Best SUVs Under $30,000 From Consumer Reports' Tests

These vehicles offer good performance and are safe, reliable, and satisfying choices

red 2021 Mazda CX 5 on road with trees and mountains in background
The Mazda CX-5.
Photo: Mazda

There are many subcompact and compact SUVs to choose from. Every brand plays in this popular market segment, and at first blush, many of the vehicles seem strikingly similar. But once you dig into the data to see how they perform and how much their owners like them, significant differences emerge.

To help you make a smart and informed purchase decision, we present the best SUVs under $30,000 based on Consumer Reports’ Overall Scores. All are recommended, arranged with higher-scoring models listed first. All of these are available for under $30,000 depending on the trim level you desire, though some versions can creep toward $35,000. If your budget allows, you can also explore our list of the best SUVs for under $40,000.

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Be aware that the Overall Scores change over time as new information, such as reliability data, becomes available. The model pages always reflect our latest ratings.

We include which active safety features are standard and optional for each model, including forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB), and blind spot warning (BSW).

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