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2026 Honda Ridgeline ReviewBest Compact SUVs of 2025
Practical, efficient, spacious, and affordable; the best compact SUVs of 2025 are the perfect solutions for most car buyers.
The Default Option is Actually Pretty Great
Over the course of the last decade, the compact SUV/crossover has almost entirely eclipsed mid-sized and compact sedans as the go-to vehicle of choice in these United States. Americans have been happy to trade maneuverability for utility, on-road feel for off-road readiness. Sure, some of this has been the result of a concerted marketing push, but it also reflects a very real desire among car buyers for a simple, one vehicle do-it-all solution.
And indeed, the compact SUV can seemingly do it all: accommodate five passengers, carry a load of groceries or camping equipment with ease, and not flinch when Mother Nature blankets your region in snow. And this is to say nothing of the various and sundry modern tech features, from massive touchscreens to advanced driver’s aids, or their ever more efficient powertrains. The best compact SUVs of 2025 make clear why this segment has become the new default for many car shoppers.
9. Chevrolet Equinox
Bold new exterior styling
Affordably priced trim levels
Good fuel economy
Lackluster engine power
FWD comes with CVT only
Lower towing capacity
Super-modern SUV
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
8.6/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$28,600 - $33,000
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
26 City / 28 Hwy (MPG)
The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox is a decent if unremarkable compact SUV in a highly competitive segment. The Equinox’s sole powertrain is a 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder making 175 horsepower. That’s low even in a segment not known for sporty options.
The cabin is comfortable enough, but material quality lags behind ritzier options for similar money. Chevy does include a wide assortment of advanced safety tech features like automatic emergency braking and pedestrian alerts. Starting at $28,900 for the base RS trim, the Equinox is priced just a hair below its rivals. While the Equinox is adequate, that’s not enough to stand out against the best compact SUVs.
8. Nissan Rogue
The Breakdown
Good starting base price
Simple, easy-to-understand trim lineup
Available AWD
Overpriced top-level trim
Basic warranty
A weak transmission
An average compact crossover
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
8.25/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$29,230 - $39,520
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
30 City / 37 Hwy (MPG)
The recently revised 2025 Nissan Rogue amps up the styling, but the real revisions should have come under the hood. Unfortunately, Nissan has limited the Rogue to a single powertrain. The 1.5L three-cylinder makes a decent 201 horsepower and fuel economy is acceptable at 32 mpg combined, but to compete with the best of the segment Nissan will need to add at least a hybrid option.
The Rogue’s interior is a highlight, with good material quality and some of the most comfortable seats of any crossover on the market. Nissan also includes all the requisite driver assistance tech to keep the Rogue competitive with the rest of the segment. Overall, the Nissan Rogue continues to be a decent if unremarkable option among compact SUVs.
7. Kia Sportage
The Breakdown
Handsome-looking revised exterior
Spacious and revamped interior
Plenty of variety with trims and hybrid
Expensive at the high end
Lackluster performance in gas engine
Expensive upper trim levels
A solid, compact crossover
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
8.75/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$27,190 - $38,090
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
25 City / 32 Hwy (MPG)
The 2025 Kia Sportage shares many of its internals with the Hyundai Tucson. That means the same trio of powertrains: a base 2.5L four-cylinder (187 hp), a hybrid boasting 38 combined mpg, and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with up to 34 miles of electric-only driving range and 261 horsepower. A fully revised interior for the 2025 model lends the Sportage all-new styling, higher quality materials, and 41.3 inches of rear seat legroom, which is among the best in the segment.
An optional digital gauge cluster flanks a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The Sportage offers an assortment of driver’s aids, but relegates some, like adaptive cruise control, to higher trims. The base Sportage LX starts at $27,190, below most entry-level options. Add in Kia’s impressive 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty, and the Kia Sportage becomes one of the better values in the segment.
6. Toyota RAV4
The Breakdown
Generally, a handsome vehicle
Decent off-road with multiple drive modes
Choice of ICE, PHEV, or Hybrid drivetrains
Poor acceleration
We miss the TRD
Expensive upper trim levels
RAV4 leads in fuel economy and safety
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
9/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$28,850 - $47,735
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
27 City / 38 Hwy (MPG)
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 is a longtime best-seller among compact SUVs. Even so, the RAV4 has been resting on those laurels over the past few years, allowing rivals like the CR-V and CX-5 to catch up and even surpass it.
One of the RAV4’s strongest remaining arguments comes from its diverse list of powertrains that include a base 2.5L four-cylinder (203 hp), a 1.6L hybrid system that gets 40 mpg combined, or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with up to 42 miles of electric only range and a swift 0-60 run of 5.5 seconds.
The RAV4’s interior is logically laid out and highly functional but a step below segment leaders in refinement and spaciousness. The Toyota RAV4 still does all the compact SUV stuff right, just not as well as some of its closest competition. Perhaps the hotly anticipated updates on the forthcoming 2026 RAV4 will improve things.
5. Ford Bronco Sport
The Breakdown
Instantly recognizable styling
Choice of two EcoBoost engines
Solid fuel economy
Capable off-road
A bit cramped in the back seat
Best engine locked behind top trim
A fun 4×4 with tons of character
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
8/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$29,995 - $40,115
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
25 City / 29 Hwy (MPG)
Some might criticize Ford’s 2025 Bronco Sport as a Ford Escape in disguise. But we rather prefer this version of Ford’s compact SUV marrying Bronco styling and off-road features like Ford’s G.O.A.T. mode system.
