Small SUVs compared: all 98 current models side by side

Four things decide the choice, in order. The first is the powertrain: gas versions are cheapest to buy, hybrids cost a little more but cut fuel use, and electric versions cost the most up front and the least to run if you can charge at home. The second is space: a small SUV's rear seat is about as roomy as a midsize SUV's, so what the larger class adds is cargo room, width and towing rather than passenger comfort, according to MotiveGrid's buying guide (opens in a new tab). The third is total cost, since resale and insurance vary widely between models at the same price. The fourth is safety and reliability, which the table below cannot show, so check the model page's recall record before you shortlist.

On the numbers in the table, the base price spread is wide: the Chevrolet Trailblazer starts at $25,095 and the Kia Seltos at $26,485 on Kelley Blue Book's figures, while the most expensive small SUVs (the Jeep Recon at $68,990 and the Maserati Grecale at $86,495) are luxury or electric models. Kelley Blue Book's ranking (opens in a new tab) names the Kia Sportage, from $30,285, the most affordable on its list of the best compact SUVs.

The EPA's combined ratings run from 20 mpg for the Ford Bronco and 21 for the Land Rover Discovery to 131 MPGe for the Toyota bZ, 129 for the Subaru Uncharted and 126 for the Lexus RZ. Among gas and hybrid models the standout is the Toyota RAV4, which is a hybrid in every version for 2026 and rates 38 to 43 mpg. The cheapest annual fuel bills in the table are $550 for the Toyota bZ and $600 for the Lexus RZ.

A hybrid pays for its premium in fuel: The Weekly Driver (opens in a new tab) reports that the RAV4 Hybrid costs about $2,350 more than the old gas RAV4 did but saves roughly $500 to $700 a year in fuel at current gas prices, so the premium is recovered in three to five years for a driver who covers average mileage.

U.S. News (opens in a new tab) names the 2026 Buick Encore GX its most reliable small SUV, the Jeep Wrangler its editor's choice, and the Ford Bronco Sport the best for families on the strength of high safety and reliability scores. Reliability lists rest on a mix of owner surveys and recall data and disagree with each other, so the practical step is to open the model page of any SUV on your shortlist and read its recalls and complaints, then check the VIN of a specific car at nhtsa.gov/recalls.