Volkswagen Tiguan

Nissan Ariya

New Audi A3 Saloon

Fiat 600e

Volkswagen T-Cross

Peugeot 208

Mercedes CLE

Volvo XC40

the-smallest-suvs-on-sale

In times gone by, SUVs were&nbsp;generally seen to be&nbsp;big and best&nbsp;suited to&nbsp;families.&nbsp;However, that's not necessarily the case anymore,&nbsp;because&nbsp;these days they&nbsp;come in all shapes and sizes,&nbsp;ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-suvs/n17050">small&nbsp;SUVs</a>&nbsp;to large&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/luxury-suvs/n17036">luxury&nbsp;SUVs</a>.

In this instance,&nbsp;we're going to be looking at the 10 smallest&nbsp;SUVs on sale in the UK. And despite their&nbsp;size, some of cars listed here are surprisingly practical,&nbsp;while some even&nbsp;have a raised driving position. To decide&nbsp;the list, each car has been classified by the length&nbsp;quoted by the vehicle manufacturer.

Here's our list of the 10&nbsp;most compact SUVs you can buy. If any take your fancy, you can find out how much you can save on each model using the free&nbsp;What Car? <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Deals</a>&nbsp;service. You can also follow the review links to read more about each model.

The smallest SUVs on sale

Estate

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

YARIS CROSS

Length&nbsp;4180mm

This may come as a surprise, but the Toyota Yaris Cross&nbsp;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&nbsp;the smaller Toyota Yaris achieved during a similar test.

That impressive figure&nbsp;is partly down to the Yaris Cross's hybrid system (which is smooth and quiet to drive around town)&nbsp;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&nbsp;keyless entry, a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control.

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris-cross/estate/review/n23440">Toyota Yaris Cross&nbsp;review</a>

10: Toyota Yaris Cross

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Very efficient</li>
	<li>Lofty driving position</li>
	<li>Uncluttered dashboard is easy to use</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Could be more spacious in the back seats</li>
	<li>Vocal engine when accelerating</li>
	<li>Not as fun to drive as the Ford Puma</li>
</ul>

Hatchback

Modern Fiats fall into two categories: the retro models and those with more functional designs.

Cars in the first camp appeal to the heart and include the 124 Spider sports car and the 500 series: a hatchback, a convertible, an SUV and two MPVs.

By contrast, the remaining models rely on their practicality and attractive pricing, with the Panda city car, Tipo hatchback and Fullback pick-up truck all prime examples.

Fiat can trace its roots back to the 19th century but is now part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, along with Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep and Maserati.

FIAT

600e

Length&nbsp;4171mm

With looks inspired by the small&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/500/hatchback/review/n84">Fiat 500 Electric</a>, it's hardly surprisingly&nbsp;to see&nbsp;the Fiat 600e as one of the smallest SUVs.

What's more, it shares its underpinnings with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/avenger/hatchback/review/n25706">Jeep Avenger</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/2008/estate/review/n20552">Peugeot e-2008</a>. This means it gets the same 51kWh (usable) battery and 154bhp electric motor, giving&nbsp;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&nbsp;quality could be better for the money.

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/600e/hatchback/review/n26136">Fiat 600e&nbsp;review</a>

9: Fiat 600e

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Cheaper than its main rivals</li>
	<li>Relatively fast charging speed</li>
	<li>Plush ride</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Steering is too light</li>
	<li>Tight rear leg room</li>
	<li>Interior would benefit from higher quality materials</li>
</ul>

Citroën is probably most famous for its quirky design, and the latest cars from the brand live up to this tradition. In fact, it&nbsp;tends to keep away from sportiness altogether and instead tries to put comfort first.

Value (but not cheapness) is also key to the appeal of most Citroëns. And the company’s range includes everything from a tiny EV (the Ami) through to the C3 small hatchback and&nbsp;the large van-based&nbsp;Spacetourer MPV.

Its range of SUVs are all badged Aircross, and like the rest of its range place emphasis on comfort, not speed.

