Top 10 best compact crossovers 2021

The Puma line-up has a trio of 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines, with 48V mild-hybrid technology enabling the top-level version to produce up to 125bhp. It shares its platform with the current Fiesta and shares plenty of its vital, engaging dynamic character with that supermini, too. Corners are taken with surprising handling accuracy and poise, while the damping is particularly fluent and skilfully tuned if you avoid the sportiest trims.

Although cabin space and perceived quality are hardly class-leading, the Puma comes with some neat storage solutions, the cleverest of which is a hosable underfloor storage area for dirty boots and wet clothes called the Megabox.

For those looking for both space and excitement from their small hatchback, meanwhile, Ford added a Puma ST performance version late in 2020, which borrowed the engine and much of the running gear of the highly rated Fiesta ST. It's certainly fun and engaging, but perhaps not as easy to drive and to live with as you might expect a crossover hatchback to be.

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3. Seat Arona

The Seat Arona beat the related T-Cross to the UK market by a year and was our top pick of the class for a while. Now, albeit only in comparison to the T-Cross, its interior doesn’t seem quite as accommodating as it once did and its driving experience isn’t quite as well rounded.

The Arona’s interior is a little bit staid and its handling more bland than that of Seat’s other sportier-than-the-norm models, but it’s better than some rivals. The car has strong refinement and drivability and a fairly broad range of engines – although there's no diesel option, which you might find in other cars in this class.

In a class pitched for style, convenience and practicality, the Arona offers more than most of its rivals, with slightly higher pricing than the class average offset by top-notch infotainment and solidity of tactile feel.

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4. Renault Captur

The second-generation Renault Captur edges out its Alliance sibling, the Nissan Juke, for several reasons. It has a more flexible and slightly roomier interior with sliding back seats; it has a surprisingly classy level of perceived quality, with plenty of ritzy in-car tech to drive up the richness of the ambience; and it has a much broader engine range, which increases your chances of finding just the right car to suit your needs.

Fine styling and great value have been Captur strong suits since the first-gen car, of course, as they remain now. The car’s entry-level 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine has strong torque and is pretty drivable and reasonably refined, although it doesn’t raise eyebrows for outright performance. The mid-range 1.3-litre TCe petrol is smoother at low revs but a bit noisy when revving, and it's not a great deal quicker.

There are a couple of diesel versions, too, and the range-topping E-Tech plug-in hybrid, which may be only a bit-part player in the range, at more than £30,000, and which has decent drivability but doesn't ride or handle as well as other derivatives.

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5. Mazda MX-30 and Mazda CX-30

Mazda has effectively replaced its old compact crossover, the CX-3, with what is a really different option in this class: the MX-30 crossover-cum-coupé. For now, it's available as an EV only, although there's a new version coming soon with a rotary petrol engine as a back-up generator. And that makes the MX-30 an expensive-looking car among conventionally powered crossover options.

For those ready to pay a bit extra for an interesting second car with top-level sustainability credentials, though, the MX-30 ought to really stand out. It has an eye-catching design with a long bonnet and tapering rear quarters, as well as rear-hinged back doors. Interior space is tighter than than class average, but there's certainly enough room for smaller adults and children to get comfortable, not unlike they might have in a slightly higher-riding BMW i3.

The MX-30 handles keenly for a crossover, doing the celebrated reputation of its maker no harm at all, and giving its driver reason to be glad they opted for a smaller, lighter EV than they might have. The downside of that, of course, is usable range: 124 miles is claimed, and our testing so far suggests the car's real-world potential won't often be much more than 100 miles.

Even so, the MX-30 is an interesting addition to the compact crossover class that will suit shorter-range users ready to switch to electric power very well, and please them with its alternative looks and dynamic charm.

And for those who would rather stick with combustion power, the petrol CX-30 is an excellent alternative, with Mazda's hallmark dynamics.

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6. Peugeot 2008 and Peugeot e-2008

Peugeot's second-generation 2008 is without question a better crossover-class contender than its first. With smarter styling, significantly improved passenger space and an interior of comparable material appeal to the likes of the 3008 and 5008, this car is now one to consider seriously if you think a high-rised supermini might suit you better than a conventional family hatchback.

Peugeot's iCockpit control regime gives the car a small, low-sprouting steering wheel, high-set instruments and a driving position that may not suit every size and shape of driver, but the cabin is otherwise roomy and quite well finished. Second-row space is now good enough for adults and taller teenagers, despite the fact that Peugeot has chosen a slightly lower-profile body design for this generation of the 2008.

