18 Best Affordable Compact SUVs: Photos and Details

$29,300 | U.S. News Overall Score: N/A

The Ford Bronco is one of the best off-road performers in the compact SUV class. In addition, it has a spacious cabin that’s stylish, rugged, functional and well-equipped. The Bronco doesn’t ride as smoothly as rivals, and its fuel economy is subpar, but it handles well and delivers plenty of power from both of its turbocharged engines.

The Bronco comes in two- and four-door body styles. It has two rows of roomy seats regardless of which style you choose, though the four-door Bronco is the way to go if you need loads of cargo capacity.

Standard features in the 2021 Bronco include four-wheel drive, a seven-speed manual transmission, satellite radio, an 8-inch touch screen and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It also comes equipped with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection.

$25,795 | U.S. News Overall Score: N/A

The fully redesigned 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander boasts a premium cabin with spacious first- and second-row seats and a large cargo area, though its third row is best left for children. The Outlander also returns respectable gas mileage and delivers composed ride and handling. However, its lone four-cylinder engine won’t wow most drivers with its acceleration.

Standard features in the 2022 Outlander include an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, Bluetooth, an 8-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and two USB ports. A wealth of advanced safety technologies are standard as well, such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection.

$25,555 | U.S. News Overall Score: N/A

If you’re looking for a compact SUV that’s spacious, engaging to drive and packed with standard active safety systems, the Ford Escape should be on your list. It comes standard with Ford's MyKey driver monitoring technology, as well as the Co-Pilot360 suite, which features a typical assortment of key safety systems, plus curve control, automatic high beams and driver drowsiness monitoring. The Escape's crash test ratings are very good, too.

The Escape is available with two turbocharged engine options that both deliver peppy acceleration. According to the EPA, the base three-cylinder returns outstanding fuel economy, while the stronger turbo-four delivers praiseworthy ratings. An automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard. The Escape’s interior is not as impressive as rivals’, but it features adult-friendly seats and excellent cargo capacity.

$23,395 | U.S. News Overall Score: N/A

The completely redesigned 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is priced lower than rivals and comes with great warranty coverage. It also returns good fuel economy, but it has a weak engine, a small cargo area and lackluster handling.

The Eclipse Cross seats five people in two rows. Both rows offer enough leg- and headroom for adults. The cabin itself looks decent, despite having many hard plastics, and it has user-friendly infotainment technology as well. However, despite the redesign, the Eclipse Cross’ interior and tech features aren’t as modern as classmates’.

The 2022 Eclipse Cross comes equipped with an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 7-inch touch screen, Bluetooth and HD Radio. Standard safety systems include lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection. Smartphone connectivity and several other advanced driver assistance technologies are available.

$26,390 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.0/10

The Jeep Compass is a decent SUV, but it doesn’t fare well in our ranking of compact SUVs. Its mediocre acceleration, uninspiring handling, subpar gas mileage and small cargo area hold it back. With that said, the Compass features excellent off-road prowess and comes equipped with a first-rate infotainment system.

Standard features in the Compass include an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Several driver assistance aids are available.

$29,725 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10

The Jeep Wrangler is the most expensive vehicle on our list of affordable compact SUVs, and it’s not very practical. It fails to compete with other compact SUVs in areas like interior refinement, comfort, fuel economy and safety. However, it does offer potent engine options, it’s one of the best off-road SUVs on the market, and it earns a great predicted reliability rating.

The Wrangler comes in two- and four-door body styles. The front seats are spacious in both, but the rear seats in the two-door Jeep are tight. In addition, the four-door Wrangler has plenty of room for cargo, but that can’t be said about the two-door model. 

The Wrangler comes standard with a 285-horsepower V6 engine, a six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel drive, a folding soft top, a 5-inch touch screen and manual windows and door locks. A host of optional features are available.

$27,900 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.5/10

The GMC Terrain has an above-average price tag for the class, but it has a handsome cabin and loads of standard equipment. It also features generous rear-seat space, a fuel-efficient base engine, excellent crash test ratings and a balanced ride and handling. The Terrain has a small cargo hold and a weak base powertrain, though you can upgrade to a much more powerful engine.

