Plenty of SUVs wear out around the engine long before the body gives up, but a handful of powertrains have built reputations for outlasting everything around them. The list draws on high-mileage owner reports and a large iSeeCars study of how many vehicles reach 250,000 miles. Here are ten SUVs whose engines or overall records show real staying power.
1. Ford Excursion: Diesel Royalty
Ford’s 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel earned a reputation as one of the most reliable diesel engines ever built, and the Excursion carried it through 2005. Reviewers cite it as a benchmark diesel for longevity for longevity among diesel SUV and truck engines.
Anyone shopping for a used Excursion should treat the engine’s standing as a starting point rather than a guarantee. Age, maintenance records and the condition of the rest of the truck still decide whether a given example keeps going, and the sheer size of the SUV adds running costs that the engine’s durability does not erase.
2. Honda CR-V: The K24 Workhorse
Honda’s 2.4-liter K-series four-cylinder powered the CR-V from 2002 until the K24 was dropped after 2020. According to SlashGear’s reliability roundup, it is commonly known to go well over 200,000 miles on nothing more than basic maintenance.
For a buyer, that makes regular oil changes and routine service the main requirements, not exotic repairs. The figure describes typical outcomes rather than a promise, so service history matters more than the badge. A CR-V from the K24 years offers an inexpensive route to a compact SUV with a proven four-cylinder.
3. Jeep Cherokee: Inline-Six Legend
Jeep’s 4.0-liter inline-six is a cornerstone of the Cherokee’s reputation. High-output versions made 190 horsepower, a respectable number for the era, and one Cherokee owner has reportedly reached 500,000 miles.
That mileage is a single owner’s report, not a fleet statistic, so it shows what the engine can do rather than what most will. Prospective buyers should treat it as an upper bound, and rely instead on a vehicle’s service records, rust condition and overall care when judging whether a particular Cherokee has the same kind of future ahead.
4. Toyota 4Runner: Third-Gen V6
The 3.4-liter V6 in the third-generation 4Runner, built from 1996 to 2002, made under 200 horsepower, yet it commonly goes beyond 300,000 miles, as SlashGear’s engine rundown reports.
The modest output is part of the appeal: an engine that is not pushed hard tends to last. Buyers of these trucks should still budget for age-related wear in everything around the powertrain, since a long-lived V6 can sit in a body and chassis that have given up long before the engine has.
5. Lexus GX: Land Cruiser Cousin
Lexus GX owners tend to keep their vehicles running. In iSeeCars’ analysis of 395 million vehicles, 23.3 percent of GX models reached 250,000 miles, against a 5.4 percent average across all models.
That is more than four times the all-model rate, which puts the GX among the longest-lasting SUVs in the study. The figure covers all model years included in the data, so it reflects the GX line broadly rather than any single engine or year, and individual results still depend on how the vehicle was maintained.
6. Mercedes-Benz G-Class: Stuttgart Staying Power
Mercedes-Benz’s boxy G-Class has a durability record that the data supports. iSeeCars found that 17.3 percent of G-Class SUVs passed 250,000 miles, more than three times the 5.4 percent all-model average.
The share is lower than the Lexus GX figure, which is a reminder that longevity and low running costs are different things. A G-Class that survives that long often does so with an owner willing to pay for specialist upkeep, so the mileage reflects commitment as much as hardware, and a shopper should expect ownership to demand real attention to maintenance.
7. Lexus RX Hybrid: Hybrid Champion
Hybrid SUVs are often assumed to be fragile, but the Lexus RX Hybrid contradicts that. In iSeeCars’ study, 28.9 percent of RX Hybrids reached 250,000 miles, the highest share of any hybrid SUV analyzed.
The result matters for used buyers weighing battery and complexity worries. A figure drawn from such a large data set suggests hybrid RX models have held up in real use, though it says nothing about any single car, so a pre-purchase inspection and service records remain the sensible way to judge an individual RX.
8. Toyota Land Cruiser: Million-Mile Claim
Owners of the Land Cruiser’s 100-series 2UZ-FE V8 have reported hitting up to 1,000,000 miles, and SlashGear’s Land Cruiser feature describes the engine as known for 300,000 miles on its original internals.
The million-mile reports are owner claims, not verified records, and the more modest 300,000-mile figure on original internals is the better guide to what most examples can do. Even so, the combination of a big, under-stressed V8 and Toyota’s build quality explains why the 100-series has such a loyal following.
9. Chevrolet Suburban: Small-Block Staple
General Motors’ LS small-block V8 family is credited with 300,000-plus miles in SUVs and trucks, and the LS1 version makes about 350 horsepower, according to SlashGear’s high-mileage engine list. The Suburban is among the vehicles that have used these V8s.
The LS design’s simple pushrod layout and enormous parts supply keep repairs inexpensive, which is part of why so many remain in service. Buyers should note that the mileage credit applies to the engine family broadly, so condition and maintenance of the specific Suburban still decide how long it lasts.
10. Toyota Highlander: Shared V6 Strength
The 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V6 that the Highlander shares with the Camry and RX 350 makes about 280 horsepower and can go somewhere around 400,000 miles, as a list of Toyota engines explains.
Sharing an engine across several popular models means plenty of used parts and mechanics who know it well, which tends to keep repair costs manageable. The 400,000-mile figure is a rough estimate, so it should be read as what a carefully maintained example might reach, not what every Highlander delivers. Transmission and suspension wear still arrive on their own schedule.
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