As part of Kelley Blue Book’s annual Best Buys award testing, we gathered up a gaggle of subcompact SUVs. Strap in.

2021 Mazda CX-30 (Base MSRP: $23,000 -- As Tested: $31,690) Premium AWD Taking this one by one, we’ll start with the Mazda CX-30. First the good, the exterior is lovely and the interior’s plush materials and satisfying feel, border on luxurious. Countering those good vibes were concerns about the cabin’s smallish dimensions, especially with the rear seats and cargo area. Of course, if you ignore those issues and just drive, there is much joy to be had. (2.5L 186hp, 186 lb-ft) (up to 25city/33hwy) The CX-30 steers precisely and stops with confidence though some of our testers found the high beltline and low seating position made it hard to see out. We also had some quibbles with the infotainment system. If interior functionality and space rank high on your SUV wish list, and they likely might, there are better choices.

2021 Hyundai Kona (Base MSRP: $21,575 -- As Tested: $28,895) Limited AWD One recommendable alternative is the Hyundai Kona. It won last year’s Kelley Blue Book subcompact SUV Best Buy award for its well-crafted interior, generous feature list, strong value, long 10-year/100k mile powertrain warranty, and spunky driving demeanor. (2.0L 147hp, 132 lb-ft) (up to 27city/33hwy) Like the CX-30, rear-seat legroom and headroom is somewhat limited but, overall, the Kona remains a well-rounded agreeable small SUV. We also like that the Kona can be had as a pure electric vehicle. The truth is, we still really like the Kona, but the competitive landscape has changed this year. More on that shortly.

2021 Hyundai Venue (Base MSRP: $19,925 -- As Tested: $23,425) So, now this is weird. We have another Hyundai on the list. The Hyundai Venue is smaller, less powerful than the Kona, and only comes with front-wheel drive but it’s also much cheaper. Honestly, in our test group, the Venue is honestly out of its league but, as a new vehicle, we wanted to give it a shot. As you’d expect, a small footprint means a small interior. The rear seat leg and headroom is tight. It’s also not surprising to find hard plastics nearly everywhere but again, here’s that base price graphic ($19,925). On the road, the Venue is slow (1.6L 121hp, 113 lb-ft) but ride quality is fine. You might also expect better fuel economy given (30city/33hwy) its modest 121 horsepower. But, for parking in congested cities, the tidy little Venue is a champ. Realistically, the Hyundai Venue is too small and elemental to win this comparison, but it does provide basic transportation and reasonable utility at a compelling price. For what it costs, the Venue is a finer vehicle than it needs to be.

2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer (Base MSRP: $ 19,995 -- As Tested: $32,350) AWD RS Another new vehicle on our roster is the Chevrolet Trailblazer. The first impression, we like how it looks. The second impression, the interior seems both functional and roomy. Same deal with the cargo hold. Those positive impressions are reinforced on the road. Our tester had the optional 1.3-liter turbocharged engine (155hp, 174 lb-ft) (up to 29city/33hwy) paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Despite its small displacement and only having 3-cylinders, we found the one-three’s output to be more than adequate. Add to that, a well-controlled suspension, crisp handling, and good brake feel, and you’ve got an all-around excellent driving SUV. To our test team, the Trailblazer was a pleasant surprise. We’d put the Trailblazer at the top of this comparison…were it not for the Kia Seltos.

2021 Kia Seltos (Base MSRP: $ 23,110 -- As Tested: $29,485) SX Turbo AWD In the end, the 2021 Kia Seltos was our fav. Everyone liked its looks and that boxy style paid big dividends where cargo space and rear-seat headroom are concerned. In fact, we found rear-seat comfort to be the best of the bunch. We also liked the cabin’s controls and infotainment layout. While driving the Seltos, we appreciated the optional 1.6-liter engine’s punchy power delivery (1.6L Turbo 175hp, 195 lb-ft, 25city/30hwy) and the suspension’s taut handling. The dual-clutch transmission can exhibit some oddness at slow speeds but otherwise, we found little to complain about behind the wheel. Interestingly, the Kia Seltos embodies what we loved last year from its corporate sibling the Hyundai Kona but with more appealing styling and much more room.

With strong value, uncommon spaciousness, a 10-year/100k mile warranty, and broad likeability, the Kia Seltos emerged as our favorite from this little comparison. It also secured a spot as the subcompact winner in this year’s Kelley Blue Book Best Buy awards. Nicely done, Seltos.

00:00 2021 Mazda CX-30
1:27 2021 Hyundai Kona
2:05 2021 Hyundai Venue
2:57 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer
3:38 2021 Kia Seltos

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