The best small SUVs – driven, tested and ranked
The UK car market is awash with high-riding small SUVs. These are our top picks
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by Jack Warrick
8 mins read
8 May 2025
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Not so long ago, the hatchback was the most popular car body style in the UK, but there’s a new chart-topper in town: the small SUV.
In fact, three of the last five years have ended with a small SUV atop the UK’s best-selling cars list.
They’re certainly not to everybody’s tastes, but there’s no denying they offer several benefits that make them ideal for a wide customer base.
They offer a more commanding view of the road ahead than lower-slung hatchbacks while maintaining similar amounts of space inside.
Styling has come a long way too, with many of the best small SUVs adopting similar design cues to their brand’s range-topping models.
Cars like the Nissan Juke pioneered this class, but it’s the Dacia Duster that leads the way today. We rate it highly for space, style, off-road ability and, most of all, its class-leading value for money.
But which other small SUVs are worth considering? You will find our considered list below, featuring the very best of the segment.
Each car has been rated by our expert panel of reviewers, who have collectively driven every new car on sale today.
1. Dacia Duster
9
- Design9
- Interior6
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs10
Pros
Great value
Pleasant to drive
4×4 version has genuine off-road ability
Cons
Interior a little fussy
Feels cheap in places
Low Euro NCAP safety score
Best for: Value for money
Some say the Dacia Duster is all the car you need, and who are we to argue? Spacious and large, it has been much improved over the past few generations.
Dacia’s budget-friendly crossover is now more refined, more drivable, more efficient than ever.
Its interior is large and practical enough to be classed as a family SUV, while the ride is soft and plush. It can even be used off-road.
The Duster offers a choice of three engines: a 1.0-litre ‘Bi-Fuel’ triple, which can run on petrol or LPG, a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol and a 1.6-litre full hybrid.
We would choose the 1.2 and view the hybrid as an automatic option that doesn’t carry a fuel economy penalty.
Ultimately, the Duster is at least as good as the Hyundai Kona while costing a few thousand pounds less – and that’s hard to argue with.
Read our Dacia Duster review
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Mercedes-Benz E-Class
8
Skoda Fabia
9
Audi A3 Sportback
7
Mercedes-Benz EQS
8
KGM Musso
6
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2. Skoda Elroq
9
- Design8
- Interior9
- Performance9
- Ride & Handling8
- Costs9
Pros
Well-rounded drive, thanks to a mature chassis
Spacious interior features plenty of usable tech
Strong real-world and efficiency
Cons
Not that fun to drive
It’s relatively heavy and feels that way out of town
Adaptive suspension is tied to pricier models
Best for: Electric ownership
The Skoda Elroq is one of the best small SUVs on sale and the number-one electric option.
Its strength of performance is clear, yet there is no compromise on efficiency, range, drivability or ride comfort. It’s intuitive and pleasant both to drive and to interact with.
The Elroq marks a step forward in Skoda’s design philosophy, with a sharper and tougher look that stands out far more than many of its rivals.
Several different battery sizes and powertrain options are offered too. Drivers will get 232 miles of range in the Elroq’s most basic form, rising to 360 miles with the largest available battery.
Inside, the Elroq is a thoroughly pleasant place to sit, with decent material quality and an intuitive infotainment system. There’s a good mix of grainy fabrics and harder plastics, plus several different storage compartments tucked away.
Prices start from £31,510, which is competitive, but you will need to spend a bit more to have the best Elroq experience.
Read our Skoda Elroq review
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3. Nissan Qashqai
8
- Design7
- Interior8
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling8
- Costs9
Pros
Likeable interior
Comfortable in all scenarios
Infotainment is easy to use
Cons
Manual gearbox is hard work
CVT can lead to ‘mooing’
Infotainment feels dated
Best for: All-round ability
With its lighter chassis, more commodious dimensions and much-improved dynamics, you would expect the latest Qashqai to do well. And for the most part, it does.
The Qashqai remains true to the safe, predictable and rational formula of the models released before it.
There’s little here for keen drivers and both the 1.3-litre mild-hybrid petrol and novel e-Power hybrid powertrain are a little breathless, but what did you expect?
Performance and handling aren’t what the Qashqai is about and, as one tester put it, “it’s very thoughtfully designed for families, well equipped and costs peanuts to buy and run”.
