14 Subcompact Crossover SUVs Ranked

The popularity of crossovers and SUVs isn't slowing down, as evidenced by the vehicle types popping up in every size and at every price point. Need something tall and small? A subcompact crossover might just be what you're looking for. These are the least-expensive crossovers you can buy, situated below compact crossovers, and they are all based on everyday small car platforms. Some don't even offer all-wheel drive, and many don't offer much interior or cargo room. But they do have the look, with rugged-adjacent body cladding, plus that must-have tall seating position. To get a baseline on the current offerings, we've ordered the segment by goodness, starting with the worst and ending with the best.

Beyond its angular good looks, Mitsubishi's Outlander Sport is a standard-issue small crossover that aspires to little beyond providing value. The base 148-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission-a rarity in this segment-and buyers can upgrade to a continuously variable automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Need more power? The Mitsubishi offers a 168-hp 2.4-liter engine that comes solely with a CVT.

Despite a cool name, the Trax is an unadventurous choice in a segment with more exciting, fun-to-drive choices. (The mechanically similar Buick Encore, for example, is a more distinguished offering.) The Chevy offers a roomy cabin and is powered by a 138-hp 1.4-liter turbo four with a six-speed automatic; take your pick of either front- or all-wheel drive. Steering feedback is okay, and the ride is smooth, but the Trax is tuned more for comfort than sport. Inside, there’s lots of tech, with 4G LTE, a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, and a 7.0-inch touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

Before you try and say "EcoSport" out loud, just know that it is pronounced echo-sport, which doesn't really make any sense. On the upside, describing any one aspect of Ford's smallest crossover as "eco" (that's ee-koh, as in, environmentally friendly) doesn't really check out, either. What you're left with is a Fiesta-based tiny crossover that is slow and ill-suited to duties outside the perimeter of a congested urban area. In our testing, the turbocharged three-cylinder engine fails to deliver stellar fuel economy; ditto the burlier 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which is the only way to get all-wheel drive. Four human adults will fit inside, but their stuff won't.

The Honda HR-V is based on the Fit hatchback, a tiny packaging marvel. So, it is no surprise that the HR-V's cabin is similarly flexible, with clever multi-way folding "Magic" rear seats and up to 59 cubic feet of cargo space with those seats folded flat. Unfortunately, the chassis is tuned for a soft, isolating ride, and the steering feels remote-un-Honda-like traits that join the anemic engine in delivering dynamic disappointment. For 2019, Honda finally added Apple CarPay and Android Auto integration to the infotainment system, and a much-needed physical volume knob replaced the frustrating capacitive-touch slider arrangement originally fitted.

More sport hatchback than crossover, Toyota's C-HR attempts to bring the emerging "crossover coupe" style from the luxury realm to the masses. (C-HR stands for "Coupe High-Rider.") With hidden rear door handles, the four-door Toyota looks like a two-door, and nobody could call its styling boring. Less exciting is the C-HR's acceleration: It is quite slow. Like many other current Toyotas, however, the C-HR rides well and drives smoothly, and a host of active-safety features such as automated emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control are standard.

The 500X is the most useful Fiat offered today next to the practically invisible, nearly forgotten 500L. Fiat fits the wee crossover with a 177-hp turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard. Although we have not yet driven the updated-for-2019 500X, the examples we've sampled previously offset the model's high style with mediocre interior plastics, a few ergonomic foibles, and too firm a ride.

Yes, it is boxier than a mail truck, but Jeep's Renegade is actually the Fiat 500X's mechanical twin. Unlike its Italian family member, the Renegade charges the subcompact class the American way, with plenty of Jeepy charm and-in Trailhawk guise-real off-road capability. No one will complain about headroom in the Renegade's vertically gifted cabin, and there are plenty of cheeky design details throughout. The Jeep also drives decently, and in base form can be equipped with all-wheel drive and the Fiat 500X's turbo four and manual transmission, a fun combination.

Judging by its official cargo volumes and small, narrow body, one might think the Encore, Buick's smallest crossover, wouldn't offer much practicality. Consider its performance in our cargo-space evaluations an M. Night Shyamalan–style twist: The Buick's carry-on-swallowing abilities rival those of the segment's larger offerings and even outperform its corporate cousin, the Chevrolet Trax, in spite of their similar volume measurements.

Positioned between the larger Rogue and the smaller Kicks in Nissan's crossover lineup, the Rogue Sport is a happy middle ground. Its spacious cargo hold accommodates 20 of our carry-ons, just two short of the Rogue's capacity and one greater than the Kicks. Also, unlike the Kicks, the Rogue Sport offers optional all-wheel drive.

A crossover, by definition, is a car-based wagon-like vehicle fashioned to look and act like an SUV. Consider Subaru's Crosstrek a rather literal take on the theme: It is a car-in this case, the Impreza hatchback-with its suspension tweaked for more ground clearance; extra body cladding; and a different name. Ironically, the car-based Crosstrek could probably venture further off-road than most of the other vehicles in this roundup, thanks to its standard all-wheel drive and substantial 8.7 inches of ground clearance. Powertrain choices include a 152-hp 2.0-liter flat-four engine can be paired either with a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic (CVT) or, new for 2019, a plug-in hybrid. Subaru's EyeSight suite of active-safety features is available.

Sitting on the small end of the class and with a rather cramped interior, the Mazda CX-3 places so highly in our rankings for one reason: It is fun to drive. It also is quite attractive and carries a premium air about it. Should style and excellent handling not appeal to you, the Mazda probably won't ring your bell, and higher trim levels can bring the price close to $30,000. Every CX-3 is powered by a 146-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine; a six-speed automatic transmission is standard across the board, as is front-drive. All-wheel drive is optional.

Pour one out for Nissan's bizarre-looking, character-rich Juke, the frog-eyed crossover this Kicks replaces. Even though it isn't nearly as adventurously styled as the Juke, the Kicks is a pragmatic and aggressively priced entry in the segment. A 125-hp four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission driving the front wheels is the Kicks' sole powertrain; all-wheel drive isn't available. What that means, however, is that the Kicks is lightweight and capable of impressive fuel economy numbers. The interior is roomy, and forward collision warning and automated emergency braking are standard. Overall, it is an extremely well-executed, right-priced offering that's somewhat fun to drive.

Fun and funky on the outside, businesslike and cargo-ready on the inside: that's the Kona in a nutshell. With room for only 14 carry-on suitcases, it is not the most practical crossover in the segment, but it is one of the more rewarding to drive, and it's characterful, which counts for something, right? With the same 19 cubic feet of space behind its rear seats as the Toyota C-HR and the same overall capacity of 14 carry-ons, the Hyundai edges out that Toyota thanks to its 10-cubic-foot advantage with all of its seats folded.

Even though it is on the cusp of replacement by an all-new Soul for the 2020 model year, the current version remains our class favorite. With pricing that starts well below $20,000 and snappy looks (and even snappier interior packaging and styling), the Soul blends everything shoppers in this segment are looking for into a fun-to-drive, affordable conveyance. Our only major complaint with the Kia is that it lacks even the option of all-wheel drive, although we should note that it is quite fuel efficient as a result (the 2020 Soul will offer AWD). A 130-hp 1.6-liter four is standard, and a 161-hp 2.0-liter and 201-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter are available.