Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The honest answer to "what are the best small SUVs with V6 engines" starts with a fact most lists bury: there are almost none left, and the ones that remain wear luxury badges. The V6 has all but vanished from the compact SUV class. Mainstream nameplates that once offered one have moved to turbocharged four-cylinders and hybrids, and the survivors now sit in showrooms that also sell six-figure sports cars. If you want six cylinders in a genuinely small SUV in 2026, you are shopping the premium aisle whether you meant to or not.That reframes the question. This is less a ranking of many options than a short, honest accounting of what actually exists, what each one costs to own, and which is worth the money.Why V6 Engines Disappeared From Small SUVsTwo forces did most of the work. Turbocharging closed the power gap first. A modern 2.0-liter turbo four now makes the kind of output that used to require six cylinders, at lower weight and with better fuel economy on the window sticker. Then tightening efficiency and emissions standards made extra displacement hard to justify in a high-volume segment where buyers track monthly fuel costs.AdvertisementAdvertisementElectrification pushed the trend further. As compact SUV buyers moved toward hybrids, automakers had little reason to keep a thirstier six on the order sheet. The 2026 Toyota RAV4, the best-selling vehicle in the class, is now hybrid-only. The Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, and Subaru Forester are all four-cylinder or hybrid. None offers a six at any price.What remains is a narrow band of luxury and performance models, where a six still earns its place on smoothness, sound, and the badge it sits behind.The "Small SUV" Sleight Of Hand In Most V6 ListsSearch this topic and you will find rankings padded with vehicles that are not small. The Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Chevrolet Blazer turn up again and again. All three are midsize. The Palisade and Telluride are three-row, eight-passenger family SUVs. Filing them under "small" to lengthen a list does the reader no favors.There is a second trap, this one mechanical. Several "six-cylinder" compacts cross-shopped as V6 alternatives do not have a V6 at all. The BMW X3 M50 runs a 3.0-liter inline-six, a different layout entirely. The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 dropped to a 2.0-liter turbo four with mild-hybrid assistance, the same engine that powers the standard GLC 300, tuned up to 416 hp with an F1-derived electric turbocharger. It is genuinely quick and technically impressive, but it is not a six-cylinder car. If the V configuration specifically is what you are after, neither qualifies.The Small SUVs That Still Offer A V6 In 2026Four models genuinely fit. All four are luxury vehicles. Two are pure performance variants.Genesis GV70 3.5TEngine: 3.5L twin-turbo V6Output: 375 hp / 391 lb-ftDrivetrain: 8-speed automatic, standard all-wheel drive0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds (Genesis)EPA: 18 city / 25 highway, premium fuelStarting price: $64,415 (3.5T Sport Advanced AWD)The value play. The standard GV70 uses a 300-hp turbo four, and the V6 arrives only on the 3.5T trims, starting with the Sport Advanced at $64,415. That buys you 375 hp, adaptive suspension, and a refreshed interior built around a 27-inch curved OLED display that makes rivals look dated. Genesis includes more standard equipment than most competitors charge extra for, and the 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty with 10-year powertrain coverage adds real ownership value. It is tuned for comfort rather than corner-carving, which makes it the right call for buyers who want the six for refinement, not lap times. No other V6 compact starts this low.Audi SQ5Engine: 3.0L turbo V6, mild hybridOutput: 362 hp / 406 lb-ftDrivetrain: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, standard quattro all-wheel drive0-60 mph: 4.6 seconds (Audi)EPA: 21 city / 28 highway, premium fuelStarting price: $65,400 (Premium)AudiThe all-rounder. The SQ5 is the V6 version of the Q5, and the base Q5 uses a four-cylinder, so every SQ5 comes with the six as standard rather than as a trim-level upgrade. It pairs 362 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque with the best fuel economy in this group, and a chassis that is composed on a daily commute and rewarding when you push it. The dual-clutch gearbox is faster in aggressive driving than the torque-converter automatics in the GV70 and Grecale. It is not dramatic, but it does everything well and costs about $1,000 more than the Genesis. The most sensible V6 compact on sale.Porsche Macan S and GTSEngine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6Output: 375 hp / 383 lb-ft (S); 434 hp / 405 lb-ft (GTS)Drivetrain: 7-speed PDK dual-clutch, standard all-wheel drive0-60 mph: 4.6 seconds (S); 4.3 seconds (GTS)EPA: 17 city / 23 highway (S), premium fuelStarting price: $78,900 (S); $94,200 (GTS)PorscheThe driver's choice, and the one on borrowed time. The gas Macan offers Porsche's 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 in the S and the GTS only, and the base and T trims use a four-cylinder. Both are sharper and more communicative than anything else on this list, with a PDK gearbox and steering calibration that feel distinctly like a Porsche. The GTS is the more visceral machine, the S the more liveable.