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The smallest SUVs on sale
Most small SUVs are practical enough to ferry around a family, while some even have a high driving position. Here, we name the smallest on sale
George Hill
Updated: 14 November 2023
In times gone by, SUVs were generally seen to be big and best suited to families. However, that's not necessarily the case anymore, because these days they come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from small SUVs to large luxury SUVs.
In this instance, we're going to be looking at the 10 smallest SUVs on sale in the UK. And despite their size, some of cars listed here are surprisingly practical, while some even have a raised driving position. To decide the list, each car has been classified by the length quoted by the vehicle manufacturer.
As well as revealing the most compact SUVs, we'll also show you how much our Target Price deals can save you if you search our free What Car? New Car Buying service. You can also follow the review links to read more about each model.
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Length 3700mm
The smallest SUV you can buy in the UK is the Suzuki Ignis. Surprisingly, it's quite spacious for its size – four adults should be able to sit comfortably inside.
On top of that, it's a very easy car to drive (especially around town), plus the 1.2-litre mild hybrid petrol engine is surprisingly punchy thanks to its electrical assistance at low revs. Of course, being a similar size to small cars such as the Hyundai i10, the Ignis is efficient, too; we achieved an average of 59.6mpg during our real-world fuel economy test.
The drawbacks? Well, there are a few, but that's largely down to it being cheap as well as small. Indeed, it's noisy at speed and the ride can be fidgety, plus the interior is filled with hard and scratchy plastics.
Read our in-depth Suzuki Ignis review
New car deals
Best price from £16,064
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The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
RRP from: £16,064
Kia Stonic
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Competitive pricing
- Modern interior tech
- Long warranty
Weaknesses
- Rivals are more spacious and practical
- Could be quieter to drive
- Engines need working hard
Length 4065mm
Kia makes a wide range of SUVs these days, but the Stonic is the smallest of the bunch.
Like the Kia Rio (with which it shares its underpinnings), the Stonic has a punchy mild hybrid petrol engine, agile handling and fairly generous standard equipment. Our favourite trim is 3; it gives some goodies (including faux-leather seats, cruise control and air conditioning) and access to the more powerful engine.
Its firm ride does count against it, though, as does the fact that most rivals are more practical. For example, the Seat Arona can carry seven carry-on suitcases in its boot, whereas the Stonic can carry only five.
Read our in-depth Kia Stonic review
New car deals
Best price from £19,945
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £19,945
RRP from: £22,195
Nearly new deals
From £18,299
Leasing deals
From £262
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Kia Stonic
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £262.45 Initial payment £3,149.40
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,394 total upfront (£3,149 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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Jeep Avenger Electric
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Good driving position
- Competitively priced
- Relatively fast charging
Weaknesses
- Tight rear leg room
- Average-sized boot
- Some rivals go even further on a charge
Length 4084mm
You might be surprised to see a Jeep as the third smallest SUV you can buy in the UK, but there is a reason for that.
You see, the Avenger is the first Jeep to be specifically designed for the European market. And being part of the Stellantis group (which also owns brands such as Fiat and Peugeot), the Avenger shares its underpinnings with the Fiat 600e and Peugeot e-2008.
Like those cars, the Avenger is fully electric. And unlike some other Jeeps, it's good to drive and well priced. The official range is decent, too, at 249 miles. However, the Hyundai Kona Electric can travel farther with its bigger battery.
Read our in-depth Jeep Avenger review
New car deals
Best price from £19,695
Nearly new deals
From £18,250
Length 4096mm
The Ford Ecosport offers a commanding driving position for a small SUV. However, it's a disappointing car to drive and has particularly poor ride quality.
Unlike some of the other cars on this list (which are almost tardis-like in terms of interior space), the Ecosport is also pretty cramped inside. In fact, there are few reasons for choosing the Ecosport over the Ford Puma. That car is much better to drive, more practical and more spacious – despite being only marginally bigger.
Read our in-depth Ford Ecosport review
New car deals
Best price from £17,570
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
RRP from: £17,570
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Volkswagen T-Cross
Best buy: 1.0 TSI Match Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 10.1 sec
MPG/range: 50.4 mpg
C02 emissions: 126 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 455 litres
Insurance group: 14E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Spacious interior
- Good to drive
- Generous standard equipment
Weaknesses
- Fiddly climate control panel on higher trims
- Top-spec Style Edition and R-Line trims are pricey
- Disappointing safety score
Length 4108mm
The T-Cross is not only the smallest Volkswagen SUV you can buy, but it's also the cheapest.
Indeed, it's based on the same underpinnings as the Volkswagen T-Roc and Volkswagen Taigo. However, the T-Cross is slightly different; it's boxier and less plush inside than those cars, plus it's not quite as refined.
Its boxy shape does play dividends when it comes to interior space, though. Head and leg room is impressive for a small SUV, plus every model comes with sliding rear seats, which means you can prioritise boot space or leg room depending on your needs.
Read our in-depth Volkswagen T-Cross review
New car deals
Best price from £23,180
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £23,180
RRP from: £26,545
Nearly new deals
From £18,668
Leasing deals
From £179
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Volkswagen T-Cross
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 24 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £178.61 Initial payment £2,143.32
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£2,388 total upfront (£2,143 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 24 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
DS 3
Best buy: E-TENSE 54kWh Pallas Auto 5dr
0-62 mph: 9 sec
Range: 248 miles
Seats: 5
Boot: 350 litres
Insurance group: 29A
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Good standard safety equipment
- Reasonably comfortable ride
- Electric version available
Weaknesses
- Expensive to buy
- Small boot and rear seats by class standards
- So-so body control
Length 4118mm
The DS 3 is a small SUV that's available with petrol or fully electric power.
