Large SUVs promise space and capability, but maintenance data and mechanic commentary suggest some of them come with steep ownership costs. This list draws on CarEdge’s 10-year maintenance estimates, a federal recall record and a mechanic’s warnings reported by a finance site. Here are ten SUVs with the steepest repair and upkeep bills, ranging from three-row haulers to a luxury sport model.
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1. Jeep Grand Wagoneer: Nine Recalls
NHTSA lists nine Chrysler recalls for the 2022 Grand Wagoneer, including software that may disable the driver, passenger and knee air bags. The NHTSA recall listing covers the Grand Wagoneer along with the Wagoneer and the 2021 Grand Cherokee L for that airbag issue.
Recalls are free repairs, but the count shows how often an owner may need to visit a dealer. Buyers of a 2022 model can check the VIN to see which of the nine notices apply and whether the work is complete.
2. Dodge Durango: Durango Estimate
CarEdge puts 10-year maintenance on the Dodge Durango at $11,445, ranking it 162nd in its CarEdge ten-year ranking. It is the largest of the three CarEdge-ranked figures in this gallery.
The estimate is an average, and costs depend on mileage, climate and how carefully the vehicle is serviced. Shoppers can treat it as a planning number for a long-term budget rather than a guaranteed bill. Owners who plan to keep a Durango past the warranty period may want to set aside money accordingly.
3. Chevrolet Suburban: Suburban Upkeep
CarEdge puts 10-year maintenance on the Chevrolet Suburban at $10,061, listed at 145th in the CarEdge maintenance table. The figure covers the large Chevrolet SUV over a decade of ownership.
A Suburban’s size means tires, brakes and fluids cost more to replace, though the source does not itemize the estimate. Families planning to keep one for a decade can use it to compare against smaller crossovers. The listing is sorted worst first and spans many more vehicles than this gallery covers, so the Suburban is one entry among many.
4. Ford Bronco: Bronco Costs
CarEdge puts 10-year maintenance on the Ford Bronco at $9,976, ranked 144th on the CarEdge worst-first list.
The figure is the lowest of the three CarEdge-ranked SUVs here, yet it still sits well into the expensive half of the ranking. Shoppers can read it as a rough budget guide rather than a promise of what any one Bronco will cost. CarEdge ranks vehicles by this ten-year total, and the Bronco sits only a few places from the Suburban. A year-by-year breakdown is not given in the listing, so the total is the only number available.
5. Jeep Grand Cherokee: Grand Cherokee Gap
FinanceBuzz, citing CarEdge, lists the Jeep Grand Cherokee at $11,142 over 10 years, $2,976 more than the average SUV. The comparison comes from a FinanceBuzz SUV article that measures each model against the class average.
The nearly $3,000 premium puts the Grand Cherokee well above typical SUVs on this measure. The source does not say what drives the difference, so buyers would need to look at service histories to understand it. Compared with the Durango’s figure, the Grand Cherokee’s estimate is slightly lower in total but is framed here against the class average.
6. Jeep Compass: Compass Premium
FinanceBuzz, citing CarEdge, lists the Jeep Compass at $10,822 over 10 years, $2,656 more than the average SUV. The FinanceBuzz maintenance ranking places the compact crossover close behind its larger Jeep sibling.
The Compass is a small SUV, which makes a premium over the class average more surprising than for a big three-row model. Shoppers attracted by its lower price may want to weigh the upkeep estimate alongside the sticker. It is also lower than the Grand Cherokee by roughly $320, so the smaller vehicle does not cost much less to maintain.
7. Ford Explorer: Explorer Overage
FinanceBuzz, citing CarEdge, lists the Ford Explorer at $9,730 over 10 years, $1,564 more than the average SUV. The entry appears in the same FinanceBuzz upkeep list as the Edge and the two Jeeps.
At roughly $1,500 above average, the Explorer’s premium is modest compared with the Grand Cherokee’s. Buyers of the three-row model can see the extra cost as a moderate trade-off rather than a major red flag. Ford’s two SUVs here both land under $10,000 over ten years, which keeps them at the gentler end of this gallery.
8. Ford Edge: Edge Estimate
FinanceBuzz, citing CarEdge, lists the Ford Edge at $9,590 over 10 years, $1,424 more than the average SUV. The figure is the smallest premium among the FinanceBuzz entries on this list, as shown in its FinanceBuzz repair-cost article.
The Edge shares a brand with the Explorer and lands close to it. The source gives only the dollar totals, so owners cannot tell which components account for the extra spending. Both Ford SUVs on this list land under the $10,000 mark, though the Edge comes in a hair below the Explorer.
9. Land Rover Range Rover Sport: Mechanic’s Warning
MoneyLion quotes a mechanic citing regular suspension breakdowns, electrical malfunctions and cooling system failures in the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The MoneyLion mechanic article also reports that CarEdge gives it a $141,424 five-year ownership cost.
That five-year ownership figure is a different measure from the 10-year maintenance estimates used for most entries here, so it should not be compared with them directly. The mechanic’s comments are one person’s view, but the list of failure areas is specific. Owners of used examples might ask a specialist shop about the suspension, electrical and cooling systems before purchase.
10. Cadillac Lyriq: Reliability Score
MoneyLion says U.S. News listed the Cadillac Lyriq among the least reliable cars of 2026, citing a J.D. Power reliability score of 66/100. The claim appears in the same MoneyLion SUV warning piece, which gathers mechanic advice on money-pit vehicles.
Unlike most entries here, the Lyriq’s case rests on a reliability score rather than a repair-cost estimate. Buyers may want to check the score with the original rating publishers, since MoneyLion is relaying it. The original U.S. News and J.D. Power ratings remain the primary references for anyone who wants to check the score itself.
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