The most reliable Small SUVs
Ranked by the MotorFiable Score of the whole car, out of 10: half comes from its engines and the other half from the rest of the car (gearbox, suspension, brakes, electronics…). Only Small SUVs with solid evidence are included: at least three sources and five documented faults, each backed by its sources.
Of the 36 Small SUVs with solid evidence, the one with the highest score is the Fiat 600 (7.4/10), followed by the Jeep Renegade (7.3) and the Hyundai Kona II (7.3). The one with the lowest score is the Opel Mokka B (3.7/10), mainly because of oil-bath timing belt degradation.
- Rank 1Fiat 600
Small SUV · 2023–today
High severityJerking, lock-ups and risk of early failure in the e-DCS6 hybrid gearbox(gearbox and clutch)
7.4 out of 10Engine 8.0
Rest of car 6.8 - Rank 2Jeep Renegade
Small SUV · 2014–today
High severitySaturated diesel particulate filter (DPF) from incomplete regenerations(1.6 and 2.0 MultiJet II engine)
7.3 out of 10Engine 7.1
Rest of car 7.5 - Rank 3Hyundai Kona II
Small SUV · 2023–today
High severityRecall over 12 V battery wiring in a frontal collision(security)
7.3 out of 10Engine 8.2
Rest of car 6.4 - Rank 4Dacia Duster II
Small SUV · 2017–2024
Critical severityLPG tank leak with a risk of fire (2023 cars)(security)
7.2 out of 10Engine 8.2
Rest of car 6.2 - Rank 57.1 out of 10
Engine 7.4
Rest of car 6.8 - Rank 6Citroën C3 Aircross II
Small SUV · 2024–today
Critical severityGQ8 recall: brake pedal and brake circuit(brakes)
6.9 out of 10Engine 8.0
Rest of car 5.8 - Rank 7Renault Captur II
Small SUV · 2019–today
Medium severityResets and freezes of the Easy Link multimedia screen(electronics)
6.7 out of 10Engine 7.0
Rest of car 6.4 - Rank 86.7 out of 10
Engine 8.9
Rest of car 4.6 - Rank 9Toyota Yaris Cross
Small SUV · 2021–today
Critical severityHybrid system shutdown without fail-safe mode (loss of drive)(1.5 Hybrid engine)
6.6 out of 10Engine 6.3
Rest of car 6.9 - Rank 10Nissan Juke II
Small SUV · 2019–today
Critical severityRecall over the rear seat backrest latch(security)
6.6 out of 10Engine 7.6
Rest of car 5.7 - Rank 11Opel Frontera
Small SUV · 2024–today
Critical severityElectric power steering wiring harness damaged between two bolts on the Frontera (2025)(steering)
6.5 out of 10Engine 8.0
Rest of car 5.0 - Rank 12Mazda CX-3
Small SUV · 2016–2021
High severityOil dilution with diesel during DPF regenerations(Skyactiv-D engine)
6.4 out of 10Engine 6.0
Rest of car 6.8 - Rank 13Nissan Juke I
Small SUV · 2010–2019
High severityPremature clutch wear and, in serious cases, manual gearbox breakage(gearbox and clutch)
6.3 out of 10Engine 6.5
Rest of car 6.2 - Rank 14Kia Stonic
Small SUV · 2017–today
Medium severityJerking in the 6iMT automated gearbox and clutch wear in the DCT7 gearbox(gearbox and clutch)
6.3 out of 10Engine 7.2
Rest of car 5.4 - Rank 15Fiat 500X
Small SUV · 2014–today
Critical severityGearbox faults: internal failures in the automatic and jerky gear changes(gearbox and clutch)
6.2 out of 10Engine 6.4
Rest of car 6.1 - Rank 16Hyundai Bayon
Small SUV · 2021–today
Medium severityRear shock absorbers with noises or premature loss of effectiveness(suspension)
6.1 out of 10Engine 6.8
Rest of car 5.4 - Rank 17Dacia Duster I
Small SUV · 2010–2017
Critical severityWear and seizure of the big-end bearings(1.5 dCi engine)
6.0 out of 10Engine 5.0
Rest of car 7.1 - Rank 18Opel Mokka A
Small SUV · 2012–2019
Critical severityEarly engine failure from a cracked piston(1.4 Turbo engine)
6.0 out of 10Engine 5.9
Rest of car 6.1 - Rank 19Ford Puma
Small SUV · 2019–today
Critical severityRecalls for the steering wheel airbag and the restraint control module(security)
5.9 out of 10Engine 6.2
Rest of car 5.7 - Rank 20Škoda Kamiq
Small SUV · 2019–today