Standard niceties in the Terrain include a 7-inch touch screen, smartphone connectivity, four USB ports and a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot. The base model comes with an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, forward automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane keep assist, automatic high beams, a following distance indicator and GM’s Teen Driver monitoring system.

$33,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10

Like all Jeep vehicles, the Cherokee delivers solid off-road capability. It also features comfortable seats, user-friendly infotainment technology and good crash test ratings. However, it doesn’t stand up to most classmates when it comes to agility, interior quality and cargo capacity. A strong V6 engine is standard, and a powerful turbo-four is available.

The Jeep Cherokee is priced higher than many compact SUVs. It comes standard with an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 7-inch touch screen, voice recognition, smartphone app integration and a healthy assortment of advanced driver assistance systems.

$25,800 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10

The Chevrolet Equinox is a top-selling compact SUV thanks to its reasonable starting price, good gas mileage, terrific safety scores, a great predicted reliability rating and a welcome assortment of standard features. It also delivers composed handling and a relaxed ride. However, its base engine is weak, and its cabin quality isn’t on par with some classmates’.

The Equinox’s front seats are roomy and its rear seats provide enough space for most adults. It offers a good amount of cargo space, but many competing crossovers have larger cargo holds.

Standard features in the Equinox include an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, GM’s Teen Driver monitoring system and several advanced driver assistance technologies.

$25,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10

The Tiguan isn’t as engaging, powerful or fuel-efficient as some of its peers, but it’s safe, reliable and comfortable. It features a cushioned ride, three rows of seats and more cargo room than many compact SUVs. While its first two rows are spacious, the third row isn’t suitable for adult passengers. The Tiguan is more expensive than some compact SUVs, but it comes packed with desirable standard features.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan is equipped with rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection. Other standard features include an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 6.5-inch touch screen, a Wi-Fi hot spot and smartphone app integration. All-wheel-drive models come standard with two rows, though a third row is available.

$26,525 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10

Despite being priced higher than most rivals, the Toyota RAV4 is the top-selling compact SUV on the market today. It boasts abundant cargo volume, well-balanced ride and handling and excellent fuel economy. The RAV4 also features an attractive and high-quality cabin, two roomy rows of seats and plenty of horsepower for its size. It’s also a finalist for our 2022 Best Compact SUV for Families award.

The RAV4 receives impressive crash test ratings and comes equipped with the comprehensive Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite of advanced driver assistance technologies. In addition to some of the most common safety aids, the RAV4 has traffic sign recognition and lane trace assist, which automatically steers the vehicle while adaptive cruise control is active.

Other notable standard features include an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa and a Wi-Fi hot spot.

$26,700 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10

The Nissan Rogue offers an upscale interior, above-average gas mileage and impressive passenger and cargo space. However, it’s more expensive than many rivals, and its acceleration is mediocre, though it rides and handles quite well.

The Rogue's luxury-grade cabin features an abundance of soft-touch materials and ultra-comfortable, NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seats. This compact crossover comes equipped with an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, an 8-inch touch-screen infotainment system, smartphone app integration and a full complement of active safety aids.

$27,265 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10

The Ford Bronco Sport has standard all-wheel drive, eager engines, strong off-road prowess and composed ride and handling. However, it’s pricey for the class, its cabin isn’t fancy, and its rear seats are cramped.

The Bronco Sport boasts plenty of cargo space, an intuitive 8-inch touch-screen infotainment system and an entire suite of advanced driver assist systems. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot, a roof rack, 17-inch wheels, an automatic transmission and all-season tires come standard.

$25,195 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10

The Subaru Forester’s notable strengths include a spacious cabin, generous cargo capacity and good fuel economy. Its engine and automatic transmission don’t deliver as much power as some rivals, but they get the job done, and all-wheel drive comes standard. The Forester also handles well, provides a cushioned ride and has higher ground clearance than most competitors. 

