Subcompact SUVs promise a high seating position and a modest price, yet the quality gap between them is wide. Edmunds scores the class on a ten-point scale, and its results span more than two full points. Here are twelve models, ordered from the lowest score to the highest.
Read next on Morning Overview: Shaq spent $1.3 million on three Rolls-Royce Phantoms to prove a point to a salesman
1. Jeep Compass: Bottom of the Class
Edmunds gives the 2026 Jeep Compass its lowest score among 16 subcompact SUVs, 5.7 out of 10, with a price of $29,550, according to its small SUV rankings.
That price is higher than every other listed starting price in this gallery, yet it earns the weakest rating, an awkward combination. Anyone cross-shopping should weigh the Compass against the Kicks at $22,730 or the Venue at $20,550, which cost thousands less and score higher.
2. Mazda CX-30: Fun Over Function
The 2026 Mazda CX-30 scores 6.1 out of 10 at Edmunds and starts at $26,375, and Edmunds’ CX-30 page says its small stature does not stop it from being fun to drive.
Driving enjoyment is the selling point Edmunds singles out, and the 6.1 suggests shortcomings elsewhere. Buyers who value handling over everything else may accept that trade, while those prioritizing value could do better with cheaper picks later in the ranking.
3. Subaru Crosstrek: Same Score, Higher Price
Edmunds’ expert testing team reviewed the 2027 Subaru Crosstrek and gave it 6.1 out of 10, with pricing starting at $26,995, on its Crosstrek review page.
That ties it with the CX-30 on score while costing $620 more at the starting line, making it the pricier of the two for the same rating. Any case for the Crosstrek has to rest on traits the score does not capture, since the numbers alone favor the Mazda.
4. Toyota Corolla Cross: A Tenth Ahead
Edmunds rates the 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross 6.2 out of 10 and lists a starting price of $25,335, per its Corolla Cross page.
It edges the two 6.1 models while undercutting both on price, which makes it the better value of the three on Edmunds’ numbers. The margin is a tenth of a point, though, so test drives and local pricing should carry more weight than the score difference. Edmunds prices the CX-30 at $26,375 and the Crosstrek at $26,995, so the Toyota is also the least expensive of the three.
5. Nissan Kicks: Style With a Catch
Edmunds rates the 2026 Nissan Kicks 6.5 out of 10, from $22,730, praising its distinctive styling and impressive in-cabin tech, according to its Kicks overview.
The same page dings an underpowered engine, the trade-off behind the modest score. The Kicks is $2,605 cheaper than the Corolla Cross, so the compromise is clear: buyers pay less and accept weaker performance. Shoppers who rarely need strong acceleration may find the compromise easy to accept, while highway drivers should test it first.
6. Honda HR-V: Middle of the Pack
The 2027 Honda HR-V scores 6.6 out of 10 at Edmunds and starts at $26,600, according to the site’s small SUV ranking.
That is a small bump over the Kicks in score but $3,870 more in price, so the HR-V sits in the middle of the pack without a clear case from the numbers. Buyers who prefer it should ask whether the extra money buys something specific. The 2027 model-year label also marks it as one of the newest entries on the list, alongside the Crosstrek and Seltos.
7. Hyundai Venue: Cheapest in Class
The 2026 Hyundai Venue scores 6.7 out of 10 at Edmunds and carries the lowest price in the class at $20,550, according to the Edmunds small SUV list.
It outscores the HR-V by a tenth of a point while costing $6,050 less, the clearest value argument in the lower half of the ranking. The Venue suits buyers who put cost ahead of the higher-scoring models above it. The gap to the next-cheapest entry, the Trax at $21,700, is $1,150.
8. Chevrolet Trailblazer: Tied but Pricier
Edmunds scores the 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer 6.7 out of 10, with a starting price of $23,300, in its subcompact SUV rankings.
It ties the Venue on score but costs $2,750 more, so the Venue wins on pure numbers. The Trailblazer’s case rests on whatever the score does not capture, which this ranking does not itemize, so a test drive matters. Edmunds puts the Trailblazer in the same 6.7 tier as the Venue, so the extra spending is the only separation.
9. Chevrolet Trax: Comfort and Space
Edmunds scores the 2026 Chevrolet Trax 7.0 out of 10, calling it a comfortable and spacious SUV, from $21,700, in its best subcompact SUV picks.
A 7.0 at $21,700 is a notable combination, since it beats the Trailblazer by three tenths of a point while costing $1,600 less. Both are Chevrolet products, so the comparison is easy: the Trax delivers a better rating for less money. The 7.0 score is also the first in the ranking to reach that mark, placing the Trax in the upper tier.
10. Volkswagen Taos: Well-Rounded Family Pick
Edmunds gives the 2026 Volkswagen Taos 7.5 out of 10 and says it is one of the most well-rounded and family-friendly offerings in its class, per its best subcompact SUV guide.
A 7.5 leaves it only 0.4 behind the leader, and the family-friendly note speaks to buyers who need passenger space more than sportiness. The source excerpt gives no starting price, so shoppers should confirm current pricing before comparing it with the cheaper Venue and Trax.
11. Kia Seltos: Nearly the Winner
Edmunds rates the 2027 Kia Seltos 7.8 out of 10, from $24,990, calling it an excellent little SUV with an appealing base price and lots of standard features, per its best subcompact SUV list.
Only a tenth of a point separates it from the winner, and it costs $510 less than the Kona. Pairing a near-top score with a modest base price makes it arguably the strongest value case in the ranking, at least on Edmunds’ figures.
12. Hyundai Kona: Class Leader
The 2026 Hyundai Kona tops Edmunds’ subcompact SUV ranking at 7.9 out of 10, from $25,500, and is described as an appealing pick for ample passenger space, according to its best subcompact SUV ranking.
The win comes by a hair, a tenth of a point over the Seltos, so the top two are effectively tied. Shoppers wanting a small crossover with roomy seating have a clear leader, though the 2027 Seltos undercuts it on price.
More from Morning Overview
- New FCC rules on how people can stop robocalls and texts take effect Nov. 25
- Neanderthals in Spain carved a wooden object that matches nothing archaeologists have ever found
- The FAA wants $2.39 million from a flight school it says flew a Cessna about 280 times with an unapproved part
- A $1 billion gas plant planned for Superior, Wisconsin, has been abandoned
