Compact SUVs Under $35,000 With Standard Active Safety Systems

These high performers will help keep you safe

Jon Linkov, Consumer Reports Autos Editor.

By Jon Linkov
Autos Editor

Updated August 14, 2025

red Mazda CX-30 inside concrete and metal building — Mazda CX-30

With every model year, more vehicles are coming with active safety systems such as blind spot warning and automatic emergency braking. But many automakers continue to make consumers pay extra to get them, and some don’t even include these features on the base trim line.

That’s just wrong. While most automakers have finally made forward collision warning (FCW) standard equipment, many other features are still optional or not available on some trim levels. Consumer Reports says that automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, AEB that works at highway speeds, blind spot warning (BSW), and rear cross traffic warning (RCTW) should come standard on all models. Consumers shouldn’t be forced into a more expensive vehicle just to stay safe.

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SUVs: Subcompact SUVs Compact SUVs

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Jon Linkov

Jon Linkov is the deputy auto editor at Consumer Reports. He has been with CR since 2002, covering varied automotive topics including buying and leasing, maintenance and repair, ownership, reliability, used cars, and electric vehicles. He manages CR’s lineup of special interest publications, hosts CR’s “Talking Cars” podcast, and writes and edits content for CR’s online and print products. An avid cyclist, Jon also enjoys driving his ’80s-era sports car and instructing at track days.