16) 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
$42,650 | USN Overall Score: TBD
The completely redesigned Land Rover Range Rover Evoque features a high-end cabin and a composed ride. It comes standard with all-wheel drive, handles well, and offers exceptional off-road capability. It offers outstanding ground clearance and a wading depth of 23.6 inches. However, it has a below-average predicted reliability rating.
The Range Rover Evoque has roomy front seats, but its rear seats are cramped for adults and its cargo area is small. While its base turbocharged four-cylinder engine could use more power and its fuel economy lags behind rivals’, a more potent mild-hybrid powertrain is available. The Evoque also comes packed with advanced driver assistance aids, as well as desirable tech features, such as a 10-inch touch screen with smartphone connectivity.
15) 2020 Lincoln Nautilus
$41,040 | USN Overall Score: 7.7/10
If you’re looking for an inexpensive luxury midsize SUV, the Lincoln Nautilus fits the bill. It’s the cheapest vehicle in its class, though it still has a handsome interior and many intuitive tech features, including Lincoln’s easy-to-use SYNC 3 touch-screen infotainment system. A full suite of active safety systems comes standard as well. The Nautilus also performs well in crash tests and earns an above-average predicted reliability rating.
The Nautilus’ notable strengths include its coddling ride and good fuel economy. It comes with a capable turbo-four base engine, and a strong V6 is available. However, its handling is so-so, and Lincoln doesn’t offer the Nautilus in any performance-oriented trims. Passenger and cargo space are both typical for the class.
14) 2020 Jaguar E-Pace
$39,950 | USN Overall Score: TBD
The Jaguar E-Pace earns praise for its nimble handling and roomy cargo hold. It’s not as nice or comfortable inside as many luxury subcompact SUV competitors, and its second row is tight. However, it comes standard with all-wheel drive and offers two powerful engine options. Both return subpar fuel economy, though.
The E-Pace delivers a smooth ride, but critics said it’s steering lacks precision and it exhibits too much body roll. It features a user-friendly touch-screen infotainment system and newly standard smartphone app integration. This Jag also has a welcome assortment of standard driver assistance technologies, though it has never been fully crash tested. It earns a poor J.D. Power predicted reliability rating.
13) 2020 Lexus NX Hybrid
$39,420 | USN Overall Score: 7.3/10
The Lexus NX Hybrid impresses with its perfect predicted reliability rating, superb gas mileage, and history of solid crash test ratings. It has expansive and ultra-supportive front seats, but its second-row seats and cargo area are small compared to most luxury compact SUVs. The NX is okay for city driving thanks to its light steering, instant torque, and serene ride. Unfortunately, its powertrain feels weak on the highway.
This Lexus’ cabin features fantastic build quality and loads of standard niceties. However, its infotainment system is frustrating to operate due to its obtuse touchpad controller. Like most Lexus vehicles, the NX Hybrid includes a full suite of high-tech active safety features.
12) 2020 Infiniti QX50
$37,250 | USN Overall Score: 7.5/10
The luxury compact Infiniti QX50 is a good choice due to its attractive and spacious cabin. It has plenty of room for five passengers and the largest overall cargo capacity in its class. Its turbocharged four-cylinder engine isn’t potent, but it gets the job done and returns good gas mileage. The QX50 also delivers composed handling and a pleasant ride.
The QX50 receives excellent scores in crash tests and comes equipped with a decent selection of key advanced safety systems. However, it doesn’t earn a good predicted reliability rating from J.D. Power. When it comes to niceties and technology, the QX50 isn’t on par with the competition. Its dual-screen infotainment system is awkward to operate, and popular features are limited to upper trims.
11) 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB
$36,600 | USN Overall Score: TBD
The Mercedes-Benz GLB is a brand-new luxury compact crossover for the 2020 model year. It boasts one of the roomiest cabins in its class, a supple ride, and first-rate fit and finish. In addition, the GLB gets great fuel economy, and its cargo area is one of the largest in the class. While its turbo-four engine delivers ample power, the GLB isn’t quite as sporty as some classmates.
This Mercedes earns an above-average predicted reliability rating, but it doesn’t have a safety score since it hasn’t undergone full crash testing yet. The GLB comes standard with a handful of active safety aids, though a plethora are available. Its standard feature set impresses, but some critics found its infotainment controls and voice recognition finicky.
