10 Used Luxury SUVs You Can Afford To Maintain

If you’re looking for a used luxury SUV you can actually afford to maintain, read on for a price-ranked list of top contenders from Acura to Volvo that’ll prove easy to keep ticking reliably for years to come, without turning your wallet inside out. SUVs are the most popular passenger cars after trucks in the US, and the sales charts are led by the Toyota RAV4, but you can get a luxury SUV for RAV4 money used, which is a very tempting proposition.

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  Acura

  Launched in the mid-1980s, Acura is to Honda what Lexus is to Toyota. Honda created it with the intention of penetrating the North American market and has never sold its Ohio-made cars in Japan, although this was a consideration before the 200-2008 financial crisis. Shortly after its birth in 1986, the automaker quickly became a thorn in the sides of premium automakers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. In America, the Honda NSX was sold with an Acura badge, and that’s a great relation for affordable everyday heroes like the Integra Type S.

  Founded

  March 27, 1986

  Founder

  Soichiro Honda

  Headquarters

  Torrance, CA, USA

  Owned By

  American Honda Motor Company

  Production Status

  Available

• 

  Volvo

  Volvo is a Swedish automaker owned by Geely since 2010 and headquartered in Gothenburg Sweden. Founded in 1927, it has evolved into a premium automaker renowned for its safety, famously giving away free access to the patent for the three-point seatbelt in 1959, saving countless lives since. Volvo has also continually pushed to include the best safety tech in its cars ahead of time, and set a mission in 2007 that by 2020, no one would be killed or seriously injured in a Volvo. Today, that mission has evolved to avoid all collisions in a Volvo. Volvo was also an early adopter of EV technology and had planned to go all-electric by 2030, but recently pushed back this deadline, instead aiming for a 90-100% electric or plug-in hybrid goal by 2030 instead.

  Founded

  1927

  Founder

  Assar Gabrielsson, Gustaf Larsson

  Headquarters

  Gothenburg, Sweden

  Owned By

  Geely Holding Group

  Production Status

  Available

But the smartest shoppers know that the purchase price of a used vehicle only tells part of the story, and further research is required to properly size up the potential expense of owning that new-to-you luxury SUV. In addition to what you’ll pay for it up front, the machine you choose will require a nearly constant stream of your dollars for fuel, servicing, and maintenance during your time with it. If 2025 will be your year to spoil yourself with a used luxury SUV, and you’re a little worried about ongoing maintenance costs, any of the models below make a great place to start your search.

10

2010-2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK

Approximate Price 2025: $10,000

The Mercedes GLK-Class arrived in 2010 with a boxy look that jumped right off the page. Though discontinued after 2015, this compact luxury SUV went on to earn plenty of loyal fans, and many repeat Mercedes-Benz owners say the GLK is the most reliable Mercedes they’ve ever owned. That’s partly thanks to its widespread use of long-running powertrains and systems previously proven in earlier Benzes. From 2011 onward, every GLK gets a Quality and Reliability score of Great from J.D. Power, and RepairPal.com puts annual maintenance and repair costs at about $859. The used GLK is getting old these days, but a well-cared-for unit might just entice budget-minded shoppers in for a closer look. Set a budget of $10,000 for a second-hand unit with a sub-six-figure odometer reading.

9

2017 Audi Q5

Approximate Price 2025: $15,000

The first-generation Audi Q5 arrived for 2009, got a facelift for 2013, and was replaced by a second-generation model for 2018. Models towards the end of the first generation run look particularly compelling, with the Q5’s highest J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score coming for the 2017 model year – the Q5’s final one on its first-generation platform. Built around a proven 2.0L turbo-four engine and AWD combination with years of mass production experience, a 2017 Q5 has six years of production and bug fixes under its belt. When new, the 2017 Q5 had a price range between $45,000 and $50,000. Today, $15,000 will handily get you into a 2017 Q5 with a sub-80,000-mile odometer reading.

8

2016 Infiniti QX50

Approximate Price 2025: $18,000

The 2016 and 2017 model years were particularly good ones for the Infiniti QX50. A new model was on the horizon, but a 2016 update refreshed the QX50, stretching it out for added roominess versus earlier years, and keeping the highly-proven (albeit thirsty) 3.7-liter V6 and 7-speed automatic combination under the hood. This fast-revving V6 has its roots in some of Nissan and Infiniti’s performance models of the era, and had been widely mass produced by time it wound up under the QX50’s hood.

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For the final two years of this generation (2016 and 2017), the QX50 earns a ‘great’ score from J.D. Power for Quality and Reliability, and RepairPal.com puts annual maintenance and repair costs at $500. According to AutoTempest.com, setting a budget of $18,000 is reasonable for a 2016 or 2017 with a sub-80,000-mile odometer reading.

