When you walk into one of our dealerships to buy a new car, your criteria can vary: fuel economy, safety, power, comfort, tech features and so on.
Of course, reliability is on most lists, but when people buy a new vehicle, it's rarely the criterion at the very top. Cars have become so reliable coming off the assembly line that the number of “lemons” we've seen at our 23 dealerships over the past 5 years wouldn't even be enough to make lemonade.
Used vehicles, however, are a whole different story. It's after three, four or five years that some vehicles' flaws start to show, which is why reliability is almost always the number one criterion for used car buyers. So here's our ranking of the most reliable used 2019 SUVs, based on our experience.
Most reliable used 2019 SUVs
1. Toyota RAV4
In 2019, the Toyota RAV4 scored 90% in the reliability survey of the prestigious independent organization Consumer Reports, the highest among compact SUVs. You have to go back to 2014 to find a weakness in the RAV4, and it was its infotainment screen. While its interior is fairly understated, mechanically this SUV is flawless.
2. Mitsubishi Outlander
Apart from a minor suspension issue in 2017, you have to look very hard to find a Mitsubishi Outlander that has had a mechanical failure. This SUV is so reliable that it comes with a 10-year/160,000 km warranty, the best in the country. On top of that, 2019 models came with a V6 offering 5,000 lb of towing capacity, a rare thing among new SUVs.
#3 Mazda CX-5
In 2021, Consumer Reports named Mazda the #1 brand for reliability, and its most popular vehicle, the CX-5, is largely responsible for that success. The good news here is that it had the same mechanicals in 2019. So if you're looking for a used 2019 SUV with a higher level of luxury than the RAV4 and the Outlander, the Mazda CX-5 is the most logical choice. And for those who still have bad memories of the rust stories associated with Mazda, note that Mazda solved its galvanizing problem long ago and is so confident in its new process that the CX-5 comes with a seven-year anti-corrosion warranty!
#4 Kia Sorento
The 3rd generation Kia Sorento (2014-2020) has a solid reputation for reliability. Among the elite of the most reliable 2019 SUVs with a score of 77% from Consumer Reports, the 2019 Sorento was also available with a V6 offering 5,000 lb of towing capacity. It's also one of the safest SUVs on the market thanks to its Top Safety Pick+ rating, the highest distinction awarded by the IIHS, the American organization that conducts the well-known crash tests.
#5 Audi Q5
Audi and reliability aren't two words you'd naturally put together, except for the 2019 Q5. Apart from minor infotainment system issues, its mechanicals are by far the most reliable in the compact luxury SUV segment. For example, Consumer Reports gave it a score of 72% in 2019, compared to 33% for its BMW rival!