The Bronco Sport features two EcoBoost (turbocharged) engines, a smaller 1.5L three-cylinder (181 hp) or a larger 2.3L four-cylinder (225 hp), and all-wheel drive comes standard. Spaciousness is a bit behind the segment standard, but material quality, especially in the Out Banks trim, is laudable.
The Bronco Sport gets high marks for its tech with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 13.2-inch infotainment screens along with excellent safety scores. Efficient powertrains, off-road pretensions, and killer styling make the Bronco Sport one of the segment’s stronger options.
4. Subaru Forester
The Breakdown
New outside styling
Standard AWD
Entire lineup is affordable
Average fuel economy
Lower power than competitors
Not as loaded with features as some competitors
Smart updates make it a great choice
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
8.5/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$29,695 - $39,995
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
26 City / 33 Hwy (MPG)
The 2025 Subaru Forester received a major update midway through the 2025 model year, the addition of a hybrid powertrain. Though belated, that addition brings the Forester in line with much of the rest of the segment and makes it one of the stronger offerings therein. The base 2.5L flat-four makes 180 horsepower while the hybrid gets a nudge to 194 horsepower to go with its 35 mpg combined.
The Wilderness Edition Forester adds black exterior cladding as well as half an inch in ground clearance (for 9.2 inches). The Forester’s cabin is among the airiest of any vehicle, providing excellent visibility, and increasingly impressive material quality and refinement as you climb the trim ladder.
The Subaru Forester is good at some things, like functioning as a grocery-getter crossover, and great at a specific few, namely doing light off-roading and tackling snowy conditions thanks to its standard all-wheel drive.
3. Hyundai Tucson
The Breakdown
Upscale cabin
Tons of tech
Excellent warranty
Weak base engine
Meh fuel economy
Less cargo space than rivals
A good SUV that hits a few high notes
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
8.25/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$28,705 - $41,295
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
25 City / 32 Hwy (MPG)
The 2025 Hyundai Tucson offers multiple powertrain options, a high-quality interior, and a few unique innovations not found in competing crossovers. The Tucson’s three powertrain options include a base 2.5L with 187 horsepower, a hybrid 1.6L with 226 horsepower and up to 38 mpg combined, and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that nets 261 horsepower and up to 33 miles of electric-only driving.
The Tucson features one of the segment’s best interiors with impressive fit-and-finish and a maximum cargo capacity of 74.8 cu.-ft. The Tucson’s unique “baby mode” dampens driving inputs for an extra smoother ride.
A 12.3-inch touchscreen comes standard, as does an extensive list of advanced driver assistance features. With its diverse powertrains, spacious cabin, and great looks, the Hyundai Tucson manages to cover a lot of bases at once, making it one of the best compact crossovers on the market.
2. Honda CR-V
The Breakdown
Great warranty
Top-notch hybrid
Awesome interior
Dismal acceleration
Meaningless trim names
Meh cabin features
A great but not perfect SUV
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
8.75/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$31,450 - $42,150
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
28 City / 34 Hwy (MPG)
In a segment so focused on well-roundedness, the 2025 Honda CR-V manages to distinguish itself as a true jack-of-all-trades as it floats above the segment average on nearly every metric. A spacious, well-appointed interior dovetails with efficient powertrain options and stellar ride quality in one of the best compact SUVs around.
The CR-V’s powertrains skew toward efficiency with the base turbo four-cylinder netting 28/34 mpg while the hybrid version achieves 43/36 mpg. Ride quality likewise emphasizes comfort over sportiness, to the CR-V’s benefit.
The CR-V features one of the segment’s best interiors with exceedingly comfortable seats and a fetching design that balances form and function. The inclusion physical buttons are a greatly appreciated addendum to the touchscreen interface. Honda includes a generous collection of driver aids, though blind spot monitoring requires a jump above the base model. With class-leading cargo, economical powertrains, and a stellar interior, the Honda CR-V ticks all the right compact crossover boxes.
1. Mazda CX-5
The Breakdown
Well-equipped for less than $30,000
Standard AWD
Available turbocharged engine
Small-ish cargo hold
Confusion with CX-50
Tiny towing capacity
Despite its age, it remains competitive
CARSFORSALE.COM SCORE
9.25/10
How Do We Score?
CarsForSale.com takes into account key metrics to compile an aggregate score. Click to learn more.
MSRP
$28,750 - $40,600
BEST FUEL ECONOMY
23 City / 29 Hwy (MPG)
The 2025 Hyundai Tucson offers multiple powertrain options, a high-quality interior, and a few unique innovations not found in competing crossovers. The Tucson’s three powertrain options include a base 2.5L with 187 horsepower, a hybrid 1.6L with 226 horsepower and up to 38 mpg combined, and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that nets 261 horsepower and up to 33 miles of electric-only driving.
The Tucson features one of the segment’s best interiors with impressive fit-and-finish and a maximum cargo capacity of 74.8 cu.-ft. The Tucson’s unique “baby mode” dampens driving inputs for an extra smoother ride.
A 12.3-inch touchscreen comes standard, as does an extensive list of advanced driver assistance features. With its diverse powertrains, spacious cabin, and great looks, the Hyundai Tucson manages to cover a lot of bases at once, making it one of the best compact crossovers on the market.
