BEST SMALL SUVs
City friendly. Compatible with civilised weekends away. Easier access than a car. This segment copes easily with speed bumps, potholes and raised kerbs.
Subaru Crosstrek
The Subaru Crosstrek is essentially a raised Subaru Impreza hatch, including the robust AWD system Subaru is renowned for.
It has a compact profile ideal for a suburban runabout, plus the light-duty soft-roading abilities young drivers, small families and regionally-based elderly drivers would appreciate.
Crosstrek features Subaru’s flat-configuration Boxer engine that makes it agile and stable. It offers a mild-hybrid powertrain option, plus software-based terrain response called X-Mode that makes it a bit too good in tricky, soggy terrain like campground, dirt roads and during heavy rain.
It’s the combination plus its high level of standard safety equipment that makes Crosstrek far more capable than a typical city-focused small SUV.
Hyundai Kona
The Hyundai Kona is a funky, modernised hatchback SUV. Useful ground clearance makes tall kerbs and shoddy suburban driveways less scary than they would be in a low-slung conventional car.
Hyundai is up there with the best customer service operations in Australia, and the Kona is a compelling value proposition for a small family or those about to start one. The previous generation of Kona enjoyed a solid six years of in-service reliability, across all powertrains and variants. The new version (pictured, yet to arrive in dealerships) should continue this trend.
You’ll appreciate excellent build quality, a stylish but functional interior, generous luggage space, plus a wide model range including a performance version and the all-electric Kona. Check out Kona Hybrid >>
Kia Seltos
Kia Seltos shares its platform with the Hyundai Kona, but the model range is more streamlined, comprising just two powertrains. Which one you choose is really just about performance, equipment level and budget.
There’s a fuel-efficient 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder driving the front wheels only via a CVT, or a hotter 1.6 turbo engine with AWD.
Another bonus is generous luggage space, despite the city-friendly overall dimensions. It’s good for parking in tight spots without being too small to take a young family on a driving holiday.
There’s a well equipped interior, the latest tech, and a strong suite of standard safety features.
Mazda CX-30
The CX-30 might look like a Mazda3 hatchback with raised suspension (because it is) but that doesn’t entirely diminish what is a slightly more practical family SUV with loads of features and a very nice interior - the kind you could commute to work in every day.
What you lack in the CX-3 due to its Mazda2-based platform you gain back with the CX-30, but with slightly better ground clearance and the broad appeal of an SUV - even if it does have the same 5-seat capacity as the Mazda 3, and exactly the same engines.
Thanks to the Mazda3 underpinnings, we also know the CX-30 is reliable, fairly frugal on fuel (without being the best), and safe, as well as being comfortable for longer drives than its hatchback derivative helped in part by additional headroom.
Mazda CX-3
The Mazda CX-3 combines elegant styling with smooth powertrains and quality interiors. It’s very compact, at just 4.2 metres long. (CX-3 shares its platform with the Mazda2). This compact SUV is perhaps the perfect of its kind for getting around town in comfort and style.
The CX-3 is a conservative all-rounder, being more subtle than the more outlandish South Korean offerings. There’s just a little more prestige and polish all round.
Your teenage kids might think other cars are cooler, but they’re not the ones spending the cash, frankly. The CX-3 presents itself dressed ‘smart-casual’ in a segment where ‘torn jeans’ are the norm.
Mitsubishi ASX
If you need an affordable, decent quality suburban SUV that’s affordable to run and service, then the Mitsubishi ASX is a great option for you.
While the ASX is certainly not the most innovative in terms of styling, layout or functionality, it’s right up there on value, and that’s backed by solid customer support and a strong 5 + 5 year warranty proposition (the latter five being dependent on servicing at a Mitsubishi dealer).