For propulsion, you can choose between three individual 1.2-litre petrol turbo engines, a 1.5-litre diesel or a fully electric option, the last combining a price that brings it in just below £30,000 with a real-world range of about 150 miles on a charge in average UK temperatures. 

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7. Nissan Juke

The original Juke was the reason we’ve got a compact crossover class at all. Its late-2000s market success proved there was a market for jumped-up superminis with SUV-themed styling, and it managed to remain an unconventional choice throughout its life, even though it had so many imitators.

The second-generation version corrected the biggest flaws of the first while retaining most of its funky, off-beat styling appeal – although it’s not quite good enough to challenge for the top ranks here. Interior space is now pretty class competitive, with room in the back seats for adults as well as kids and a good-sized boot now present and correct.

The Juke is more firmly sprung and sporty feeling to drive than the average crossover, with tidy and composed handling and a ride that can sometimes feel a little bit busy and restive, but it's settled enough for the most part.

The engine range is currently limited to a 115bhp 1.0-litre petrol, which feels a little bit weedy for the car at times, but other options – among them a hybrid – are coming soon.

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8. Honda HR-V

For the latest incarnation, Honda has reinvented with the HR-V with an all-new exterior design and the fitment of but one powertrain: a petrol-electric hybrid setup that uses engine power, electric power or both, depending on the circumstances.

It's a charming car by the standards of the class and rolls along nicely, with good forward visibility, fine ride quality and easy-going driving controls. However, the new powertrain, which works slickly around town, easily becomes strained if you need to make good progress, and that somewhat ruins the ambience. The chassis also makes few concessions to what you might term 'enjoyment', although in fairness it isn't entirely devoid of character.

The cabin is much-improved, with nice materials and plenty of light and space. Honda's 'magic' seats also make an appearance for the second row, making the HR-V one of the most adaptable cars in the class, even though it's not the most spacious outright.

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9. Volkswagen Taigo

You can’t accuse Volkswagen of not trying hard to fill even the smallest niches in the new car market, and the Taigo is four-wheeled proof of its labours. Essentially a slightly more rakish version of the brand’s entry-level crossover, the T-Cross, this latest addition aims to inject some style into the normally rugged SUV aesthetic.

Eagle-eyed students of Volkswagen's global product planning will notice that the Taigo bears a striking similarity to the Nivus, which has been available in South American markets for some time. However, while it's essentially the same car, company bosses claim that it has been tuned specifically for European tastes.

The engineers' efforts have paid off too, because the Taigo steers crisply, handles neatly and rides as well as the more square-rigged T-Cross. It also has a similar range of engines, including the thrummy and eager 108bhp 1.0-litre TSI that’s arguably the pick of the bunch.

Inside, the Taigo feels a little low rent compared to bigger Volkswagen models, but it’s robustly built, easy to use (physical ventilation controls see to that) and well-equipped. It’s also decently practical, with room for four and a boot that’s only 15-litres down on the T-Cross. 

Yet while this is a fine little crossover, Volkswagen hasn’t been able to create enough visual or practical air between it and the T-Cross, making you wonder exactly who it’s aimed at.

10. Vauxhall Mokka

From frumpy to fashionable, the Mokka was transformed when Vauxhall launched the second-generation model in 2020. One of the early beneficiaries of the brand’s new design language under the ownership of Stellantis, the compact crossover is a much sleeker and more distinctive machine than before.

And it’s not just the styling that’s bang-up-to-date, because the Mokka is also available with an electric powertrain alongside the familiar petrols and diesels. It’s the same effective set-up as the closely related Peugeot e-2008, which means a 134bhp motor, 50kWh battery and claimed range of just over 200kW.

Whichever motive power you choose, the Vauxhall is an easy-going companion with handling that’s faithful rather than fun, which is unfortunate because the firm suspension settings suggest that engineers were aiming to deliver rather more of the latter. It’s true that there’s less body roll than you would expect, but the stiff-legged ride is harder to justify given the lack of dynamic sparkle.

What’s more, in turning on the style for this car, Vauxhall has reduced its versatility compared to its predecessors. Not only is there less room in the back for passengers, the boot has shrunk from 360 to 350 litres. Still, the interior at least looks smart and there’s plenty of kit, plus the driver sits high with a good view out.

The Mokka looks the part and the EV model adds some interest, but the rest of the car can’t quite match the promise of that elegant exterior.