6 Used Luxury SUVs that Millennials Should Avoid Buying
Written by
G. Brian Davis
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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Looking to save money on a luxury SUV by buying it used? Millennials may be better served by buying a more affordable model new rather than used.
In particular, watch out for these used luxury SUVs that often come with deep problems to match the plush seats.
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Sure, they’re a status symbol. And they come with costs that go well beyond the purchase price.
“It’s really popular but super unreliable,” notes Alex Black of car research platform EpicVIN. “The air suspension malfunctions, infotainment systems freeze and it’s a maintenance nightmare. You’ll be at the mechanic shop way more than on the move.”
It comes as little surprise that J.D. Power‘s 2025 dependability study found that Land Rovers experience nearly twice the number of repair problems per 100 vehicles as Lexuses.
Audi Q5
In the J.D. Power study, Audis have proven even less reliable than Land Rovers.
Melanie Musson, auto expert with AutoInsurance.org, concedes that the Q5 is stylish — but problematic.
“It depreciates quickly and tends to require more repairs than the average SUV,” Musson said. “Repairs can be costly because luxury car parts, especially those from Germany, tend to be more expensive than domestically made parts.”
Likewise, auto mechanics tend to charge higher rates to repair luxury vehicles, especially European brands. Buyer beware.
Audi Q7
Don’t think that going up a size will save you money on repairs, either. The three-row Q7 suffers from similar reliability issues as the Q5.
Specialist mechanic Alan Gelfand of German Car Depot sees Q7s in his shop all the time.
“We commonly encounter timing chain tensioner breakdowns together with oil consumption problems and turbo-related issues,” he said.
Gelfand adds that millennials who see themselves as environmentally conscious should particularly avoid the Q7.
“Used Q7s consume large amounts of fuel and oil, which makes them unsustainable for both the planet and your budget,” according to the mechanic.
BMW X5
Few brands have achieved the marketing success that BMW has. And while the brand has made strides in reliability, not all models age well.
“The X5 looks slick, but repair costs hurt,” added Black. “Timing chain problems, oil leak causing gaskets, electronic malfunctions — all usual suspects.”
He said expensive parts and labor for BMWs compound the problem.
“Millennials on a strict budget should avoid it unless they have a second vehicle (and a second paycheck),” Black noted.
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
Just because an SUV looks like a “grown-up car” — with a grownup price tag — doesn’t mean it’ll come with grown-up dependability. The three-row GL-Class does look sophisticated, but the repair costs will eat you alive.
“They look great for family growth and ride-sharing work, yet they come with expensive issues including air suspension failures, timing chain wear and transmission problems,” noted Gelfand.
In fact, he’s seen this model require repairs that rival the book value of the cars themselves.
J.D. Power found Mercedes in general to come with more dependability issues than most brands as well, logging 243 problems per 100 vehicles over a three-year period.
Acura MDX (2010-2013 with SH-AWD)
Honda and their luxury brand Acura enjoy a reputation for making some of the most reliable cars in the world. So how did the MDX end up on this list?
“The SH-AWD models from this generation suffer from transmission problems, as well as expensive AWD system breakdowns,” Gelfand explained. “The specific model years of Acura fail to meet the reliability standards that the brand is known for.”
Word to the wise: If you want an Acura MDX, pay a little more for a later model. It will prove far more dependable than its older siblings.
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