With their taller stance and cargo-friendly configuration, subcompact SUVs are doing their best to muscle subcompact cars out of the way, and some automakers have retired their smallest cars entirely in favour of these little SUVs. They’re sometimes called “crossovers” as well, indicating their halfway status between a car and an SUV.
Part of their popularity can also be attributed to the fact that many offer all-wheel drive (AWD), as some on our list do. Our expert picks also include gasoline-only, hybrids, and electric vehicles (EVs), giving shoppers a wide choice.
There are a lot of subcompact sport-utilities out there, and our team of more than 20 automotive experts has considered them all before voting on the best ones. In alphabetical order, these are the ones our experts are most comfortable recommending to their families and friends. All prices include the automaker’s non-negotiable delivery charge.
Chevrolet Trax
Our experts found that Chevrolet’s Trax doesn’t have any one attribute that really stands out; instead, everything comes together to create a vehicle that’s “greater than the sum of its parts.” It’s a comfortable and well-rounded model that was all-new for 2024, replacing the previous Trax that had nothing in common with it other than its name.
For 2025, the two entry trims receive some standard convenience and driver-assist features that were optional last year. All five trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.2L three-cylinder engine that makes 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and with front-wheel drive (FWD). While those aren’t big power numbers, the Trax is surprisingly peppy in city traffic and is rated at 8.1 L/100 km in combined city/highway driving and on regular-grade gasoline.
It’s also relatively roomy, both in the front and rear seats, and with 725 litres of cargo space when the rear seats are up. It starts at $26,799 for the LS trim, while the 1RS, which includes blind-spot monitoring and rear park assist, is $28,299. The two top 2RS and Activ trims are both $30,999, with the 2RS the sportier version with larger wheels and a flat-bottom steering wheel, while the Activ has a power driver’s seat.
Hyundai Kona/Kona Electric
The Kona transformed into its second generation for 2024, and unusually, it was designed primarily as an electric vehicle (EV), and then adapted for two sizes of gasoline engines. That’s a bonus in our experts’ eyes, as it gives buyers an opportunity to choose the power source that’s best for their driving needs and access – or lack of – to EV charging.
The Kona’s Essential and Preferred trims use a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that makes 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, with an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT). A peppy turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder, making 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque and with an eight-speed automatic transmission, is available in the Preferred, and is standard equipment in the top N Line trim. The lower trims can be optioned with AWD, which is standard on the upper trims. The 2.0L is rated at 7.6 L/100 km in combined city/highway driving, while the 1.6L rates 9.0 L/100 km; and both take regular-grade gasoline.
The Kona Electric uses a 64.8-kWh battery, powering an electric motor that makes 201 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque, and exclusively powering the front wheels. On its base 17-inch wheels, it’s rated at 420 km on a charge; opt for 19-inch wheels and it’s 370 km. With a Level 2 home charger, it takes about six hours to fully charge, and about 40 minutes to get to 80 per cent on a public fast-charger. The gasoline Kona runs from $28,499 to $37,949. The Kona Electric comes in a single trim at $48,499, before any available government rebates, while three available packages of extra features add $1,400 to $5,700 if you opt for them.
Mazda CX-30
Mazda’s smallest sport-ute is popular with our experts because of its sharp styling and even sharper driving dynamics. Mazda adds fun-to-drive performance even at this entry level, giving it confident handling in tight curves, but it’s never so sporty that it’s a chore to drive on the everyday commute. The interior is stylish and the front seats are comfortable; and while it’s a bit tight in the second row, it’s a good choice for those who don’t haul a crowd and want something city-sized for tight spots. Its 572 litres of cargo space is about mid-pack in the segment.
The GX, GS, and GT trims use a 2.5L four-cylinder engine that makes 191 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque. Available in the GT, and standard in the top Suna trim, is a turbocharged 2.5L making 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which increases to 250 hp and 320 lb-ft if you pump in premium 93-octane fuel, but it isn’t necessary to do so. Both engines use a six-speed automatic transmission, and all trims have standard AWD. The 2.5L is rated at 8.2 L/100 km in combined city/highway driving, while the turbocharged engine gets 9.3 L/100 km.
The entry GX trim, which includes blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, starts at $30,405. The GS adds a 10.25-inch centre touchscreen and dual-zone climate control, among other items, and is $33,305; while the GT is $39,305. Adding the turbocharged engine to the GT is $41,705, while the top Suna trim is $42,455.
Subaru Crosstrek
The Subaru Crosstrek justifiably earns its place on this list after having been named the Best Subcompact SUV in our 2025 AutoTrader Awards – and that was for the third time in a row. For this model year, it receives updated styling inside and out, along with improvements to its driver assist technologies and its selectable drive mode settings.
The Crosstrek features two engine choices across its five trim levels. The two entry trims use a 2.0L horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine, making 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, while the upper trims employ a 2.5L four-cylinder at 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. While the 2.0L rates 8.0 L/100 km in combined city/highway driving, the more-powerful 2.5L is virtually on par at 8.1. An automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) is found in both. All also include AWD, with at least 40 per cent of power going to its rear wheels at all times; this helps give it a surefooted feel around curves and on slippery surfaces. Our experts also like that much of the driver-assist tech is contained in a windshield-mounted camera – Subaru calls it EyeSight – that’s behind the path of the wipers. As a result, it stays clear and works in nasty weather, whereas some vehicles shut off their assist features if their external sensors get too dirty or icy.
The Crosstrek lineup starts with the 2.0L-equipped Convenience at $31,790 and Touring at $34,990. The 2.5L trims run from $36,590 to $40,790. That top price is for the Wilderness, intended for slightly tougher off-road stuff with its skid plates, all-terrain tires, all-weather mats, and an extra 15 mm (0.5 inch) of ground clearance.
Toyota Corolla Cross/Corolla Cross Hybrid
The Corolla Cross debuted for 2022, when it replaced the C-HR as Toyota’s smallest SUV/crossover and it added a hybrid version the following year. It’s based on the same platform as the Corolla, but with a higher ride height and more headroom, and with up to 609 litres of cargo space.
The Corolla Cross uses a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that makes 169 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque, and with an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT). All-wheel drive is available on the two lower trims and standard on the top XLE trim. While it’s not a powerhouse, it’s rated in AWD at a respectable 7.8 L/100 km in combined city/highway driving. Our experts really like the hybrid, which mates that 2.0L to a hybrid electric motor for a combined 196 horsepower. A second electric motor powers the rear wheels as needed for AWD. The system is self-charging and doesn’t get plugged in, and it sips a mere 5.6 L/100 km in combined driving.
The ride is smooth, the controls are easy to use, and there are numerous driver-assist features. The gas-only Corolla Cross starts in L trim at $29,650 in FWD and $31,050 in AWD, and the top XLE trim, in AWD only, is $37,940. The hybrid comes only in AWD, with the SE at $36,575, and the XSE at $39,335.
