“Cute Utes” Are the New Entry-Level Vehicles, and Choices Abound

With the loss of entry-level cars like the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Spark, Honda Fit, Mazda 2, Toyota Yaris, the Mitsubishi Mirage, and, after 2025, the Nissan Versa, you have to wonder: What is the future of the entry-level vehicle?

At least one respected analyst suggests it’s small, crossover SUVs—or “cute utes.”

“All the talk from car fanatics about the loss of traditional passenger cars and how they will make a comeback doesn’t capture what’s going on. There isn’t a lack of entry-level passenger cars; instead there’s a growing supply of low-priced hatchbacks we now call crossovers,” said analyst Sam Fiorani, vice president for global forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions.

“Popping into the local dealer for an economy car might result in delivering a Buick Envista, Kia Seltos, Nissan Kicks, or Hyundai Kona. Think of them as the modern equivalent of a Plymouth Horizon or Ford Escort—they fulfill the same need just in a package where the driver sits a little higher and might have the option of all-wheel drive,” Fiorani told Hagerty.

“That Ford Escort in 1984 would cost the equivalent of $20,000 today, fairly close to a modern Chevrolet Trax,” which starts at $20,400, plus $1095 for shipping. “Only the Chevy comes with more power, more interior space, and far better safety. These are the vehicles first-time buyers are looking for and need.”

Indeed, smaller SUVs are in demand due in part to their comparatively low cost. The average price of a new car in September, for instance, was $48,397, according to Kelley Blue Book. The majority of these “cute utes” start in the mid-$20,000s and can come nicely equipped at just over $30,000.

A notable example is the redesigned 2025 Nissan Kicks, the second generation of Nissan’s smallest SUV. It starts at $21,830, plus $1390 for shipping, for a total of $23,220. The list of standard equipment is long even at that price, including a 141-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (up from 1.6 liters and 122 horsepower) with an automatic Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT, four-wheel disc brakes, a four-speaker sound system, remote keyless entry, and cruise control. Air conditioning is standard on all the cute utes we’ve driven.

We tested a top-of-the-line SR model (S is the entry-level Kicks, SV is the value package) and it was remarkably well-equipped, with a 10-speaker Bose sound system, front parking sensors, and a panoramic moonroof; heated seats, steering wheel and side mirrors; remote engine start; two-tone, 19-inch alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Price: $30,705, including shipping. Building the Kicks in Mexico undoubtedly saved Nissan some money, and likely that figures into the sticker price.

The Kicks’ more spacious interior is comfortable for four, passable for five if the fifth person is, say, a child. Front seats are fine; the interior looks surprisingly upmarket.

The new Kicks is larger—up three inches to 172 inches long—and drives quite well, but it does show a few signs of cost-cutting. Sound deadening, for instance, could be better, as there was quite a bit of noise from the Bridgestone radials. Also, there is no engine cover, just all the machinery out there in full view. And there were a few rough edges in the interior plastic parts. A small price to pay, we’d say, for—well, a small price to pay. Overall, you don’t feel like you are pedaling in a penalty box when driving the new Kicks, and even long trips at highway speed would be painless. As with the other cute utes on the market, the Kicks is happy with regular gas, and it has an overall EPA-rated fuel mileage of 31 mpg.

We’ve driven most of the cute utes on the market, and below is a quick summary of each one available. Our criteria for a cute ute is that it be no longer than 180 inches and available well-equipped for no more than $35,000. Listed base prices exclude shipping, which averages around $1100 to $1400. Some have deals available: Check the manufacturer’s website. Often you can shop online, and even pull up window stickers of models you’re interested in at your local dealer.

All models are front-wheel-drive, except the Subaru Crosstrek, Dodge Hornet GT, Jeep Compass, Mazda CX-30, and Ford Bronco Sport, which come only in all-wheel-drive. AWD is offered as an option on most of the other models. All are powered by three- or four-cylinder engines, and transmissions are automatic or CVTs. Prices quoted are for the newest model available—some are for 2024 models, the rest for 2025s. The average base price of our 17 cute utes is $24,784, with some models costing quite a bit more, some considerably less.

Ready to get started?

Buick Encore GX

With the addition of the lower-priced Envista to its range, Buick bumped the base Encore up to GX status. The base model has a 1.2-liter turbocharged, 137-horsepower three-cylinder and a CVT. It’s a good-handling SUV, a pleasant surprise when it arrived from Korea in 2013. It’s 171 inches long, with a base price of $26,000, before shipping. With a base price of $23,700, the surprisingly good Buick Envista is the brand’s bargain model, but it’s more of a hatchback than SUV, and at 183 inches, it’s too long for our criteria.

Chevrolet Trailblazer

Starting at $23,100, the Trailblazer is one of the cuter cute-utes, especially when the top is painted a contrasting color, a rule which holds true with many of the crossovers on this list. At 174 inches, it’s shorter than the Chevrolet Trax but more expensive. Like its cousin, the Buick Encore GX, the base model has a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and a CVT.

Chevrolet Trax

With a base price of $20,400, the Trax is one of the least expensive vehicles on the market. It too is powered by GM’s popular 1.2-liter turbo three-cylinder, and the transmission is a six-speed automatic. (Sorry, enthusiasts, but this new type of entry-level vehicle doesn’t come with a manual transmission.) The Trax is surprisingly spacious, and with a length of 179 inches, the second-longest cute-ute in our roundup. Horsepower is 137.

Dodge Hornet GT

Pricey, but if you are looking for performance and sheer horsepower, the Hornet GT is really the only choice here. It’s powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, with a nine-speed automatic. Horsepower is an impressive 268. The ride is taut, but so is the handling. All-wheel-drive is standard equipment. Base price is $31,400, but the last test Hornet GT we had came in at $41,800. Even at the base price, the Italy-built (it shares some parts with the Alfa Romeo Tonale) Hornet GT is well-equipped. Length, by the way, is 178 inches.