CITROEN

C3 AIRCROSS

Length&nbsp;4155mm

The Citroën C3 Aircross is another one&nbsp;of those&nbsp;SUVs that's compact and&nbsp;still impressively spacious inside. It&nbsp;has a decent size boot that's bigger than the one in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/arona/hatchback/review/n117">Seat Arona</a>,&nbsp;and the Max&nbsp;trim&nbsp;quoted here gives you a sliding rear bench so you can&nbsp;prioritise boot space or rear knee room as you wish. Being the range-topping trim, Max also comes with more&nbsp;safety kit as standard (such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">AEB</a>) than lower trim levels.

In other Citroëns (such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/c4/hatchback/review/n22373">Citroën C4</a>), the soft suspension set-up works well for ride comfort. However,&nbsp;it doesn't work as successfully in the C3 Aircross; the Arona and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a>&nbsp;are much more controlled over lumps and bumps in the road.

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/c3-aircross/hatchback/review/n17381">Citroën C3 Aircross review</a>

8: Citroën C3 Aircross

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Relatively high driving position</li>
	<li>Versatile seating</li>
	<li>Cheaper than many rivals</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Disappointing driving experience</li>
	<li>Heavy depreciation</li>
	<li>Fiddly touchscreen</li>
</ul>

Today, the resurgent Seat brand is selling better cars than at any time in its history.

In large part, that’s because it is one of the brands owned by the VW Group. Underneath, all of the cars it sells are strongly related to similar models sold by Volkswagen itself, or the likes of Skoda and even Audi. If you are buying a Leon, for example, the hardware will be similar to that of the Golf, Octavia and A3.

But while Seat makes the most of this tie-up to offer everything from city, small and family cars, including estates, through to a full range of SUVs, it also adds in its own slice of character, both with its distinctive styling approach and because its engineers generally tune the cars to deliver sportier handling.

While all of its cars are decent, it is the SUVs that stand out. The Arona and Ateca are among the class leaders and have enjoyed triumphs at the What Car? Awards.

SEAT

ARONA

Length&nbsp;4153mm

If you're looking for a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-suvs/n17050">small SUV</a>&nbsp;that's good&nbsp;to drive, then the Seat Arona is a brilliant choice.

Okay, it's not quite as fun to drive as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a>, but it still offers&nbsp;tidy handling and good&nbsp;petrol engines&nbsp;for&nbsp;less money. And despite one of the cheaper small SUVs, the Arona is&nbsp;very well equipped; SE Technology trim comes with a 10.0in&nbsp;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&nbsp;the boot is a good size&nbsp;at 400 litres (that's more than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/stonic/estate/review/n116">Kia Stonic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris-cross/estate/review/n23440">Toyota Yaris Cross</a>&nbsp;can manage).

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/arona/hatchback/review/n117">Seat Arona&nbsp;review</a>

7: Seat Arona

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Tidy handling</li>
	<li>Roomier than many rivals</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>So-so interior quality</li>
	<li>Top trims are too pricey</li>
	<li>Rivals have more flexible rear seats</li>
</ul>

DS has only existed as a standalone manufacturer since 2015&nbsp;(prior to that the badge was used on upmarket&nbsp;Citroëns), but it is now the premium brand in the Stellantis group, which also includes&nbsp;Citroën, Peugeot and Vauxhall.

The first DS models were essentially rebadged Citroëns, but more recently its cars are now standalone models in their own right. Yet under the skin, they're still very closely related.

Its models are&nbsp;influenced by the French fashion industry and are designed&nbsp;to take on the ubiquitous offerings of Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

DS 3

Length&nbsp;4118mm

The DS 3 is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-suvs/n17050">small SUV</a>&nbsp;that's available with petrol or&nbsp;fully electric power.

