The smallest SUVs on sale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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