4 SUVs Retirees Should Consider Buying in Spring 2025

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With the country emerging from the deep freeze of winter, many retirees are looking to update their road game with a new SUV this spring. While each buyer’s needs are unique, many older drivers value visibility, easy in-and-out access, safety, fuel economy, reliability and low ownership costs.
The following brand-new 2025 SUVs check those boxes and others. And even better, all start around $30,000 or below.
Also see five new cars retirees should avoid buying in 2025.
Honda CR-V
- Starting MSRP: $30,100
Car and Driver gives the Honda CR-V a perfect 10 rating and ranks it No. 1 in the compact SUV class for reasons that many retirees find appealing. It’s a comfortable and roomy ride that’s easy for older adults with mobility issues to get into and out of — and perhaps most importantly, the CR-V is dependable and affordable to own, making it a master in nest egg retention.
RepairPal gives it an excellent 4 1/2-star reliability rating and notes that the average annual cost of maintenance and repairs is just $407, compared with $521 for compact SUVs and $652 for all vehicles.
Nissan Rogue
- Starting MSRP: $29,230
MotorTrend gives the Nissan Rogue the top spot in the 2025 compact SUV class for many of the same reasons that make the CR-V shine — it’s comfortable, safe and provides easy entry/exit access. Its diminutive three-cylinder engine gets up to 37 mpg.
On top of its many standard driver-assist features, the Rogue scored high crash-test marks. In terms of ownership expenses that are easy on fixed-income retirement budgets, RepairPal gives the Rogue a four-star rating and estimates an annual repair and maintenance cost of just $467, compared with the segment average of $521 and $652 for all vehicles.
Subaru Forester
- Starting MSRP: $29,995
Consumer Reports just named the Subaru Forester one of the top 10 vehicles of 2025, citing it as the best compact SUV.
The Forester comes with standard all-wheel drive, and it’s a top pick for retirees because of its excellent visibility, easy access, quiet ride and high safety rating. And with up to 33 mpg, driving it is easy on the wallet.
It’s an especially strong choice for adventurous retirees thanks to 8.7 inches of ground clearance, raised roof rails and 74.4 cubic feet of cargo space.
Kia Sportage
- Starting MSRP: $27,390
Kia dealers have spent the better part of a decade boasting about the Sportage’s perennial spot near the top of the Consumer Reports list of best cars for older drivers — and in 2025, it’s still a hit among retirees.
With class-leading rear-seat legroom and cargo space, it’s a comfortable and capable ride that delivers most of the driver-assist features retirees crave, including rear parking sensors, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist and auto emergency braking with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection.
With average annual maintenance and repair costs of just $462, RepairPal calls it “one of the more reliable vehicles on the road,” stating that both the frequency and severity of repairs are lower than those of most other cars.
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