Equipment levels are acceptable, without being excessive or opulent. Luggage space might be a bit tight, but the ASX is still family-friendly while managing also to be compact and manoeuvrable - that’s a plus in multi-storey carparks and inner-city laneways.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
An affordable, decent quality vehicle that’s inexpensive to run and service, Eclipse Cross fills a unique spot as a slightly bigger runaround suburban SUV.
Where the ASX is cheap and simple, Eclipse Cross is a bit more innovative in terms of styling, layout or functionality. It has a semi-liftback style tailgate that allows for loading bulky items, while remaining a family-friendly 5-seater that’s compact and manoeuvrable; ideal for multi-storey carparks and city laneways.
Mitsubishi offers solid customer support and a strong 5 + 5 year warranty proposition (dependent on Mitsubishi dealer servicing ). Equipment levels are good, the cabin is functional and the luggage space is even better.
KIA STONIC
The Stonic is a Kia Rio wearing compact SUV clothing, but at least it’s comfy thanks to Australian suspension tuning. It has an exciting little engine to make it fun to drive and a pricetag that won’t take your breath away.
Stonic is only marginally higher off the ground than the city car it’s based on, but that does offer you a boot floor slightly higher up in which to load the weekly groceries or anything flatpack where you can drop the back seats.
There are two ISOFix positions for child restraints, with three top tether points, although you’re going to struggle getting in more than two.
A simple, functional cabin makes for great ergonomics and minimal distraction and all of the essential features to make it a safe, somewhat practical little vehicle for P-platers.
POPULAR SMALL SUVs TO AVOID
Volkswagen T-Roc: Volkswagen sells attractive cars that drive well. Unfortunately, they’re also poor in terms of reliability, and the brand is terrible at customer support. The company treats consumer law as if compliance is optional. And, it’s done this on many occasions. The T-Roc is also grossly over-priced, at $8k more than a Hyundai Kona N-Line. Bottom line: Owning a Volkswagen is far too risky and potentially expensive, for ordinary Australian car buyers.
Mercedes-Benz GLA: You can’t negotiate on a GLA because of fixed pricing, so you’ll pay the highest price possible. This business model has slashed sales, so desperate dealers are suing Mercedes Australia for $650M. Mercedes has a range of ‘entry-level’ products which look and smell nice, but generally lack the build quality expected of a Japanese or South Korean carmarker.
Nissan Qashqai: Struggling to sell a small SUV in Australia should be a warning sign to potential consumers and Qashqai sales lurk in 9th place. Nissan is not a big-volume brand anymore. Its cars are boring and Qashqai is just an uninteresting, re-skinned Renault. Even the hybrid is just marketing spin to sell you a fake, technically inept EV. Resale value is likely to be a disaster with this car, so I suggest shopping elsewhere.
Honda HR-V: Honda sales are so profoundly bad, the brand could collapse at any time. HR-V sales are down over 60 percent on 2022 because Honda uses the agency model now, meaning: no negotiating for a good deal. You’ll pay maximum price for HR-V because: no haggling. But the HR-V isn’t much chop anyway because Honda has stopped innovating.
Ford Puma: Ford Australia has one model propping up sales here, and it’s not Puma, Escape or Mustang. It’s the Ranger ute (and Everest 4WD). Every other model is just a gap filler in the market, which is why Puma sales suck: it’s in 8th place, out of 10. There are better options from more reliable brands for the same money. You don’t be part of Ford’s model line-up experiments.
Jeep Compass: Jeeps are such notoriously unreliable, glitchy and temperamental vehicles that the brand has become an intelligence test. Buy one: you fail. When you have a legitimate fault with your overpriced Compass (and you will), Jeep will overcharge for parts, but only if you can find a dealer to brush you off on the first encounter.
Renault Captur: Sales of Captur are a joke to anybody that buys one at resale time. They rarely sell in triple figures. Renault’s alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi means the Captur is essentially a weird, unpopular, overpriced ASX. Renault Australia left years ago only to return as part of a group called Ateco, an import business that struggles to make customer service a priority.
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