5 Most Affordable SUVs of 2017

a red mazda suv

Since SUVs are becoming more popular, manufacturers are getting incredibly competitive, meaning some vehicles are priced as low as sedans. If you’re looking for more interior room, cargo space, and great features while on a budget, these are the SUVs for you.

2017 Jeep Patriot Sport

The 2017 Jeep Patriot Sport is the most affordable new SUV on the market with a starting MSRP of $18,040. At this price, there aren’t too many frills, but it does come with above-average off-road capability with Freedom Drive II and optional flip-down tailgate speakers. It seats five passengers and comes with roof rails, fog lights, manual exterior mirrors, crank-down windows, manual locks, Bluetooth, cruise control, and a cloth upholstery. If that sounds pretty stripped-down, it is. Air conditioning is listed on Jeep’s website as “optional” for the Patriot Sport. But it’ll get you a classic-looking SUV at an affordable price.

2017 Mazda CX-3 Sport

Mazda is known for making affordable vehicles that are higher-quality, and the CX-3 definitely fits that bill. It’s one of the best subcompact vehicles on the market, but that isn’t the only reason this auto is on the list. According to Mazda’s website the CX-3 Sport has the attractive price of $19,960. It also has excellent handling, outstanding crash test results, and impressive interior design.

Since it’s a subcompact SUV, it also has class-leading fuel economy at 29 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. Overall, reviewers state that it’s fun to drive thanks to the strong performance and sporty handling. Behind the wheel, the Mazda CX-3 may feel more like a sedan rather than an SUV. (The trade-off is that it’s a little on the small side.)

It’s also more feature-rich than the Patriot. With power windows and locks, push button start, a touch screen display, Bluetooth, USB audio input and more, you get a lot more by default.

2017 Mitsubishi Outlander ES

The Mitsubishi Outlander is the affordable crossover SUV you’ve been looking for. It has seating for seven, which is perfect for a family, and it gives you a lot of worthwhile features for the money such as LED running lights and taillights, heated mirrors, rear privacy glass, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, and so much more. The ES has a starting MSRP of $23,495.  That’s definitely a deal that we can get behind.

2017 Kia Sportage LX

Kia is another affordable brand that can also be incredibly reliable. The Sportage easily checks those boxes with a starting MSRP of $23,200. It even has a 4 out of 5 reliability rating from J.D. Power and Associates. While the cargo space is a little smaller than some competitors, it has a quiet, high-end interior, user-friendly dashboard controls, and spacious seats for up to five passengers. It also has a great balance of ride comfort and sensitive handling. The Sportage also received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This makes it an ideal choice for new drivers.

2017 Honda CR-V LX

Honda is known for being one of the most reliable vehicles on the market. Their CR-V model is one of the nation’s most popular SUVs. The CR-V is designed to have ample back-seat legroom, spacious cargo area, and advanced safety technology to keep drivers and passengers safe. Additionally, it has excellent fuel economy with 26 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. What could be better than all this? Honda lists the starting MSRP for the Honda CR-V LX as $24,024. Even at this low price, the CR-V has standard features like LED daytime running lights, multi-angle rearview camera, and five-inch display screen.