A 2026 Chevrolet trailblazer finished in metallic beige standing on arid grassland, with mountains in the back.SUVs are, as of recently, the best-selling vehicle class in the world. According to data from Standard&Poor –- yes, the same folks who maintain the S&P500 –- the various different classes of SUVs, along with trucks, make up more than 50% of all new vehicle sales in America. Furthermore, data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) says that, from at least 2024 onwards, "more than one in four cars on the road worldwide are SUVs" –- which just goes to show how popular the type of vehicle has become. As such, it's no surprise that many manufacturers are doubling down on their SUV lines. Some are even introducing old nameplates that used to be cars as SUVs, like the Mitsubishi Eclipse. Also, given that SUVs are now so popular, healthy market competition has pushed prices lower and lower; the segment is now actually fairly accessible. With that in mind, let's look at 12 of the most affordable SUVs that can be bought new in 2026. We'd like readers to note that this list is limited to vehicles on offer Stateside, as otherwise, cheaply-priced Chinese cars would dominate. Subaru CrosstrekA light-colored 2026 Subaru Crosstrek going off-road while equipped with a black roof box, grass all around it.First up, we have the Subaru Crosstrek, which is a fairly popular crossover SUV from the Japanese automaker. It has space for five passengers across two rows of seating and features 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the last row up. The engine in the entry-level model is a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder unit that makes 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque while being mated to a continuously-variable transmission. A hybrid version of the Crosstrek is also available in 20261, whereby two e-motors are added that improve fuel efficiency by a claimed 38%, according to Subaru. The Hybrid versions also offer a simulated manual shift mode, though that's honestly more of a gimmick than anything else -– it's still a CVT at the end of the day. The suite of standard features on the 2026 Crosstrek includes keyless entry, power windows, automatic headlights, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, and a 7-inch infotainment screen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and SiriusXM. The Crosstrek is known for going off the beaten track, which is why the standard ICE and hybrid Crosstreks come with an impressive 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The top-line Wilderness trim bumps that figure even higher to 9.3 inches. Furthermore, every single Crosstrek version, regardless of trim or engine choice, comes with all-wheel drive as standard. The base model for the 2026 production year comes in with an MSRP of $26,995 with an added destination fee of $1,420. Honda HR-VA 2026 model Honda HR-V crossover SUV, finished in white, standing in the shade of several trees.Another favorite in the crossover community is the Honda HR-V. Fun fact, the name is actually an acronym for "Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle." For 2026, the model comes with a base price tag that is about $500 cheaper than the Subaru Crosstrek, with a starting price of $26,500 -– though its additional destination fee of $1,450 also needs to be accounted for. The current HR-V, like prior models, comes with seating for five passengers in two rows, and with the second row up has 24.4 cubic feet of storage space. The engine in the base LX trim is a two-liter unit that spreads this displacement across four cylinders and is paired to a CVT gearbox. The total power output for the entry-level model sits at 158 hp at 6,500 RPM, along with 138 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 RPM. This is likely to be plenty, since honestly not many people will be towing trailers or boats with an HR-V. On the LX trim, the host of standard features includes hill descent control, privacy glass for the rear passengers, and a fully automatic climate control system. The infotainment unit is a 9-inch touchscreen that supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and also has a Qi-compatible wireless charger in the front. The driver aid suite on the 2026 Honda HR-V is also pretty decent, with adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, lane-keep assist, a backup camera, and collision avoidance system being included on even the base LX trim. Volkswagen TaosA dark green 2026 Volkswagen Taos being driven at speed down a two-lane road.The Volkswagen Taos hasn't changed much since the previous model year. During our review of the previous 2025 Taos, our test driver found that it did feel underpowered on highways, though it was fine as a general city runabout. This is to be expected, since the engine is a fairly small 1.5-liter inline-four cylinder unit that still manages to make a respectable 174 hp along with 184 lb-ft of torque, sent to the wheels via an 8-speed transmission. As with every other SUV in the subcompact crossover segment, the Taos seats five passengers across two rows. Cargo space is better than the Subaru Crosstrek, coming in at 28 cubic feet with the second row in the upright position. Standard features on the Taos include engine start/stop tech, adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane assist, and an 8-inch infotainment display in addition to an 8-inch digital gauge cluster. With exactly the same price as the Honda HR-V, the base model 2025 Taos starts at $26,500 as MSRP. There would also be a destination freight charge added on top, which, at the time of writing in early 2026, amounts to $1,475. The fuel economy on the Taos is great too, coming in with an EPA estimate of 28 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, with a combined figure of 32 mpg. Hyundai KonaAn orange 2026 Hyundai Kona standing in a barren field with its rear liftgate open and a man standing next to it.Next up, we have another Korean SUV in the form of the Hyundai Kona, which comes with space for five and two seating rows for 2026. Cargo space is decent for a vehicle that is just 171.3 inches in length, coming in at 25.5 cubic feet with the second row up. Power for the Kona comes from a two-liter engine that has four cylinders and