My parents had a new ranger all but bought for me when I was 17. I cried n had a fit cause my friends couldn't ride with me. Been used cars for me ever since. Lesson learned.
I had on old ranger with a 2.5, loved that truck, I could shift with no clutch. Never had any mechanical problems worth mentioning, but the frame finally broke. The leaf shackles snapped also, which was a pain in the ass. You definitely get your money's worth out of them though.
I know you said SUV but check out a 07-10 Tundra x-cab or four door. They are wonderful pieces of machinery.
So much fun to drive. I got a '04 Rubicon with a 3 inch lift and 35's. Feel like the king of the road. Lol.
I actually like them, but that's just me. A dude at a dealership seemed a little too excited when describing them. I don't think they're THAT cool.