14 Best Affordable SUVs with Good Value For Money in 2024

SUV prices rise alongside the rest of the consumer goods market. However, there are SUVs available at reasonable prices today.

If you’re looking for a new ride, know that the best affordable SUVs can provide for your needs without breaking the bank.

What is considered affordable for an SUV?

Spend up to 35% of your annual gross income on a car payment (including buying, leasing, and financing).

To make it simpler, I’ll list some reasonably priced SUVs that offer plenty of features for less than $30,000. Why $30,000? For the simple reason that it’s a sum that most people should be able to afford these days.

Top Picks!

2023 Mazda CX-5

• Starting Price: $26,700 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $299/mo

Starting at $26,700, the 2023 Mazda CX-5 comes with all-wheel drive as standard, making it ready to drive in any road condition, and in my experience, it can tackle snowy roads like a champ. Read my article about Mazda CX-5 For Snow Here.

Like other Mazda vehicles, the CX-5 offers exceptional performance for its class.

It rides smoothly and quickly accelerates thanks to the turbocharged 256-horsepower engine, handling like a sports car rather than an SUV.

The CX-5’s other strengths include its high safety ratings, upscale cabin, and an extensive array of advanced driver assistance systems and convenience features.

There was a minor update of the CX-5 for the year 2022. Mazda has kept the same silhouette but made all-wheel drive standard and streamlined the available features.

With its price and features, the Mazda CX-5 is definitely an affordable SUV worth a look at.

You can get a better deal by looking at the 2022 model year CX-5, which will save you around $1000. If you’re okay with the used market, you can get a much better deal by looking at a used CX-5.

2023 Subaru Forester

• Starting Price: $26,450 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $285/mo

Starting at $26,000, the Subaru Forester is a midsize SUV known for its reliability and versatility thanks to its standard all-wheel drive.

The Subaru Forester is a 2 rows sport utility vehicle with all-wheel drive and can handle light off-road travel.

It boasts a big interior with lots of capacity for people and cargo, but its engine could be more responsive.

There are six different Subaru Forester trim levels available for this five-seater SUV.

The Wilderness is the most well-liked trim and includes a 2.5-liter inline-four and All Wheel Drive. The EPA rates this Forester’s fuel economy at 25 city mpg and 28 highway mpg.

The Subaru Forester is perfect for those who like to travel the world. It is equipped with all-wheel drive as standard, high ground clearance, and a solid cabin. The Forester can handle anything from everyday life with children to muddy dog paws and outdoor equipment.

With the prices offered, the Subaru Forester and Mazda CX-5 are definitely among the most affordable AWD SUVs today.

2023 Toyota Tucson

• Starting Price: $26,450 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $279/mo

Starting at $26,450, the Hyundai Tucson is definitely one of the most attractive SUVs today.

It comes with a fresh design, spacious interior, plenty of safety features, and comfortable car-like handling, which makes me also include the Tucson as the ideal SUV for teenagers.

For Hyundai, the release of the fourth-generation Tucson marked a turning point.

Compared to its elegant but rather bland forerunners, the new model’s cabin is a radical shift in design, and its interior design also sets new benchmarks in terms of material appeal.

For a long time, Hyundai has been attempting to reposition itself as a serious competitor in Europe’s luxury car market. The Tucson is the company’s most successful attempt to date.

Even though it’s fairly static in its dynamics due to a handling balance that values convenience over raw speed, it’s still fun to ride down a winding road.

Since it is a Hyundai, you can expect high levels of standard equipment and a rock-solid guarantee, in addition to the hybrid powertrain’s remarkable performance and fuel economy.

2023 Honda CR-V

Starting Price: $29,900 MSRP
Lease Offer: $279/mo

The Honda CR-V is an attractive crossover that offers plenty of interior technology, such as the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver-assistance systems and Apple CarPlay compatibility.

The turbocharged 1.5-liter engine provides enough power and good gas mileage, though the CVT occasionally has sluggish power delivery. A new hybrid model is also available if you still need to satisfy your need for economy.

The interior is a significant step from previous CR-Vs, with soft leather seats and faux-wood accents finished in smooth satin. The digital instrument cluster displays substantial data with minimal footprint without sacrificing readability.

With prices starting at $26,400 for the most basic variant of the 2022 model year, the Honda CR-V is one of the most affordable SUVs with the best value for money today.

The 2023 model year is available with a base price starting at $31,000, a significant increase from the previous model year.

2023 Toyota RAV4

• Starting Price: $27,575 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $349/mo

With a starting price of $27,575 for the most basic model, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid isn’t exactly running for the most affordable SUVs.

Many things make the RAV4 worth a look, one of which is its reputation for reliability. In addition, the rav4 also has a spacious interior, ample cargo space, smooth ride quality, plenty of standard features, and decent gas mileage.

But the Toyota hybrid should be an industry leader in fuel efficiency: Toyota’s group vice president and managing partner, Bill Fay, predicted the Hybrid would “by far” dominate its market upon its release later this year.

Under the hood, it has a 203-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It comes with FWD as standard, which is enough. But if you need more, AWD is available as an option.