We think the electric version is the best option because&nbsp;it's quieter and more comfortable than the petrol&nbsp;versions. However, all DS 3s&nbsp;are&nbsp;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&nbsp;especially plush, while the touch-sensitive buttons are fiddly to use. A generous amount of standard kit&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ds/ds-3/hatchback/review/n20402">DS 3 review</a>

6: DS 3

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good standard safety equipment</li>
	<li>Clean engines</li>
	<li>Electric version available</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Expensive to buy</li>
	<li>Small boot and rear seats by class standards</li>
	<li>So-so handling and ride</li>
</ul>

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

T-CROSS

Length&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">Volkswagen T-Roc</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/taigo/hatchback/review/n23908">Volkswagen Taigo</a>. However, the T-Cross is slightly different; it's boxier&nbsp;and less plush inside than those cars, plus it's not quite as refined.

Its boxy&nbsp;shape does&nbsp;play dividends when it comes to&nbsp;interior&nbsp;space, though. Head and leg room is impressive for a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-suvs/n17050">small SUV</a>, plus&nbsp;every model comes with sliding rear seats, which means&nbsp;you can prioritise boot space or&nbsp;leg room depending on your needs.

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-cross/estate/review/n19039">Volkswagen T-Cross review</a>

5: Volkswagen T-Cross

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious, flexible interior</li>
	<li>Impressive for safety</li>
	<li>Good to drive</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Only slightly cheaper than the superior T-Roc</li>
	<li>Interior isn’t as plush as in other VWs</li>
	<li>SEL and R-Line trims too pricey</li>
</ul>

Ford builds some of the most popular cars in the UK, including the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks.

This success is partly down to longevity and the fact that there’s a Ford dealer around every corner. However, it’s also because Fords tend to offer good value and be among the best cars in their respective classes to drive.

The company’s huge range also helps; it offers everything from the small – but surprisingly practical – Ka+ to the large and lavishly equipped Edge SUV.

Meanwhile, other highlights of the range include the S-Max and Galaxy people carriers, the Mondeo executive car and the Ranger pick-up.

FORD

ECOSPORT

Length&nbsp;4096mm

The Ford Ecosport&nbsp;offers a commanding driving position for a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-small-suvs-2022/n17050">small SUV</a>. 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&nbsp;interior space), the Ecosport is&nbsp;also pretty cramped inside. In fact, there are few reasons for choosing the Ecosport over the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a>. That car is much better to drive, more practical and more spacious – despite being only marginally bigger.

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ecosport/hatchback/review/n129">Ford Ecosport review</a>

4: Ford Ecosport

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Flexible 1.0-litre engine</li>
	<li>Smart interior</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Poor ride</li>
	<li>Limited rear space</li>
	<li>Impractical boot</li>
</ul>

Jeep only makes SUVs, but it has plenty of them for you to choose from. So, whether you want something rugged enough to ford streams and climb mountains, or a more luxurious and family-friendly car, it has something to suit you.

Despite its all-American image, Jeep is actually owned by Fiat, meaning Jeeps often share parts with cars from the Italian giant; the entry-level Renegade, for example, has plenty in common with Fiat’s 500X.

However, perhaps the most widely recognised Jeep is the Wrangler, a model that has a dedicated fan base and which closely resembles the original Jeep which saw service in World War 2.

The brand’s future plans include new small and large SUVs, plus the introduction of fully electric models.

JEEP

AVENGER

Length&nbsp;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.&nbsp;

You see, the Avenger is&nbsp;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&nbsp;Avenger shares its underpinnings with&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/600e/hatchback/review/n26136">Fiat 600e</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/2008/estate/review/n20552">Peugeot e-2008</a>.

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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona-electric/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a>&nbsp;can travel farther&nbsp;with its&nbsp;bigger battery.&nbsp;

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/avenger/hatchback/review/n25706">Jeep Avenger review</a>

3: Jeep Avenger

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good driving position</li>
	<li>Competitively priced</li>
	<li>Relatively fast charging</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Tight rear leg room</li>
	<li>Some rivals can go even further on a charge</li>
	<li>Scratchy interior plastics</li>
</ul>

Buyers seeking value for money should have Kia towards the top of their shopping list.

