3 Brand-New Small SUVs Under $30k

If you’re in the market for a small SUV under $30k, you’re in luck. There are some good options to choose from in new models, including the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Kia Seltos, and Subaru Crosstrek, among several others. Small SUVs typically offer car-like handling with the additional ride height and roomy interior of an SUV.

Subaru Crosstrek

The Crosstrek is Subaru’s best-selling vehicle, and it’s easy to see why with its standard AWD, excellent resale value, and decent off-road ability. The Subaru Crosstrek has been recently redesigned inside and out, and the starting price is a reasonable $26,290. Billed as a small SUV, the Crosstrek more closely resembles a wagon, but it’s somewhat in between. Ideal for active owners who want some off-pavement cred but don’t want to crawl over boulders, the Crosstrek definitely fills a niche.

The new Crosstrek boasts a softer ride thanks to a stiffer chassis and a more flexible suspension. The manual transmission is gone for the new model, but the two-engine lineup remains. The Crosstrek model lineup also benefits from a new Wilderness trim with additional rugged features.

Not leaving the younger crowd out, Subaru outfits the Crosstrek with plenty of modern technology and a reasonably efficient range of 29 MPG combined.

Chevrolet Trailblazer

The Chevrolet Trailblazer boasts an affordable $24,395 starting price and offers 30 MPG in combined fuel economy, which makes it one of the best all-around small SUVs under $30k. The Trailblazer boasts many standard features and is amazingly roomy for its small size. It also offers wireless smartphone connectivity, refreshed styling, and an 11-inch infotainment screen.

Featuring a stylish exterior design and a surprisingly roomy interior, the Chevrolet Trailblazer is a very competitive entry in the subcompact SUV segment. Compared to rivals, it’s very generous with standard amenities. It’s also one of the most affordable models available.

Not only does the Trailblazer start below $25,000, it doesn’t go over $30,000 for the top trim. Many of its subcompact rivals may start around $25,000, but by the time you get to the top trim, you’re paying over $30,000. For this reason, the Trailblazer is truly among the most affordable in its class.

Kia Seltos

The Kia Seltos is a highly-rated small SUV with a sleek and stylish exterior design. The Seltos also offers an impressive array of tech features, an industry-leading warranty, and it’s roomier than most of its rivals. If you’re looking at the brand-new model, you can expect some styling revisions, an infotainment upgrade, and a new X-Line trim.

Already a class leader thanks to the reasons mentioned above, the Seltos gets even better for the latest model year. It adds more attractive design cues, more power with a turbocharged engine, and more technology. However, the price remains affordable, which puts it within reach of a large demographic of drivers.

The small and subcompact SUV segment is an extremely competitive one, but if you’re looking for something small and affordable, you have lots of options under $30k. From the ultra-affordable and roomy Chevrolet Trailblazer to the funky Subaru Crosstrek, to the class-leading Kia Seltos, you can’t go wrong with any of these.