What are the best new or nearly new cute ute small suv's options? High reliability top priority

My sister in law is looking to replace her 2012ish Veloster with a small SUV. Needs to be awd since she recently moved from FL to Duluth, MN.

She seemed really set on a Subaru Crosstrek, but now she's asking me about small SUV's.

She usually buys some affordable car new and drives it 10+ yrs. I think this go round she may have sticker shock on new cars and will consider used - 3yrs old or less.

I don't pay any attention to this segment. I'm a Mazda guy, but I hear their modern stuff rusts faster than other brands, so I am hesitant to recommend one. She's aware that cars rust up North, but I think she'd be really ticked if her new to her car started showing rot early in her ownership.

My inclination is to recommend a Toyota (Corolla Cross?) or Honda (HRV?), my perception is that the Korean cars have more issues and stingier warranty policies - maybe that's off base, her Veloster has been very reliable. I was leery of her getting a Crosstrek because Subaru and head gaskets (again maybe off base).

Regardless of brand, I think whatever she gets needs to have a bulletproof non turbo drivetrain.

Thoughts from the Hive?

Crosstrek is a good answer, but a small AWD alternative could be a non turbo Mazda CX-30.

100k on my Crosstrek. It's done everything we have asked of it. 12 hour days in the seat is no problem. 31mpg lifetime average. 
 

In that mileage I've done fluids/filters, tires and rear brakes. It's been exceptionally reliable. 
 

The Mazda will be nicer and other cars will have better spec sheets. But the trek is a solid option. 

Bullet proof, non-turbo drivetrain screams Toyota hybrid system to me. 

So Corolla Cross hybrid would be the easy button.

But the new Mazda CX-50 uses Toyota's hybrid powertrain too.

And the Ford Maverick or Escape both offer AWD hybrids with the same concept applied to the powertrain (Naturally aspirated, port injected, Atkinson 4 cyl paired to planetary eCVT).

Crosstrek does seem like an easy button, and I'll second that the Mazda will likely feel a bit "nicer" on the inside.

I don't see how you could go wrong with the Corolla Cross just based on the numerous high-mileage Priuses I frequently see on the road.

I personally like the Maverick suggestion, but that's probably because it's near the top of my shopping list.

Most other options I would suggest have a turbo powerplant.

spandak said:

100k on my Crosstrek. It's done everything we have asked of it. 12 hour days in the seat is no problem. 31mpg lifetime average. 
 

In that mileage I've done fluids/filters, tires and rear brakes. It's been exceptionally reliable. 
 

The Mazda will be nicer and other cars will have better spec sheets. But the trek is a solid option. 

Good to hear about your Crosstrek, thanks - so no major known issues with the CVT? Are there any known issues specific to the 2.0L or 2.5L - i.e. is one a better choice for reliability?

STM317 said:

Bullet proof, non-turbo drivetrain screams Toyota hybrid system to me. 

So Corolla Cross hybrid would be the easy button.

I agree, but just a quick Carmax search and they seem to go for about $8k over the non hybrid.

I think that she's going to want to stay closer to 25k than 33k. So, I don't think the Cross hybrid will be an option.

Seems odd to read high reliability, Subaru, and CVT mentioned in the same thread.

If she is considering the the Crosstrek, but might appreciate the more open and spacious feeling interior of a classic SUV form factor, she should check out the Forester. My wife especially likes the brightness and visibility of the taller greenhouse and larger rear window... vs both the Crosstrek and the competition. Ours has been great.

That being said, if we were replacing it today, we'd probably be looking at some of the leading hybrids.

So, offbase answer that already has two possible strikes against it - the new Chevy Trax.

C&D loves this thing.   JDPower says initial reliability is good.  And a new one starts at 21k, about 5k cheaper than a new crosstrek or 4k cheaper than a base CX30.  They are FWD only, and they are all do have a turbo (triple, no less) engine.    I think the design was a clean-sheet redo and 2024 was the first year, so long-term reliability is still a question mark.

The only thing that would make me slightly hesitant is the prior small turbo engine in the prior Trax was good at first unti higher mileages.  I had one in a Sonic.   Lots of small issues that could add up if owned by someone paying to keep it running.  Again, though, this is a brand-new and entirely unrelated engine.

Get whatever flavor of Mazda she wants and be done with it. They absolutely rule in this segment in my opinion. Reliable, good MPGs, nicer, better driving manners than comparable Toyota, Subaru, Honda. I would avoid the turbo ones though. They have been basically building the same engine/trans for over ten years and they are solid. The Mazda AWD system out-perform Subarus in certain situations too.

I haven't seen Mazdas rusting any faster than Subarus in NE Missouri. Lots of Foresters I see around here has rust over the rear wheels. In fact, I haven't seen any of the newer Mazdas rusting (newer being in the last 10 years).

I wouldn't touch a Subaru with a CVT with a ten foot pole, but I get some people don't have issues/love them.

My parents bought a hybrid RAV4 because at the time Mazda didn't have a hybrid option (now they have one with a Toyota drivetrain, go figure) and my dad said the CX-5 they test drove was better in every single way. The only reason he didn't buy one was because he wanted a hybrid. I've driven their RAV4 and the driving experience is a yuck for me. They should have waited and gotten the Mazda.