routes 147 hp of power to the wheels via a CVT. It's important to note that this is the base engine; there is also a 1.6-liter turbocharged version available on the SEL Premium trim ($28,550 in 2026) and higher. The turbocharged version makes almost 30 percent more power than the naturally aspirated one, coming in at 190 hp in total even with its lower displacement. The two top trims, which are the SEL Premium and the Limited –- basically anything with the 1.6-liter engine -– get an eight-speed automatic transmission in lieu of the CVT. Standard amenities on the 2026 Kona include the likes of automatic headlights, lane keep assist, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Furthermore, as of the 2026 model year, adaptive cruise control –- which was previously restricted to higher trims on the first-generation Kona -– is now standard across the board. The price of the 2026 Kona is marginally better than the VW Taos, coming in with an entry-level sticker price of $25,500, with $1,600 added on top of the base MSRP as freight charges. Toyota Corolla CrossA red Toyota Corolla Cross SUV towing a jetski from an asphalt slip on the shores of a lake.While the Hyundai Kona might look like an amazing deal for bargain-hunter SUV buyers, we're barely getting started. The next car on our list is the 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross; just as the name suggests, it is the crossover version of the ever-popular Corolla sedan, and it comes with that legendary reliability that the Japanese brand has become famous for. The platform that the Corolla Cross is based on is called the TNGA-C, which stands for Toyota New Global Architecture, with the "C" suffix indicating a compact vehicle. This architecture is shared with other mainstay Toyota models like the Prius, GR Corolla, the C-HR, and some Lexus models too. Being quite similar in many ways to the Toyota RAV4, the Corolla Cross seats five across two rows and has a cargo capacity of 24 cubic feet with the second row seats in the upright position. The base engine is the tried and true M20A-FKS, which displaces two liters and has four cylinders, with turbocharging, of course. The total power output of 169 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque is transferred to the wheels via a continuously-variable transmission unit, and that's really all there is to the Corolla Cross. As of writing in early 2026, the base L trim of the Corolla Cross, which comes with an 8-inch infotainment display, a backup camera, tire pressure monitoring, and Toyota's Safety Sense 3.0 system, ships with a base MSRP of $25,035, and has a destination charge of $1,595. Mitsubishi Outlander SportA 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport crossover SUV standing in a clearing in a forest, right three-quarter view shown.The first car to dip under the $25,000 price point (without destination fees) on our list is the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. This is not to be confused with the full size Mitsubishi Outlander, which is significantly larger and pricier. Just as the Range Rover Sport is the smaller, more nippy sibling to the Range Rover, the Outlander Sport is intended to be the more compact version of the Outlander. Just how much agile remains to be seen, given that the 2026 model is shipping with a fairly underwhelming engine that displaces 2.4 liters across four cylinders. This engine, which produces 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque, is mated to a CVT gearbox and will undoubtedly feel underpowered for the more than 3,300-pound SUV that it pulls along. If you can look past the diminutive output of that 2.4-liter, there's much to like about the Outlander Sport. Standard features on the base 2.0S trim include niceties like full-auto climate control, cruise control, a rearview camera, lane departure warning, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. As far as price goes, the 2026 Outlander Sport clocks in with a base MSRP of $24,995, to which a freight destination charge of $1,745 ($1,870 in Hawaii and Alaska) is tacked on top. Buick EnvistaA deep blue 2026 Buick Envista SUV moving at speed down a paved road, with buildings visible but blurry in the back.Buick is actually the brand that founded General Motors –- not the other way around -– more than a century ago in 1908. One look at the current Buick lineup quickly reveals that the brand has had its heyday, as it now only makes crossovers and SUVs, and this has been the case for some time. The Envista is the cheapest entry point into the ecosystem, courtesy the base-model MSRP of $24,700 for the entry-level Preferred trim. A freight fee of $1,395 will also be added on top of that, bringing the minimum take home price for one of these SUVs to $26,095. Buick calls the Envista a "fastback" style crossover, which the consumer should simply take to mean reduced headroom for the rear passengers, but at least it looks good. Actually, that headroom figure is worth expanding on, as the rear passengers only get 37.3 inches of it, along with 38.7 inches of legroom. For reference, a 2018 Hyundai Sonata (which is a sedan, by the way), gets 38 inches of rear headroom. The engine in the base-model Buick Envista for the 2026 generation is a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder unit that makes 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. GM has always positioned the Buick brand as being a premium one within its portfolio of companies, but the Envista is quite lackluster when it comes to standard features. You get auto high beams, engine stop-start, cruise control, lane keep assist, and that's everything worth mentioning. Kia SeltosA light blue 2026 Kia Seltos taking a turn at speed down a mountain road, front-on view visible.One of the more popular compact SUVs on the market today is the Kia Seltos, which, by the way, happens to be extremely popular in India. It comes with a two-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque mated to a CVT gearbox. A more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter engine is available on the top-tier SX trim, making 190 hp and 197 lb-ft of torque with an eight-speed transmission. While seemingly underpowered, the Seltos is quite small, coming in at just 173 inches in length and 71 inches of width. With