Best-Rated SUVs

See Our Ratings Methodology.

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Most Satisfied Customers | Subaru

Aussies have rated Subaru as the top brand in Canstar Blue’s latest SUV ratings, with the brand rated five stars for reliability, driving experience, appearance, features, upgrades & extras and overall satisfaction.

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How we rate SUVs

Our review compares SUVs on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which SUV they think is best!


Canstar Blue surveyed 761 Australians for their feedback on the new SUV(s) they’ve purchased in the last five years.

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.


Respondents rate their satisfaction with their SUV brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
  • Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a SUV brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Reliability: the SUV operates consistently and as expected.
  • Driving experience: the SUV responds well to actions, including acceleration and handling, and is comfortable to be behind the wheel of.
  • Appearance: the SUV brand looks appealing externally and internally.
  • Value for money: the cost is reasonable for the quality and performance of the SUV.
  • Features: the SUV brand includes a range of useful elements covering performance and comfort.
  • Customer service: the SUV brand’s staff were readily available to contact, and help with questions or solve issues that arose.
  • Upgrades & extras: the SUV brand has a range of additional upgrades and extras available to purchase.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

  • Subaru
  • Toyota
  • Mitsubishi
  • Kia
  • Mazda
  • Hyundai
  • Nissan
  • MG
  • Honda

Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.


Top SUV Brand – Subaru

Subaru Forester

Offering the Crosstrak, Solterra, Forester and Outback models, Japanese brand Subaru has expanded its SUV line-up, with hybrid and electric models available in select ranges. The entry-level Forester has an engine output of 136kW, along with AWD, 17inch alloy wheels, brake assist, electronic parking brake, reverse camera, Lane Change Assist, LED daytime running lights, two USB ports, push button start, infotainment unit and leather steering wheel.

The Subaru Outback is available as a standard model, alongside the Sport or Touring models, all of which come equipped with AWD, 4-cylinder petrol engine, 138kW output, 18inch wheels, 2-tonne towing capacity, anti-lock braking system, reverse camera, distraction warning, heated door mirrors, rear privacy glass, paddle shifters, 4.2inch cluster display as well as rear USB ports.

  • Subaru was rated five stars for reliability, driving experience, appearance, features, upgrades & extras and overall satisfaction, with four stars for customer service and value for money.

Shopping for tyres? Check out JAX Tyres & Auto

Compare more products featured in our Most Satisfied Customers Awards

What does SUV stand for?

SUV stands for ‘sport utility vehicle’, and is essentially the middle ground between a sedan and a larger 4WD, although there’s no commonly agreed upon definition amongst car manufacturers. Rising in popularity over recent years, SUV is a broad term that covers a wide range of vehicle makes, from small SUVs to mid-size SUVs through to larger SUVs, with the features and functionality of each SUV dependent on each manufacturer and model.

About our consumer experts


Dean Heckscher: Site Editor

This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.

 

Meet the Editorial Team

 

Samantha Howse: Consumer Research Specialist

Sam Howse Research Specialist

Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.

 

Meet the Research Team

Past Winners

Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s SUV ratings:

  • 2022: Kia
  • 2021: Toyota & Hyundai
  • 2020: BMW
  • 2019: Mazda
  • 2018: Holden
  • 2017: Toyota
  • 2016: Toyota

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