The sub-compact SUV category is tremendously
popular and features numerous excellent vehicles. Join us today as we
look at the top 7 recommended sub-compact SUVs by Consumer Reports. Starting off our list at number seven, we
have the snazzy Hyundai Kona. The Kona is a cost-effective, entry-level
SUV that stands out a little in a crowd and is more fun to drive than some of its biggest
competitors, but it’s not exactly fast, as it takes 11 seconds to go from zero to
60 miles per hour. A more livelier 1.6-liter turbocharged engine
is available as an upgrade, that packs more punch while also being quieter than the standard
engine. The Kona sits at a natural entry height and,
therefore, access in and out of the cabin is easy. In addition, the seating position is high,
allowing for relatively unimpeded visibility, while cabin controls and the infotainment
system are easy to use. Kona owners won't be wasting money at the
pump, as fuel economy comes in strong at 30 miles per gallon (7.8 L/100km) in the city, 35 (6.7) on the highway
and 32 (7.4) overall. As for safety, the Kona is loaded with a robust
suite of standard safety and driver assist features, including Blind Spot Monitoring,
Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist
Detection, amongst others. Prices for the Hyundai Kona are quite affordable,
starting at just $21,990 Next up on the list, coming in at number 6,
we have Toyota's latest SUV...the Corolla Cross. The Corolla Cross is a smaller, more affordable
alternative to Toyota's incredibly popular RAV4, as well as more powerful and less expensive
than Toyota's other crossover SUV, the C-HR. Much like the Kona, the Corolla Cross is easy
to get into, due to wide doors and a near optimal entry height for most people. The seating position is such that drivers
have excellent exterior visibility and the infotainment system and cabin controls are
easy to use. However, the interior overall, does feel more
basic as it primarily consists of hard plastic surfaces. Nonetheless, the Corolla Cross is an appealing,
cost-effective SUV that won't help you enrich the oil companies any more than necessary,
as it offers superior fuel efficiency of 31 miles per gallon (7.6 L/100km) in the city, 33 (7.1) on the highway
and 32 (7.4) combined. In addition, the Corolla Cross earned a Top
Safety Pick Plus designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and comes standard
with a robust suite of driver assistance and safety technologies. All of this Combined with a starting price
in the mid-$22,000 dollar range, the Corolla Cross is a strong contender for the entry-level
buyer. Coming in at number 5, we have the newly redesigned
Honda HR-V. The new HR-V is 11-inches (28 cm) bigger than the previous
model and offers far more interior cabin space. The interior is also more plush, moving away
from hard plastic surfaces and into more soft-touch materials. For a sub-compact SUV, cargo space is quite
generous. In fact, Consumer Reports says they were able
to load a full-size mountain bike into the HR-V without taking the wheels off. Both Cabin and infotainment system controls
are very easy to use and, as a bonus, the HR-V offers the convenience of a cap less
fuel tank. Fuel economy, because of the HR-V's otherwise
unexciting 158 horsepower engine, is also quite good at 26 miles per gallon (9.0 L/100km) in the city,
32 (7.4) on the highway and 28 (8.4) overall. HR-V owners enjoy a full-suite of standard
safety technologies that include a Collision MitigationBraking System, a Road Departure
Mitigation System, as well as Forward Collision Warning amongst numerous others. Prices for the Honda HR-V are quite reasonable
at a starting price of $23,800. Mazda pops up on the list at number 4 with
it's very popular CX-30 model. The CX-30 is a very formidable small SUV that
packs a lot of punch. In fact, Car & Driver magazine says it's
the one to buy if you have taste and tact as it is handsomely designed and offers so
much. Unlike most of the competition, the CX-30
comes standard with All Wheel Drive, instead of it being offered as an expensive upgrade. Then you have an interior that is so well
done, that it could compete with higher-end SUVs, and not only is its interior nice, it's
also a joy to drive. You won't become a regular at the gas station
with the CX-30, as fuel economy is strong at 26 miles per gallon (9.0 L/100km) in the city, 33 (7.1) on
the highway for a combined fuel efficiency of 29 miles per gallon (8.1 L/100km). The CX-30 also has you covered when it comes
