Budget SUVs – Top 10 Budget SUVs of 2022

Budget SUVs – Here are the 10 Cheapest New SUVs You Can Buy Right Now

Automakers are rushing to add SUVs to their lineups, and as a result, the subcompact SUV class has grown significantly. While most small SUVs don't have much more passenger space than your typical small car, and many have even less cargo space, they have a higher seating position, a more rugged look and affordable all-wheel drive.

So it's perhaps not surprising that all 10 models on our list of cheap SUVs are subcompacts. They are ordered by base price, from cheapest to most expensive, and all prices include the cost of the SUV, but not any cash incentives or taxes. Prices and combined EPA fuel economy estimates are for front-wheel drive versions of all SUVs except the Kia Seltos, which comes with all-wheel drive in the base (LX) trim level, and the Subaru Crosstrek, which comes standard with all-wheel drive. on all kits. All prices also include an automatic transmission. 

Affordable subcompacts like the Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue may look like other subcompact SUVs and are sold as such, but they don't offer the all-wheel drive we needed to make this list. Adding all wheel drive to most SUVs below costs around $1500-$2000. 

The cheapest new SUVs (with automatic transmission)

1. 2022 Hyundai Kona SE: $22 
2. 2022 Chevrolet Trax LS: $22 
3. 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport S: $22 
4. 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS: $22 
5. 2022 Honda HR-V LX: $23: $095 
6. 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross L: $ 23,410
7. 2022 Kia Seltos LX: $23,805
8. 2022 Volkswagen Taos S: $24
9. 2022 Jeep Renegade Sport: $24 
10. 10 2022 Subaru Crosstrek: $24

2022 Hyundai Kona SE is a budget SUV

Price: $22 including $395 destination fee. Saving fuel in the combined cycle: 32 miles per gallon.
2022 Hyundai Kona

Hyundai has updated the Kona for 2022 with new styling, more space and improved tech, and it also tops this list - even with the price increase over the 2021 model. The standard 2022 SE continuously variable automatic replaces the six-speed automatic; the new CVT is mated to Hyundai's 147-horsepower 2,0-liter four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, which is good for a combined EPA rating of 32 mpg, up from 30 mpg in 2021.

The 2022 Kona also gets an 8-liter or 10,25-liter engine. inch touch screen dashboard. Automatic emergency braking, manual lane centering, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all models, and the 8-inch display supports wireless connectivity. Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist, which combines more advanced lane centering with adaptive cruise control, is optional.

2022 Chevrolet Trax LS - budget SUVs

The Trax is one of two subcompact SUVs sold by Chevrolet, along with the newer Trailblazer listed below. The Trax is slightly smaller than the Trailblazer and doesn't have as much cargo space. Power comes from a turbocharged four-cylinder instead of the Trailblazer's turbocharged three-cylinder, while the Trax engine works with a conventional stepped automatic transmission. With the disappearance of the Trailblazer L trim for 2022, the old Trax is once again Chevy's cheapest SUV. However, you will pay for this with a lack of safety features, since automatic emergency braking is not available on any trim.

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport S - budget SUVs

Price: $22 including destination $690. Saving fuel in the combined cycle: 27 mpg.
2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

With a design dating back to the 2011 model year, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport was one of the first subcompact SUVs on the market and remains one of the most affordable. Mitsubishi has updated the SUV over the years, but its outdated interior and rough handling show its age. For 2021, Mitsubishi has added important safety features such as automatic high beams, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection to all Outlander Sport trims.

New 2022 Honda HR-V - Budget SUVs

In a class where most models lack passengers, especially in the back seat, the Honda HR-V is different. With a comfortable, spacious interior, the HR-V also offers impressive versatility thanks to its multi-position second-row Magic Seat. All HR-V models are equipped with a 141-horsepower 1,8-liter four-cylinder engine, paired with a CVT. The combination delivers a good estimated gas mileage of 30 mpg when combined with front-wheel drive, but overall power is modest. The HR-V offers important safety features such as automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning, but these are not available on the base (LX) trim.

2022 Toyota Corolla Cross L - budget SUV

Price: $23 including destination $410 . Combined Fuel Economy: 32 miles per gallon.
2022 Toyota Corolla Cross

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is a new subcompact SUV that sits between the fancy C-HR and the larger RAV4 in Toyota's lineup. As the name suggests, the Corolla Cross shares a platform and powertrain with the popular Corolla compact car. This transmission, a 2,0-liter four-cylinder engine with 169 hp. and CVT are rated at 32 mpg with the base Corolla Cross L's standard FWD. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are advanced safety features such as forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. We like the standard Corolla Cross features and affordable all-wheel drive, but the power is modest for both city and highway driving.

2022 Kia Seltos LX - budget SUVs

The Kia Seltos is one of two SUVs on this list that makes all-wheel drive standard on base trim; Curiously, the next higher trim S has standard FWD and additional four-wheel drive. The Seltos LX is powered by a 2,0 hp 146-liter four-cylinder engine that works with a CVT. The LX's long list of standard features includes 17-inch alloy wheels and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. New for the 2022 model year are new standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking and blind spot warning; both were previously optional.

2022 Volkswagen Taos S - budget SUV

Like the Corolla Cross, the Volkswagen Taos is also new for 2022. Power is provided by a 1,5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 158 hp. With FWD, the engine is mated to a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission and is rated for 31 mpg combined; optional all-wheel drive replaces the eight-speed transmission with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The base trim is sparsely equipped, missing important features like automatic emergency braking or Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

2022 Jeep Renegade Sport - budget SUVs

The Jeep Renegade has American SUV design cues like round headlights and a seven-slot grille, but it's originally from Italy and shares a platform with the Fiat model. (Stellantis, an automaker with multinational roots, operates both brands.) The base Renegade Sport is powered by a 1,3-hp 177-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that works with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Standard convenience features include push-button start, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and steering-assisted lane departure warning. The 2022 Renegade Sport also gets a larger 8,4-inch touchscreen that replaces the previous year's 7-inch screen.

2022 Subaru Crosstrek is a budget SUV

Last on the list is the base 2022 Subaru Crosstrek, the second vehicle on this list to offer all-wheel drive as standard on the base model. However, unlike the Kia Seltos, all-wheel drive is standard on all Crosstrek trims. The base Crosstrek also comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission; combining a CVT with the base four-cylinder engine adds $1350 to the price. It also adds Subaru's EyeSight suite of advanced safety technologies, which includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and practical lane centering, and boosts the combined fuel economy rating to 30 mpg from 25 mpg with a manual transmission. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all trims.

Video TOP 5 best budget SUVs