15 Of The Best Small SUVs, According To JD Power

Shopping for a new vehicle is stressful. Sure, it's also exciting to know you're getting a new car, but it also adds a new monthly payment to your budget, you have to interact with potentially pushy car salespeople, and there's a ton of pressure behind finding the perfect vehicle for you and your family.

Are you looking for a small SUV that's comfortably spacious, or one that has all the techy amenities you want inside? Maybe reliability and length of life in a vehicle is a higher priority, so you need to find the most dependable SUV available.

If you're looking for something specific in your future SUV, you may need to include that sought-after feature in your search to more easily sift through all the available models. Otherwise, for anyone searching for a small SUV that's considered the best of the best (at least, by J.D. Power), you've come to the right place. Without further ado, let's jump into the 15th best small SUV and work our way up to the SUV in first place.

The 2025 Kia Soul is currently one of the best boxy cars you can buy, with an iconic look that's evolved beautifully since its debut in 2010. J.D. Power awards the Kia Soul an 88 out of 100 score for quality and reliability, but it's held back by scores in the '70s for driving experience and dealership experience. 

The Kia Soul features a roomy trunk with a capacity of 62.1 cubic feet, a decently sized 14.3-gallon fuel tank, and fits the small SUV category well, with an overall length of 165.2 inches and a width (with mirrors) of 70.9 inches. Overall, it's a relatively affordable small SUV, ranging from about $20,490 to $24,790 (plus $1,445 destination) when purchased new from a dealership, and offers great gas mileage, with roughly 30 mpg combined (27 city/33 highway). 

If the Kia Soul sounds like the car for you, don't think "I'll wait for the 2026 model" because there won't be one. After a long run, Kia is deciding to discontinue the Soul model and has stopped production as of October 2025.

With an overall J.D. Power ranking of 85 out of 100, the Ford Bronco Sport might not be one of the first SUVs that comes to mind when you think "small SUV." However, with a length of 173.1 inches and a width of 82.2 inches, it's significantly smaller than popular large SUVs like the Chevy Tahoe or the Toyota Sequoia. On a good day, the Bronco Sport delivers 27 mpg combined (25 city/30 highway), and you can pack quite a bit in the trunk, with 65.2 cubic feet of available space to work with.

On average, the Ford Bronco Sport has a wide range of starting prices between $31,695 and $40,115 (plus $1,995 destination), depending on the trim you go with. The Ford Bronco Sport with the Sasquatch package is an off-road champ, but to snag that package, you have to go with the Outer Banks trim or the Badlands trim. These trims have a MSRP of $36,795 and $40,115 (plus $1,995 destination), respectively, before the $3,000 to 3,500 Sasquatch package is added on.

Considering the 2025 Honda CR-V is one of the best new SUVs you can buy, according to Kelley Blue Book, and the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid earned an impressive score in SlashGear's review, it's a little surprising to see J.D. Power rank the Honda CR-V relatively low among other small SUVs. Of course, it's one of six vehicles with the same score from J.D. Power, but ultimately, it's listed lower than 12 other models on this list.

This compact SUV measures 184.8 inches in length and 73.5 inches in width, including the side mirrors, and it has an impressive 76.5 cubic feet of space in the trunk. Honda's latest CR-V model gets 30 mpg combined (28 city/34 highway), making it a great option for anyone prioritizing fuel efficiency. Depending on which trim you opt for, expect to pay between about $30,100 and $41,100 (plus $1,450 destination) for a new 2025 Honda CR-V.

J.D. Power rates the 2025 Subaru Forester highly for the experience you get at the dealership and the vehicle's resale value, but highlights a few customer concerns about overall fuel economy. Poor fuel efficiency was one of the reasons we awarded a score of only seven out of 10 in our 2025 Subaru Forester review. It has an okay 29 combined mpg (26 city/33 highway), but a fairly large tank capacity of 16.6 gallons.

We enjoyed how comfortable a ride the Subaru Forester is, the vehicle's AWD system, and the equipment list on all trims except the base. Not including any color upcharges or additional features, the 2025 Subaru Forester starts between $29,995 and $43,295 (plus $1,420 destination).

With 69.1 cubic feet of cargo space, the 2025 Subaru Forester has a much roomier trunk than the 2025 Kia Soul, the 2025 BMW X4, and the 2025 Chevrolet Trax. It does, however, pale in comparison to the cargo areas of some small SUVs that have over 75 cubic feet of storage space, like the 2025 Honda CR-V. Despite less cargo space, the Subaru Forester shares similar dimensions to the Honda CR-V, with a length of 183.3 inches and a width, with mirrors, of 81.2 inches.

The 2025 Kia Sportage ranks well at J.D. Power, with an 84 out of 100 score for quality and reliability and an 85 out of 100 score for resale value, contributing to the vehicle's overall score of 81 out of 100. In addition to being named one of the best small SUVs by J.D. Power rankings, Consumer Reports deems the Kia Sportage one of the best SUVs under $40,000.

