Looking for a new small SUV? These are the 2026 models our experts say are worth your money

HomeBestBest small SUVs 2026 and the one to avoid – tried and testedbestBest small SUVs 2026 and the one to avoid – tried and testedThinking of buying a new small SUV? Then make sure you read our rundown of the top 10 cars in this booming sector – plus, find out which one we'd avoid...bySteve HuntingfordUpdated05 May 2026Sales of small SUVs are booming, and it’s easy to see why. With their raised driving positions, family friendly practicality and accessible prices, small SUVs are the de facto family car for many people. You’ll find petrol, hybrid and fully electric options in this class, as well as cars both from traditional brands and relative newcomers.And with small SUVs proving to be so popular, it’s no surprise there’s plenty of choice. Indeed, very few manufacturers these days don’t offer a small SUV as part of their stable. There are an increasing number of electric SUVs on sale in this segment, too, with some being cheap enough to qualify for the Government's electric car grant.Here, we’ll take you through our picks for the 10 best small SUVs on the market – and the one to avoid. Importantly, we’ll show you how to get the best PCP and leasing deals on each of them. Just follow the links to find out more.Best small SUVs to buy now – and how to get the best dealMake and model List price from Rating PCP deals Leasing deals Volkswagen T-Roc £31,620 5 Best PCP deals Best leasing deals Kia EV3 £33,055 5 Best PCP deals Best leasing deals Lexus LBX £29,995 5 Best PCP deals Best leasing deals Skoda Karoq £28,650 5 Best PCP deals Best leasing deals Renault 4 £27,195 5 Best PCP deals Best leasing deals The best small SUVs for youThe Volkswagen T-Roc is our reigning champion in the small SUV market, thanks to a blend of attributes which include a comfortable ride, a good boot and a peppy range of petrol engines which benefit from mild hybrid electrical assistance. Just like the old T-Roc, it’s a lot of car for a price which, though premium, is still within reach for many.If you’re in a position to choose an electric small SUV – which makes especially good sense if you’re a company car driver, thanks to low Benefit-in-Kind tax ratings – then we’d recommend taking a look at the Kia EV3. It’s powerful, has a longer range than most rivals, and offers more space for your family and their luggage.Or if you want something truly premium, then the Lexus LBX is hard to ignore. A former What Car? Car of the Year, the LBX’s interior is a cut above most rivals, featuring materials and finishes you’d normally expect to find on a far more expensive car. It’s good to drive and should be cheap to run, too.The 2026 What Car? Reliability Survey is live, tell us about your car nowDriving Interior Practicality Buying & Owning StrengthsComfortable ride and quiet on the motorwayHigh-set driving position for a small SUVGood-size boot by class standardsWeaknessesTouch-sensitive interior controls can be fiddlyUpper trims are costlyNot as sharp to drive as some of its rivalsThe previous Volkswagen T-Roc was one of our favourite options in the small SUV class, so this latest version had quite the challenge to live up to it. Fortunately, it does so and then some, resulting in what we think is the best small SUV you can buy. At the moment, you can only have the T-Roc with mild-hybrid petrol power, put a pair of regular hybrid options will join the range later this year. It's the mid-range 148bhp petrol that's our favourite, because it delivers plenty of pep while keeping running costs sensible. The T-Roc feels sure-footed through corners, and while it isn't as sharp to drive as the rival Ford Puma, it handles well enough. You can pay more for fancy adaptive suspension, we don't think there's any need to, because even on its standard setup the T-Roc does an excellent job of soaking up all of the lumps and bumps that you're likely to find on urban roads. Being slightly longer than its predecessor, the latest T-Roc is even more spacious inside, meaning four tall adults will find they have room to stretch out on a long journey. And while the Dacia Duster has a slightly bigger boot on paper, we still managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases into the T-Roc's boot – more than enough for the needs of most families. The seats are impressively versatile, too, with a handy ski-hatch that's ideal for loading in longer items. The latest T-Roc is too new to have featured as part of our annual What Car? Reliability Survey, but the old car was a strong performer in the small SUV class. You get a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard, which is a bit of a way behind rival warranties offered by Kia and Toyota. Those last up to seven and ten years respectively. "I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the entry-level T-Roc feels inside, with its padded fabric on the dash and door cards – it helps this small SUV to feel a cut above the competition." – Darren Moss, Deputy Editor Read our in-depth Volkswagen T-Roc review New car deals What Car? best price £26,250Save up to £5,530Leasing dealsfrom £212pmNearly new dealsfrom £20,995Driving Interior Practicality Buying & Owning StrengthsWell-equipped for the priceLong range (especially in the, er, Long Range)Comfortable rideWeaknessesRivals have more versatile rear seatsNot very agileList price is higher than some rivalsEarlier this year we named the Kia EV3 as our Small Electric SUV of the Year, meaning that if going electric fits in with your lifestyle and budget, it's absolutely the car you should choose. While you can pay for a Long Range model which offers an impressive 375 miles of range, we think the Standard Range version, with its 270-mile official range, will suit most people just fine. The single 201bhp electric motor which powers the front wheels offers plenty