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe catch: this is not just a final model year in any routine sense. Porsche confirmed in May 2026 that production of the combustion Macan stops in summer 2026, with no direct gasoline replacement until 2028 at earliest. Inventory in some markets may extend into 2027, but order books are effectively closed. If this is the one you want, the window is not narrowing: it is shut. After stock clears, only the electric Macan will be available.Maserati GrecaleEngine: 3.0L twin-turbo Nettuno V6Output: 385 hp / 368 lb-ft (Modena); 523 hp / 457 lb-ft (Trofeo)Drivetrain: 8-speed automatic, standard all-wheel drive0-60 mph: 5.0 seconds (Modena); 3.6 seconds (Trofeo, Maserati)EPA: 18 city / 25 highway, premium fuelStarting price: $84,500 (Modena); $117,500 (Trofeo)2027 Maserati Grecale Folgore & 2027 Maserati Grecale TrofeoMaseratiThe outlier, and a revealing one. Maserati dropped the Grecale's four-cylinder in North America for 2026, leaving the Nettuno twin-turbo V6 as the only gas engine in the range: 385 hp in the Modena, 523 in the Trofeo. That makes it the only vehicle here where the V6 is standard rather than an upgrade tier. It is also the most expensive by a significant margin and the most characterful: the Nettuno shares architecture with the engine used in the MC20 supercar. The Modena is a compelling luxury SUV if you can absorb the cost and the reliability premium that comes with Maserati ownership. The Trofeo is for buyers who want something closer to a performance statement.Borderline Cases Worth NamingThe Cadillac XT5 still offers a 3.6-liter V6, but Cadillac positions it as a midsize and is discontinuing it at the end of 2026. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and its Ferrari-derived V6 are returning to production, but confirmed 2026 availability covers Europe and select Asian and Middle Eastern markets. The US return has not been officially confirmed, and the 2026 Stelvio sold here remains four-cylinder only.What A V6 Costs You In This ClassThe six is the expensive choice in every case, and the costs land in two places.AdvertisementAdvertisementRunning costs first. Across these models you are looking at EPA estimates in the high teens to low 20s combined, every one of them on premium fuel. The SQ5 leads at 21/28. The GV70 3.5T returns 18/25. The Macan S sits at 17/23. The Grecale lands at 18/25. EPA translates those into annual fuel costs of roughly $3,350 for the SQ5, $3,650 for the GV70 3.5T, $3,850 for the Grecale, and $4,050 for the Macan S. For contrast, the BMW X3 M50's inline-six manages 25/30, a useful reminder that engine layout carries real consequences at the pump, even if the X3 M50 does not technically qualify as a V6.Then there is the entry price. The least expensive doors in are the Genesis GV70 3.5T at $64,415 and the Audi SQ5 at $65,400. The Macan S starts at $78,900. The Grecale opens at $84,500 for the Modena, $117,500 for the Trofeo. Only the Grecale makes the V6 standard; everywhere else you are paying a premium over the four-cylinder variant to get it.Related: The Highest-Rated SUV For 2026 Is Not The One You'd ExpectSo, Which One Should You Buy?For most buyers, the Audi SQ5 is the pick. It delivers the V6 experience with the best efficiency of the group, a genuinely capable chassis, and a starting price that sits just above the Genesis.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Genesis GV70 3.5T is the better value if you prioritize standard equipment, warranty coverage, and a quieter, more comfort-oriented ride. The Porsche Macan GTS is the more thrilling machine and the last chance to buy one with a combustion engine for the foreseeable future, but the window for ordering new is effectively closed. The Maserati Grecale is for buyers who want character and exclusivity over rational numbers, and who can absorb what that character costs.What none of these is anymore is cheap, or mainstream. In 2026, a small SUV with a V6 is a luxury purchase, full stop.FAQs:Which Small SUV Has A V6 Engine? In 2026, the genuinely small ones are all luxury models: the Genesis GV70 3.5T, the Audi SQ5, the gas Porsche Macan S and GTS, and the Maserati Grecale. Mainstream compact SUVs no longer offer a six.Which SUV Still Has A V6? Plenty of midsize and larger SUVs do: the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Toyota's larger models among them. Among small SUVs, the field narrows to the luxury names above.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhich Small SUV Has The Best Engine? It depends on the priority. The Audi SQ5's V6 strikes the best balance of power and efficiency. The Porsche Macan GTS's 434-hp V6 is the most exciting to drive. The Maserati Grecale Trofeo's 523-hp Nettuno is the most powerful by a wide margin.Is The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 A V6? No. The current-generation GLC 43 uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and an electrically assisted turbocharger. It makes 416 hp and is quick, but it is not a V6 car. The earlier GLC 43 used a V6; this one does not.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.