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12 used SUVs with the strongest reliability, resale and safety scores, led by a Honda at 8.5 out of 10

Used SUVs can be hard to compare, since reliability, resale value and safety rarely point to the same vehicle. This gallery draws on iSeeCars scores out of 10 across the small, midsize and large classes for 2026. Together, the twelve models below show which nameplates posted the strongest blended results.

1. Honda CR-V: Class Leader

Honda CR-V — Image Credit: Kevauto - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Kevauto – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Honda CR-V lands at the top of this list with an 8.5 out of 10, the best used small SUV for 2026 on iSeeCars’ blended index. That index folds together reliability, resale value and safety into a single number, so a high score reflects balance across all three rather than strength in just one.

A score of 8.5 gives shoppers a clear starting point when comparing used compact crossovers. Because the number is a blend, anyone with a particular priority, such as safety history over resale, should still check the individual vehicle and its service records before buying.

2. Subaru Outback: Budget Wagon Pick

Subaru Outback — Image Credit: Kevauto - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Kevauto – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

Scoring 8.3 out of 10, the Subaru Outback ranks first among used small SUVs under $15,000, according to iSeeCars small-SUV rankings for 2026. A figure like that matters because a low price ceiling usually narrows the choices sharply, and this model still manages to post a score near the top of the whole small-SUV field.

Buyers working with a tight budget can treat the Outback as a benchmark for what a sub-$15,000 purchase should deliver. Condition and mileage still vary widely at that price point, so an inspection remains worthwhile whatever the published ranking says about the nameplate.

3. Subaru Forester: Everywhere On The List

Subaru Forester — Image Credit: Unknown author
Image Credit: Unknown author

The Subaru Forester ties the Outback at 8.3 out of 10 and holds a top-five slot in every small-SUV price bracket, based on top-five placement in every bracket. Showing up in the leading group at each budget level suggests the score is not an artifact of one narrow price band.

For shoppers who have not settled on a spending limit, that consistency is the appeal. A Forester can be considered whether the plan is a cheaper older example or a pricier recent one, though the usual checks on maintenance history and condition apply either way.

4. Toyota RAV4: Solid Fourth

Toyota RAV4 — Image Credit: Stephen Andrews/Pexels
Image Credit: Stephen Andrews/Pexels

With an 8.2 out of 10 in iSeeCars’ 2026 small-SUV rankings, the Toyota RAV4 ranks fourth best in the small-SUV class. It sits just behind the CR-V, Outback and Forester, which means the gap between it and the leaders is a matter of tenths of a point rather than a wide margin.

A fourth-place finish still puts the RAV4 firmly among the strongest used compact choices. Shoppers who find a well-kept example priced below a higher-ranked rival have a reasonable case for choosing it, since the scores sit so close together.

5. Toyota Highlander: Midsize Winner

Toyota Highlander — Image Credit: HJUdall - CC0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: HJUdall – CC0/Wiki Commons

The Toyota Highlander scores 8.3 out of 10 and is named the top used midsize SUV in iSeeCars’ midsize rankings for 2026. The ranking weighs reliability, resale value and safety together, so a first-place finish in a larger and more family-oriented class carries real weight.

Families weighing three-row options can start their search here. A top ranking does not guarantee any single used vehicle is sound, so the condition of the specific Highlander, along with its ownership and service record, deserves as much scrutiny as the headline score.

6. Nissan Murano: Value Midsize

Nissan Murano — Image Credit: HJUdall - CC0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: HJUdall – CC0/Wiki Commons

The Nissan Murano scores 8.2 out of 10 and tops the used midsize lists under $15,000, $20,000 and $25,000, as shown in iSeeCars’ midsize price-bracket lists. Leading three separate price tiers is a notable result.

The practical takeaway is that a Murano can anchor a search at several budget levels. Shoppers comparing it with better-known rivals may find a strong value case, though each used example still needs its own inspection and history review before any money changes hands.

7. Honda Pilot: Family Hauler

Honda Pilot — Image Credit: HJUdall - CC0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: HJUdall – CC0/Wiki Commons

The Honda Pilot scores 8.1 out of 10 on reliability, resale value and safety in the midsize class, per its midsize-class score. That puts the three-row model in the upper tier of its category, a respectable result in a field that includes several strong names.

For households needing room for passengers and cargo, the Pilot is a sensible name to add to a shortlist. Its score trails some midsize rivals by a small margin, so price and condition may end up deciding between close competitors rather than the ranking alone.

8. Toyota 4Runner: Big-Budget Leader

Toyota 4Runner — Image Credit: Elise240SX - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Elise240SX – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Toyota 4Runner scores 8.0 out of 10 and leads iSeeCars’ used midsize SUVs under $50,000, according to its under-$50,000 ranking. A higher price cap means the competition includes pricier and newer vehicles, which makes finishing first in that bracket a meaningful result.

Buyers who want a used midsize SUV with a generous budget can see the 4Runner as a leading candidate. The score is the lowest of the midsize group here, so it is best read as a strength in its price tier rather than a class-wide win.

9. Toyota Sequoia: Large SUV Leader

Toyota Sequoia — Image Credit: MercurySable99 - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: MercurySable99 – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Toyota Sequoia is the highest-scoring large SUV on iSeeCars’ 2026 list at 8.3 out of 10, a result published in the large-SUV rankings. Leading the full-size class on reliability, resale value and safety combined places it ahead of every other large model the site scored.

Shoppers who need the most room can look to the Sequoia first. A top score is no substitute for a pre-purchase inspection, particularly on a large vehicle where repairs and wear items can be expensive.

10. Nissan Armada: Best Of The Rest

Nissan Armada — Image Credit: HJUdall - CC0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: HJUdall – CC0/Wiki Commons

The Nissan Armada is the best-scoring non-Toyota large SUV at 7.6 out of 10 in the 2026 rankings, as detailed in iSeeCars’ large-SUV list. The qualifier matters, since Toyota holds the top spot overall, which leaves the Armada leading the remaining field of full-size competitors.

Those who prefer a different badge from the class leader have a clear answer in the Armada. Its score sits below the Sequoia by a visible margin, so the choice may turn on price and condition for any given example rather than on the ranking.

11. Ford Expedition: Dead Heat

Ford Expedition — Image Credit: EuroCarGT - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: EuroCarGT – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Ford Expedition scores 7.4 out of 10, level with the Tahoe and Yukon among large SUVs, based on iSeeCars’ large-SUV scores. Three full-size nameplates sharing one number shows how tightly packed the middle of this class is once reliability, resale value and safety are blended.

With scores this close, shoppers have latitude to pick on features, availability and asking price instead. Any of the three could suit a buyer who needs a big family vehicle, so comparing individual used examples side by side is likely to matter more than the ranking.

12. Chevrolet Tahoe: Three-Way Tie

Chevrolet Tahoe — Image Credit: Calreyn88 - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Calreyn88 – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Chevrolet Tahoe scores 7.4 out of 10 for reliability, resale value and safety among large SUVs, a figure reported in the large-SUV scoring. That matches the Expedition and the Yukon, placing the Tahoe in a three-way tie in the full-size class.

A shared score means the Tahoe is competitive rather than clearly ahead or behind its direct rivals. Shoppers who like its size and layout can proceed with confidence in the ranking, then lean on inspection and history reports to separate one used example from another.


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