If your budget is $55,000 to $80,000 and you want a compact SUV with a luxurious feel, here are five models we recommend. These are all gas-powered; if most of your driving is in the city, or less than 50 kilometres a day, and if you can connect to a residential charging outlet, you might consider an all-electric or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) instead.
1. Lexus NX ($55,000-$70,000)
It’s top of the list because it’s made in Canada, in Cambridge, Ont., and you can buy it with either a gas engine or with a hybrid electric motor attached to the engine. The PHEV is made in Japan. The NX is made on the same platform as the Toyota RAV4, but it definitely feels premium and it’s very reliable. Lexus has been criticized recently for being frequently stolen in the Toronto area, but those are usually the larger and older models. If you drive in an area with a poor cell signal, the Lexus will use its superior hot-spot capability to make sure you’re always connected. You’re paying extra for the Lexus touches and the RAV4 will hold its value better, but you’ll be happy with the NX if you think of the extra $10,000 cost as spread over the life of the vehicle.
2022 Lexus NX 450h+Supplied
2. Genesis GV70 ($60,000-$84,000)
Genesis is the premium brand of Hyundai – its vehicles are exceptional and reliable while also being good value for money. The GV70 is a pleasure to drive and extremely well thought-out, with clever touches for technology and safety. Don’t be confused by the all-electric GV70 Electrified, that is an electric car built to the same size and shape. Genesis sells its vehicles at fixed prices and provides all basic maintenance, with loaner cars if requested, for the first five years at no extra charge. Unlike the other cars on this list, you need never go into a dealership in all that time – they’ll come collect the car, change the oil or whatever other maintenance is required, and return it to you as part of the deal. (This started because there were no dedicated dealerships and they didn’t want their customers visiting Hyundai service shops.)
For 2026, the grille has a new pattern and the GV70 has thinner dual headlights.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
3. Volvo V60 CC ($59,000-$71,000)
A premium car that’s more of a station wagon than an SUV, now in its final year of production. Volvos can be expensive to maintain but the engineering goes the extra distance to keep its passengers safe through the company’s extensive crash-testing program. Plus, the V60 is a pleasure to drive and the cabin feels more spacious and airy than other SUVs, thanks to its Scandinavian minimalist design. It’s a “mild hybrid,” which means it uses an extra battery to augment performance and fuel consumption, but it can’t drive solely on electric power.
2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country B5 AWD Onyx BlackCourtesy of manufacturer
4. Mazda CX-50 ($42,000-$52,000)
This is your value-for-money car, with space, a premium feel and a lovely driving experience. It even features what Mazda calls G-Vectoring Control Plus, which subtly applies individual brakes and wheel-specific power to maintain a constant weight distribution for the vehicle while moving; this makes the drive a little smoother and less tiring. Mazda is trying to build premium vehicles without actually launching a new brand (as Hyundai did with Genesis), so the top-end CX-50 Meridian with the turbocharged engine and leather trim is the way to go. It’s built in Japan and you might have to wait a few months for it, but it’s a solid buy with the peppy turbo; the limited choices of the central screen feel a bit dated, however, and help explain its lower price. There’s also a hybrid, but it’s comparatively underpowered.
The CX-50 Hybrid has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with two electric motors.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
5. Audi Q5 ($62,000-$69,000)
The German premium brands of BMW, Mercedes and Audi typically cost $10,000 more than other premium brands – you’re paying for the name – and they can be finicky to maintain. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly affordable base pricing, because you’ll pay extra for features that other brands include at no charge. They generally provide a great driving experience on winding country roads, but they often lose their value quickly from new. However, the Q5 family is updated this year and is probably the best of the bunch, with the best all-wheel-drive system on the market and large, interactive and high-definition screens across the front dash (though the third screen for the passenger is an option). There’s a choice of engines for as much power as you want to handle.
The Q5 has more of the traditional SUV shape from the side.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
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