10) 2020 BMW X2
$36,400 | USN Overall Score: 7.7/10
The BMW X2 is more expensive than most luxury subcompact SUVs, but it still makes our list of the cheapest luxury SUVs. Its most notable strengths include peppy acceleration and athletic handling. The X2 offers two versions of its refined turbo-four. The high-performance version has more horsepower than any other option in the class. However, if you’re looking for a crossover with a smooth ride, the X2 is not for you.
The X2 earns a top-notch crash test score and an above-average predicted reliability rating. Its interior is nice, and cargo space is average, but the rear seats are a bit snug for adults. The X2’s infotainment system receives much praise from reviewers for its intuitive controls. Plenty of other niceties comes standard, as well as a full suite of advanced driver assistance technologies.
9) 2020 Lincoln Corsair
$35,945 | USN Overall Score: 7.9/10
The all-new 2020 Lincoln Corsair fares well in our luxury compact SUV rankings. It provides a spacious and upscale interior, two rows of comfortable seats, and competitive cargo capacity. The Corsair isn’t sporty, but it offers a serene ride. Its base turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers decent power and returns pretty good gas mileage, but a stronger turbo-four is available that still gets solid fuel economy estimates despite its all-wheel-drive setup.
The Corsair receives terrific marks in crash testing and comes equipped with several advanced safety aids. You’ll also find the SYNC 3 touch-screen interface as standard, along with a healthy array of convenience features. The standard touch screen is user-friendly, but it’s small compared to classmates’ screens. The Corsair has an average predicted reliability rating.
8) 2020 Cadillac XT4
$35,695 | USN Overall Score: 7.5/10
The Cadillac XT4 was a brand-new model for 2019. It’s a good option if you’re looking for an exceptionally roomy luxury subcompact SUV, though it struggles to compete in other key areas. The XT4 has tons of rear-seat legroom and an expansive cargo hold. However, its engine is noisy, its cabin doesn’t mask road noise, and its infotainment system can be a bit cumbersome.
The XT4 earns respectable safety scores and comes standard with some essential safety aids. At the time of writing, its J.D. Power predicted reliability rating was not yet available. This Cadillac’s turbo-four engine produces ample power and returns average fuel economy, but its ride and handling are merely passable compared to classmates’.
7) 2020 BMW X1
$35,200 | USN Overall Score: 8.4/10
The BMW X1 shares the leading position in our luxury subcompact SUV rankings with the Audi Q3. While the X1 can’t match the Q3 in interior quality or safety, it’s the better overall performer, and it has copious cargo volume. It’s a solid corner-carver, with engaging handling, sufficient power, and a relatively agreeable ride.
The X1 receives an above-average predicted reliability rating. It has a well-made cabin that looks and feels mostly upscale, though some competitors interiors have higher-quality materials. Four adults should fit just fine in the X1, and they’ll have enough room for their luggage, too. Several advanced driver assistance technologies come standard, along with a straightforward infotainment system.
6) 2020 Audi Q3
$34,700 | USN Overall Score: 8.4/10
The Audi Q3 finishes at the top of our luxury subcompact SUV rankings, tied with the BMW X1. The Q3 gets top marks for safety and predicted reliability, and features a few active safety systems as standard. In addition, it comes standard with a sharp and responsive infotainment interface. The only negative worth mentioning is the Q3’s poor gas mileage for the class.
The Q3 features a charming interior, two rows of sizable and supportive seats, and a usable amount of cargo space in back. It’s a joy to drive thanks to its confident handling, supple ride, and eager acceleration from its lone turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Every Q3 also comes equipped with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system.
5) 2020 Lexus UX Hybrid
$34,500 | USN Overall Score: 7.5/10
The Lexus UX Hybrid is priced well for a luxury hybrid SUV. It also comes packed with standard features and returns exceptional fuel economy. This luxury subcompact SUV has roomy front seats and a decent-sized second row, but it doesn’t have much room for cargo. While its powertrain isn’t built to impress, it delivers poised handling and a smooth ride.
The UX Hybrid earns a top-notch predicted reliability rating. It hasn’t been individually crash tested, but the similar Lexus UX performed exceedingly well. The UX Hybrid comes equipped with a comprehensive suite of active safety features, as well as an attractive assortment of niceties. However, reviewers found its infotainment touchpad distracting to operate.
4) 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA
$34,250 | USN Overall Score: TBD
The Mercedes-Benz GLA offers athletic handling and responsive steering, though its ride can be harsh. Its engine is slow to accelerate from a stop, but it returns good gas mileage and should suffice for most daily driving. This luxury subcompact SUV receives an exemplary rating for predicted reliability. It has never been fully crash tested.
