Best small SUVs on sale in 2026: Top 10

It’s official: SUVs are Britain’s most popular type of new car to buy or lease, according to recent data.

Sales figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that after years of growth, SUVs accounted for a third of all new car registrations in 2025 – up from just 12% in 2014.

That huge appetite for taller, more rugged-looking vehicles can be controversial, particularly if your idea of an SUV is an enormous, fuel-guzzling tank. But that often isn’t the case, as many of the UK’s most popular cars are actually small SUVs – cars barely bigger than your average hatchback.

A great example of this is the Ford Puma – the UK’s best-selling car for three years running – taking over from where the slightly smaller and sales chart dominating Fiesta left off.

At just 4.18m long and 1.8m wide, the Puma isn’t much bigger, just taller, more practical and with the high driving position and rugged stance desired by so many new car buyers. And it's far from the only choice. There are dozens of small SUVs all vying for a growing share of the market, and everyone from Alfa Romeo to Volvo has something to offer.

But which small SUVs are the top choices on the market in 2026? Read on to find out the ten top picks. We've focused on petrol or hybrid cars here, but you can check out our Best Small Electric Cars article if you're looking for an EV.

Best small SUVs 2026: the shortlist

• Dacia Duster
• Volkswagen T-Roc
• Citroen C3 Aircross
• Lexus LBX
• Renault Captur
• Vauxhall Frontera
• Ford Puma
• Skoda Kamiq
• Jeep Avenger
• Peugeot 2008

1. Dacia Duster

• Price: from £21,845

It doesn’t matter if you have a Ferrari or a Fiat on the drive, you’ll probably appreciate the all-round appeal of the Dacia Duster. Even in this more advanced, high-tech latest generation model, this small SUV’s rugged ability and no-nonsense appeal still shines through.

It’s also an awful lot of car for the money, too: even though it’s the among the larger cars in this list, it’s the cheapest, yet even base Expression trim has more niceties than ever before. You also get the option of hybrid power for the first time in the new model, making it one of the cheapest hybrid cars on sale.

2. Volkswagen T-Roc

• Price: from £31,645

The latest Volkswagen T-Roc is arguably the most complete small family car in this list. If it wasn't for the outstanding value of the Dacia, it would be our number one small SUV. Only its relatively high price holds it back.

The new T-Roc offers a comfortable ride, stable and confidence-inspiring handling, a good blend of performance and efficiency and strong refinement. It's also spacious, with a solid and neatly designed interior.

3. Citroen C3 Aircross

• Price: from £22,495

The Citroen C3 Aircross is a solid choice for those after a small SUV with big space but on a small budget. Comfortable, efficient and surprisingly spacious, it's also got a huge boot and even has a seven-seat option - although you'll only fit children in the third row.

With petrol, hybrid and electric power, there's something for every need. The C3 Aircross can't quite match the Dacia Duster for outright value and performance, however.

4. Lexus LBX

• Price: from £36,445

Perfect for those who are after a dose of luxury in their small SUV: the Lexus LBX justifies its premium price tag - it's got more expensive of late because the base trim levels have been dropped. It might be based on the humble Toyota Yaris Cross underneath, but you’d have a hard time telling unless you knew.

Lexus has completely overhauled every aspect, with a sharper design, much classier cabin with luxury car tech features and a more powerful and more refined hybrid powertrain. There are more practical choices here, but none with such a sense of occasion.

5. Renault Captur

• Price: from £22,495

The Renault Captur and Dacia Duster might be closely related under the skin but they’re very different cars on the outside – with the Renault favouring a more classically stylish look and a higher quality interior. We love the Captur’s Google-based infotainment system and mix of physical buttons, too, while the sliding rear seats are the icing on the cake for practicality.

On the road the Captur has a comfortable ride and cruises quietly. While performance is perfectly adequate for pottering about in the keenly priced TCe 90 petrol model, the Captur E-Tech Hybrid is much swifter, smoother around town and also delivers strong fuel economy.

6. Vauxhall Frontera

• Price: from £24,795

The revived Vauxhall Frontera shares a lot with the Citroen C3 Aircross underneath, but can't quite match its French cousin for value and comfort. It still features in this list thanks to its sheer bang for your buck, however.

Like the C3 Aircross, the Frontera offers loads of space given its price point, so its ideal for cash-strapped families. It feels little low-rent inside despite being easy to operate, however, while the C3 Aircross also has a longer warranty and a ride better able to absorb British road lumps and bumps.

7. Ford Puma

• Price: from £27,145

The massively popular Ford Puma follows in the footsteps of the beloved Fiesta, and it shares a lot with that car under the skin – albeit in a far more practical package. That relationship also makes the Puma the most entertaining car to drive in this list, with agile handling, a slick manual gearbox and willing petrol engines.

While it’s a little noisier and firmer than other cars in this list, it’s hardly unpleasant, while the Puma’s cabin is comfortable and well-equipped. There’s also plenty of storage, and although it isn’t the roomiest car here there’s enough space for four medium-sized adults or growing children. What’s more, the Puma has a useful deep boot area (called the Megabox) with a drain plug – great for washing out muddy boots!

8. Skoda Kamiq

• Price: from £25,535

If you want a car to tick all the sensible boxes we can understand why you’d quickly gravitate towards a Skoda, and the Kamiq is a popular small SUV that punches above its weight and price in terms of practicality. It manages to cram impressive levels of space into a compact package, with plenty of family-friendly ‘Simply Clever’ touches typical of the brand, too.

It’s not just a great family hauler, though, as the Kamiq also manages a very well-rounded driving experience. It’s smooth and comfortable, but also handles tidily and is easy to drive around town with a tight turning circle – the only thing missing is a high driving position. Still, if you can live with that, the solid and user-friendly Kamiq is a superb small SUV choice.

9. Jeep Avenger

• Price: from £30,395

A small SUV from Jeep? That’s right, and despite the typically on-brand chunky design the Avenger is by far and away the smallest car here. That dinky shape makes it an absolute doddle to drive about town and park, but we also love Jeep’s quirky design touches that give the Avenger real personality.

Like the Peugeot and Vauxhall in this list you can specify petrol or electric power in the Jeep Avenger without compromising on practicality. Alright, so the Avenger’s boot isn’t huge and the back seats are tight for adults, but we love the little Jeep’s agility combined with a comfortable ride. The EV versions manages a range of up to 248 miles, but there’s also the 4xe hybrid with all-wheel drive adding to the Avenger’s already decent mud-plugging ability.

10. Peugeot 2008

• Price: from £27,940

The latest Peugeot 2008 has been around for a good few years now, but with a facelift it still looks fresh and modern. It also has an impressively posh-feeling, classy cabin for a small SUV (even if the Lexus sets an even higher standard) plus loads of standard kit. Peugeot’s quirky ‘iCockpit’ driving position takes some getting used to, however.

On the road the 2008 blends decent agility with a really mature, comfortable feel at motorway speeds, while both the petrol engine and e-2008 electric version (with a 250-mile range) offer punchy performance. There are cars here that offer better rear-seat access, but at least the 2008’s boot is a good size.