The Best Small SUVs On the Market
Just a few decades ago, the ideal family car was likely to be a plain old saloon or hatchback. Then, in the 1990s and 2000s, craving greater practicality and flexibility, the humble MPV or people-carrier took hold of the market.
But now the goalposts have shifted yet again, and compact SUVs are the flavor of the moment. And it’s easy to see why – a high ride height for a commanding driving position and easy entry and exit, rugged styling that looks great on the move or parked up, and an extra degree of practicality than you’ll find from the equivalently sized hatchback.
Their popularity and desirability is only a good thing for buyers and owners – you only need to look at a Parkers car valuation to see how strong values are on the used market for the best models, and with just about every manufacturer joining in the trend there’s a huge array to pick from. Here are the best ones on the market in 2021.
Ford Puma
Ford doesn’t have the best track record with SUVs in the UK – its last small model was the EcoSport, which was frankly dire. The Puma, however, is the opposite – it’s in no uncertain terms the best small SUV available to buy today, as evidenced by a slew of awards including Parkers Car of the Year 2021 and WhatCar Car of the Year 2020.
It’s handsome, cheap to run, amazingly practical for a car of its size and absolutely brilliant fun to drive with a range of peppy engines and great handling. If you want a small crossover, this really ought to be top of your shopping list.
Renault Captur
The Renault Captur excels in a few areas that make it very attractive to family buyers. The first is value – with a low starting price and great finance packages available. The second is its interior, which excels in quality and usability.
The Captur’s sliding rear bench allows you to easily balance rear passenger space and the size of the boot, while its wide range of engines – petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid – give plenty of choice.
Volvo XC40
If you prefer a touch of premium from your compact crossover the Volvo XC40 is the car for you. It has all the features we’ve come to love in Volvo’s larger cars – inimitable Scandinavian style, tons of safety equipment, comfortable seats and fantastic build quality – but wrapped up in a city-friendly package.
It’s a little larger than most of the cars on this list and that gives it plenty of room inside, plus a very practical boot area.
Peugeot 2008
With its sabre-tooth daytime running lights and boldly creased design, the Peugeot 2008 makes a great first impression. That continues when you drive it too, whether you go for one of its petrol or diesel engines or for the fully electric e-2008.
The 2008’s interior is quirky, with high-set dials and a shrunken steering wheel, but it’s also premium in feel and comes with plenty of equipment.
Volkswagen T-Cross
Volkswagen quality in a stylish, practical and rugged-looking package? Sign us right up. The T-Cross isn’t just a shrunken version of VW’s larger Tiguan – it has its own character and is surprisingly likable.
The interior isn’t as stylish as the outside, but it’s practical and feels built to last. And being a Volkswagen, it’s as straightforward as they come.
Skoda Kamiq
Sister model to the VW T-Cross, the Kamiq does things in an unmistakably ‘Skoda’ way – it’s massive inside, with space for even the tallest adults to stretch out in the back seat and packed with ‘Simply Clever’ touches to make life that little bit easier.
It’s light and comfortable to drive, and there’s plenty of choice throughout the range – from low-specced bargains right up to luxurious cruisers. Something for everyone here, and it looks very smart, too.
Mazda CX-30
It’s certainly one of the prettiest small SUVs you can buy – Mazda has successfully translated the styling of its gorgeous 3 hatchback onto a bulkier SUV frame. The CX-30 has a coupe-like roofline but retains a fair degree of practicality.
The high-quality and stylish interior is another highlight, and while its engines are a tad gutless the CX-30 is great to drive.
