Best small SUVS

We deliver the Auto Express verdict on three all-new SUVS to hit the market – the SEAT Arona, Citroen C3 Aircross and Kia Stonic

New SEAT Arona, Citroen C3 Aircross and Kia Stonic fight it out

A FLOOD of compact SUVS has arrived in the UK towards the end of this year, and we’ve rounded up three of the newest and best that are all hoping to put clear water between themselves and their rivals. However, the contest will be tough, as the cars all feature clever tech to move the game on yet another step compared with the current best in the class.

First up is the SEAT Arona, tested here in sporty FR trim with 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol power. Conforming to a tried-and-tested recipe that worked for the brand’s Ibiza hatchback, this jacked-up supermini SUV carries SEAT’S hopes that it can continue the success story.

The Citroen C3 Aircross could be a fly in the SEAT’S ointment, though. With the French brand’s C4 Cactus now being repositioned as a more conventional hatch, the C3 Aircross takes on the mantle as Citroen’s small and funky crossover, developing many of the slightly quirky but extremely individual features of its predecessor and combining these with practicality and affordability.

Kia’s new entry in the class, the Stonic, certainly looks the part, with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol turbo engine that matches the other two for claimed efficiency. Sharp styling, reasonable practicality and advanced infotainment mean it has the attributes to succeed, too.

These small SUVS have arrived less than 12 months after the respective superminis on which they’re based hit the UK, highlighting the importance of the sector for these manufacturers. However, the margins are tight – so the winner will have to show a spark the others lack. Read on to find out which small SUV steals the crown.

THE Arona might be the most expensive contender in our test, but our experts predict that it’ll also hold on to the most money, with an expected residual value of 49.0 per cent. This means it’ll lose £10,144 and be worth £9,751 after three years.

At 48.4 per cent retained value, the Stonic will lose £10,170 and be worth £9,525. The C3 Aircross’s predicted residuals are lower at 46.3 per cent, so it’ll be worth less at £8,325, but importantly it’ll also lose less, shedding £9,675 thanks to its lower price.