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10 Cheapest SUVs in 2024

2023 Hyundai Venue
2023 Hyundai Venue / Credit: Hyundai

Here Are the Most Affordable New SUVs

Listed below are the lowest-priced new SUVs available this model year, ranked by starting MSRP. All come from the smallest segment of SUVs: subcompact SUVs. Because the price isn’t the only way to measure value, we highlight each vehicle’s best aspects and where they fall behind competitors. If you’re interested in seeing which of the 10 SUVs featured here are best-in-class, check our Subcompact SUV Rankings.

How We Ranked These SUVs


1. 2024 Hyundai Venue • $19,800

2022 Hyundai Venue
2024 Hyundai Venue / Credit: Hyundai
  • Price: $19,800
  • Fuel Economy: 31 mpg*
  • What We Like: Cheapest SUV on the market
  • What We Don’t: 4-star crash test rating; only 121 horsepower; no AWD; tiny 31 cu ft cargo area

The Hyundai Venue is not particularly agile and does not offer all-wheel drive, but it provides great fuel economy and is one of the more affordable options in the segment. The Venue’s layout is geared towards passenger space, so there’s limited room for cargo. Still, the Venue has two rows with solid head and legroom. The standard touchscreen infotainment system is easy to use and comes equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Venue has ADAS features such as automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and driver attention alert.

Shopping for a Used Venue?

The Venue was introduced as an all-new model for the 2020 model year. It was initially offered with a manual transmission in some models, which dropped from the lineup in 2021. All used Venues have similar styling.


2. 2024 Kia Soul • $19,990

2023 Kia Soul
2024 Kia Soul / Credit: Kia
  • Price: $19,990
  • Fuel Economy: 30 mpg*
  • What We Like: 62.1 cu ft of cargo space for under $20K; funky styling
  • What We Don’t: 4-star crash-test rating; no AWD

The Kia Soul continues to deliver unmistakable styling thanks to its futuristic front-end design and boxy layout. That profile gives way to plenty of cargo space and two rows of spacious seating. The Soul offers a lot of features for a low starting price. The standard infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and is nestled in the middle of a clean, modern dash design. The base engine provides decent power. There is no AWD, but a terrific 10-year/100,000-mile warranty backs the front-wheel-drive (FWD) powertrain.

Shopping for a Used Soul?

The Kia Soul has been on the market since 2008. The current third-generation model arrived for the 2020 model year. 2020 and 2021 models are available with a manual transmission, but the 2022 is not. Kia refreshed the Soul for 2023, updating the styling and removing the 201-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter engine option.


3. 2024 Chevrolet Trax • $20,400

2024 Chevrolet Trax
2024 Chevrolet Trax / Credit: Chevrolet
  • Price: $20,400
  • Fuel Economy: 30 mpg*
  • What We Like: Low price, sleek design, good cargo space
  • What We Don’t: Small engine, no AWD

The Trax is a great choice for budget-conscious shoppers seeking the most affordable transportation; a base price of just over $20K makes it one of the least expensive new SUVs you can buy. Passengers are treated to a handsome cabin, with a more upscale look than you might expect from a vehicle in this price range. Best of all, the Trax offers outstanding cargo capacity for a subcompact SUV: 25.6 cubic feet of space with all seats in place.

Not all drivers will resonate with what the Trax has to offer. While passing power is adequate, it’s not exceptional. All Trax SUVs have a turbocharged 1.2-liter 3-cylinder under the hood that makes just 137 horsepower.  A 6-speed automatic transmission sends power to the front wheels. If you’re looking for a vehicle with quick acceleration, this Chevy isn’t for you. Also, all-wheel drive (AWD) isn’t available. Other SUVs in this class offer this feature.

Shopping for a Used Trax?

The 2024 Trax introduces this SUV’s second generation. The previous generation of the Trax (2015-2022) was smaller and had fewer features, though it was more powerful. The Trax skipped the 2023 model year.


4. 2024 Nissan Kicks • $20,790

2024 Nissan Kicks / Credit: Nissan
  • Price: $20,790
  • Fuel Economy: 33 mpg*
  • What We Like: Class-leading mpg
  • What We Don’t: No AWD; 4-star crash-test rating

The Nissan Kicks offers a surprising amount of cargo space given its small footprint. It provides a comfortable front row and comes standard with plenty of in-car and safety technology.

It’s better to look at this car as a tall hatchback than a sport utility vehicle. The Kicks does not offer AWD, and its only engine is underpowered. However, it makes up for those shortcomings with terrific fuel economy and a low starting price.

Shopping for a Used Kicks?

The Kicks was introduced for the 2018 model year. Some standard and optional safety features were added for 2020. Additional standard and optional content was added in 2021, and the exterior and interior styling was updated. The 2022 and 2023 model years had few updates.


5. 2024 Buick Envista • $22,400

2024 Buick Envista
2024 Buick Envista / Credit: Buick
  • Price: $22,400
  • Fuel Economy: 30 mpg*
  • What We Like: Relatively low price, sleek design
  • What We Don’t: Small engine, no AWD

The Envista is Buick’s smallest SUV, slotting below the Encore GX. It has a surprisingly low price tag, given its upscale looks and features, including a dual-screen infotainment setup with an 8-inch display for the driver’s gauges and an 11-inch touchscreen for the audio system.

Every Envista comes with a tiny 3-cylinder engine making 136 horsepower, as well as a 6-speed automatic transmission and FWD. All-wheel drive is not available. The Envista is small, so there isn’t much weight to move around, but the 3-cylinder engine is still too anemic. The Envista comes in three trims: the base Preferred, the Sport Touring, and the top-of-the-line Avenir. For a similar vehicle that costs less, consider the Chevrolet Trax. They have the same platform and engine.

