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Best-of list

Highest NHTSA Overall Ratings: SUVs (2015–2019)

Ranked by NHTSA crash-test ratings across 259 model-years of federal data.

Safety and fuel-economy results are ranked from NHTSA and EPA federal data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.

NHTSA says overall scores should only be compared within the same vehicle class and at roughly similar curb weights. Treat this as a shortlist, not a complete safety verdict; 2010 scores are excluded because NHTSA changed the rating system for 2011.

  1. 1

    2019 Acura MDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    190

    Crash

    MPG

    22.5

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  2. 2

    2018 Acura MDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    161

    Crash

    MPG

    22

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  3. 3

    2017 Acura MDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    253

    Crash

    MPG

    22

    Watch for: power train complaints

  4. 4

    2016 Acura MDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    360

    Crash

    MPG

    22

    Watch for: engine complaints

  5. 5

    2015 Acura MDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    70

    Crash

    MPG

    22

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  6. 6

    2019 Acura RDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    431

    Crash

    MPG

    23.5

    Watch for: unknown or other complaints

  7. 7

    2018 Acura RDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    76

    Crash

    MPG

    22.5

    Watch for: fuel system complaints

  8. 8

    2017 Acura RDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    73

    Crash

    MPG

    22.5

    Watch for: power train complaints

  9. 9

    2016 Acura RDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    40

    Crash

    MPG

    22.5

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  10. 10

    2015 Acura RDX

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    407

    Crash

    MPG

    22.5

    Watch for: exterior lighting complaints

  11. 11

    2019 Audi Q3

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    10

    Crash

    MPG

    22

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  12. 12

    2019 Audi Q5

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    48

    Crash

    MPG

    24

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  13. 13

    2018 Audi Q5

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    197

    Crash

    MPG

    25

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  14. 14

    2019 Audi Q7

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    61

    Crash

    MPG

    21

    Watch for: steering complaints

  15. 15

    2018 Audi Q7

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    140

    Crash

    MPG

    21

    Watch for: engine complaints

  16. 16

    2019 Audi Q8

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    107

    Crash

    MPG

    19

    Watch for: power train complaints

  17. 17

    2019 Audi e-tron

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    76

    Crash

    MPG

    74

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  18. 18

    2019 BMW X3

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    164

    Crash

    MPG

    25

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  19. 19

    2017 BMW X3

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    92

    Crash

    MPG

    24

    Watch for: engine and engine cooling complaints

  20. 20

    2016 BMW X3

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    82

    Crash

    MPG

    24

    Watch for: engine and engine cooling complaints

  21. 21

    2018 BMW X5

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    67

    Crash

    MPG

    20.5

    Watch for: engine and engine cooling complaints

  22. 22

    2017 BMW X5

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    73

    Crash

    MPG

    20.5

    Watch for: electrical system complaints

  23. 23

    2016 BMW X5

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    70

    Crash

    MPG

    20.5

    Watch for: unknown or other complaints

  24. 24

    2019 Buick Enclave

    SUV

    Complaint record

    Raw count · not exposure-adjusted

    Complaints

    40

    Crash

    MPG

    20.5

    Watch for: power train complaints

Related searches

Common questions

What is the highest NHTSA-rated 2015–2019 SUV?

By our reading of the federal data, the 2019 Acura MDX tops this list. Open its verdict page for the full complaint, recall and crash record before you buy.

How is this ranking put together?

We rank the 24 matching model years by NHTSA overall crash-test rating, using public NHTSA and EPA data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.

This list is generated from NHTSA complaint, recall and crash-test data and EPA fuel-economy data; it is not sales-adjusted and updates on scheduled source refreshes.