We think the electric version is the best option because it's quieter and more comfortable than the petrol versions. However, all DS 3s are cramped in the back and not very practical.
Despite being at the more premium end of the small SUV class, the interior doesn't feel especially plush, while the touch-sensitive buttons are fiddly to use. A generous amount of standard kit does help to make up for this; entry-level Performance Line cars come with a 10.3in touchscreen infotainment system, LED headlights and tinted rear windows as standard.
Read our in-depth DS 3 review
New car deals
Best price from £24,795
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £24,795
RRP from: £33,385
Nearly new deals
From £1,495
Leasing deals
From £468
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
DS 3
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £467.77 Initial payment £5,613.24
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£5,858 total upfront (£5,613 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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Seat Arona
Best buy: 1.0 TSI SE Technology DSG Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 9.9 sec
MPG/range: 51.4 mpg
C02 emissions: 126 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 400 litres
Insurance group: 14E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Tidy handling
- Spacious and user-friendly interior
- Competitive list price
Weaknesses
- Some rivals have a bigger boot
- Doesn’t have a sliding rear bench
- No hybrid option
Length 4153mm
If you're looking for a small SUV that's good to drive, then the Seat Arona is a brilliant choice.
Okay, it's not quite as fun to drive as the Ford Puma, but it still offers tidy handling and good petrol engines for less money. And despite one of the cheaper small SUVs, the Arona is very well equipped; SE Technology trim comes with a 10.0in digital driver's display, a 9.2in central touchscreen and rear parking sensors as standard.
So, what's it like when it comes to practicality? Well, the Arona offers more room inside than most rivals, plus the boot is a good size at 400 litres (that's more than the Kia Stonic and Toyota Yaris Cross can manage).
Read our in-depth Seat Arona review
New car deals
Best price from £18,790
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £18,790
RRP from: £23,805
Nearly new deals
From £16,290
Leasing deals
From £247
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Seat Arona
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 48 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £246.66 Initial payment £2,959.92
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,205 total upfront (£2,960 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 48 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
New Citroën C3 Aircross
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Five-seater version has a decent boot
- Competitive pricing
- Well equipped
Weaknesses
- Engines are boomy and auto gearbox jerky
- Rivals are quicker and better to drive
- Seven-seat version has a small boot
Length 4155mm
The Citroën C3 Aircross is another one of those SUVs that's compact and still impressively spacious inside. It has a decent size boot that's bigger than the one in the Seat Arona, and the Max trim quoted here gives you a sliding rear bench so you can prioritise boot space or rear knee room as you wish. Being the range-topping trim, Max also comes with more safety kit as standard (such as AEB) than lower trim levels.
In other Citroëns (such as the Citroën C4), the soft suspension set-up works well for ride comfort. However, it doesn't work as successfully in the C3 Aircross; the Arona and Skoda Kamiq are much more controlled over lumps and bumps in the road.
Read our in-depth Citroën C3 Aircross review
New car deals
Best price from £19,767
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £19,767
RRP from: £22,495
Nearly new deals
From £16,995
Leasing deals
From £270
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
New Citroën C3 Aircross
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £269.85 Initial payment £3,238.20
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,483 total upfront (£3,238 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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Fiat 600e
Best buy: 54kWh La Prima Auto 5dr
0-62 mph: 9 sec
Range: 254 miles
Seats: 5
Boot: 360 litres
Insurance group: 26E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Well priced
- Relatively fast charging speed
- Easy to drive in town
Weaknesses
- Relatively noisy on motorways
- Tight rear leg room
- Uninspiring to drive on open roads
Length 4171mm
With looks inspired by the small Fiat 500 Electric, it's hardly surprisingly to see the Fiat 600e as one of the smallest SUVs.
What's more, it shares its underpinnings with the Jeep Avenger and Peugeot e-2008. This means it gets the same 51kWh (usable) battery and 154bhp electric motor, giving it an official range of 254 miles. That's marginally more than the Avenger and e-2008, and pretty competitive by class standards.
The interior is also pleasing to look at. However, it's not very spacious and the quality could be better for the money.
Read our in-depth Fiat 600e review
New car deals
Best price from £26,995
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £29,295
RRP from: £26,995
Nearly new deals
From £20,995
Leasing deals
From £297
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Fiat 600e
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 48 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £297.14 Initial payment £3,565.68
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,811 total upfront (£3,566 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 48 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
Toyota Yaris Cross
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Very fuel efficient
- Smooth driving manners
- Uncluttered dashboard is easy to use
Weaknesses
- Could be more spacious in the back seats
- Not as fun to drive as the Ford Puma
- Not all safety kit is available on all trims
Length 4180mm
This may come as a surprise, but the Toyota Yaris Cross is the most efficient car we've ever tested. Indeed, it achieved an average of 60.1mpg in the real world, which is slightly more than the 59.9mpg the smaller Toyota Yaris achieved during a similar test.
That impressive figure is partly down to the Yaris Cross's hybrid system (which is smooth and quiet to drive around town) and the fact that it's relatively small.
For the best value, we think the entry-level Icon trim makes the most sense. It comes with a decent amount of kit as standard, including keyless entry, a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control.
Read our in-depth Toyota Yaris Cross review
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New car deals
Best price from £25,995
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £25,995
RRP from: £27,445
Nearly new deals
From £22,852
Leasing deals
From £248
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Toyota Yaris Cross
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 36 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £247.78 Initial payment £2,973.36
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,218 total upfront (£2,973 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 36 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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