Shopping for a Used Envista?

The Buick Envista is all new for 2024, but there may already be some used models available.


6. 2024 Chevrolet TrailBlazer • $23,100

2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer ACTIV
2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer ACTIV / Credit: Chevrolet
  • Price: $23,100
  • Fuel Economy: 27-31 mpg*
  • What We Like: Good crash-test scores, stylish, relatively roomy
  • What We Don’t: Weak acceleration

The TrailBlazer separates itself from the pack with its sharp exterior design, turbocharged three-cylinder engines, and roomy interior. Keep in mind that the TrailBlazer trails key rivals when it comes to acceleration, ride quality, and interior quality, although the standard 11-inch touchscreen is impressive.

The TrailBlazer is available with two turbocharged three-cylinder engine options: a 137 horsepower engine and a 155 horsepower engine. Both are below average for the segment. Unlike in the smaller Chevrolet Trax, the Trailblazer is available with AWD. Four trims are available: the base LS, the nicer LT, the ACTIV light off-roader, and the sporty RS.

Shopping for a Used TrailBlazer?

For 2024, the Trailblazer received refreshed styling and an updated infotainment system. However, models dating back to 2021 look similar to the one above. Chevy didn’t make the Trailblazer between 2010 and 2021. Models from 2009 and earlier were truck-based midsize SUVs with 4WD, very different from the current Trailblazer.


7. 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross • $23,610

2024 Toyota Corolla Cross / Credit: Toyota
  • Price: $23,610
  • Fuel Economy: 30-37 mpg*
  • What We Like: 66.8 cu ft of cargo space; good mpg; hybrid option
  • What We Don’t: Slow, noisy engine

The Toyota Corolla Cross isn’t particularly exciting but very functional. Its 66.8 cubic feet of cargo space (65.5 with AWD) is among the best in the class. The 4-cylinder engine is very efficient, but with just 169 horsepower on tap, it struggles to reach highway speeds and makes plenty of noise. The infotainment system is easy to use and includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Corolla Cross also comes with the Toyota Safety Sense suite of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS).

Shopping for a Used Corolla Cross?

The Toyota Corolla Cross was an all-new model for 2022. The Corolla Cross introduced a new infotainment system and a hybrid option for 2023.


8. 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport • $23,695

2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport / Credit: Mitsubishi
  • Price: $23,695
  • Fuel Economy: 25-26 mpg*
  • What We Like: Low price
  • What We Don’t: Poor mpg; weak 148-hp engine; 49.5 cu ft cargo area; 4-star crash test rating

The Outlander Sport is a classic case of getting what you pay for. The base engine feels underpowered, the handling is vague, and the fuel economy is just so-so for the class. Buyers would do well to go for the upgraded engine, which, in turn, raises the price. You have to pay more for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it does come standard with rain-sensing wipers, forward collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. A new Trail Edition has been introduced for 2024.

Shopping for a Used Outlander Sport?

The Outlander Sport has been on the market for over a decade. It soldiered on essentially unchanged until a 2016 refresh. The styling was more heavily updated for the 2020 model year. It hasn’t been updated significantly since.


9. 2024 Volkswagen Taos • $23,995

2024 Volkswagen Taos
2024 Volkswagen Taos / Photo credit: Volkswagen
  • Price: $23,995
  • Fuel Economy: 28-31 mpg*
  • What We Like: Simple design and controls
  • What We Don’t: Mediocre acceleration; lower-quality interior materials

Volkswagen introduced the Taos as its first subcompact SUV. It continues to make excellent use of its platform, accommodating 65.9 cubic feet of cargo space (60.2 cubic feet in AWD models). The Taos has two rows of adult-friendly seating.

There are downsides to VW’s newest SUV. For one, the cabin materials are low-grade for the class. The Taos has an underpowered 4-cylinder engine, and the two transmission options shift sluggishly. If you can put up with that, you’re rewarded with as many as 36 mpg on the highway with FWD models.

Shopping for a Used Taos?

The Taos was an all-new model for the 2022 model year and heads into 2024 unchanged.


10. 2024 Hyundai Kona • $24,100

2024 Hyundai Kona
2024 Hyundai Kona / Credit: Hyundai
  • Price: $24,100
  • Fuel Economy: 26-31 mpg*
  • What We Like: Great mpg, optional 190-hp engine, available as an electric car
  • What We Don’t: Base engine could use more power

The Hyundai Kona is a dynamic and modern subcompact SUV with an upscale cockpit outfitted with easy-to-use tech features. It’s equipped with a sleek dual 12.3-inch display screen behind one piece of glass. The Kona has a comfortable front seat and decent rear seat and cargo space. The base 147-horsepower engine could use more power, but the Kona has refined handling characteristics, and the available 190-horsepower turbocharged engine adds some extra punch. Four trims are available: the base SE, the nicer SEL, the sporty N Line, and the top-of-the-line Limited. The Kona is also available as an electric car.

Shopping for a Used Kona?

The Kona was introduced as an all-new model in 2018. In 2019, it received several standard driver assistance features, and the all-electric version was added to the lineup. The Kona was restyled for the 2022 model year and completely redesigned for 2024.


Next Steps


How We Ranked These SUVs

We ranked these SUVs from least expensive to most expensive based on their base MSRP. Our rankings are based on the latest models, but since many of these vehicles have remained unchanged from earlier years, our insights also apply to used models.

*We cite the EPA’s combined mpg range for each vehicle, which takes into account the mpg for both city and highway driving.


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