High severityFaulty seat stitching that could affect the side airbag (campaign 74D7)(security)
5.9 out of 10Engine 7.7
Rest of car 4.1 - Rank 21Renault Captur I
Small SUV · 2013–2019
Critical severityExcessive oil consumption and engine failure(1.2 TCe engine)
5.8 out of 10Engine 5.5
Rest of car 6.2 - Rank 22Suzuki SX4
Small SUV · 2006–2014
Critical severitySteering column incorrectly connected to the steering gear on 2011-2012 vehicles(steering)
5.8 out of 10Engine 6.2
Rest of car 5.5 - Rank 23Hyundai Kona I
Small SUV · 2017–2023
High severityDCT7 dual-clutch gearbox: jerkiness and cases of premature failure(gearbox and clutch)
5.8 out of 10Engine 7.0
Rest of car 4.6 - Rank 24Volkswagen T-Cross
Small SUV · 2018–today
Critical severityWelding defect in the curtain and head airbag gas generator(security)
5.7 out of 10Engine 7.7
Rest of car 3.7 - Rank 25Audi Q2
Small SUV · 2016–today
Critical severityThe electric parking brake could apply inappropriately(brakes)
5.7 out of 10Engine 7.8
Rest of car 3.7 - Rank 26Kia Soul II
Small SUV · 2014–2019
Critical severityLoose joint between the steering column and the steering box: three recalls(steering)
5.3 out of 10Engine 5.6
Rest of car 5.0 - Rank 27Seat Arona
Small SUV · 2017–today
Critical severityThe centre rear seat belt can also unfasten the left one(security)
5.2 out of 10Engine 6.9
Rest of car 3.6 - Rank 28BMW X1 E84
Small SUV · 2009–2015
Critical severityRear timing chain stretch and breakage(BMW N47 engine)
5.0 out of 10Engine 3.9
Rest of car 6.2 - Rank 29Toyota Urban Cruiser
Small SUV · 2008–2014
Critical severityExcessive oil consumption from piston wear(1.33 Dual VVT-i engine)
4.9 out of 10Engine 4.9
Rest of car 5.0 - Rank 30Peugeot 2008 I
Small SUV · 2013–2019
Critical severityOil-bath timing belt degradation(1.2 PureTech engine)
4.8 out of 10Engine 3.6
Rest of car 6.1 - Rank 31Jeep Avenger
Small SUV · 2023–today
Critical severityOil-bath timing belt degradation(1.2 PureTech engine)
4.6 out of 10Engine 1.8
Rest of car 7.5 - Rank 32Ford EcoSport
Small SUV · 2014–2022
High severityNoise and premature wear of the manual gearbox, and clutch wear on the Powershift automatic(gearbox and clutch)
4.5 out of 10Engine 6.1
Rest of car 3.0 - Rank 33Opel Crossland
Small SUV · 2017–2024
Critical severityOil-bath timing belt degradation(1.2 PureTech engine)
3.9 out of 10Engine 2.9
Rest of car 5.0 - Rank 34Citroën C3 Aircross I
Small SUV · 2017–2024
Critical severityOil-bath timing belt degradation(1.2 PureTech engine)
3.9 out of 10Engine 2.9
Rest of car 5.0 - Rank 35Peugeot 2008 II
Small SUV · 2019–today
Critical severityOil-bath timing belt degradation(1.2 PureTech engine)
3.7 out of 10Engine 2.0
Rest of car 5.5 - Rank 36Opel Mokka B
Small SUV · 2020–today
Critical severityOil-bath timing belt degradation(1.2 PureTech engine)
3.7 out of 10Engine 2.0
Rest of car 5.4
The least reliable Small SUVs
The three with the lowest scores and the fault that weighs most in each.
- Opel Mokka B · 3.7/10Oil-bath timing belt degradation (1.2 PureTech engine)
- Peugeot 2008 II · 3.7/10Oil-bath timing belt degradation (1.2 PureTech engine)
- Citroën C3 Aircross I · 3.9/10Oil-bath timing belt degradation (1.2 PureTech engine)
How it is calculated
The score combines the risk index of its engines and that of the rest of the car, calculated from the most serious documented faults (severity times frequency). Faults that the manufacturer fixes free of charge under a recall carry less weight. A high score does not guarantee that a particular car will not fail: it means we have found fewer serious, frequent documented faults. More recent models have been on the road for fewer years and may have fewer documented faults: preferably compare cars from the same period. Full methodology