7

2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair

Approximate Price 2025: $25,000

The Lincoln Corsair remains in its original first generation, which initially went on sale for the 2020 model year to replace the MKC before it. When it was new, you’d pay between $36,000 and $45,000 brand new. Today, a budget of $25,000 will do you nicely on a few-year-old unit with remaining warranty and less than 40,000 miles of use. Thanks to its widespread use of parts, drivelines, and systems from the Ford SUV universe, it should be easy to inspect, service, and maintain virtually anywhere you live. The experts at J.D. Power give the Corsair a Quality and Reliability score of Great for 2022 and Average for all other model years rated. RepairPal.com puts annual repair and maintenance at around $850 per year.

6

Cadillac XT4

Approximate Price 2025: $25,000

Here’s a compact offering with a refined turbo engine, plenty of proven hardware and tech, surprising towing capability, and a production run reaching back to its 2019 launch on the same platform it rides today. The XT4 is the smallest of Cadillac crossovers, with a starting MSRP ranging from about $36,000 to $43,000 when new. Today, you can find an XT4 at two or three years old with less than 60,000 miles of use for $20,000 or less, all day long. According to J.D. Power and Associates, the 2021 to 2023 model years are a particularly good run with Great and Average score for Quality and Reliability.

5

2021-2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge

Approximate Price 2025: $30,000

The Volvo XC40 Recharge is the all-electric version of Volvo’s subcompact XC40 crossover, which was also available with a gasoline four-cylinder engine. Go for the all-electric Recharge version for a compact luxury SUV experience with a stellar performance punch. In fact, this is the most powerful machine on your page by a significant margin – and one that’ll never need a new air filter or new spark plugs. The convenience of charging at home and virtually no scheduled maintenance means less time (and expense) to keep your XC40 ticking, and regenerative braking stretches the life of brake system parts considerably, too. With eight years and 100,000 miles of warranty coverage on the battery, this one’s a solid pick. When new, you’d pay about $53,000. Today, you can find used models with more than half of their battery warranty remaining for around $30,000.

4

Acura MDX (2017-2020)

Approximate Price 2025: $35,000

The third-generation Acura MDX arrived in 2014, got a facelift in 2017, and was replaced by a fourth-generation machine in 2022. When new, pricing ranged from $45,000 to $60,000 depending on the model selected. Today, you can find low-mileage 3rd-generation facelift models from the low to mid-thirties. The MDX is largely based on the highly-proven Honda Pilot, and its V6 engine and automatic transmission are some of the most mass-produced on the road today.

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By the time the end of this generation rolled around, Acura had eight years into MDX production with this generation, helping further boost its solid reputation for reliability. According to J.D. Power, the 2018 MDX has the highest score for Quality and Reliability in this timeframe, with a Great score for 2018 and an Average score for all other years. RepairPal.com data shows lower-than-average annual repair and maintenance costs of $571, among the very lowest for a luxury midsize SUV.

3

2022-2024 Acura RDX

Approximate Price 2025: $35,000

The Acura RDX is another solid-looking luxury SUV buy with proven Honda bones beneath the skin. Since arriving with Acura’s first turbocharged engine in 2007, the RDX entered its third and latest generation in 2019– with a facelift applied for 2022 towards refreshed looks, a quieter drive, and updated connectivity tech. In 2022, with the latest value-adding facelift applied, the RDX would relieve its owners of $41,000 and $53,000.

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Today, setting a budget of around $30,000 should see you comfortably into a unit with remaining warranty and less than 45,000 miles of use. According to J.D. Power, the RDX from this timeframe has Quality and Reliability scoring that fluctuates from Great to Average. RepairPal.com says owners are spending about $500 per year on repairs and maintenance.

2

2020-2022 Lexus RX

Approximate Price 2025: $35,000

An all-new fifth-generation Lexus RX arrived for 2023, leaving the previous fourth-generation machine officially in used luxury SUV territory. The fourth-generation LX arrived in 2016 with a major focus on improved driving dynamics and athleticism, efforts which showed up in the machine’s refreshingly eager driving manners. When 2020 arrived, the fourth-generation RX got a facelift that pushed styling and feature content even further up the scale. Back then, you’d pay $45,000 to $55,000, depending on the powertrain and body style, as both standard and extended-length versions were available.

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Today, you’ll pay around $30,000 for a second-hand model from this timeframe, though some units have particularly high mileage. If you’re after something with lower-than-average miles, budget an extra few thousand. In the used marketplace, the RX’s reputation precedes it: it’s the only model on your page to hit a Best rating from J.D. Power and Associates for Quality and Reliability (2020), and makes due with a Great rating for 2021 and 2022. According to RepairPal.com, owners are paying about $550 a year in repairs and maintenance.

1

Toyota Land Cruiser

Approximate Price 2025: $65,000

The previous-generation Land Cruiser was the last with a V8 engine, and recently ended a 13-year production run that got two facelifts along the way. The most recent of these was in 2016, meaning that a 2016-2021 unit will capture the best of the V8 Land Cruiser’s offerings– alongside Toyota Tundra-based underpinnings that are familiar to technicians and easily repaired and maintained.

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The Land Cruiser has a strong reputation for capability and low running costs, but you’ll be paying big bucks for the privilege, with 2025 pricing on the used market coming in around the $65,000 mark. Repairpal.com data shows annual repair costs of $843.

Sources: Repairpal, AutoTempest, J.D. Power.