If you must have a two-pedal version, we would go for the hybrid, rather than the wheezy CVT petrol.
The interior doesn’t look as jazzy as some, but the materials are pleasing, it’s solidly built and it’s very easy to use, thanks to plenty of real buttons.
All early Qashqais had a multimedia system that was easy enough to use but looked slightly dated. About two years in, higher trims got a new system that retains all the usability but looks a lot nicer.
A game-changing effort? Not any more, but it’s a demonstration that Nissan knows its customers extremely well. It’s difficult to beat among the non-premium ranks.
Read our Nissan Qashqai review
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4. Volvo XC40
8
- Design8
- Interior7
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling8
- Costs7
Pros
Wide range of engine options
Appealing interior ambience
Blend of ride and handling
Cons
Only so-so to drive
Not as spacious as some
Petrol engines can sound coarse
Best for: Luxury feel
The Volvo XC40, the Swedish car maker’s compact sibling for its established XC60 and XC90 SUVs, has been a real success.
In its pragmatic, comfort-orientated, functionality-focused way, the XC40 is a classic Volvo to its core.
It’s a model that offered instant kerbside appeal when it launched back in 2017, with a charismatic and alluring design that helped bring younger family buyers into Volvo showrooms.
In addition to its funky exterior, the XC40 also offers a cabin of laudable richness, comfort, usability and quality.
While it isn’t the most practical car in the small SUV class, it certainly has plenty of luxury car ambience.
It currently offers only two mild-hybrid petrol powertrains (unless you count the electric EX40 too), but both are good options.
If an SUV’s mission is to lift its driver above the hustle and bustle and filter out the pain from the daily grind, few do it better than the XC40.
Read our Volvo XC40 review
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5. Audi Q3
8
- Design9
- Interior8
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs7
Pros
PHEV version is good value
Captures some of the appeal of larger Audi SUVs
Available in Sportback coupé form
Cons
Not as refined as you might expect
Disappointing interior quality
Noisy diesel engine
Best for: Range of powertrains
The Audi Q3 is a stalwart of this class and comes with a good range of powertrains: petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid.
This car still has real-world strengths that might make it better to live with than key rivals.
There’s also the option of the slope-backed Sportback bodystyle, although you’re better off maximising interior space with the regular version.
The Q3 is in general a strong contender, with slick drivability and plenty of space, but there are some quirks to the line-up. For one thing, the PHEV is surprisingly good value. For another, rolling refinement isn’t always as strong as it might be.
The powertrains are well-mannered enough, but just make sure you don’t overdo it on the size of the wheels and ruin the ride.
The latest versions are also lacking just a touch in terms of that bulletproof interior feel.
Read our Audi Q3 review
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6. Kia EV3
8
- Design9
- Interior9
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling6
- Costs8
Pros
Large battery for the class
Excellent infotainment and usability
Spacious
Cons
Awful ADAS
Bland to drive
Expensive on PCP finance
Best for: Spacious interior
Kia’s new small electric SUV is one of the finest on sale, offering a huge battery and great levels of performance.
Although it’s not quite the game-changer it seems at first, the EV3 is still quite the achievement and is making the class that bit more competitive.
Of the two battery options, it’s the larger 81.4kWh pack that impresses most, producing a claimed range of 367 miles on a charge.
Power comes from a 201bhp electric motor, making the car nippy enough, hitting 0-62mph in 7.6sec. That’s more than enough poke for everyday and motorway driving.
The EV3 is spacious too, offering a 460-litre boot (plus a tiny 20-litre frunk under the bonnet), which is easily accessible. Rear leg room is also on the more practical side compared with rivals such as the Jeep Avenger.
Sounds good, doesn’t it? There are a couple of downsides, though, including some efficiency gripes and frustrating ADAS. Other options are also more fun to drive.
Read our Kia EV3 review
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7. Hyundai Tucson
8
- Design7
- Interior8
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs8
Pros
Potentially very economical
Striking exterior design
Grown-up interior
Cons
Sluggish automatic gearbox
Lacklustre driving dynamics
Some cheap plastics to be found
Best for: Interior layout
The arrival of the fourth-generation Tucson was something of a watershed moment for Hyundai.
The Tucson shows that Hyundai can do both style and substance.