Kia's latest Sportage is 183.5 inches long and 73.4 inches wide, including the side mirrors, and comes with 74.1 cubic feet of cargo space, more than enough for most people. With 28 mpg combined (25 city/32 highway), the Kia Sportage doesn't have the best gas mileage for a 2025 SUV, but if you plan on road tripping often, that's when you'll see the greatest fuel efficiency the Sportage has to offer. For a new model, expect to pay between roughly $27,390 and $38,290 (plus $1,395 destination) for your Kia Sportage.

If you're looking to spend as little as possible on a small SUV, the 2025 Kia Seltos is definitely a model you'll want to consider. For a new Kia Seltos, you can expect to pay between $24,690 and $31,190 (plus $1,395 destination) depending on the trim you go with. Though it has a smaller 13.2-gallon tank than some of its competitors, it gets decent gas mileage, with 29 mpg combined (27 city/31 highway) on average.

On the flip side, the Kia Seltos is not a great choice for those who need ample space in the trunk. It only offers 62.8 cubic feet of cargo space, which is very little compared to most of the other small SUVs J.D. Power includes in its current top 15. In exchange, it won't take up a lot of room when it's parked in the garage, with a pretty short overall length of 172.6 inches and a width, including mirrors, of 70.9 inches. Plus, J.D. Power reports owners saying they like the Seltos' ability to carry everything they want, despite its smaller-than-average trunk.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona is one of the smallest SUVs you can buy in the U.S., surpassed only by the Hyundai Venue, Kia Soul, and Mazda CX-30. It measures 171.3 inches in length and 71.9 inches in width, including the side mirrors, making it easy to comfortably park in a garage. However, the Hyundai Kona doesn't have a lot of trunk space. Its cargo capacity maxes out at 63.7 cubic feet.

J.D. Power gives the Hyundai Kona high marks for its driving experience (87 out of 100), quality and reliability (84/100), and resale value (80/100). However, its low dealership experience score (71/100) is what's keeping it from being higher on this list.

Its gas-powered variant gets great gas mileage, delivering about 31 mpg combined (29 city/34 highway), especially considering how affordable it is for a modern SUV. On average, you can expect to pick up a new 2025 Hyundai Kona for between $24,550 and $32,100(plus $1,450 destination), similar pricing for Hyundai's fully electric Kona models. We loved our time reviewing the Hyundai Kona Electric, though we noted the N Line trim we tested wouldn't be our first pick if you decide to splurge on an electric vehicle.

In addition to ranking it one of the best small SUVs, J.D. Power also deems the 2025 BMW X4 to be one of the best crossover SUVs in general, mainly due to how great the vehicle's overall driving experience is. However, expect to pay a hefty amount for a luxurious driving experience like this one, as the BMW X4 ranges between $55,300 and $79,100 (plus $1,175 destination) for new models.

If cargo space and fuel efficiency are more important to you than drive comfort and stellar features, the BMW X4 might disappoint you. Despite its relatively long length of 187.6 inches and width, with mirrors, of 84.2 inches, this small SUV doesn't have much room in the trunk, with a capacity of only 50.5 cubic feet. Its fuel efficiency is just as meager. The BMW X4 offers only 24 mpg combined (21 city/27 highway), though it does have a pretty large 17.2-gallon fuel tank to offset this.

One of the biggest reasons the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander lands a spot on J.D. Power's list as one of the best small SUVs (and one of the best third-row SUVs) is because of its driving experience, specifically noting how quiet owners say the ride is. The latest Outlander model measures 185.8 inches in length and 84.4 inches in width, including the side mirrors, has 64.3 cubic feet of cargo space, and offers up to 27 mpg combined (24 city/31 highway).

The 2025 Outlander can be relatively budget-friendly, as a new model starts at a reasonable $29,995, but its top trim starts at $44,445 (plus $1,595 destination). Our 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander review unit with the company's "Super All Wheel Control" system, or a fancy way of saying all-wheel drive, starts at $38,795. While we loved how well-equipped the Outlander is and how nice its interior is, we think it's a bit pricey for what it offers, and we'd recommend the PHEV Outlander model instead.

J.D. Power awards the Chevrolet Trax a respectable score of 83 out of 100, scoring the SUV pretty evenly among all four categories: overall quality and reliability, driving experience, resale value, and the experience you get at the dealership. Depending on the trim you go with, the Chevy Trax ranges in price between $20,500 and $25,895 (plus $1,395 destination). That affordability is just one of the reasons we reviewed the Chevrolet Trax with a high score of nine out of 10.

The 2025 Chevrolet Trax measures 178.6 inches in length and 71.8 inches in width, not including its side mirrors, and it has a max cargo capacity of 54.1 cubic feet. With a 13.2-gallon tank and a combined 30 mpg fuel rating (28 city/32 highway), the 2025 Trax isn't breaking any fuel efficiency records, but it's a solid pick for both road trips and errands around town.

The highest score the Porsche Macan Electric notches with J.D. Power is 93 out of 100 for dealership experience, exactly what you hope to see from a luxury dealership. In our 2025 Porsche Macan Electric review, we awarded a perfect 10 out of 10 rating. We praised the small SUV for its excellent driving dynamics, a cool and comfortable interior, and sleek styling that wouldn't immediately make you think it's an EV.

