I’m a Mechanic: 11 SUVs I Would Never Buy and Why They Aren’t Worth It

Despite costing much than sedans and hatchbacks, the SUV marketplace grows each year. Regardless of inflationary oregon economical uncertainty concerns, SUVs comfortably predominate the car scenery successful the U.S.

With ownership costs — archetypal costs, financing, depreciation, insurance, substance and assorted parking and ticketing fees — being truthful expensive, cars are the No. 1 wealth-killer for galore drivers, particularly those from lower-income households and individuals connected fixed incomes.

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According to Statista, the SUV marketplace successful the U.S. is projected to scope $333 cardinal this year, but with truthful galore models available, determination are immoderate worthy each penny and immoderate that should beryllium avoided astatine each costs.

Regarding SUVs you shouldn’t buy, GOBankingRates asked car adept Chris Pyle, who operates arsenic a full-time virtual mechanic astatine JustAnswer, and Mike Winter, long-time proprietor of MDP Diesel & Auto Repair successful Jackson, Michigan, and here’s what they had to accidental astir respective SUVs/groups of SUVs that aren’t worthy buying.

Popular SUVs Mechanics Say Aren’t Worth the Cost

• Land Rover Range Rover

• Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover’s luxury SUVs get a atrocious rep erstwhile it comes to worth for wealth and reliability. For the experienced Winter, the Range Rover exemplary has excessively galore concerns that marque it a atrocious prime for buyers, citing, “Terrible depreciation and resale value, precise precocious repair costs…electrical issues, coolant issues, turbo issues.”

Pyle picked connected a Land Rover too, but for him, it’s the Discovery that should beryllium avoided. “They are costly to support doing conscionable wide attraction and erstwhile they fail, the parts and labour are high,” helium said.

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• Toyota 4Runner

According to Pyle, the 4Runner’s problems stem from worth and a squandering of the vehicle’s intended usage. “It is simply a large conveyance wrong and extracurricular — a acquisition you volition not beryllium disappointed with,” helium said. “The atrocious portion though, it is designed to beryllium off-road and astir [people] bash not bash that. So, you are paying for features ne'er used. A antithetic and cheaper SUV to enactment connected the road is better.”

• Volkswagen Taos

Consumer Reports (CR) uses roadworthy trial scores and predicted reliability for its conveyance analyses, but besides relies connected lawsuit (subscriber) restitution and information scores. So, its articles should approached with caution. Still, it named the Taos the second-least reliable conveyance for 2024, and Winter agrees. Volkswagen’s five-seat compact SUV whitethorn necessitate predominant and costly repairs. The terms is close (expected 2025 MSRP should beryllium astir $26,000, per Kelley Blue Book), but is it worthy it?

• Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer

• Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator

CR listed Jeep’s Grand Cherokee and the Grand Cherokee L among its 10 least-reliable cars for 2024, and Jeep arsenic the worst automaker retired of 34 brands. Winter lists “electrical issues, transmission issues and lipid consumption” arsenic occupation spots for the Cherokee and believes the Wagoneer is simply “way overpriced, with unspeakable depreciation,” among galore issues.

Regarding the Wrangler and Gladiator, Pyle states, “They bash not person the top motor longevity. [And] aforesaid arsenic the 4Runner, they are designed to beryllium off-road. The occupation present is owners bash bushed them up off-road and past kick astir the thrust connected the interstate. They are large and sway, and the soft-top roof leaks successful the rain.”

• Hyundai Tucson

Despite its above-average RepairPal reliability ranking, successful Winter’s experience, the Tucson is simply a “ticking clip bomb” owed to “major engine/transmission issues and a precocious motor nonaccomplishment rate.” As CoPilot notes, Hyundai has improved its reliability estimation successful caller years, truthful if you’re keen connected a Tucson, debar older exemplary years (2011, 2012, 2015-2017).

• Ford Escape EcoBoost

• Ford EcoSport

There are noticeable differences successful size betwixt Ford’s Escape EcoBoost trim and its EcoSport, some wrong and retired (the EcoSport is smaller), but, according to Winter, large repairs and durability issues plague some SUVs. Regarding the Escape, “Reliability isn’t bully due to the fact that of coolant issues, c buildup and lipid consumption,” and the EcoSport is simply a “terrible drive, with large motor issues/failures and precocious repair costs.”

• Full-Size SUVs (Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade)

Pyle mentioned a radical of troublesome full-size SUVs to debar arsenic well; successful particular, the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade. “They are big, heavy, not aerodynamic and portion gas,” Pyle said. “They are meant to determination the household and tow the camper. Too galore [that] ain these vehicles seldom person much than 4 occupants, and ne'er tow anything. You are paying a batch to get a lot, but it’s not what you truly need.”

• High-End Luxury SUVs (Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes G550/GLS/EQS, Audi RS Q8, Lexus LX, BMW X7)

Pyle took the clip to code respective luxury SUVs arsenic well. The Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes G550/GLS/EQS, Audi RS Q8, Lexus LX and BMW X7 “are conscionable excessively expensive,” Pyle stated. “There are lower-priced SUVs conscionable arsenic bully with akin features with a outgo tens of thousands less. Plus you bash not person the hassle of uncovering a store that volition really interaction it erstwhile it breaks. Purchasing a conveyance implicit $100K is dumb and for most, that is mode excessively precocious still.”

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This nonfiction primitively appeared connected GOBankingRates.com: I’m a Mechanic: 11 SUVs I Would Never Buy and Why They Aren’t Worth It