Stylistically, it was a drastic departure from its handsome but slightly dull predecessors, and its cabin reaches new heights in terms of material appeal too.
Hyundai has long been trying to rebrand itself as an upmarket contender in Europe, and the Tucson has helped move the firm much closer to the Germans.
Dynamically, it plays things pretty safe, with a handling balance that prioritises ease of use over out-and-out dynamism, but it’s still enjoyable enough to pedal down a twisty road.
More so than ever before, this is an impressively polished small SUV that’s absolutely worthy of your attention.
All of the Tucson’s powertrains are based around a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, among them mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
Read our Hyundai Tucson review
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8. Mazda CX-5
7
- Design7
- Interior7
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs7
Pros
Good to drive
Excellent interior
Comfortable over distance
Cons
Straight-line performance isn’t always up to snuff
Can be loud at a cruise
Larger wheels give a firm ride
Best for: Diesel lovers
Like the XC40, the Mazda CX-5 is one of the senior citizens of this class, but it’s easily one of the best-looking SUVs on the market.
The sense of relative lightness and compactness, crispness, precision and simplicity make it great to drive.
Also spacious and well-packaged, the CX-5 boasts a solid, stylish and beautifully made interior, with the sort of usability that many other car makers could learn from.
It can also hold its own for driving dynamics, with a handling pep that has made it one of our favourite small SUVs.
All CX-5 grades come with a choice of mild-hybrid petrol engines, but the unfashionable 2.2-litre diesel is our top pick, limited to range-toping Takumi grade.
Overall, the CX-5 offers a healthy mix of fun, frugality and family-friendly space, so it deserves serious consideration from buyers who want a car that does a little bit of everything.
Read our Mazda CX-5 review
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9. Kia Sportage
7
- Design8
- Interior8
- Performance7
- Ride & Handling6
- Costs7
Pros
Striking design
Neat and appealing interior
Broad range of engines
Cons
Hybrid powertrain can be coarse
Ride and handling balance isn’t that sweet
Head room on par with a hatchback
Best for: Hassle-free family life
The Kia Sportage is one of the UK’s best-selling cars and it’s easy to see why. Its design isn’t for everyone, but it’s a refined, grown-up and tech-laden package.
Spec advice? If you have taller passengers to think about, avoid the panoramic sunroof of the GT-Line and GT-Line S trims.
It’s not quite as spacious as the best, but it has enough room for most family needs.
Plus there’s a wide range of engines, from mild-hybrid petrols and diesels through to a BIK tax-busting plug-in hybrid.
It also comes loaded with standard kit, can be easily connected to your smartphone and is backed by Kia’s excellent seven-year warranty.
To drive, the Sportage is something of a mixed bag. The handling is safe and predictable, but it’s fairly inert when you’re pressing on, while poorly surfaced roads quickly upset its composure. It’s reasonably refined but doesn’t ride as well as many rivals, jostling occupants over even smaller bumps.
Overall, the Sportage is a smart, well-equipped and hassle-free family SUV, but those wanting a little emotional uplift should look elsewhere.
Read our Kia Sportage review
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10. Range Rover Evoque
7
- Design9
- Interior8
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs6
Pros
Has taken sizeable steps on rolling refinement
Electrified powertrain has great performance and smoothness
It’s a heavy car but doesn’t handle or perform like one
Cons
It’s only a 33mpg car on the run when the battery’s flat
Recent update has significantly cheapened the interior
Needlessly firm ride
Best for: Performance
The Range Rover Evoque was previously the best small SUV money could buy, and while it’s not quite as good as it once was, it’s still an option to add to your shortlist.
It looks great, it handles with far more verve than most of its peers and the plug-in hybrid powertrain feels slick, responsive and ‘together’.
Its design still looks the part, but its trump card is its handling. It’s more dynamic than the Qashqai and the Tucson – even in a plug-in hybrid form – and its powertrains are all slick and responsive.
The Evoque’s cabin still feels luxurious, but it’s let down hugely by its ride quality, which was needlessly firmed up as part of the model’s late-2023 update.
Its interior has also taken a hit, with the previous well-considered combination of physical buttons and a touchscreen replaced by a singular touchscreen.
That said, if you’re after a good small SUV, the Evoque is still a good option. It’s just more middle-of-the-road than a class leader.
