Crossovers and SUVs are the most sought-after vehicles in the US today. In fact, in 2022, unibody crossovers and body-on-frame SUVs collectively accounted for roughly 53% of all passenger car sales in America.
Many American buyers choose SUVs because of the comfort, utility, versatility, and road safety that these vehicles bring to the table. For instance, a crossover SUV can provide a similar maneuverability and even more passenger comfort compared to the average passenger sedan or station wagon. Moreover, the same SUV can also offer ground clearance, off-road capability, payload capacity, and tow rating that would come close to those of a compact or sometimes even a midsize pickup truck. Finally, many people have come to appreciate the statistically-proven fact that SUV occupants are generally safer than those riding in sedans during frontal crashes.
Although many car buyers have already added crossovers and SUVs into their garages, there's still no shortage of fun-loving and spirited drivers out there. Some of these adventurous customers find joy in taking their rugged off-road SUVs to the most challenging trails. However, some of them still crave the high-speed excitement that they received from the tuners, muscle cars, or sports cars that they used to drive - or ogle - during their younger years. For this niche but influential market segment, many automakers started developing modern performance SUVs, beginning with the pioneer GMC Typhoon of the early 1990s.
Today's performance SUVs are faster and more agile than ever before. However, to withstand all the lateral forces, redlining, and other sorts of punishment that their drivers will subject them to, performance SUVs need to be more durable – and more reliable – than the average family SUV. After all, performance SUVs are expensive, and their owners expect to get the commensurate value of the pretty penny that they dropped in the showroom. If you're in the market for a performance SUV yourself, then this may be the perfect read for you.
Based on cross-referenced reliability and vehicle pricing data from several manufacturer websites, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, and Consumer Reports, here are 10 of the most reliable performance SUVs from the past 5 years.
10 2023 Ford Edge ST - 76/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The Ford Edge ST is a new performance trim of the Blue Oval group's 2-row midsize crossover nameplate. Armed with a powerful 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost engine (335 hp, 380 lb-ft of torque), a sport suspension system, all-wheel-drive (AWD) configuration, and available performance brakes, this spirited Edge variant can launch from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.
JD Power gave the entire 2023 Ford Edge range an average quality and durability rating of 76/100, and CR chimed in with a predicted reliability score of 4/5. The 2023 Ford Edge ST currently starts at $46,485.
9 2023 Kia EV6 GT e-AWD - 77/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
New for 2023, the Kia EV6 GT e-AWD is the most powerful trim in the Korean automaker's fully-electric compact crossover lineup. Propped up by a sport-tuned suspension system and powered by a 77.4-kWh battery that delivers power to all four wheels via a dual-motor e-AWD system, the 576-hp Kia EV6 can maximize all of its 545 lb-ft of near-instantaneous torque to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds.
The whole 2023 Kia EV6 lineup received an average 77/100 quality and reliability rating from JD Power, as well as a 5/5 predicted reliability score from Consumer reports. Without any optional features, the Kia EV6 GT stickers for $61,600.
8 2023 Acura MDX Type S - 78/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The Acura MDX Type S is the performance trim of the luxury brand's midsize crossover stable, and it uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine that puts out 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. Combined with the Honda luxury division's Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system, Brembo brakes, and an adaptive air suspension system, the MDX Type S powertrain can propel the midsize SUV to 60 mph from a standstill position in only 5.6 seconds.
JD Power gave the 2023 Acura MDX lineup an average quality and reliability rating of 78/100, and CR concurred with a 4/5 predicted reliability score. Currently, the Acura MDX Type S has a starting price of $67,850.
7 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC - 79/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC is a performance-oriented luxury midsize SUV line with two powerful trims. The GLC 43, equipped with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 (362 hp, 384 lb-ft), is capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The more potent 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 (469 hp, 479 lb-ft) in the GLC 63, in turn, is capable of launching the midsize SUV from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, which is faster than a 2023 Ford Mustang GT.
JD Power gave the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC lineup a 79/100 quality and durability rating, but CR was more generous with a perfect 5/5 reliability verdict. According to KBB, a used 2019 AMG GLC 43 currently has a fair market price of $41,814, while the 2019 AMG GLC should still fetch roughly $54,000 in the used car market.
