Edmunds: Best SUVs for under $30,000 ranked
But which one should you get? Edmunds' team of automotive experts have undertaken thousands of miles of testing in order to provide a ranked list of the
five best SUVs under $30,000
. They're ordered below based on Edmunds' testing and rankings. All of the following prices include destination charges.
Nissan Kicks
Redesigned for the 2025 model year, the Nissan Kicks has gone from being a forgettable wallflower to a small SUV extrovert. Based on design alone, the new Kicks is a major step forward from its predecessor. For the first time, all-wheel drive is optional on Nissan's smallest and least expensive SUV. All three available trims — S, SV, SR — easily fall under Edmunds' budget cap of $30,000. The top SR trim is a particularly impressive value thanks to its big display screens and many standard driver assist features. Edmunds discovered a few downsides in the newly stylish Kick, such as tepid acceleration and disappointing real-world fuel economy. But overall the Kicks is a great way to spend a little and get a lot.
2025 Nissan Kicks starting price: $23,220
Honda HR-V
Honda knows a thing or two about building easy-to-drive and comfortable SUVs. The compact CR-V is hugely popular, and its smaller sibling, the HR-V, is similarly appealing. This choice is especially appealing if space is a priority for you. The HR-V has a big cargo area for this size of SUV, and headroom and legroom for rear passengers are generous. We also like the HR-V's upscale interior design and competitive value for what you're paying. The main downside to the HR-V is its lack of power. You'll need some patience for passing and getting up to speed on the highway.
2026 HR-V starting price: $27,595
Buick Envista
The sleek and stylish Envista could get fashion-conscious SUV shoppers into a Buick dealership for the first time. It's one of the more head-turning shapes among small SUVs, yet Edmunds' testers found the Envista is much more than a pretty face. The Envista is longer than most of its rivals, and that contributes to adult-friendly legroom in either row. A sizable and intuitive-to-use 11-inch touchscreen is standard. But be aware that the Envista's tapering roofline does take a bite out of cargo volume. Also, all-wheel drive isn't available.
2025 Envista starting price: $25,195
Chevrolet Trax
Edmunds found the small size and light weight of the Trax make it genuinely entertaining to drive. The handling is precise and, while it's no road rocket, acceleration is above par among subcompact SUVs. It's also fuel-efficient. Just keep in mind, like the Envista, all-wheel drive is not available. The Trax delivers big on passenger space, cargo volume and value. The trunk is roomy, and even the base trim comes with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, automatic high beams, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
2025 Trax starting price: $21,895
2025 Hyundai Kona
The Hyundai Kona sits at the top of Edmunds' rankings for extra-small SUVs. Edmunds singled out the Kona's roomy and modern-looking interior for praise, especially when it is optioned with the available 12.3-inch digital instrument panel mounted alongside the standard 12.3-inch touchscreen. Every Kona also comes standard with many driver assist features such as adaptive cruise control and blind-spot warning. One negative: The Kona's upper trims, though impressively equipped, nudge against or exceed our $30,000 pricing barrier. Also, Edmunds noted the soft and springy suspension takes some fun out of piloting the otherwise overachieving Kona.
2025 Kona starting price: $26,000
Edmunds says
When it comes to how they drive and the features they offer, small SUVs have grown up a lot in the past few years. Some stand taller than others thanks to their blend of pricing, driving dynamics, interior space and efficiency. In this instance, the versatile Hyundai Kona emerges as the winner.
____________
This story was provided to
The Associated Press
by the automotive website
Edmunds
. Nick Kurczewski is a contributor at Edmunds.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Nissan's Latest Nismo SUV Isn't Coming Here — But Would You Even Want It?
Nissan's Latest Nismo SUV Isn't Coming Here — But Would You Even Want It? originally appeared on Autoblog. Nissan is preparing to launch another SUV under its Nismo performance banner, but this one might leave buyers wanting more. The X-Trail Nismo, set to debut in Japan on August 21, brings sharp looks and a few chassis tweaks, but not the kind of firepower usually expected from the Nismo name. Since the X-Trail is the overseas counterpart to the Nissan Rogue, American buyers won't see this one, which might be for the better. A Meaner Look Without The Muscle Nismo has been expanding into Nissan's SUV lineup, most recently with the Armada, and now with the X-Trail. According to Creative Trend, you can expect a sportier front end with a massive splitter with complementary side skirts, a redesigned rear bumper, flared wheel arches, and plenty of red accents. It will ride on 20-inch Enkei alloys wrapped in Michelin rubber, with six colors available, including some two-tone options. At the end of the day, this is more of an appearance package than anything else. Same Power, Subtle Tweaks Despite the badge, the X-Trail Nismo keeps the same 211-hp e-Power hybrid system as the standard model. That setup pairs a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with dual electric motors, good for a respectable but unchanged 0 to 60 mph time of around 7 seconds. Instead of added horsepower, Nissan has focused on smaller refinements: firmer suspension, recalibrated steering, and tweaks to the e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive system. These adjustments should make it sharper in corners, but don't expect it to transform the SUV into a performance machine. What About The US? For now, Nissan hasn't confirmed whether the Rogue will ever get a Nismo variant. But even if it did, it's hard to imagine much demand for an SUV that looks like a racer but can barely hold its own against a Toyota Prius. Compare it to the Nissan Z Nismo, a car that backs its aggressive styling with real upgrades under the hood, and the X-Trail Nismo feels more like a 16-year-old upbadging his first car. Reports suggest the next-generation Rogue, due in 2026, might get its own Nismo trim. If that happens, let's hope Nissan gives it a treatment that lives up to the badge. Nissan's Latest Nismo SUV Isn't Coming Here — But Would You Even Want It? first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Cadillac's desert-racing concept car previews the future of luxury SUVs
