The best subcompact SUVs offer a comfortable ride, enough room for passengers and cargo, and useful infotainment and connectivity features in the cabin. Subcompact SUVs are popular with empty-nesters, millennials, and first-time car buyers. Parents can take the kids to school in the morning, head downtown for dinner in the evening, and haul a. The Best SUVs for 2020 & 2021 — The Top-Rated Small, Midsize, Large, Luxury SUVs and Crossovers 2021 Cadillac Escalade Review — All-New SUV Interior, Price, & More Toyota RAV4 vs.
Consumer Reports recommends quite a few subcompact SUVs in 2020. Others, not so much. If you are shopping for the best subcompact SUVs of the year, you might want to avoid this list of options. Here are the smallest SUVs with the lowest predicted reliability, according to Consumer Reports.
2020 Chevrolet Trax
Not many critics are huge fans of the Chevy Trax, and experts at CR aren’t very impressed by this model at all. The 2020 Trax has a few appealing qualities, one of them being that it’s easy to park. This crossover also looks pretty handsome from the outside, and its rear seat is surprisingly spacious. Despite these aspects, the cons for the Trax definitely outweigh its pros.
The Trax features a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 138-horsepower. As CR notes, the Trax’s engine feels vastly underpowered, and its fuel economy isn’t that impressive either. CR also doesn’t like the Trax’s shortlist of standard features, and found its infotainment display screen to be “infuriating.”
CR’s low-reliability ratings for the Trax has to do with its past safety recalls. Previous trouble spots on the Trax include its suspension and engine major. Because of its lackluster qualities, the Trax isn’t the best choice to buy new or used.
2020 Jeep Renegade
The Jeep Renegade consistently ranks among CR’s least reliable subcompact SUVs. However, the 2020 Renegade ranks slightly higher than in previous years. Instead of getting CR’s worst possible score, it gets the second-to-worst rating.
The most common problem areas for the Renegade include its brakes, climate system, and body integrity. At the time of this writing, the Renegade has two NHTSA safety recall actions. One relates to its brakes and the other for its backup camera.
Even though the Renegade isn’t the most reliable crossover out there, it’s still pretty popular. If you want a well-rounded crossover, you should look past the Renegade. But if off-roading capabilities are your top priority, then the Renegade is a great choice.
RELATED: Best Alternatives to the Jeep Renegade If You Don’t Care About Off-Roading
2020 Fiat 500X
Best 2020 Subcompact Suv
The Fiat 500X is one of the most charming crossovers to hit the streets. It has a ritzy cabin, and CR went as far as to describe the 600X as a “real-life Luigi from the movie Cars.” Other than its trendy style inside and out, the 500X doesn’t have much else going for it. The 500X shares many elements with its corporate cousin, the Jeep Renegade, so it’s no wonder CR isn’t a fan of this model. CR finds the 500X annoying, even when it sits idle.
The reviewers also describe the 500X as a “dreadful ride that beats you up with stiff shots to your kidneys.” And if that doesn’t sound like a terrible enough experience, the 500X noisy car cabin will attack your ears; its seats are cramped too. Based on its extensive testing, CR gave the 2020 500X a low road test and reliability score. But if you’re set on getting the 500X, CR suggests going with the Trekking trim.
Best 2020 Small Suv Awd