To fill the Golf’s big shoes along came the Volkswagen Taos, a small crossover aimed at exactly the same buyers. lineup in 2021, but today’s shoppers want crossovers far more often than they want hatchbacks. Read Less Read Moreįans of cheap, fun-to-drive small cars were dismayed when Volkswagen dropped the standard Golf from its U.S. What we’ve ended up with is not a long list, but there are several gems here that prove that a dainty size does not need to mean compromise and austerity. But to avoid the penalty-box problem, subcompacts must also wow potential buyers with a comfortable and feature-rich interior, a pleasant drive, baseline standard safety tech, and an acceptable amount cargo space-a tall order for the tiniest of vehicles. Shoppers in this segment are looking for cheap, maneuverable, and fuel-efficient-and “small” is a component that you can’t separate out of that equation. This list is grounded in the principle that small is inherently good.

Of course, small vehicles and affordable ones often skimp on space, comfort or features, which highlights the challenge of making what is small also good: what does the shrimpiest subcompact need in order to gain acceptance from buyers? Because of supply chain shortages and late model changeovers, our list also includes models from 20, and some 2022 model-year vehicles will remain on sale for several more months. Honda’s HR-V, formerly one of the best very small crossovers, is now a very small compact model for 2023.Īlthough it’s a broad definition, we define “subcompact” as any SUV less than 177 inches long. In calendar year 2023 Toyota will also unveil a hybrid Corolla Cross, a model that was new in 2022. Smaller machines also tend to have lower prices, and subcompact models are the most affordable SUVs on the market.Īs their sales have spiked, so too has the quality and variety of entries in this small class, and 2023 sees the debut of an all-new Kia Niro while aging entries like the Chevy Trax and Ford EcoSport have fallen away. Although the proliferation of hybrids means you don’t have to sacrifice space for mpg as in the same way you did 25 years ago, laws of physics still dictate that less weight and size means less energy expended. SUVs continue to dominate the sales charts, but 2022’s high gas and vehicle prices sent buyers looking for, smaller, cheaper and more fuel-efficient models.

Best hybrid crossover suv 2022