The Forester earns top-notch crash-test ratings and comes standard with Subaru’s EyeSight suite of active safety technologies. Aside from the typical safety systems, the suite comes with unique features like lead vehicle start alert, pre-collision throttle management and lane departure and sway warning. The Forester also comes equipped with a 6.5-inch touch screen, smartphone connectivity and an aut

$24,090 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10

The Kia Sportage is one of the top contenders in our compact SUV ranking. It’s affordable and feature-filled, and it has a history of strong ratings for safety and reliability. The Sportage offers a handsome interior, confident handling, a relaxed ride and respectable power from both of its engine options. However, it’s not as fuel-efficient as some compact SUVs, and it could use more cargo space. 

Standard features in the 2022 Sportage include an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, an 8-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, automatic high beams, a driver attention monitor, lane keep assist and forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking.

$25,750 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.8/10

The Honda CR-V holds one of the leading positions in our compact SUVs ranking. It delivers ample acceleration, returns superb fuel economy and has well-balanced ride and handling. The CR-V also features a classy cabin, plenty of room for five passengers and a cavernous cargo area.

The only real knocks against the CR-V is its frustrating infotainment technology and the fact that it’s a bit more expensive than some rivals but light on standard features. Still, it does come equipped with the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver assistance aids. The CR-V also comes standard with an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 5-inch infotainment screen, Bluetooth, automatic climate control and automatic high beams.

$25,370 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.9/10

The Mazda CX-5 is arguably the best overall performer in its class, featuring agile handling, a composed ride, sufficient acceleration and stellar gas mileage. Moreover, the CX-5 receives top-notch safety scores and has a premium interior with comfortable seats. Among the CX-5’s few faults is an above-average price for the segment and less cargo space than classmates.

The 2021 CX-5 comes standard with an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, a 10.25-inch touch-screen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot and a long list of advanced driver assistance systems. It even has safety aids that come as a premium on competing models, such as automatic high beams, rain-sensing windshield wipers and adaptive cruise control.

$24,950 | U.S. News Overall Score: 9.0/10

The completely redesigned 2022 Hyundai Tucson provides agile handling, a comfortable ride, eager acceleration and good fuel economy. It also has a premium, well-built and feature-filled cabin with two adult-sized rows of seats and lots of cargo space. What’s more, like all Hyundai vehicles, the Tucson is covered by a long warranty. The Tucscon won our 2022 Best Compact SUV for Families and 2022 Best Compact SUV for the Money awards.

Standard features in the 2022 Tucson include an automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, Bluetooth, HD Radio, two USB ports, an 8-inch touch-screen interface and wireless smartphone connectivity. It also comes with a long list of active safety aids, including lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, driver drowsiness monitoring and a rear-seat alert.

Did this article help you find the best affordable compact SUV that fits your priorities and budget? If not, visit our new car rankings to check out and compare more vehicles. In addition, our new car financing deals and lease deals pages can give you a better idea of what you’ll spend on your new SUV.

Once you’ve narrowed it down, use our U.S. News Best Price Program to track down the dealerships in your area offering the lowest pre-negotiated prices. Shoppers who have used the program to buy or lease a new vehicle saved an average of over $3,000 off MSRP.

1. 2022 Hyundai Tucson | $24,950 

2. 2022 Mazda CX-5 | $25,370

3. 2022 Honda CR-V | $25,750 

4. 2022 Kia Sportage | $24,090

5. 2022 Subaru Forester (Tie) | $25,195

5. 2022 Ford Bronco Sport (Tie) | $27,265

7) 2022 Nissan Rogue (Tie) | $26,700

7) 2022 Toyota RAV4 (Tie) | $26,525

9) 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan | $25,995

10) 2022 Chevrolet Equinox (Tie) | $25,800

10) 2022 Jeep Cherokee (Tie) | $33,995

12) 2022 GMC Terrain (Tie) | $27,900

12) 2022 Jeep Wrangler (Tie) | $29,725

14) 2022 Jeep Compass | $26,390

2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross | $23,395

2022 Ford Escape | $25,555

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander | $25,795

2022 Ford Bronco | $29,300