Ford Bronco Sport

The very pleasant Bronco Sport is at the higher end of our SUVs, starting at $29,795, but that price gets you a nicely equipped vehicle with standard four-wheel-drive, and capable of some conservative off-roading (especially if you step up to the more expensive Badlands trim pictured above). Power is from a 181-horse 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Overall length is right in the middle of our SUVs at 173 inches, but width is a healthy 74 inches.

Honda HR-V

The longest ute in our listing, at our self-imposed limit of 180 inches, the HR-V is a considerably better vehicle than it was at its U.S. introduction after production started in 2015. HR-V, according to Honda, stands for “Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle”; we don’t know about that, but we know it’s a solid sport-ute powered, like the Honda Civic, by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower, coupled to a CVT. Base price is $25,100; overall length is 180 inches.

Hyundai Kona

After a like-it-or-don’t restyling for 2024, the 171-inch Kona is no cookie-cutter sport-ute. Starting at $24,350, the base Kona is powered by a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a CVT. The interior is upscale-looking, with two screens—an LCD screen for vehicle information, and the other an infotainment touchscreen. Our last Kona was a Limited model with all-wheel-drive and a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with an eight-speed automatic transmission, a navigation system, a Bose stereo, and smart cruise control, painted the optional Neoteric Yellow. It totaled up to $34,695 including $1335 in shipping, thus proving our thesis that you can get a distinctive cute ute very well equipped for under $35,000.

Jeep Compass

With the departure of the Fiat-based Renegade, the Compass assumes Jeep’s small-ute mantle. Starting at $25,900, the Compass has standard four-wheel-drive—it is a Jeep, after all, and you will be expected to do some mild off-roading—and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Overall length is 173 inches, and at 74 inches, the same as the Ford Bronco Sport, it’s wider than most cute utes, and the resulting elbow room is welcome. That standard engine has 200 horsepower, the most of any base engine in our lineup. Jeep is one of the manufacturers offering heavy rebates at this writing, including $3000 on the Compass if you finance through the company. Be certain, as we said, to check for deals on the manufacturer’s website.

Kia Seltos

With a standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a CVT, the base price of the stylish Seltos S is $25,090, which gets you quite a few features including, on 2025 models, new two-tone, 17-inch alloy wheels; a 10-inch touchscreen display, remote start, leather-covered steering wheel and shift knob and heated outside mirrors. The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 146 horsepower, mated to a CVT. Overall length is 173 inches. Oddly, Kia is offering the LX model for less than the base S, and it comes with all-wheel-drive. We searched our immediate area on Kia’s website, and had trouble finding both the S and the LX models at area dealers.

Kia Soul

The Soul, which first appeared way back in 2008, arguably helped launch the cute-ute phenomenon. Kia has done a nice job of updating its little cash cow over the past 16 years, and the Soul still has some style. Measuring 165 inches, the Soul is the shortest ute in our lineup, but good packaging makes it feel reasonably roomy inside, with 101 cubic feet of space. Base price is just $20,290 for the 2025 LX model, which comes out to $21,665 with shipping, making it one of the most affordable vehicles on the market. Engine, like the base Seltos, is a 2.0-liter, 147-horsepower four-cylinder with a CVT.

Mazda CX-30

We go from one of the most basic cute-utes to one of the more sporty models: The CX-30 has a base price of $24,995 and is powered by a stout 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower, coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel-drive. There’s a standard 8.8-inch center display, a six-speaker sound system, and, like many of the cute utes, safety features that include blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, and radar cruise control. The CX-30 is 173 inches long.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

The Eclipse Cross and the Outlander Sport would appear to be looking for roughly the same buyer, but if the strategy works for Mitsubishi, good for it. The Cross is named for the late, lamented Eclipse sports coupe, but it’s a completely separate vehicle. At 179 inches, one of the longer cute utes, the all-wheel-drive Cross is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 152 horsepower and the ubiquitous CVT. Base price is $26,345.

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

The Sport is a shortened version of the last-generation Outlander, with a lower base price than the Cross at $23,695, and a different powertrain—a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 148 horsepower and a CVT. At 169 inches, it’s considerably shorter than the Cross, but has more cargo volume, at 25.5 cubic feet. Like the Cross, it has Mitsubishi’s All Wheel Control (AWC) all-wheel-drive system as standard. The Sport is one of the least expensive AWD utes on this list.

Subaru Crosstrek

For our money, the Subaru may be the cutest of the cute utes, thanks to a redesign for 2024. Starting at $25,195, the all-wheel-drive Crosstrek has steering-responsive LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, and Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technology, including pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, and advance adaptive cruise control with lane centering all as standard equipment. Subaru also encourages off-roading; with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Crosstrek would be fine with some moderate cow-trailing, but don’t attack a mud bog with these tires. Power is from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 152 horsepower, married to a CVT. Length is 176 inches.

Toyota Corolla Cross

The Corolla Cross replaced the C-HR in the small-ute department at Toyota, and it’s an improvement. (There is also, of course, the RAV4, one of the original cute utes, but it’s a bit too long to be included here.) The Cross measures 176 inches in length and starts at $23,860. The engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 169 horsepower, with a CVT. There is also a hybrid version offered, which starts at $27,970, and all-wheel drive is available.

Volkswagen Taos

VW has needed a small SUV for a long time, as the Taos’ big brother, the Tiguan, is too pricey to be considered an entry-level model. The crisp-handling Taos fits the bill, with a starting price of $23,995, and an overall length of 176 inches. The Taos has distinctive styling, and definitely has the Volkswagen nose. The engine is a busy 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 158 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic transmission.