the SUV tipping the scales at a feathery 2,900 pounds (approximate) in total, the engine does an acceptable job at jostling this crossover along. Inside that compact frame, the Seltos manages to fit five adults across two rows of seating and still has 27 cubic feet of cargo space with the second row up. Standard features on the 2026 model include auto headlamps, USB-C in both rows, and an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, among other things. As far as price goes, the 2026 Seltos ships with a base MSRP of $23,790 and a destination fee of $1,495. Chevrolet TrailblazerA blue 2026 Chevrolet trailblazer parked in front of modern office buildings with some trees in the background.Looking for a compact SUV like the Nissan Kicks but want to stay loyal to American automakers like GM? The Chevy Trailblazer is the choice for you. Seating five people in two rows, with rear headroom at 38.4 inches and rear legroom at 39 inches, the car is quite spacious for something that is only 174 inches long. The engine in the 2026 model is a 1.3-liter, tri-cylinder unit that makes the princely sum of 137 hp along with 162 lb-ft of torque, mated to a CVT that sends all that power to the front wheels, as the Trailblazer is FWD in the base model. There's also a turbocharged option with slightly higher output that features AWD and a nine-speed automatic.Standard amenities in the cabin on the car include keyless entry and remote start, cruise control, a heated steering wheel, power windows throughout, and a standard Android Auto as well as Apple CarPlay, both wireless. There is also an 8-inch digital gauge cluster that displays all driving information like speed, fuel, mpg, and houses the trip computer. The price for the 2026 Trailblazer starts at $23,300 as base MSRP, and a $1,395 freight fee is added on top of that, bringing the total price to about $24,695, which is actually a lot of car per dollar. Nissan KicksA 2026 Nissan Kicks in dark metallic gray with a two-tone red roof moving at speed down an asphalt road.Very similar in almost every regard to the Chevrolet Trailblazer from above is the Nissan Kicks. It can fit five passengers across its two rows of seating and has 24 cubic feet of cargo storage space with the second row up. This rises to a total available 50 cubic feet of space with the rear row of seats folded down, which is pretty okay considering the car is only 172 inches long. The engine in the Kicks' base model trim is a two-liter, four-cylinder engine that is paired to a continuously-variable transmission gearbox and makes 141 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque. Standard equipment in the Kicks includes a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, voice recognition, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror, among other things. The infotainment system on the entry-level models is a 12.3-inch unit that has support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both wireless. As with many other models on this list, there is a veritable host of driver assistance features, which include automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, cruise control, and blind spot warnings, all of which come standard even on the base model. As far as pricing goes, the 2026 Nissan Kicks comes in with a base MSRP of $22,730 at the time of writing, though that price is exclusive of a destination fee of $1,545 –- pretty inexpensive, but still not the cheapest. However, we should remind buyers that Nissan doesn't exactly have the best reputation when it comes to CVT transmissions. Chevrolet TraxA green 2026 Chevrolet Trax being driven at speed down a road with a body of water in the backround.Next up, we have the fairly unremarkable Chevrolet Trax, which is now (with the discontinuation of some other models) the smallest SUV from Chevrolet that can be bought new. And for those GM aficionados who note that the Trax just looks like a Chevy Beat with a lift kit, you're actually not that far off. The Trax, along with the Beat and Groove, were unveiled to the public almost two decades ago in 2007 as Chevy's entry into the "micro" segment — and little has changed design wise since then. The modern 2026 Chevy Trax is supposed to fit five passengers across dual seating rows, though it certainly won't be very comfortable with three adults in the back, given that rear head and legroom are just 38.1 and 38.7 inches respectively. The cargo space is, as can be expected of a vehicle of this stature, quite less, coming in at 26 cubic feet with the second row up, and 54 cubic feet with it down. The engine is a tiny 1.2-liter, triple-cylinder unit that ends up making the mighty sum of 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, and drives the wheels via a six-speed gearbox. The price of the Chevy Trax, as of writing in early 2026, comes in at $21,700 as the base sticker value, and a destination fee of $1,795 is added on top of that MSRP. Hyundai VenueA red 2026 Hyundai Venue finished in red metallic, standing outside a café in a parking bay.The cheapest SUV that you can buy new in America in 2026 is the Venue from Korean automotive giant Hyundai. For 2026, the Venue ships with a 1.6-liter, inline four-cylinder engine with a CVT gearbox and makes 121 horsepower along with a reasonable 113 lb-ft of torque. As with many other models we've featured, the Venue has space for five occupants in two rows of seating. Cargo space is good given the 159 inch overall length, coming in at 19 cubic feet with the second row of seats in the upright position. Put the second row seats down, and the total available cargo space climbs to 32 cubic feet, which should be plenty for most people's everyday needs. Standard features on the base-model SE trim of the 2026 Venue include automatic headlights, a 4.2-inch driver display, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both standard issue on the touchscreen, and are the wireless version to boot. Buyers can also expect all the regular driver aids like forward collision avoidance, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alerts as standard issue tech and equipment. The package price for all that goodness is a base MSRP of $20,550 (for the entry-level SE trim), along with a freight fee of $1,600. Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.