Best 3 row suv to buy used

If you’re shopping for a used three-row crossover SUV with reliability and dependability as key priorities, a few specific models and brands stand out as optimal choices to consider as you search out the right three-row machine for you and yours.

Below, we’ll look at the single most important tip for buying any secondhand three-row SUV, as well as a few specific models noted for a high likelihood of trouble-free operation.

Master Tip

Let’s start with the most important pre-purchase tip on the page, shall we? The most effective way to protect yourself from unpleasant surprises when buying a used SUV is to have the vehicle assessed by a technician in a dealer setting for a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) as a final step before you write a cheque.

Many shoppers avoid this check, since it costs money and requires you to go to a place. Still, the smartest shoppers make this inspection a priority before they buy. For your investment of about $150 or so, a PPI provides the high-quality peace of mind that comes from setting an expert loose on the vehicle you’re after, on a hunt for possible concerns or issues that could cost you a lot of money, or conversely validate that the three-row crossover SUV you’re considering is healthy and trouble-free.

Most used car shoppers are trying to avoid uncertainty, and this is the single best way to do it. Don’t miss this inspection: it’s a great way to invest a small amount of money towards ensuring the SUV you’re buying isn’t about to cost you thousands in repairs.

Consider These Machines

We’ll cover the Dodge Durango and Ford Expedition, first.

With Durango earning high scores for Quality, Reliability and Resale value from Consumer Reports, and the Ford Expedition taking top marks as the most Reliable Large SUV according to J.D. Power, these machines both represent highly capable and flexible SUV models that have earned many happy owners over many years on sale.

Common to both models? Proven components. There’s evidence to support that a vehicle that’s been in production for many years tends to be more dependable, especially when its manufacturer sticks with using a proven driveline, electronics and platform for a very long time. That’s the case with both Explorer and Durango.

Specifically, Durango’s 6- and 8-cylinder drivelines had been in production for years and are highly proven from use in other applications. The Pentastar V6 is an award-winning engine, as is the HEMI V8. Importantly for many drivers, neither engine is turbocharged, neither is a hybrid, and both are proven, time-tested and familiar to the manufacturer. Over many years on sale, Stellantis has built millions of examples of the most major components and systems in the vehicle, giving Durango some of the most proven driveline tech in the segment.

The gist? Buying a roughly 2014 or newer Durango means you’re getting a driveline, engine and electronics that are highly familiar, proven, and backed by years of tweaks and updates and optimizations that help ensure any early bugs are ironed out.

Buying a Ford Expedition of a similar vintage works to similar effect. From model-year 2014, Expedition was updated with EcoBoost power and revised looks and equipment.  Go with a 2014-2017 model year Expedition for the high-performing, high-efficiency EcoBoost engine. By that point, the engine had been around for some years, while the Expedition itself had been in production for a decade or more.

That’s a time-tested and highly-proven SUV platform, powered by a highly-proven EcoBoost engine – and all of that proven tech is part of the reason why experts like JD Power and Associates have called this the most reliable large SUV you can buy.

Luxury Three-Row?

If you’re after a luxurious three-row, the Lexus RX-L is a great place to start. This special three-row version of the popular RX luxury crossover was introduced for model year 2018, and marked the first time the long-lived RX offered a third seating row. The RX line has a long history of owner satisfaction, high residual values, and safety scores— and Lexus is no stranger to being recognized for its dependability and quality, too.

A healthy second-hand RX-L is another great place to start looking if you’re after a three-row luxury crossover that comes with plenty of proven driveline tech and electronics,  all from a brand that’s built its reputation on creating some of the most reliable luxury cars on the road.

Other Proven Picks

For more modest budgets, numerous experts report that it’s hard to go wrong with a Toyota Highlander, which has earned a place on many top-ten lists for its dependability, quality and reliability.

If you’re after something bigger and more capable, experts like US News & World Report say that the Chevy Tahoe, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia are excellent choices for solid reliability as well. Each of these machines is built using highly proven structural and driveline components that come from each manufacturer’s years of experience building trucks and utility vehicles.

Both Consumer Reports and JD Power and Associates have also recently identified brands like Kia, Hyundai, Buick, Mazda and Cadillac as some of the most reliable and dependable brands on the road – meaning if you’re looking for a nearly-new second-hand three-row SUV, you’ll do well to include models like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Buick Enclave, Mazda CX-9, and Cadillac XT6 in your search, respectively.

Remember This

The smartest SUV shoppers know that neither the badge on a vehicle’s hood, nor its assigned reliability ranking in an internet list, is a guarantee that that vehicle will give you a trouble-free ownership experience.

That’s because as vehicles age, ongoing care and maintenance play an increasingly-important role in the reliable and trouble-free operation of that machine. Even the most reliable SUV on the road can turn into a pricey headache if it hasn’t been properly and consistently serviced, maintained, and inspected throughout its life.

To make sure you’re getting the most reliable used vehicle possible, focus less on the badge on its hood, or its ranking in a list. Instead, focus on how that vehicle was treated and cared for by its past owners, by checking all service records before you buy.

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