6 2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLA 45 - 80/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The Mercedes-Benz AMG GLA 45 is a performance luxury sub-compact crossover that uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine that puts out a mind-boggling 382 hp and 354 lb-ft of twist. With this small but screaming forced-induction power plant under its hood and an improved 4Matic AWD system with torque distribution managing power to its wheels, the 2023 AMG GLA 45 can dash from 0 to 60 mph in just 4 seconds.
JD Power awarded the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA lineup with an 80/100 quality and reliability rating, just 1 point short of the "great" category (81-90 out of 100). KBB consumer reviews were excellent, as they tallied to a perfect 5/5 rating. Currently, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLA 45 has a brand-new base price of $56,650.
5 2022 Acura RDX - 81/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The Acura RDX is a compact luxury crossover SUV that combines a 2.0-liter turbo engine (272 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque), a 10-speed automatic transmission, and a 4th-generation SH-AWD system to propel itself from a standstill to 60 mph in around 6.4 seconds. It's not the fastest compact crossover out there, but for a four-banger, it's definitely no slouch.
JD Power gave the 2022 Acura RDX an 81/100 quality and reliability rating, and CR was more generous with a perfect 5/5 reliability verdict. Acura still sells the 2022 model year concurrently with the 2023 RDX, but the older model starts at a lower base price of $40,600.
4 2022 BMW X3 M40i - 85/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The BMW X3 M40i is one of the performance trims of the X3 luxury compact crossover SUV range. The M40i is more powerful than both the sDrive and xDrive trims, but it's not a full-fledged "M" variant. Regardless of bloodline purity, the 2022 BMW X3 M40i uses a 3.0-liter I-6 turbo engine supplemented by a 48-volt mild hybrid technology (382 hp, 365 lb-ft), sport-tuned adaptive suspension, and a torque vectoring system to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.
The 2022 BMW X3 range received a "great" 85/100 quality and reliability rating from JD Power and a 4/5 reliability verdict from CR. Currently, KBB prices a used 2022 BMW X3M40i between $53,000 and $59,000.
3 2023 Lexus RX 500h F-Sport Performance - 85/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The 2023 Lexus RX 500h F-Sport Performance is the hybrid-powered performance trim of the best-selling luxury vehicle in the US for the past decade. Using a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine and two hybrid electric motors (combined output of 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of twist), this performance RX trim can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds. Aside from being a capable sprinter, this Lexus midsize crossover also returns an amazing 27-MPG fuel economy rating.
J.D. Power gave the entire 2023 Lexus RX lineup a great quality and reliability score of 85/100, and CR supports this with a 4/5 predicted reliability score. Furthermore, the Lexus RX hybrid models only have a 20.47% chance of needing a major repair within the first decade of operation – much better than the 39.56% average for luxury SUVs.
2 2018 Porsche Macan - 87/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
The 2018 Porsche Macan is a luxury compact crossover SUV that has 5 trim levels, including the base Macan (252 hp), Macan S (340hp), Macan GTS (360 hp), Macan Turbo (400 hp), and the Macan Turbo with Performance Package (440 hp, 406 lb-ft of torque). The mid-spec Macan GTS can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 to 4.6 seconds, and the range-topping Macan Turbo with Performance Package can clock in almost a full second faster.
JD Power gave the whole 2018 Porsche Macan range a great 87/100 quality and reliability score, while CR lauded the compact crossover with a perfect 5/5 reliability verdict for the year. A used 2018 Porsche Macan can fetch anywhere from $32,025 to $58,625, depending on the trim and options added.
1 2020 BMW X6 M50i - 90/100 Quality And Reliability Rating
Topping this list is the BMW X6 M50i – a midsize-performance SUV that sits above the sDrive and XDrive trims and just below the X6 M variant. With a 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 (523 hp, 553 lb-ft of torque), a Double VANOS variable camshaft timing system, and a BMW M Sport exhaust, the 2020 BMW X6 M50i blazes through the 0-60 mph sprint in just 3.8 seconds.
JD Power gave the 2020 BMW X6 lineup a quality and reliability rating of 90/100 - just 1 point short of the "best" category. Nevertheless, KBB consumer reviews didn't shortchange the X6, as they gave the German mid-size crossover a perfect 5/5 rating. Today, a used 2020 BMW X6 M50i still has a fair market price range of roughly $67,700 up to $72,700.