Boasting a lifted ride, 24-inch wheels and both autonomous and performance-driving modes, the Cadillac Elevated Velocity concept car reveals designs and features that will carry the brand's V-series vehicles into the future. With electric all-wheel drive and an adjustable air suspension, the sleek SUV has gull-wing doors, a modern, roomy interior, 2+2 seating and an augmented-reality head-up display ― combining features Cadillac offers now and is evaluating for tomorrow. The concept also previews innovative ideas for desert racing, including repelling sand from its sleek four-door body and peering through dust storms. The Elevated Velocity debuted at the Quail, a luxury vehicle event in Carmel, California, on Aug. 15. The Quail is part of a weekend of events for luxury, racing and classic vehicles on and near the Monterey Peninsula. An earlier Cadillac concept called Opulent Velocity debuted at the Quail last year. What's cool about the Cadillac Elevated Velocity? The look of tomorrow's Cadillacs Cadillac expects the market for high-performance electric luxury SUVs to grow. The Elevated Velocity's profile ― long hood, spacious interior, short rear overhang, fastback rear end ― is consistent with the current Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq. 'Concepts are the compass for us,' GM design chief Brian Nesbitt said during a briefing on the Elevated Velocity. Other exterior touches include Cadillac's signature vertical lighting, illuminated front and rear badges, Vapor Blue exterior paint and blue-tinted windows. Full-width rear lights create a three-dimensional effect Cadillac calls a 'light tunnel.' Infrared light and 'dust-phobic vibration' The Elevated Velocity has modes for interior comfort and different kinds of travel, from hands-free relaxation to desert racing. A separate set of driving modes — in addition to that enhanced vision for sandstorms and that "elements defy" mode that generates a 'dust-phobic' vibration, like a horse shaking itself clean — include: Interior luxury The interior has four pedestal bucket seats. A floating center console extends from the dash to rear seats. The yoke-style steering wheel incorporates a hub-mounted display screen that's intended to be most useful when the driver seat reclines and the steering wheel retracts. The HUD delivers information to the driver when the car is in hands-on mode. Interior colors and materials include: Cadillac doesn't plan to build the Elevated Velocity, but its appearance and features will influence the brand's upcoming performance models. Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@ Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Newsweek
Nissan's New Leaf EV Comes With a Low Price Tag But a Steep Cost
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. For years, automotive industry executives have calmly and patiently explained that as advances in battery technology occur, and as battery-electric vehicles become more prevalent, the cost of batteries will come down and the price tags of EVs will follow. In the last decade, many automakers have promised lower-cost EVs but failed to deliver. Tesla, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia and Fiat are the closest to that proposition. The cheapest EV that can be purchased outright today in the U.S. is the Fiat 500e with a manufacturer's suggested retail price starting at $30,500. Last week, Nissan announced that the redesigned, next-generation 2026 Nissan Leaf will be priced to start at $29,990, nearly $3,000 less than the price of the first-generation Leaf when it was introduced in 2011. "Nissan is committed to making EV mobility accessible to all. That commitment is reflected in the pricing of the new 2026 Leaf," Michael Arbuckle, senior manager of the chief marketing management department at Nissan, told Newsweek. While the Nissan's cost may be low, the automaker is running into challenges from both the government and consumers. The Trump Administration's evolving tariff policies and a lack of charging infrastructure build out related to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program haven't boosted customer opinions about EVs. Prospective EV drivers frequently cite cost and lack of charging capability as two of the main reasons for being hesitant about pulling the trigger on a model. "While tariffs remain a dynamic and evolving situation, Nissan remains committed to offering competitive vehicle pricing while strategically managing inventory to meet consumer demand," Arbuckle said. Nissan has shuffled its EV plans in recent years, scrapping the timeline for bringing electric U.S.-made sedans to market and pushing back the launch of the Leaf toward the end of this year. "Nissan has a larger problem than the Leaf's pricing or basic strategy," Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst and associate director of AutoIntelligence at S&P Global Mobility, told Newsweek. "Delaying new EVs in the U.S. saved money and the idea of trying to time the market for when there is more volume to be had from EVs makes sense. Nissan doesn't need to be first to market to be credible in the EV space by the end of the decade. Delays and changes impacted the overall product plan over the past four years; the next four should look better for product cadence, but a lot of ground was lost," she said. With a new Chevrolet Bolt on the horizon and a more budget-friendly EV from Ford in the works, Leaf will face increasingly tough competition as it ages. Nissan needs a success. The company has around $54 billion in debt and has struggled to find a buyer. Ivan Espinosa, the automaker's fourth CEO in six years, aims to turn the company around. Interior of the 2026 Nissan Leaf. Interior of the 2026 Nissan Leaf. Nissan "The internal combustion engine vehicle lineup was allowed to age, and new generations have not stoked notable sales gains in the U.S. yet. Nissan is an automaker which has not been able to recover from the external impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2018, global sales were 5.0 million units. The low point was in 2022 with 2.9 million. Nissan increased to 3.1 million units in 2023, but our forecast shows Nissan will continue falling through the rest of the decade," Brinley said.