2023 Ford Bronco Sport

• Starting Price: $29,215 MSRP
• Lease Offer: N/A

Like its bigger sibling, the Bronco, the Ford Bronco Sport is a robust SUV designed to carry passengers in comfort on and off-road.

The Bronco Sport is the more maneuverable option, thanks to its smaller size and superior gas mileage.

The Bronco Sport’s 4×4 technology can effortlessly handle tough roads, even though most crossovers don’t offer actual four-wheel drive.

A spacious cabin with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and lots of capacity for passengers and luggage is provided to buyers.

Six different Ford Bronco Sport model levels are available for this 5-seat SUV.

The Outer Banks is the most common body design and comes with a 1.5L I3 Turbo engine and Four Wheel Drive. The EPA has calculated 25 City/28 highway MPG for this Bronco Sport.

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander

• Starting Price: $26,995 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $319/mo

The New Mitsubishi Outlander is probably the most affordable 7-passenger SUV today. With a starting price of $26,995, Outlander offers a lot that is quite good in its price range.

Inside, the first and second seats are pretty spacious, which is good considering the body size of this SUV is not too big. The cabin materials are also made of premium materials.

The driving sensation is very comfortable, the handling is soft, and the safety and security features are more than expected.

Under the hood, it has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce up to 181 horsepower, not the biggest in its class but more than enough. It comes with FWD as standard, but an all-wheel drive is available as an option if you think you need it.

2023 Nissan Rogue

• Starting Price: $27,360 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $359/mo

The latest Nissan comes with a more modern and elegant design, especially at the rear, which looks more futuristic.

This 5-passenger midsize SUV has a spacious interior, ample cargo space, good cabin materials, and a comfortable driving experience.

In addition, the latest Rogue is also equipped with many standard features such as an 8-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB ports, including safety features, and driving assistants.

Under the hood, it is equipped with a fuel-efficient 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with up to 201 horsepower and CVT transmission. The Nissan Rogue records fuel consumption of 30 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

• Starting Price: $28,200⁠ MSRP
• Lease Offer: $269/mo

The Hyundai Santa Fe is an excellent midsize SUV for under 30k. I can confidently say that what you get from Santa Fe is more than what you pay for.

With a starting price of $28,200, you get an SUV with abundant features, a spacious interior, ample cargo space, and quality cabin materials.

Standard features include an 8-inch touch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof, push-button start, and more.

Under the hood, there is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Hyundai Santa Fe is not the most powerful in its class, but it’s more than enough to get you to commute driving around town.

Another advantage of Santa Fe is its above-average fuel consumption, reaching 25 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

Last winter, my wife and I took a Santa Fe Limited 2.0T on a road trip to a small town in California, and we had a wonderful time behind the wheel.

So, for less than 30k, you will get an SUV that is outstanding value for money.

2022 Volkswagen Tiguan

• Starting Price: $26,590 MSRP
• Lease Offer: N/A

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a Midsize SUV with a distinctly European accent, which usually comes with a luxurious interior.

This latest Tiguan model has a premium interior, plenty of standard features, and a spacious cargo space of 73.4 cu ft.

Under the hood is the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower, not too powerful but enough.

The driving experience offered by the Tiguan is excellent, and the handling is smooth. It is suitable for seniors or perhaps beginner drivers.

With a complete range of standard safety features, the Tiguan is an SUV with a good safety rating, scoring 9.8/10 from the IIHS.

2023 Kia Sportage

• Starting Price: $25,990 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $279/mo

With a base price of less than 26k, the Kia Sportage has an impressive interior, spacious and made with excellent materials in its class; the cargo space offered is also quite ample. Moreover, the features and technology it has are also impressive.

Under the hood of this 5-passenger SUV is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with up to 187 horsepower. Fuel consumption is 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

2022 Jeep Compass

• Starting Price: $26,785 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $279/mo

Although it looks like a Jeep, the Jeep Compass was designed in Italy and shared its platform with a Fiat. Its round headlights and seven-slot grille are just two of the Jeep’s recognizable design cues.

A turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder producing 177 hp is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Push-button ignition, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, AEB, BSM, lane departure warning, and steered-wheel-mounted lane-keeping assist are some of the standard comfort features.

The automobile now has a larger 8.4-inch touchscreen instead of the 7-inch one used in the previous year.

2023 Chevrolet Equinox

• Starting Price: $26,600 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $269/mo

If you are an SUV fan, you will appreciate the all-new Chevrolet Equinox.

The front-wheel-drive (FWD) LS has replaced the previously rare L trim level, powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The Equinox has key active-safety features like automated emergency braking and lane departure warning with steering assist, as well as convenient tech options like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility.

2023 GMC Terrain

• Starting Price: $29,900 MSRP
• Lease Offer: $279/mo

The GMC Terrain FWD SL is a tiny SUV that doesn’t get much attention. It comes in four trim levels, the highest of which, the Denali, boosts power to 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.

The GMC Terrain, while smaller than other GMC vehicles, nonetheless comes loaded with plenty of features and equipment.

The GMC Pro Safety package, a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Android Auto, heated and power-operated side mirrors, and active noise cancellation are just a few of the features that help this vehicle stand out.