Current MSRP for the 2026 Macan Electric ranges between $78,000 and $109,500 (plus $2,350 destination) when you buy one new. Edmunds reports the MSRP of the 2025 Porsche Macan Electric as a similar range. It measures 188.3 inches long and 84.7 inches wide, including the side mirrors (76.3 inches wide, without mirrors), and it only has 19.1 cubic feet of cargo space, which makes sense when you see how roomy the interior is.

Because it's a fully electric vehicle, the fuel efficiency rating from the EPA looks a little different from traditional gas-powered vehicles. The 2025 Porsche Macan Electric gets 99 MPGe combined (108 city/90 highway), and as with most electric vehicles, you'll get way more miles out of it driving around the city than taking it on road trips.

If you're in search of a small SUV that delivers consistent gas mileage wherever you drive, take a look at the 2025 Buick Encore GX. With a 30 mpg combined (30 city/31 highway), the Encore GX doesn't have the highest gas mileage out there. J.D. Power, however, says owners like the Encore GX's overall fuel economy, along with its engine power and how quiet the cabin is while driving.

From front to back, the Buick Encore GX measures 171.1 inches, and without its side mirrors, it's 71.4 inches wide. It offers scant trunk space, with just 50.2 cubic feet of max cargo capacity, so keep that in mind if you love making huge grocery runs or packing lots of camping equipment in your trunk.

Despite its limited cargo space, J.D. Power also names the 2025 Buick Encore GX one of the best SUVs under $30,000. That said, it's possible to go over $30,000 when buying a new Encore GX model. Depending on the trim you go with, a 2025 Buick Encore GX can cost you between $27,335 and $34,495 (plus $1,395 destination).

It's no surprise to see the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek towards the top of J.D. Power's ranking of small SUVs, as it's the most popular Subaru model in the U.S. at the time of writing. Both critics and consumers love the Crosstrek, or more particularly, its affordable price, overall reliability, and plethora of interior features. 

If you want the base Crosstrek model, you're looking to pay at least $26,560, or you can spring for the most luxurious model at $33,360. The Subaru Crosstrek has a high dealership experience score (91/100) with J.D. Power, so the buying process should be less stressful than average. It also has a high resale value score (89/100), so if you want to swap cars in a few years, you won't lose out as much. 

The 2025 Subaru Crosstrek is 176.4 inches long and, with mirrors, it's 79.4 inches wide. It has a max cargo capacity of 54.7 cubic feet, which is fairly low compared to a lot of the other SUVs mentioned on this list. Then, the Crosstrek pairs a large 16.6-gallon fuel tank with great fuel efficiency, delivering 29 mpg combined (27 city/34 highway).

Chevrolet Trailblazer owners have plenty of good things to say, including it's a great value for the features it offers, it drives well, and it offers decent gas mileage. Through J.D. Power, owners similarly praises the Trailblazer's overall fuel economy, and also positively note its engine power and the ability to stash personal items "exactly where you want them."

The 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer is 174 inches long and 71.2 inches wide, with the side mirrors included, and yet, it boasts a max cargo capacity of 54.4 cubic feet. With a 13.2-gallon tank, the Chevy Trailblazer can last nearly 400 miles of distance before needing to fuel up again, thanks to an EPA fuel economy rating of 30 mpg combined (30 city/31 highway).

Even for its highest trim option, the 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer slides in just above $30,000. You can expect to pay between $24,495 and $30,695 (plus $1,395 destination) for a new Chevy Trailblazer, though there are additional features and interior options that can take you well above the $30,000 mark.

J.D. Power ranks the 2025 Buick Envista as the best small SUV you can currently buy, and it's also easily one of the best new vehicles you can buy under $25,000 in general, according to Consumer Reports. The base trim for a new 2025 Buick Envista starts at $25,195 (plus $1,395 destination), and the most expensive trim option starts at $29,995 (plus $1,395 destination).

It's a fairly large 'small' SUV, reaching 182.6 inches in length and 71.5 inches in width, without the side mirrors, but it only offers max cargo capacity of 42 cubic feet. If you're looking for lots of trunk space, this might be a negative. But if you can make do with a smaller cargo area, it means you'll have a much more spacious interior with plenty of legroom. This could be why J.D. Power awards an 86 out of 100 score for the Envista's driving experience.

In terms of fuel efficiency, the EPA estimates the 2025 Buick Envista gets roughly 30 mpg combined (28 city/32 highway), which is fantastic for the price. There's a reason Buick is the most reliable American car brand, and it's clear to see why the 2025 Envista model is a favorite among so many.

We used J.D. Power's rankings for small SUVs to compile this list, ultimately highlighting 15 of the best small SUVs based on their final score through J.D. Power. While we did look at what J.D. Power liked and disliked about each vehicle, we didn't want all of our information to come from a single source.

Once we had the ranking info from J.D. Power, we turned to other reputable auto industry sources. This includes Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, Cars.com, and of course, ourselves here at SlashGear. We've gone hands-on and reviewed countless SUV models of all shapes and sizes, and many of our favorites landed on this list. From these extra sources, we scrutinized each vehicle's specs, common pros and cons, and popular and/or favorite features.