If you have a reliable SUV, what is it?

[SoftLass]

My last two cars have both been quite unreliable and I just want one that works! I know there's always a chance of a duff one, but I'd be interested. To know if you have a fairly large SUV where everything just works.
my current car for example, CarPlay is very on/off, the automatic headlights sometimes work, soemtimes don't and if they don't, there's nothing you can do to get them to work, they just randomly start again when they feel like it.
Nothing major, just irritating.
budget would probably be up to £40k for nearly-new.

I love my skoda kamiq... monte Carlo.
Its lovely , spacious, comfortable good tech and definitely in your budget. Mine was half of that 2 years old and it the best car ive ever had. Automatic and everything works very intuitively. Its a dream.

Volvo XC90 - but has to be Diesel or Petrol not hybrid. You can get a decent one that's a year or two old for about £40K depending on your location. I can fit four Golden Retrievers + two DC in the car.

I absolutely cannot fault the two I've had. They get daily use and I do c. 15K+ miles a year in my car. No major issues at all except one small problem with the automatic tail-gate - but that was wear and tear (the struts had to be replaced) and to be expected. No electrical issues. No window slips. Automatic headlights always work. Defrosts and de-mists super fast. Just a great car.

Hybrid cars are an absolute nightmare and there have been some issues with Volvo (and other) mild hybrids where they suddenly stop working properly (gearbox issues, I think) and it costs £££ to replace. So even if you had the money, I would stay well clear of them.

I have a Mercedes GLC and absolutely love it also is 4wd. It is automatic but no idea how much for nearly new as I bought it when it was 4 years old.

Yeah, I'm not very tempted by a hybrid, they seem to end up with the worst of both worlds. I'd go for an electric if any suitable or petrol, I don't do enough miles to make a diesel worthwhile.
my DH looked at an XC90 years ago, but I seem to remember they had seats with a fixed headrest, is that still the case @LandSharksAnonymous ? He's very tall and found them very uncomfortable, but it may well not be an issue now. It was probably 15 years ago or so.

Suzuki are very reliable. I've had a couple recently and they were 👍

A couple of mechanics i know well and are 100% trustworthy swear that any and all Japanese cars are v reliable.

@SoftLassYou could get a BMW iX3 - used but not old. They are electric but don’t have a huge range. Definitely reliable! We bought one at 6 months old last year and the discount was huge. Ex demonstrator. Have a look around and see what you can get. Before that we had a Mini 4x4 countryman and that was a great car - but smaller. Kia Sportage are said to be reliable.

Volvo xc90

fucking indestructible

We've got a nearly new Jaguar IPace. It's 400 BHP, 4WD and tons of room with a range of about 250 miles on a charge. Looks very nice too, and so, so smooth and comfortable.

We love it. Cost us 23k at 2.5 years old. Absolute bargain.

Audi Q5

(wait for the people to tell you that you’re the devil incarnate for wanting an SUV. That no one needs one, they’re bad for the environment and too big for the road. Oh and also people can’t drive them anyway)

If reliability is a priority surely it’s got to be Japanese.

Personally I’d slum it and go late Honda crv petrol (1.5 turbo) or possibly hrv sport. Nice ish engine and it’ll probably last and be repairable.

my xc90 admittedly very old has adjustable headrests for from two seats and fixed for back seats.

My VW T-roc was amazing. Now got an Audi Q2 and wouldn’t recommend

Another one for GLC here. It’s now 8 years old and still flawless.

BMW X3

On my third. I sold the last one with almost 200,000k on the clock at 11 years old. Still ran perfectly at the end.

Porsche macan. Had ours 5 years and it’s been bloody brilliant and it’s lovely to travel in - we’ve driven around Europe in it. Porsches just keep going!

Volvo XC60. Bloody cracking car. I wanted an XC90 really but this one came up locally, a bargain from someone we knew, so it just made sense, but I couldn’t be happier with it.

You said you'd consider electric- I have an ID4 and it's a fantastic car. Drives like a dream, and massive in the back seats and huge boot. I get about 330 miles in the summer, 280-300 in winter.

How big an SUV do you need?
I have an electric MGZS with the big battery and it can do 250 miles on a full battery, there is a good sized boot and it has 3 proper seatbelts in the back (only 2 full sized carseats would fit in there though). so far it's been pretty reliable for the 2 years we've had it (got it at a year old)

I have a Skoda Karoq sport line - bloody love it. It’s a petrol auto but comfortable to drive my 200 mile regular monthly trip as much as a run around.

It’s pretty much the same as a VW Tiguan or Seat Ateca - but a lot cheaper, hence I was able to get the top of the range version.

I'm on my second Honda CRV and will likely get another. Really reliable not expensive to maintain and just keeps going.

@Lonelycrab We’ve never bought a Japanese car but have always had reliable SUVs. From Range Rovers, Discoveries, X5s, Macans and now an electric iX3. We still have a 2011 Disco. It’s never let us down. Also a Porsche Macan - petrol.

@SoftLassDid you want an EV? How much do you value prestige interiors and cars? DH has a Porsche Macan S and that’s a wonderful car but the Electric Macan is probably not available second hand for £40,000.

I'm not interested in prestige interiors or cars really, just want something reliable.
I'm not particularly interested in cars full stop other than getting from a to b. We have 5 adult-sized people in the family so do need a big car and live rurally with local roads full of potholes, big ditches in the passing places, roads just in general poor condition. I don't have a 4x4 now so it's not essential but a sturdy SUV is a must.
I'll look into all of these options - thank you!

If you want reliability - look no further than Lexus, Honda or Toyota.

Look anywhere else, and you'd be crazy.

Theres a reason why those three slam all other brands to the bottom of reliability charts.

I love my cx5
Just bought a second one.
About 30k. 0%apr. Has all the shiny buttons and tech. Super comfy and a good size in the back.

Ex Dealer here.

Although you’ll have someone who says they’ve had a Land Rover/Range Rover that’s never gone wrong, they’re in the minority. Lovely cars (and I’ve had many), but in general, will go wrong and will be expensive to fix. MB/BMW/Porsche/Audi/VW are a good shout reliability-wise but you won’t get as new a car for your money as other brands and can be expensive to upkeep. With 5 adults you’ll need good cabin space so I’d start there in your search. Reliability wise, have a look at the Korean brands - Kia/Hyundai you’ll likely have a good chunk of the balance of a 7 year warranty with that budget. Don’t rule out the new Chinese brands either - Jaecoo/BYD/Omoda/Chery they’re worth having a look at with £40k to spend.

If you are anywhere near a ULEZ zone or need to go through one regularly and considering a used diesel, check it complies with the requirements before you buy.