7 Best Used SUVs Under $30K Totally Worth Buying (Even With 100K+ Miles on Them)

Buying a used SUV is a better investment than you might think. There are plenty of car manufacturers that produce robust vehicles that easily last well beyond 100,000 miles, with some reaching upwards of 200,000 miles. To give you some perspective, iSeeCars puts the average vehicle's odds of reaching 250,000 miles at 5.4% and a Toyota 4Runner at 33.1%. That durability reduces your stress and helps you save money on car insurance.

Here are 7 used SUVs worth buying, even if they have over 100,000 miles on the odometer.

Editor's note: Odds of reaching 200,000 and 250,000 miles come from iSeeCars. Annual repair costs come from RepairPal.

Smart Drivers, Smarter Savings.

Compare car insurance rates in Ohio

See if lower rates are available

Currently Insured?

Yes

No

Multiple Cars?

Yes

No

Homeowner

Yes

No

Age

30-39

• 18-29
• 30-39
• 40-49
• 50-59
• 60-69
• 70-79
• 80+

Compare Quotes

By clicking the button above, I understand and agree that this site uses site visit recording technology (provided by Trusted Form, Jornaya, and Microsoft Clarity) Privacy Policy

Smart Drivers, Smarter Savings.

Great News! We’ve located some excellent quote options just for you.

Where can we send you info and recommendations?

Enter Email

Bundle Home & Auto to Save More?

Yes

No

Active Military?

No

Yes

Compare Quotes

By clicking the button above, I understand and agree that this site uses site visit recording technology (provided by Trusted Form, Jornaya, and Microsoft Clarity) Privacy Policy

Chance of 200,000 miles: 58.8%

Average annual repair cost: $514

Fifth-gen 4Runners (2010 to 2024) sit on a body-on-frame chassis with a 4.0-liter V6 making 270 horsepower. iSeeCars puts the average life at 217,484 miles, or 16.1 years, with a 33.1% chance of reaching 250,000 miles. RepairPal logs 0.4 shop visits a year, matching the midsize average.

Price is an issue, as these sturdy cars retain their value. VinAssessment has a typical 2018 asking price of $29,524 and a 2016 asking price of $24,812, so the $30,000 cars are 2018 and older. Put it on a lift and stare at the frame mounting points. Rust is a walk-away, and it usually kills a 4Runner while the engine still runs fine.

Chance of 200,000 miles: 39.5%

Average annual repair cost: $489

Need three rows? This is the cheapest one here to keep. RepairPal has it at $489 a year across 0.33 shop visits, under the midsize average. Average life is 184,014 miles, and used examples start around $26,196.

Gas Highlanders have a 12.3% shot at 250,000 miles. The hybrid has a 31.0% chance, third among all cars in iSeeCars' rankings. If you go hybrid, ask for battery service records. Otherwise, the 3.5-liter V6 shares parts with the Camry, which keeps independent shops cheap.

Chance of 200,000 miles: 40.3%

Average annual repair cost: $407

The cheapest car here to keep running. RepairPal ranks the CR-V 2nd out of 26 compact SUVs, logs 0.3 visits per year, and finds that 9% of repairs are severe. Average life is 185,137 miles, about 16 years. Used ones from this decade run $23,594 to $37,840, so the older half of that range is where the money is.

2017 and 2018 CR-Vs with the 1.5-liter turbo: Honda told dealers that gasoline was getting into the oil in cold-weather states, causing misfires. A software update followed. Pull the dipstick and smell it. If it smells like fuel, walk away.

Chance of 200,000 miles: 42.1%

Average annual repair cost: $542

Better odds than the CR-V, but slightly higher bills. iSeeCars gives the Pilot a 14.3% chance at 250,000 miles, scores the 2016 to 2022 generation a 9.0, and puts average life at 187,655 miles, or 13.6 years. Owners visit a shop 0.51 times a year, slightly above the midsize average.

CarGurus puts the nationwide average at $27,122, and the years that fit this list run well under it: $20,925 for a 2019, $18,477 for a 2018, $15,001 for a 2016. The V6 is why people keep these past 200,000 miles.

Chance of 200,000 miles: 53.8%

Average annual repair cost: $770

Body-on-frame, 4.6-liter V8, 301 horsepower, and close enough to a Toyota underneath that independent shops can order Toyota parts. iSeeCars puts average life at 204,854 miles, or 16.8 years, and the chance of 250,000 miles at 23.3%.

CarGurus puts the average GX 460 4WD at $16,336. At that price, the budget covers the car and the inspection. Repair costs are the highest on this list at $770 a year across 0.76 visits, though only 9% of those jobs are severe.

Chance of 200,000 miles: 19.8%

Average annual repair cost: $632

The Forester is here for the all-wheel drive. Its 19.8% chance of reaching 200,000 miles is the weakest on this list; average life is 158,856 miles, and RepairPal ranks it 21st out of 26 compact SUVs at $632 a year.

You're paying for symmetrical AWD as standard equipment, which in a place with real winter is worth the repair premium. CarGurus has the average used Forester at $22,850 and a 2021 at $22,367.

Chance of 200,000 miles: 33.9%

Average annual repair cost: $447

RepairPal ranks the CX-5 first out of 26 midsize SUVs. Owners see a shop 0.3 times a year, the lowest number here, and 8% of repairs are severe. Average life is 177,965 miles, about 16.4 years.

The 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes 187 horsepower and is paired with a conventional 6-speed automatic, which most of this class has dumped in favor of a CVT. CarGurus has the average 2018 CX-5 at $16,732 and the 2017 at $16,083, which leaves half your budget for whatever the inspection turns up.

The odometer number matters less than the paperwork behind it. Before you buy, ask the seller for the full service history, then pay a mechanic to inspect the car and tell them exactly where to look. Avoid wasting money on buying a lemon and having to spend thousands fixing it.

Used hybrids have long carried a discount because buyers assumed a battery bill was coming. The data is moving the other way fast: iSeeCars' latest longest-lasting study put 5 hybrids in the top 25, up from 3 the year before and 0 in 2023. If your next SUV search is a few years out, the hybrid version of one of these may be the safer bet, and the fuel savings are on top of that.