborghini and its partner MTI over the copying. Worse, however, was the severe handling issues that the rear-mounted V8 gave the SUV. Following these issues, the U.S. military commissioned AM General and General Motors to produce the Humvee instead.
Dodge Journey

Dodge would produce the Journey SUV from 2008 to 2020, yet throughout its 12-year production run, it couldn’t escape from some of its most significant issues. Early versions, in particular, would suffer from some pretty terrible reliability problems.
According to CoPilot, the 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 versions of the Journey are the worst offenders and ones we should all avoid. Braking issues, engine issues, and interior water leaks are some of the SUV’s biggest problems. But these Journeys are also known to suffer from malfunctioning remote keyless entry and interior accessory troubles.