to safety, as it received a Top Safety Pick Plus designation from the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety and a 5-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Finally, the CX-30 comes standard with numerous
driver assist and advanced safety technologies. You would think with all that the CX-30 has
going for it, that Mazda would price it on the high side...well, that's not the case,
as the CX-30 actually starts at a quite reasonable price of $22,950. Chevy makes an appearance on this list at
number 3, with the Chevrolet Trailblazer. The Trailblazer is a smaller and more affordable
alternative to both Chevy’s Blazer and Equinox SUVs, and offers a spacious, functional cabin
and plenty of technology. On the upside, unlike many subcompact SUVs,
the Trailblazer is relatively easy to get in and out of, but visibility is far from
optimal. A 137-horsepower, three cylinder engine is
standard, as is front wheel drive, but a turbocharged 155-horsepower engine and all-wheel drive
are both available as upgrades. Although neither engine will thrill drivers,
the upshot is good fuel economy which comes in at up to 29 miles per gallon (8.1 L/100km) in the city,
33 (7.1) on the highway and an impressive 31 miles per gallon combined (7.6 L/100km) The Trailblazer is also strong when it comes
to safety as it has received a Top Safety Pick Plus designation from the IIHS, and 5-Stars from NHTSA, and comes packed with standard safety technologies like Automatic
Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, and Forward Collision Alert, amongst others. Prices for the Chevy Trailblazer start at
just over $22,000 and max out at a little over $30,000. We’re not going to spend as much time on
the next vehicle on our list, the Nissan Rogue Sport, as its life…at least in the U.S...
is coming to an end. The Nissan Rogue sport, or as Consumer Reports
likes to call it, the Nissan Rogue Junior, is a more youthful and urban oriented subcompact
SUV, that projected sportiness in name only, as it featured a relatively lackluster engine. Although rated high by Consumer Reports and
landing the number 2 spot on its recommended list of subcompact SUVs, the Rogue Sport just
didn’t make the cut in a world where auto-manufacturers are shifting gears and prioritizing electrification. The Rogue Sports relatively high starting
price of just under $25,000, may have also played a role, in its demise, as there are
solid competitors with starting prices nearly 10% less... Production of the Rogue Sport is slated to
end in December 2022. Clinching the number one spot, we have none
other than the highly popular, full-time all wheel drive Subaru Crosstrek. The Crosstrek is a comfortable, roomy subcompact
SUV that offers a comfortable ride, easy to use controls and a standard 152 horsepower
engine that is just powerful enough to get the job done while still offering good fuel
economy. In fact, the Crosstrek sees up to 28 miles
per gallon (8.4 L/100km) in the city, 33 (7.1) on the highway and 30 (7.8 L) overall, according to EPA ratings. As with most Subarus, the Crosstrek is all
about function over form and, therefore, never approaches luxury levels. There are multiple trim levels available,
however, that can enhance the cabin as well as a plug-in hybrid model which provides up
to 17 miles (27 km) of electric only driving range. Although the standard gas-only model has much
to offer, we’d take a hard pass on the plug-in hybrid, as would Consumer Reports, as there
are far better options out there. The Crosstrek is a rare creature in the SUV
world as it comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission in both the base model
as well as the premium trim level. If you stick with the manual transmission,
you’ll forego Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technology that comes standard with
automatic transmission equipped models. This safety technology suite includes Pre-collision
Braking, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, and Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with
Lane Centering. Regardless of transmission choice, the Crosstrek
is a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and receives a 5 star rating from NHTSA. Prices for the Crosstrek start at $23,645
for the base model, but we’d recommend either spending the extra $1,350 to upgrade
to the automatic transmission, which also gives you the advanced safety technologies,
or spend a little over $4,000 for the Sport model, that also upgrades you into the more
powerful 182-horsepower 2.5-liter engine. Thanks so much for watching! We’ll catch you in the next video.