Peabody said:

Seems odd to read high reliability, Subaru, and CVT mentioned in the same thread.

 

100% my thought as well. Having spent some time driving and riding in one, I can't imagine choosing a Crosstrek over any other modern car. Or most older cars. That's just me, though.

We have 4 n/a 2.5l CX-5s in the family/circle of close friends and every one of them has been bulletproof and they drive much nicer than their contemporaries IMO. I'd look closely at these.

FWIW - I have a coworker who purchased a hybrid Maverick last week but was seriously tempted by the deep discounts/deals thrown at them for the hybrid Escape. Not sure if it is a regional thing (SE PA) or the hybrid Escape languishes behind the Maverick hype, but maybe there are deals out there on them.     

My mother's Subaru is back in the shop for the 4th time in 3.5 years with electrical problems that are killing the battery. It is on its 3rd battery in 4 years. They are now telling her that it's normal for the battery to fail every 1.5-2 years. I don't think I would put them on the reliable list. 

My sister has a Rav4 Hybrid that has been good for the 2 years she has owned it. 

The Mazda CX-30, CX-5, and the CX-50 are what I would be looking at. All can be had with the same 2.5L N/A with the 6-speed auto and AWD. They are all reliable, decently efficient, and nothing in the segment will be as nice as these on the inside and offer a better driving experience. They are truly nice cars to drive and feel great, even when attempting "sporty" things. Resale value is not too shabby, either. The turbo ones are even more fun, but the N/A 2.5 is really matched well with the trans and will get up and go when you need it to. They solved the rust issues when they moved away from being part of Ford, so you don't really have to worry about that on anything newer than 2014. 

Full Disclosure: We had a 2018 CX-5 and now have a 2023 CX-50. We've loved both of them. 

In reply to psteav (Forum Supporter) :

My son has what I think is the Buick version of that, Encore GX I think. It has the 1.2T (175hp?) and 9 spd trans. He loves it, and apparently they have been very good for reliability.

+1 for the Buick Encore GX. We've had a 2020 since new. No plans to get anything yet - we'll probably be keeping this for a long time. It has the 1.3L 3 cylinder with the 9 speed transmission. It's only needed oil changes so far. 

Another vote for Mazda

Crosstrek has a long track record of reliability.  Subaru 2.0 is not known for the head gasket issues that the 2.5 is.  I rarely say this, but if that's really what she wants she is better off buying brand new.  They hold their value incredibly well, so it's an exception to the "buy a 2 or 3 year old and save a bunch of money" rule.

I agree that the Trax is interesting but it's only available in FWD and it's not much cheaper.  I too feel skeptical about long term reliability from a 1.3t, but that's probably my age showing through.

I look at cars every day for work. I haven't noticed Mazdas rusting.

We have an HR-V. It's a Honda, so just works. Even the CVT isn't terrible.

RAV4s are good but you pay the Toyota tax for the logo. I find the interior quality to be several steps below Honda and Mazda.

I have an Equinox for a fleet vehicle. It's comfortable, and drives decent aside from the transmission's unwillingness to downshift when needed. But it's been in the shop twice at 20,000 miles for a high pressure fuel pump and a cat converter.  I have zero faith in it being reliable outside the warranty period.

Duluth is out there.  Not that big of a town.  Probably one dealership per brand if the town has that dealership at all.  Not likely to have an Audi, Volvo or Lexus Dealership.  It's quite possible it doesn't have a Mazda Dealership either.  Worth checking into.  

Likely has a Subaru dealer and lots of local shops versed in Subaru give the real 4wd conditions/climate.  

You don't HAVE TO have a dealership local but if her concerns are largely about warranty it may be important.

In reply to John Welsh :

That's an excellent point.  

So I googled "Duluth Mazda dealer" and it turns out that there is one... in Duluth Georgia.

Then I went to Mazda's website and it shows that there is a dealership ... by Minneapolis.

In reply to John Welsh :

Yeah, I had already realized that the closest Mazda dealer is in Minneapolis. I think that may remove Mazda from the list for her.

She likes the Crosstrek because it looks cool. I think she's less excited by the more bland hrv, corolla cross styling.

She has had good luck buying new Japanese and one Korean car, driving them 10+ years with only needing basic maintenance- no major repairs.

$5k or whatever of new head gaskets on a Crosstrek (as an example) would be difficult for her budget to absorb. Plus, she lives alone and works some night shifts, so car needs to just work.

Trying to wave her off of vehicles with known issues.

In reply to sevenracer :

I'll admit, I'm very curious what causes a person to move from Florida to Duluth, MN?  Escaping the oppressive heat to get to the oppressive cold?  This will be an exercise in how big the US really is.  Different worlds within the same country!  

When car shopping, buy the one with the heated seats, heated steering wheel and block heater.  
When apt shopping, verify that there is an outdoor plug near the parking space to plug in the block heater.  

I imagine that Subarus are very popular in the area given the climate/conditions.  This also likely means that resale on Subaru is very high.  Somehow, there may be a wise choice of bringing a low price Subaru up from Florida.  Substitute in similar brands or models which may be less demand in FL vs MN.