A compact SUV is about as ubiquitous as it gets on American roads. As tastes have shifted away from minivans and sedans, those seeking a blend of practicality and drivability have flocked to the smaller, more car-like version of the hulking SUV.
Choices in the segment are diverse, from decent off-roaders to stylish canyon cravers to people-moving champions, there’s something here for every buyer.
Compact SUVs excel at being the ultimate all-rounders, capable of serving as your weekend adventure vehicle and daily commuter, shipping kids to soccer or taking on the trails with equal aplomb.
CarsForSale.com rates the 2022 Mazda CX-5 as its top compact SUV.
“It should come as no surprise that the company that brought you the Miata offers the very best driving compact SUV in the segment,” reviewer Chris Kaiser writes. “The Mazda CX-5 is stylish, sophisticated, fun to drive, and affordable.”
The combination of these qualities put it at the top of our list. Foremost is the distinguished driving experience. The CX-5 starts with a decent 2.5L inline-four as its base engine. But once turbocharged, horsepower climbs to 225 and the fun really starts.
To complement the added power, the CX-5’s suspension is expertly tuned and perfectly compensates for the taller vehicle by minimizing body lean and providing nimble cornering. Fuel economy isn’t stellar, however, and we felt a hybrid option might be a nice addition.”
Here’s in reverse order are the top-10 best compact SUVs as reported by CarsForSale.com.
10. Mitsubishi Outlander
9. Ford Bronco Sport
8. Volkswagen Tiguan
7. Kia Sportage
6. Nissan Rogue
5. Hyundai Tucson
4. Subaru Forester
3. Honda CR-V
2. Toyota RAV4
1. Mazda CX-5
To read the complete CarsForSale article, visit: Top 2022 Compact SUVs
Article Last Updated: August 7, 2023.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
