Ten of the best new compact crossovers

The quirky Nissan Juke kicked off the craze for small, rugged-looking SUVs in 2010 - now they're all the rage and we're spoilt for choice.

With their raised ride height, commanding driving position and economical engines, some compact crossovers even have four-wheel drive and an off-road ability.

All the cars in our list start at less than £20,000 - and there's everything from evergreen originals to the new kids on the block.

We only have space for 10 of the best, which is a shame because there are so many good crossovers in this class. It was tough to lose the likes of the Suzuki Vitara, Dacia Duster and SsangYong Tivoli.

1. Volkswagen T-Roc

We're cheating a bit because VW's smallest SUV is slightly larger than the other compacts we've chosen. However, we can't miss this newcomer out because it's distinctively stylish, spacious, comes with a strong choice of engines and it's one of the best handling crossovers on the market. It can also be specified with four-wheel drive. Priced from £18,955.

2. Mazda CX-3

Mazda's baby SUV is another distinctive classy car. Well built, practical and genuinely fun to drive, the 1.5 SKYACTIV-D 105PS (diesel) Sport Nav is capable of 71mpg with CO2 emissions of just 105g/km. Also available with AWD, it's priced from £18,695.

3. Citroen C3 Aircross

The recently-launched C3 Aircross is a breath of fresh air and will definitely appeal to those buyers that want to stand out from the crowd. It’s also spacious, well equipped, easy to drive and there’s a good choice of efficient engines. Priced from just £14,350, it's a cool choice.

4. Kia Stonic

Good looking, generously equipped, well built and fun to drive, the Stonic is another welcome addition to the compact crossover sector and deserves to be on any shortlist. It's also blessed with Kia’s unbeatable seven-year warranty. Priced from £16,300.

5. Hyundai Kona

The new Kona is one of the most eye-catching cars in our list. There's an all-electric version coming soon, but in the meantime go for the punchy 1.0-litre turbo petrol version, offering a good combination of economy and performance -  just don't expect a hot hatch. Boasting Hyundai's five-year warranty, it's also safe, having been awarded the maximum five stars in Euro NCAP crash safety tests. Priced from £16,450.

6. Seat Arona

Funky, practical, easy to drive, economical and safe, the Arona is another baby SUV worth considering. Priced from £16,750, we'd recommend it in FR trim combined with the lively 113bhp 1.0 turbo petrol engine.  

7. Renault Captur

Popular, practical, comfortable and pleasant to drive, the classy Captur recently benefited from a refresh and now it's better than ever. Priced from £15,620, it comes with a four-year/100,000-mile warranty.

8. Ford EcoSport

Revised for 2018, the Ford EcoSport is much improved with better build quality, refinement and comfort, plus updated technology. Priced from £17,945, there an all-wheel drive version on the way too.

9. Peugeot 2008

Priced from £16,500, the evergreen Peugeot 2008 is a stylish, well-packaged, engaging alternative in a very competitive sector. The 1.6 BlueHDi 120 (diesel) is particularly economical (76.3mpg), while the top-of-the-range GT Line is surprisingly sporty.

10. Nissan Juke

Nissan claims it created the small crossover sector with the Juke when it was launched in 2010. Its quirky looks may still divide opinion and it's not the best handling car in its class, but there's no denying the fact that it's been a huge sales success. Priced from £15,085.

If you're tempted by a crossover, Admiral Car Finance could be your next step to driving one away from the forecourt.