The GLA lags behind rivals when it comes to its interior. It's constructed with some low-grade materials and there’s not a lot of space for passengers or cargo. On the flip side, its front seats are spacious enough and it has an intuitive infotainment system, as well as a short list of key advanced driver assistance aids.
3) 2020 Volvo XC40
$33,700 | USN Overall Score: 8.3/10
The Volvo CX40 finishes near the top of our luxury subcompact SUV rankings thanks to its history of stellar crash test ratings, incredible value, and impressive cabin. It has a handsome interior with ample seating space in both rows, though its cargo area isn’t as large as many rivals’. The XC40 also offers well-balanced ride and handling, along with two turbo-four engine options that are both energetic and reasonably fuel-efficient.
The XC40’s low predicted reliability rating and complicated infotainment controls hold it back. However, it’s loaded with appealing features. Despite its low price, it comes standard with a long list of advanced safety technologies, the latest smartphone app integration, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and a power liftgate.
2) 2020 Buick Envision
$33,500 | USN Overall Score: 7.4/10
The Buick Envision struggles to compete with most luxury compact SUVs since it slots between the mainstream and luxury segments. However, as far as price and value are concerned, it’s tough to beat. The Envision's cabin is handsome, but not as fancy as classmates’. It’s packed with attractive standard features, such as a user-friendly touch screen, smartphone connectivity, a Wi-Fi hot spot, heated seats, and a hands-free power liftgate.
The Envision’s base four-cylinder engine gets excellent gas mileage, but it struggles to get up to speed on the highway. You can opt for a stronger turbo-four with a refined nine-speed automatic transmission. This Buick isn’t very sporty, though it offers a gentle ride. The Envision earns an above-average predicted reliability rating.
1) 2020 Lexus UX
$32,300 | USN Overall Score: 7.6/10
The Lexus UX shines when it comes to price, fuel economy, and ride quality. However, it lands in the bottom half of our luxury subcompact SUVs due in part to its lackluster engine, low-rent cabin materials, and awkward infotainment controls. Still, its interior looks nice overall, and its seats are comfortable. The UX also earns terrific ratings for safety and predicted reliability.
Like most Lexus vehicles, the UX comes standard with a host of advanced driver assistance features. You’ll also enjoy synthetic leather upholstery, smartphone connectivity, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and four USB ports. While the UX is easy to maneuver and it handles well on winding roads, it’s not particularly fun to drive.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Is there a luxury SUV on our list that fits in your budget? If not, visit our new car rankings to check out more options. In addition, peruse our new car lease deals and financing deals pages to learn about current manufacturer-sponsored incentives on the SUVs that interest you.
When you’re ready to move forward, be sure to use our U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealership in your area that’s offering the lowest prices. People who have used the program in the past saved an average of over $3,000 off MSRP.
16 Cheapest Luxury SUVs in 2020
- 2020 Lexus UX
- 2020 Buick Envision
- 2020 Volvo XC40
- 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA
- 2020 Lexus UX Hybrid
- 2020 Audi Q3
- 2020 BMW X1
- 2020 Cadillac XT4
- 2020 Lincoln Corsair
- 2020 BMW X2
- 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB
- 2020 Infiniti QX50
- 2020 Lexus NX Hybrid
- 2020 Jaguar E-Pace
- 2020 Lincoln Nautilus
- 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
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Luxury Accommodations on a Budget
Many people wrongly assume that all luxury SUVs are too expensive to fit in their budget. This makes sense since luxury vehicles come with a premium price. However, you might be surprised when we tell you that there are plenty of luxury crossovers on the market today with starting prices between $30,000 and $40,000.
Keep in mind, these reasonable MSRPs are before any manufacturer- or dealer-sponsored rebates. In addition, many new vehicles are available with low monthly lease payments, financing rates are at record lows, and most automakers are offering deferred payment plans.
We’ve pored over our rankings to find a variety of luxury SUVs from different brands and classes that have an MSRP of less than $45,000. However, most of the crossovers on our list cost less than $40,000, and several come in under $35,000. That’s excellent considering the average new car price in the U.S. at the end of 2019 was nearly $39,000. Our list includes vehicles made by Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Volvo, and more. It features luxury subcompact and compact SUVs, a luxury midsize SUV, and a few fuel-efficient hybrids.
We update our vehicle scores and rankings on a regular basis as new data and expert research become available. For this reason, the scores shown in this slideshow may not match up precisely with the scores in our individual vehicle reviews and new car rankings.
Continue reading to learn all about the most affordable luxury SUVs available today.