Most Reliable Subcompact SUVs [Top Ranked Models]
John Goreham is a life-long car nut and recovering engineer. John’s focus areas are technology, safety, and green vehicles. In the 1990s, he was part of an academic team that built a solar-electric vehicle from scratch. His was the role of the battery thermal control designer. After earning his engineering degree, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University. For 20 years, he applied his engineering and sales talents in the worlds of semiconductor manufacturing, biopharmaceutical production, and automotive electronics supply chain. Always a writer, John has published numerous articles in technical journals such as Chemical Processing Magazine. In 2008 he retired from that career and dedicated himself to chasing his dream of being an auto writer. In addition to online publications such as Car Talk, John’s work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers, and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites.
Let’s face it; Reliability is a top concern for small SUV owners.
Which is why it plays such a big role in determining our list of the best SUVs.
Here are the best five small SUVs for reliability.
Check out our overall picks for the most reliable SUVs here >>
- Most Reliable Subcompact SUVs
- Most Reliable Compact SUVs
- Most Reliable Midsize SUVs
- Most Reliable Full-Size SUVs
Table of Contents
Who Provided the Data for This List?
Our list of the most reliable small SUVs leans on data from owners collected and tabulated by three trustworthy sources.
First, the J.D. Power & Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). This study looks at the number of problems a brand’s three-year-old models have.
Next, we looked at RepairPal ratings for each. RepairPal is a trustworthy name that has been rating cars on their reliability for years.
Finally, the CarComplaints tabulation of scary, high-likelihood problems that owners report on a given model.
Most Reliable Subcompact SUV Comparison
| Model | J.D. Power VDS Score |
| Lexus UX | |
| Buick Encore | |
| Hyundai Kona | |
| Mazda CX-30 | |
| Honda HR-V |
1. Lexus UX
The Lexus UX may not win any enthusiast vehicle specification sheet comparisons, but we tested it and found it a joy to drive.
The UX has a mellow vibe and just relaxes its driver on the highway or in traffic. On a twisty mountain road, we found the UX comes alive nicely and can be tossed around corners.
The UX earns the top spot on the strength of its high J.D. power VDS ranking.
Updates for 2024
The UX250h receives an available hands-free power liftgate for 2024. We are getting an all-new model for 2025 so we won’t see any other changes to the 2024 models.
Current Lexus UX Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Lexus | UX 200 | ||||
| 2022 | Lexus | UX 200 |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Lexus deals here.
2. Buick Encore
We have referred to Buick as GM’s import brand, and indeed, the Encore is imported.
However, maybe we should call Buick GM’s quality brand?
The Encore came in second because of its solid J.D. Power VDS brand ranking.
RepairPal gave it a reliability score of 4/5, which is a huge plus.
Updates for 2024
The Buick Encore comes with a new front-end styling, new front & rear bumpers, and a new grille. On the interior, the Encore gets a new touchscreen and digital instrument cluster.
Current Buick Encore Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Buick | Encore | ||||
| 2022 | Buick | Encore |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Buick deals here.
3. Hyundai Kona
The Hyundai Kona is a strong model in the small SUV segment. It’s available in many affordable trims, sporty trims, and very well-equipped trims for under $30K.
There is also a Kona battery-electric vehicle.
Hyundai has been rising in the reliability charts for years and earns a solid third place on our list.
It also received a 4/5 reliability rating on RepairPal, which adds to the reasons it's on our list.
Updates for 2024
The Hyundai Kona gets an updated exterior for the 2024 model year. Some of the highlights include a razor-thin LED headlight display along with a modernized grille. The N Line is updated with body-colored cladding and a new rear spoiler.
Current Hyundai Kona Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hyundai | Kona | ||||
| 2024 | Hyundai | Kona | $1,000 | 4.29% | $232/month for 36 months, $4,012 due at signing | 4/30/24 |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Hyundai deals here.
4. Mazda CX-30
We’ve created many “Best of” lists, and when Mazda has a model that qualifies, our only question is, “Did the Mazda win?”.
It didn’t in this case, but fourth place on a list of the world’s most reliable small SUVs is still solid.
The Mazda CX-30 has a decent amount of interior space for its passengers, in the front and rear, considering its size as a subcompact SUV.
Updates for 2024
The CX-30 gets an all-new Carbon Turbo trim, which is outfitted with a Zircon Sand paint job, black-painted wheels, and Terracotta-colored leather upholstery. The Select becomes the Select Sport for 2024.
This updated trim level comes with 18-inch wheels with a black metallic finish, black side-mirror caps on the exterior black faux leather, and dual-zone automatic climate control on the interior.
Current Mazda CX-30 Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mazda | CX-30 | ||||
| 2024 | Mazda | CX-30 | 0.00% | $259/month for 36 months, $2,999 due at signing | 4/30/24 |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Mazda deals here.
5. Honda HR-V
There was a time when Honda and Toyota owned the reliability game. That may no longer be the case, but Honda’s fifth-place showing on our top five list reflects that heritage.
The HR-V is a remarkably roomy small SUV and it’s clear Honda worked its magic inside.
The HR-V got an impressive 5/5 reliability rating on RepairPal, making it a no-brainer for this list.
We look forward to more Honda cars, crossovers, SUVs, and trucks on our lists to follow.
Updates for 2024
The HR-V was recently re-designed in 2023. Therefore, the team at Honda has left the model unchanged for 2024.
Current Honda HR-V Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Honda | HR-V | ||||
| 2024 | Honda | HR-V | 3.90% | $269/month for 36 months, $3,199 due at signing | 4/30/24 |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Honda deals here.
What Is the Most Reliable Subcompact SUV?
No vehicle segment has a tighter grouping of reliable vehicles than the subcompact SUV class. There are five that earn perfect Consumer Reports scores.
However, the Lexus UX tops our list based on its brand reliability data. We’ve tested the UX, and we’d swear you can feel the quality when you drive it.
