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John Goreham is a life-long car nut and recovering engineer. John’s focus areas are technology, safety, and green vehicles. In the 1990s, he was part of an academic team that built a solar-electric vehicle from scratch. His was the role of the battery thermal control designer. After earning his engineering degree, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University. For 20 years, he applied his engineering and sales talents in the worlds of semiconductor manufacturing, biopharmaceutical production, and automotive electronics supply chain. Always a writer, John has published numerous articles in technical journals such as Chemical Processing Magazine. In 2008 he retired from that career and dedicated himself to chasing his dream of being an auto writer. In addition to online publications such as Car Talk, John’s work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers, and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites.
Compact SUVs the size of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V have become a mainstay of the American automotive landscape. These types of vehicles make great family cars, are outstanding in challenging weather, do pretty well off-road in some cases, and make great commuter and multi-purpose vehicles.
One thing every owner places highly on their list of priorities is reliability. It plays a big role in determining our list of the best SUVs.
Here is our ranking of the most reliable compact SUVs from top to bottom. First, we will overview the top five models, tell you which scores lowest, and let the data chart do the talking for the also-rans.
Check out our overall picks for the most reliable SUVs here >>
- Most Reliable Subcompact SUVs
- Most Reliable Compact SUVs
- Most Reliable Midsize SUVs
- Most Reliable Full-Size SUVs
Table of Contents
- Who Provided the Data for This List?
- Most Reliable Compact SUV Comparison
- 1. Lexus NX
- Current Lexus NX Deals & Incentives
- 2. Mazda CX-5
- Current Mazda CX-5 Deals & Incentives
- 3. Buick Envision
- Current Buick Envision Deals & Incentives
- 4. Kia Sportage
- Current Kia Sportage Deals & Incentives
- 5. Porsche Macan
- Current Porsche Macan Deals & Incentives
- Worst Compact SUV for Reliability - Tesla Model Y
- Biggest Compact SUV Reliability Surprises
- What Is the Most Reliable Compact SUV?
- Most Reliable SUVs
- Frequently Asked Questions
Read about how we rank our vehicles >>
Who Provided the Data for This List?
First, we look to Consumer Reports. For this listing of newer vehicles, we average Consumer Reports’ current model year reliability prediction score with the actual score for the two prior model years. If a 2022 model has been revealed, we also include the predicted reliability score for that new year.
Next, we look to the J.D. Power & Associates brand rankings in its Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). This study uses owner-reported data to score how well three-year-old vehicles are holding up.
Last, we look to CarComplaints to ensure no widespread reports of big problems with a given model.
Most Reliable Compact SUV Comparison
| Model | Consumer Reports Score (Higher Is Better) | J.D. Power VDS Score (Lower Is Better. Industry Average is 121) |
| Lexus NX | 4.5 | 81 |
| Buick Envision | 4.3 | 100 |
| Mazda CX-5 | 5 | 121 |
| Kia Sportage | 4 | 97 |
| Porsche Macan | 3.3 | 86 |
| Honda CR-V | 4.7 | 145 |
| Subaru Forester | 4.3 | 125 |
| Hyundai Tucson | 3.8 | 101 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 2.7 | 98 |
| Acura RDX | 2 | 108 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 3 | 115 |
| Volvo XC40 | 3.7 | 143 |
| Nissan Rogue | 2.3 | 128 |
| VW Tiguan | 2.7 | 163 |
| Ford Escape | 1.3 | 130 |
| Jeep Cherokee | 1.3 | 141 |
| Tesla Model Y (Worst Overall) | 1 | 176 |
1. Lexus NX
Lexus is number one on the J.D. Power VDS study rankings, and only Porsche comes close.
The NX has the second-highest Consumer Reports rankings, and that includes a cautious score of 4 by that organization for the upcoming 2022 model year, which is a redesign year for the model.
Current Lexus NX Deals & Incentives
| 2021 | Lexus | NX 300 | ||||
| 2022 | Lexus | NX 300 | ||||
| 2022 | Lexus | NX 300h |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Lexus deals here.
2. Mazda CX-5
The CX-5 has the only perfect five score from Consumer Reports on this list, and its score of 121 on the J.D. Power VDS is above average.
The CX-5 almost never misses one of the “Best of” lists. Watch for the Mazda CX-5 to score highly on our upcoming ranking of the best-used SUVs. Its Consumer Reports scores are stellar in past model years.
Current Mazda CX-5 Deals & Incentives
| 2022 | Mazda | CX-5 | 2.49% | 11/30/22 | ||
| 2023 | Mazda | CX-5 | 2.90% | $319/month for 36 months, $2,999 due at signing | 11/30/22 |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Mazda deals here.
3. Buick Envision
When the Envision first made its debut in 2016, it earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus score.
If anyone had any doubts about the quality and safety of Chinese-made vehicles, let them forever be put to rest.
Current Buick Envision Deals & Incentives
| 2021 | Buick | Envision | ||||
| 2022 | Buick | Envision | 3.99% | $299/month for 36 months, $4,329 due at signing | 11/30/22 |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Buick deals here.
4. Kia Sportage
The brand has one of the highest J.D. Power VDS scores, and its Sportage earns a respectable 4 on the Consumer Reports score.
The Sportage is a hidden gem in this segment. If you like the unusual styling, check out the Sportage when you shop for your next vehicle.
Current Kia Sportage Deals & Incentives
You may qualify for deals and incentives, check out this month's Kia deals here.
5. Porsche Macan
Of course, Porsche cars are rarer than hens’ teeth. Despite testing exotic vehicles like Alfa Romeos, McLarens, and Maseratis, this writer isn’t sure he’s ever seen a Macan in person.
If you like exclusivity and reliability in equal measures, the Macan is for you.
Current Porsche Macan Deals & Incentives
| 2022 | Porsche | Macan | $799/month for 36 months, $7,339 due at signing | 11/30/22 |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Porsche deals here.
Worst Compact SUV for Reliability - Tesla Model Y
Tesla vehicles have double the problems that top-ranked brands on the VDS do. And keep in mind, it’s Tesla owners reporting these problems.
Consumer Reports has gone out of its way to warn consumers about the Model Y’s reliability record.
Biggest Compact SUV Reliability Surprises
Having let the data guide us on this ranking, it was a surprise to us that Toyota’s RAV4 and Honda's CR-V do not earn spots in the top five most reliable compact SUVs.
Toyota’s Consumer Reports score is not high enough, despite a very high brand rating by J.D. Power. Honda was moved low on the list because its J.D. Power score is not even average.
What Is the Most Reliable Compact SUV?
The compact SUV segment is packed with reliable choices. However, it is the Lexus NX that stands above the others. The 2021 model year NX is at the end of its generation, which always means the bugs have been worked out. Heading into 2022 the new NX will primarily use proven powertrains from other Toyota/Lexus family vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes the most reliable small SUV?
Our research compiling both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power scores indicate that the Lexus NX is the most reliable small SUV. Mazda’s CX-5 and Buick’s Envision round out the podium.
Which is the most reliable compact SUV for 2021?
Reliability ratings lag model years because data to support the rankings can only be gathered after the vehicle has had some time on the road. Our analysis of the data shows that the Mazda CX-5, Buick Envision, and Lexus NX look promising.
Which compact SUV has the lowest reliability ratings?
On both the Consumer Reports and J.D. Power rankings, the Tesla Model Y scores lowest among SUVs smaller than midsized.
How do you know if a vehicle is reliable?
There are some great resources out there to find out if your vehicle is reliable. Consumer Reports and J.D. Power are the major ones that compile reliability data. CarComplaints is another place to check for widespread reports of big problems for a given model.