Although once a niche brand in the UK, today Kia outsells many more established brands, helped by its market-leading seven-year warranty and a strong reputation for reliability; in fact, Kia regularly finishes towards the top of our reliability surveys.

There are plenty of models to choose from, too, ranging from the small Picanto city car to the Ceed family hatchback and the Sorento large SUV. The Picanto was the first Kia to win its class at the What Car? Car of the Year awards.

STONIC

Length&nbsp;4065mm

Kia makes a wide range of SUVs these days, but the Stonic is the smallest of the bunch.

Like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/rio/hatchback/review/n17367">Kia Rio</a>&nbsp;(with which it shares its underpinnings), the Stonic has a&nbsp;punchy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-is-a-mild-hybrid-and-should-you-buy-one/n22776">mild hybrid</a>&nbsp;petrol engine, agile handling and fairly generous standard equipment. Our favourite trim is 3;&nbsp;it gives some goodies&nbsp;(including&nbsp;faux-leather seats, cruise control and air conditioning) and access to the more powerful engine.

Its&nbsp;firm ride does count&nbsp;against it, though, as does the fact that most rivals are more practical. For example, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/arona/hatchback/review/n117">Seat Arona</a>&nbsp;can carry seven carry-on suitcases in its boot, whereas the Stonic can carry only five.

Read our in-depth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/stonic/estate/review/n116">Kia Stonic&nbsp;review</a>

2: Kia Stonic

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Punchy turbo petrol engine</li>
	<li>Plenty of standard kit</li>
	<li>Agile handling</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Rivals have more flexible rear seats</li>
	<li>Firm ride</li>
	<li>Other small SUVs are more practical</li>
</ul>

Suzuki is well known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but the car brand has been enjoying decent success in recent years, thanks to a line-up of neat, well-equipped and keenly priced models.

Its expertise focuses on smaller cars, although its high-riding SUV range is also hugely credible, especially the Ignis and Vitara, which are both rated highly by What Car?’s testers and which have enjoyed success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

Well priced, decent to drive and full of useful tech, Suzuki’s cars also generally stand out for delivering good fuel economy. The Ignis, Celerio and Baleno have all stood head and shoulders above the competition during our True MPG testing.

SUZUKI

IGNIS

Length&nbsp;3700mm

The&nbsp;smallest SUV you can buy in the UK is the&nbsp;Suzuki Ignis.&nbsp;Surprisingly, it's&nbsp;quite&nbsp;spacious for its size&nbsp;– four adults should be able to sit&nbsp;comfortably inside.

On top of that, it's a very easy car to drive (especially around town),&nbsp;plus the 1.2-litre&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-is-a-mild-hybrid-and-should-you-buy-one/n22776">mild hybrid</a>&nbsp;petrol engine is surprisingly punchy thanks to its electrical assistance at low revs. Of course, being a similar size to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small cars</a>&nbsp;such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i10/hatchback/review/n49">Hyundai i10</a>, the Ignis is&nbsp;efficient, too; we achieved an average of&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/ignis/hatchback/review/n17225">Suzuki Ignis review</a>

1: Suzuki ignis

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good fuel economy</li>
	<li>Spacious for a small car</li>
	<li>Generous equipment</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Ride can be fidgety</li>
	<li>Vague steering</li>
	<li>Poor infotainment system</li>
</ul>

<hr />
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

<h2>Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-suvs/n17050">Best small SUVs</a> &gt;&gt;</h2>

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

LATEST DEALS:

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...

Best estate cars 2024 – the top choices for luggage capacity

Volkswagen T-Roc long-term test

New Ferrari Purosangue & Lotus Eletre vs Bentley Bentayga

Best family cars 2024 – top choices for you & your children

Win tickets to the Silverstone Festival with the What Car? Reliability Survey

Mazda CX-80 and MX-30: exclusive reader test team event

Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable petrol cars

Skoda Kodiaq reader test team

New Cupra Leon: family car gets a 62-mile PHEV option and a revised exterior

Also consider

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information