Best Small SUVs

Buyers in the small SUV segment have never had more choice and the talent pool has never been deeper, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a bad choice – whether you’re focused on value for money, practicality, performance, luxury, electrification, or just a specific budget.

With small SUVs now reaching up towards six figures at the top end, believe us, you’re going to want to get these buying decisions right.

We break down the vast compact-SUV market into manageable, bite-sized sub-categories – delivering expert recommendations that will help you whatever your car-buying priorities.

Winner | Under $30K | Under $40K | Under $50K | Over $50K | Electric | Hybrid | Best Value

Popular SUVs

About Small SUVs

The small SUV is the most affordable entry into the world’s favourite vehicle type.

In Australia they are classified officially in the industry as either a Light SUV or a Small SUV, though there is often plenty of pricing overlap between these sports utility vehicles that are, respectively, typically based on city cars or small cars.

Some small SUVs are not especially practical for families, though many are more adept at fitting parents, kids and all their gear than you might imagine. The Kia Seltos, Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Cross are good examples of small SUVs that are a genuine option for families looking for a roomy vehicle but can’t stretch their budget to a midsized SUV.

Such is the popularity of SUVs that several brands feature two compact SUVs. Stablemate pairings include the Kia Stonic and Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-3 and Mazda CX-30, Toyota Yaris Cross and Toyota C-HR, and Volkswagen T-Cross and Volkswagen T-Roc.

Petrol power dominates the segment, though electrification is gradually working its way into the segment. There are petrol-electric offerings available from Toyota’s Yaris Cross and C-HR and the GWM Haval Jolion, plug-in hybrids such as the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, while fully electric options include the BYD Atto 3, Hyundai Kona EV, and MG ZS EV.

Petrolheads aren’t neglected, though. The Hyundai Kona N and Volkswagen T-Roc R are both relatively affordable performance SUVs. Audi has the SQ2 and RSQ3, while the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 is one of the fastest compact SUVs in the world.

Many luxury brands also offer compact SUVs. These include the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Jaguar E-Pace, Lexus UX, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and Volvo XC40.

Two of the aforementioned SUVs have won the prestigious Wheels Car of the Year award. The Volvo XC40 won in 2019 and the Mazda CX-30 won in 2021.