4 June 2018
7 Mins read

5 of the best compact SUVs on sale right now

SUVs are easily the most popular and in-demand vehicle type in the UK right now.

In 2017, one in five new cars sold was an SUV of some sort – up from one in ten just five years ago, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Small SUVs tend to tick a lot of boxes for British motorists; they deliver the elevated ride height and rugged looks of a full-fat SUV but at a price point that is more inline with the family hatchbacks they’ve most likely been accustomed to.

This increasingly rabid appetite for ‘softroaders’ has meant that car makers have been pulling out all the stops to get their pint-sized SUV into showrooms as quick as possible.

And with so much choice, it can be hard to know which models are worth your money.

Well, fear not, we’re about to tell you…

Volvo XC40

The smallest SUV in the Volvo range offers a peerless blend of clever packaging, uncluttered interior design, cruising comfort and great connectivity.

If the XC40
[pictured] was a cartoon dog, it’d be Scrappy Doo. Compared to its larger more straight-laced SUVs in the Volvo lineup, it boasts a cheeky yet perhaps more intellectually superior vibe.

Much of the tech you’ll find in recent Volvos makes an appearance here, notably the vertical tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system, first used in the XC90, while the interior is neat, functional and undeniably Swedish.

It’s packed with all the most advanced safety features too, which means it’s probably safer than an underground nuclear bunker.

Find the best Volvo XC40 leasing deals:
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Nissan Juke

This is the car that many blame for kickstarting the current craze for compact SUVs. However, while it may have been something of a trendsetter, the Nissan Juke isn’t flawless.

Its ride can be jitterier than its rivals, and the cabin cramped, but the Juke pulls off a masterful balancing act by delivering solid engines, tidy handling and styling that is impossible to ignore at a price that will suit almost any budget.

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Mazda CX-3

A like-for-like rival to the Juke is this: the Mazda CX-3.

It pinches a lot of styling traits from the MX-5 roadster with razor sharp headlights and taunt exterior lines.

Describing it as ‘a Mazda2 supermini on stilts’ as some critics have in the past is unfairly reductive because it’s a charming fixture in the crossover SUV category.

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Mazda CX-3
leasing deals:
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Audi Q2

Labelled as ‘the posh Nissan Juke’ by some cynics at launch, the Q2 proved that Audi could adapt what it had learnt with the Q3, Q5 and Q7, and squeeze it into a smaller package without much in the way of compromise.

Slapping the highly desirable Audi badge on a car as in-demand as a compact SUV was always going to result in sales but low running costs and an upmarket cabin makes the Q2 a fantastic compact SUV.

Buyers hungry for some extra oomph from their Q2 should look to the 2.0 TFSI quattro 190PS S tronic version, which can polish off a 0-62mph sprint in 6.5 seconds, before peaking at 141mph.

Find the best Audi Q2 leasing deals:
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BMW X1

Every car in Beemer’s range of SUVs has the X-factor and the X1 is no exception.

Built on a solid chassis, it’s quite simply is one of the best small crossovers money can buy right now, serving up style, a fun drive with sharp handing and the kind of premium feel you’d demand from a BMW.

Find the best BMW X1
leasing deals:
personal
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business Those are just five names anyone in the market for a compact SUV could choose from, but others include:

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