Best Midsize SUVs for the Money for 2026
The best midsize SUVs for the money are ranked based on an analysis of their price and average lifespan, with the top-ranked models offering the longest life at the lowest price.
The best midsize SUV for the money is the Jeep Wrangler which has the lowest iSeeCars Annual Lifespan Cost. We rank vehicles by how much a vehicle costs to purchase relative to how long the car lasts which we believe is a good determiner of value - the lower the cost, the better the value. The Jeep Wrangler has an average new car list price of $53,429 and an average lifespan of 135,525.1 miles or about 15.8 years, resulting in an annual purchase cost of $3,371. Using this method, the second best midsize SUV for the money is Toyota 4Runner with an Annual Lifespan Cost of $3,417. In third place is Toyota Highlander which has an iSeeCars Annual Lifespan Cost of $3,724.
The best midsize SUV for the money is the Jeep Wrangler which has the lowest iSeeCars Annual Lifespan Cost. We rank vehicles by how much a vehicle costs to purchase relative to how long the car lasts which we believe is a good determiner of value - the lower the cost, the better the value. The Jeep Wrangler has an average new car list price of $53,429 and an average lifespan of 135,525.1 miles or about 15.8 years, resulting in an annual purchase cost of $3,371. Using this method, the second best midsize SUV for the money is Toyota 4Runner with an Annual Lifespan Cost of $3,417. In third place is Toyota Highlander which has an iSeeCars Annual Lifespan Cost of $3,724.
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Annual Lifespan Cost
3370.91
- Avg Lifespan: 135.525109375K Miles (15.85 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 36635
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
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Reliability
7.7
/ 10
-
Value Retention
8.3
/ 10
-
Safety
Not Available
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
3417.04
- Avg Lifespan: 217.483890625K Miles (16.08 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 42270
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
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Reliability
8.1
/ 10
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Value Retention
8.8
/ 10
-
Safety
7.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
3723.67
- Avg Lifespan: 184.01440625K Miles (14.45 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 46270
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.8
/ 10
-
Value Retention
8.1
/ 10
-
Safety
9.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
3762.39
- Avg Lifespan: 152.934265625K Miles (12.47 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 41670
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.4
/ 10
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Value Retention
7.1
/ 10
-
Safety
10
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
3765.86
- Avg Lifespan: 187.655453125K Miles (13.62 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 42395
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.7
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.6
/ 10
-
Safety
9.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
3946.44
- Avg Lifespan: 147.246640625K Miles (10.68 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 35300
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.1
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.5
/ 10
-
Safety
9.7
/ 10
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Annual Lifespan Cost
4082.32
- Avg Lifespan: 161.380921875K Miles (11.31 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 37500
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.3
/ 10
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Value Retention
7.0
/ 10
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Safety
10
/ 10
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Annual Lifespan Cost
4559.25
- Avg Lifespan: 146.47978125K Miles (10.38 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 39520
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.1
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.2
/ 10
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Safety
9.0
/ 10
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Annual Lifespan Cost
4571.28
- Avg Lifespan: 124.3406875K Miles (8.39 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 32390
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
6.7
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.4
/ 10
-
Safety
8.5
/ 10
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Annual Lifespan Cost
4884.03
- Avg Lifespan: 161.86153125K Miles (10.58 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 38995
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.2
/ 10
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Value Retention
7.6
/ 10
-
Safety
7.0
/ 10
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Annual Lifespan Cost
4994.6
- Avg Lifespan: 140.05115625K Miles (10.0 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 38465
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.0
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.3
/ 10
-
Safety
10
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
4999.82
- Avg Lifespan: 157.1704375K Miles (11.28 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 43600
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
7.3
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.4
/ 10
-
Safety
9.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
5118.71
- Avg Lifespan: 116.62496875K Miles (8.5 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 34300
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
6.7
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.4
/ 10
-
Safety
8.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
5537.4
- Avg Lifespan: 143.900140625K Miles (9.01 Years)
- Starting MSRP: 40800
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
6.9
/ 10
-
Value Retention
7.3
/ 10
-
Safety
8.7
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 42750
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.7
/ 10
-
Safety
10
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 39300
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.7
/ 10
-
Safety
10
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 39190
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.5
/ 10
-
Safety
10
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 38300
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.3
/ 10
-
Safety
10
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 39735
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.5
/ 10
-
Safety
9.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 40795
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.5
/ 10
-
Safety
9.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 41520
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.4
/ 10
-
Safety
9.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 41610
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.2
/ 10
-
Safety
9.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 42260
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
8.6
/ 10
-
Safety
8.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 44950
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.8
/ 10
-
Safety
8.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 62945
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
7.5
/ 10
-
Safety
7.0
/ 10
-
Annual Lifespan Cost
Not Available
- Starting MSRP: 40795
iSEECARS SCORE
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars
-
Reliability
Coming soon
-
Value Retention
8.4
/ 10
-
Safety
Not Available
Related Rankings
How We Rank These Cars
The Best Cars for the Money list ranks cars by their annual cost, which compares the purchase price of the car against how long the car lasts. We believe this is a good determiner of value--the lower the annual cost, the better the value.
iSeeCars analyzed millions of cars to determine how long each car can last. Then we calculated the annual cost over the lifespan for each vehicle. In the event two or more vehicles have the same annual cost, we use iSeeCars proprietary rating of the overall quality of the car (iSeeCars Score) to break the tie.
The overall iSeeCars Score is an analysis of three factors: reliability, resale value and safety. It is calculated based on the latest research and analysis by our data science team. The data analysis comes from over 12 million new and used vehicles in our Longest-Lasting Cars and 5-Year Depreciation Studies, combined with NHTSA and IIHS Safety Ratings.
Vehicles are scored in three categories:
Reliability
The reliability score represents an analysis of iSeeCars' proprietary research on the longest-lasting vehicles.
Value Retention
The value retention score is based on our data science team's statistical analysis and prediction of 5-year depreciation from MSRP to determine which cars hold their value best, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data to adjust for inflation.
Safety
The safety score is calculated based on the last five years of crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and incorporates the latest Top Safety Pick information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).