Small SUVs are among the most popular vehicles on sale, which makes warnings about them easy to overlook. The cautions here come from AutoGuide’s rankings, an IIHS crash rating, a lawsuit and a complaint-versus-sales list from a law firm. Here are ten small SUVs that reviewers and data warn against, with each caution attributed to its source.
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1. Dodge Hornet: Worst on the List
AutoGuide ranks the Dodge Hornet worst on its list of SUVs to avoid in 2026, citing poor build quality, overpricing and severe depreciation. The AutoGuide avoid list also says the SUV is reportedly assembled from Alfa Romeo and Fiat parts and built in Italy.
This is AutoGuide’s opinion, and the quality complaint is described as reported rather than established. Shoppers worried about depreciation could compare the Hornet’s real-world pricing against rivals before committing. A buyer drawn by a discount may want to weigh the depreciation claim before signing, since resale value affects what the vehicle really costs.
2. Jeep Compass: Jeep’s Weakest
AutoGuide calls the Jeep Compass the brand’s worst current product, with weak quality and poor value in the small SUV segment. That verdict comes from the same AutoGuide SUV ranking that puts the Hornet at the bottom, so the two entries land back to back.
The assessment is subjective and the source gives no test data in the summary. Buyers who like the Compass’s styling may want to test drive it against rivals and check its warranty coverage. The summary describes quality and value concerns, but it gives neither test figures nor specific faults to check.
3. Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: Poor Crash Marks
IIHS rates the 2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Poor in the updated moderate overlap front and side tests, and Poor for seat belt reminders. The IIHS vehicle rating is the only crash-test entry in this gallery, and it is specific to the 2025 model year.
Poor is the lowest rating IIHS gives, so these results are a concrete caution rather than a matter of opinion. Shoppers can open the full IIHS page to see how the Eclipse Cross fared in the remaining tests.
4. Volkswagen Taos: Owner Satisfaction
AutoGuide says the Volkswagen Taos has one of the lowest Consumer Reports owner-satisfaction ratings since launch and below-average reliability. The AutoGuide avoid article relies on the Consumer Reports result rather than a test of its own.
Owner satisfaction measures how people feel about a vehicle, which can reflect more than mechanical faults. Prospective buyers could check the Consumer Reports data directly, since AutoGuide is summarizing it. Reliability claims in such roundups usually come from owner surveys, so they reflect reported experience rather than inspections.
5. Chevrolet Trailblazer: Tiny Turbo
AutoGuide cites a tiny three-cylinder turbo with questionable longevity, high pricing and poor value for the Chevrolet Trailblazer. The criticism appears in the AutoGuide SUV warnings and centers on the engine’s size rather than a specific failure.
The phrase questionable longevity is an opinion rather than a documented defect. A shopper curious about the engine could look at the related Trax listings, which other sources in this gallery tie to similar concerns. The same three-cylinder theme appears in the Trax entry below, where complaint rankings add a second source.
6. Kia Seltos: Oil Ring Suit
A March 2025 Kia suit report says an oil ring defect in 2021-2023 Soul and Seltos models poses a fire risk. The suit followed a February 2025 recall, according to the listing, so the Seltos entered the lawsuit after the manufacturer had already acted.
A suit is an allegation, and the listing offers only a short summary. Seltos owners can verify recall completion with a dealer, which is the most direct way to address the concern. The listing names Soul and Seltos together, so the Seltos shares the concern with its smaller Kia sibling.
7. Honda HR-V: Complaint Ranking
Lemberg Law ranks the Honda HR-V 8th on its list of the 100 worst cars of 2024, built from NHTSA complaint data cross-referenced with sales. The Lemberg Law ranking is a law firm’s analysis, so it measures complaint volume against sales rather than a mechanical test.
The list comes from a law firm rather than a regulator, which is worth keeping in mind when weighing it. HR-V shoppers might use it as a prompt to check NHTSA complaints for the exact model year.
8. Chevrolet Trax: Trax Again
Lemberg Law ranks the Chevrolet Trax 11th on its list of the 100 worst cars of 2024. The placement appears in the same law firm’s worst-cars list that includes the HR-V, drawing on complaints reported to NHTSA.
The ranking weighs complaints against sales volume, so a popular vehicle can place high without being unusually flawed per unit. The Trax also appears elsewhere in this set of lists, which may be a sign of broader scrutiny. Another entry in this gallery, the Trailblazer, draws an AutoGuide caution aimed at its small turbo engine.
9. Subaru Crosstrek: Crosstrek Placement
Lemberg Law ranks the Subaru Crosstrek 14th on its list of the 100 worst cars of 2024. The entry in the 2024 worst-cars list is based on NHTSA complaints cross-referenced with sales, not on a reliability test.
The Crosstrek’s spot below the HR-V and Trax shows that the list is crowded with popular models. Shoppers might read it as one data point, to be balanced against reliability surveys and recall history. The source does not itemize the complaints behind the Crosstrek placement, so the ranking shows volume without detailing the issues.
10. Ford Bronco Sport: Bronco Sport Ranked
Lemberg Law ranks the Ford Bronco Sport 25th on its list of the 100 worst cars of 2024. The Lemberg ranking page uses complaint data and sales figures to build the order, so a high position signals complaint volume rather than a specific defect.
At 25th, the Bronco Sport is the lowest-ranked of the four Lemberg entries here. Buyers can look up its NHTSA complaints and recalls for the relevant model year to see what the ranking reflects. The Bronco Sport shares part of its name with the larger Bronco, though the sources here treat the two separately.
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