Consumer Reports Most Reliable 3-Year-Old Midsized SUVs With Modern Safety Features

Depreciated SUVs Selected

Last week Consumer Reports analysts recommended this list of 6 five-year-old midsized SUVs that were a combination of significant savings and reliability for SUV shoppers looking for a good deal in a used SUV that has the room SUV owners are looking for without new SUV pricing.

Today, CR analysts expanded on their recommended SUV selections with 3-year-old models that they found were more likely to carry modern safety features that today’s consumers are looking for in their vehicles.

According to CR analysts about their list:

A 3-year-old used SUV is likely to have many of the same features as a brand-new model but without as high a price. That’s because the fundamentals remain the same: New cars depreciate quickly during the first three to four years of ownership. This makes used cars a great value. And because these SUVs have already been around for a few years, Consumer Reports can tell you whether a model is reliable or not.

Safety Features Included

When it comes to car safety, there’s no substitute for the growing demand for cars outfitted with active safety systems that help drivers and their passengers stay safe on the road. Popular among car owners are standard active safety systems that include:

Forward Collision Warning---Forward collision warning is designed to alert you of an impending collision with a slower moving or stationary car in front of you. However, bear in mind that forward collision warning alone will not automatically brake for you and should not be mistaken for Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) or Full Self Driving (FSD) available in some makes of cars.

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)---As the name suggests, automatic emergency braking activates a car's brakes when a potential collision is detected---without the driver actually touching the brake pedal. And not only that, but it also increases the braking force if the driver is not applying enough force to the brakes to prevent a collision. Some AEB systems are also designed with sensors to detect pedestrians and cyclists.

Blind Spot Warning (BSW)---Is a system that uses cameras, radar, and/or ultrasonic sensors alongside your vehicle to detect vehicles you can’t see that are next to or behind your car. In the basic system, the driver will see a visual warning in the sideview mirror. In more feature-heavy systems, that warning may also include an audible beep or steering wheel vibration if you activated the turn signal, and the sensors detect an unsafe merge or lane change about to occur.

That all said, here is a summary of safe and reliable 3-year-old midsized SUVs from the 2019 model year that are ranked in alphabetical order.

Please note the following safety feature abbreviations used:

• FCW---forward collision warning
• BSW---blind spot warning
• AEB---automatic emergency braking

Most Reliable 3-Year-Old Midsized SUVs

1. 2019 Acura MDX
Price Range: $35,775 - $44,450
Owner Reported MPG: 22 mpg
Safety Features Summarized: FCW and AEB come standard with this model, but for BSW it will cost extra with their Technology package. Likewise, a surround-view camera system is reserved for their top-trim Advance model.

2. 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe
Price Range: $24,450 - $34,850
Owner Reported MPG: 24 mpg
Safety Features Summarized: FCW, AEB, and BSW come standard on all trims.

3. 2019 Mazda CX-9
Price Range: $27,625 - $37,800
Owner Reported Mpg: 22 mpg
Safety Features Summarized: FCW, city-speed AEB, and BSW are all standard.

4. 2019 Nissan Murano
Price Range: $26,775 - $34,875
Owner Reported MPG: 23 mpg
Safety Features Summarized: The Murano comes standard FCW and AEB. However, a SL trim model includes the additional BSW as well as a 360-degree-view camera.

5. 2019 Subaru Outback
Price Range: $25,250 - $35,550
Owner Reported MPG: 26 mpg
Safety Features Summarized: FCW and AEB were standard; however, BSW, remains a stand-alone option.

6. 2019 Toyota 4Runner
Price Range: $35,725 - $47,725
Owner Reported MPG: 19 mpg
Safety Features Summarized: FCW and AEB are standard.

And finally…

For additional articles about shopping for SUVs, here are some recent recommendations:

• Consumer Reports Best SUVs Under $35,000 That Come Standard with Active Safety Systems

• Best New SUV Deals and Worst New Car Deals Recently Revealed by Consumer Reports

• Consumer Reports Lists the Most Fuel-Efficient Compact SUVs

COMING UP NEXT: Red Flag Used Car Dealers Do Not Want Buyers to Know About

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

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