What's the Best Compact SUV of 2023?

Gas-powered compact SUVs are what many car buyers are driving home today – so much so that many familiar nameplates are the sales leaders of their respective brands. It's a segment that continues to evolve, too, with a mix of all-new, redesigned and significantly refreshed models joining the class in the last year alone. That made it time to bring some of the most popular models together again to see which one is the top of the class.

For this comparison we tested six compact SUVs: the refreshed 2023 Ford Escape, the redesigned 2023 Honda CR-V, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, the redesigned 2023 Kia Sportage, the all-new 2023 Mazda CX-50 and the 2023 Nissan Rogue.

The six SUVs were put through a battery of tests: Our judges drove each of them on the same evaluation loop, we took them on a 300-plus-mile route to determine real-world road trip fuel economy, we measured each one’s cargo area, checked car-seat fitment, assessed safety and driver-assist features, and rated their value for the money. Here’s how they finished:

1. 2023 Nissan Rogue Platinum
2. 2023 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige
3. 2022 Hyundai Tucson Limited
4. 2023 Honda CR-V EX-L
5. 2023 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus
6. 2023 Ford Escape ST-Line Elite

0:00 Intro
0:30 The contenders
0:52 What we tested
1:07 6th place: 2023 Ford Escape
4:00 5th place: 2023 Mazda CX-50
7:06 4th place: 2023 Honda CR-V
9:55 3rd place: 2022 Hyundai Tucson
13:30 2nd place: 2023 Kia Sportage
17:00 1st place: 2023 Nissan Rogue

[JoeE.]

Where are the Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester? I'm surprised that they weren't included here.

[alittlebitofthisthat]

Ive got a lower trim of the CX 50 and it has the 17" wheels with a lot more rubber, I think it improves that ride quality problem quite a bit!

[iveixight]

Trust me the push button gear change on TUCSON is a piece of cake after you drove more as it is like typing on your keyboard. Tested always have issue because they only have limited time driving it.

[barryk]

Looking forward to a compact hybrid SUV shoot-out!

[HOON]

Impressive speed and efficiency from the Escape.
I ended up going with a Forester for the excellent visibility and decent off-road ability. Would have bought a Bronco Sport Badlands but the Ford dealer wanted $11k more than Subaru! 😂

[masatookumura]

Great review. Thanks. As other noted RAV4, Forester and CX-5 are missing. Also you may add “for family use” in the title. If not I definitely vote for CX-50. Anyway, thanks!

[stephanepilon]

Good review, I'm impress with the high quality of the Rogue. Just wondering, why don't you tested the Toyota Rav4? Not that I'm particulary like's it but, it still the best seller by far in the US and Canada...

[justinbelk]

I have a 2023 Kia X-Pro. The drive mode, essentially Sport Mode addresses the performance issue, I’d like more HP just cause, it’s not 235 HP, but it’ll move you well. I haven’t experienced loud tire noise and I’m on I95 daily for work. True, I’m not going anywhere off road, but it’s attributes should come in handy with these NE winter snow. Good 👍🏾 Job Kia.

[Hokimon]

Why touch screen is plus and the knob and dial are not?? Knob and dial are better and safer...having your hand floating to adjust things while you driving is not the best...can't dock point from the dial..It's funny that they want a touch screen and dock point from Mazda for having a dial, but hated touch control and wanted buttons from Hyundai??

[joeamith]

I want to see some long term tests on that Nissan CVT first...

[GoOp]

Great video, I really think Nissan hit it out of the park with the new Rogue. They are gonna sell a lot of those!

[frankdeboer]

What year is this? No excuse for not testing the hybrid or plug-in hybrid versions of these.

[mcgreen]

The Mazda CX-50 is the more off-road rugged version for Mazda. They should have used the taller, smoother Turbo AWD CX-5 for this type of SUV comparison. It would have finished at or near top as it normally does.

[daytona]

I took delivery of a 23 Rogue recently, what's impressive is how quite the cabin is even at high speeds, so much so if you're not paying attention you're way above the limit. Handling is very good. The best part is you can get a deal with the Nissan, not so much with the others. I'm leasing mine (SV model) at 380 a month WAY less than Hyundai, Ford, Kia.

[jacobyo]

The Tucson and the Sportage use the exact same engine, yet you said completely different things about them

[LiohJuney]

I love how they give us useless scores but never any specs about the vehicles their comparing.

[paulmccoy]

Clearly this team has no idea Mazda is trying to focus on attention on the road and non-distracting touch displays.

[claro]

The Tucson limited has a volume knob on the steering wheel for gods sake.

[farcinue]

Test drive the Mazda. If you haven’t been in one, you will be surprised by the drive feel and nicer interior.

[BBlackmen]

What's up with that front in that led light that goes across the front like that doesn't connect to the other headlights it's just the strip is just sitting there that's tacky