Top 10 best crossover hatchbacks 2023

The modern crossover hatchback has go thing of a connection successful 2023: a car bought by those who don't privation what everyone other has got. Not rather hatchbacks, not rather estate cars, and not rather compact SUVs either, they harvester elements of each 3 breeds wrong a reasonably compact footprint, and are presented astatine a reasonably affordable price. And, typically, they chuck successful a dose of alternate benignant for bully measure. In immoderate quarters, they're known arsenic sports inferior coupes; successful others, adjacent arsenic 'fastbacks'.

The expanding popularity of cars similar these is opening to undermine their presumption arsenic alternate choices conscionable a little. But for now, and for arsenic agelong arsenic different marketplace segments proceed outstrip them for sales, a bully crossover hatchback volition stay an arsenic appealing near tract enactment for what it is, arsenic good arsenic for what it does.

What they do, of course, varies a small depending connected precisely however they are defined. Within this list, then, you'll find liable economy-biased options with hybrid powertrains, but besides performance-tuned derivatives, and cars explicitly intended for off-road use. All are astir C-segment-sized, nevertheless (we fertile supermini-based compact crossovers here); and, portion small present request outgo overmuch much than £30,000, immoderate options tin beryllium snapped up for adjacent less. 

1. Cupra Formentor

For years, Cupra was the sporting part of Seat – overmuch similar 'R' present is to Volkswagen – but contiguous it stands arsenic an autarkic marque of its own, with unsocial exemplary designs and an altogether much diversion calibre than that of the aged Seat mothership.

The Formentor wasn't the archetypal merchandise of the reborn Cupra cognition (that was the 306bhp Cupra Ateca, introduced successful 2019), but it is by acold the astir convincing, being rakishly handsome, amazingly spacious, rounded, refined and pleasant to drive, appealingly versatile, and enduringly alternative. We similar it alternatively a lot.

The motor line-up is rather broad, taking successful smaller and much economical petrols, a mates of plug-in hybrids, and a prime of 2.0 TSI petrols, 1 of which uses the aforesaid four-wheel thrust strategy and 2.0-litre TSI motor arsenic the caller Volkswagen Golf R. In different markets, Cupra adjacent went arsenic acold arsenic shoehorning Audi's thumping five-cylinder RS motor into the Formentor VZ5, though it was ne'er offered for UK sale.

Being good priced successful narration to premium-brand rivals, and with an inviting, affluent and well-executed interior (the VW Group's oft-criticised infotainment strategy notwithstanding), the Formentor sits beauteous astatine the apical our database of crossovers hatchbacks.

2. Volkswagen T-Roc

Volkswagen's archetypal effort astatine a crossover hatchback was a precise awesome one. While the institution continues to connection the Volkswagen Tiguan to those who privation a much applicable compact SUV, the T-Roc archetypal appeared successful 2017, offering sharp, absorbing styling, a well-made interior, and handling characteristics much akin to those of a tiny hatchback than a due SUV.

It's not rather arsenic bully to thrust arsenic the Formentor, it isn't rather arsenic practical, and the interior prime is simply a small questionable successful places - but the T-Roc remains casual to urge for its aerial of rounded classiness and completeness. A facelift successful 2022 brought caller headlights and front-end styling, and sportier R-Line looks for those who wanted them, arsenic good arsenic softer and much tactile interior trim materials, and immoderate caller infotainment technology.

Available engines see 1.0-litre, 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrols (latterly with four-wheel drive), arsenic good arsenic 113bhp- and 148bhp 2.0-litre diesels; but the pre-facelift T-Roc R show exemplary has yet to beryllium replaced.

Mid-spec models are ueasonably priced, and portion like-for-like versions of the Skoda Karoq and Seat Ateca are inactive somewhat cheaper, they don't harvester VW-typical slickness-in-operation with practicality and refined benignant successful rather the aforesaid way.

3. Peugeot 408

Just arsenic it was a small dilatory successful joining the compact SUV set, truthful Peugeot is somewhat down the curve successful joining today's crossover market. The irony present is that, with the original Peugeot 3008, the institution launched rather a bold and alternate crossover hatchback mode up of its clip backmost successful 2008 (which was adjacent disposable successful diesel-hybrid form) - lone to regenerate it with a overmuch boxier and much accepted compact SUV immoderate years later.

Now the firm's utilizing the aforesaid level arsenic the 308 hatchback and 3008 SUV to connection thing antithetic again: the 408. With a raised thrust tallness but an arcing roofline and elongated hatchback tail, this car intelligibly prioritises benignant successful a mode precise antithetic than the archetypal 3008 of 15 years ago. It's longer and little than immoderate cars successful this list, but inactive distinctly a crossover successful its stance.

Interior roominess is awesome here, successful a compartment that evidences each of the advancement than Peugeot has made implicit the past decennary successful giving its cars greater premium appeal. Boot abstraction exceeds 500 litres, and adults should beryllium astir arsenic comfy successful the 2nd enactment arsenic up front.

1.2-litre turbocharged petrol- and 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid powertrains are offered arsenic portion of a somewhat truncated motor range. The simpler, lighter petrol rides and handles better, the heavier hybrid feeling heavier successful its thrust gait, and firmer astatine debased speeds. At times, the petrol-electric powertrain struggles done a fewer clunky drivability quirks, too. But assemblage power is good, and handling fluency rather impressive, successful some cases.

With upper-trim level hybrids nudging northbound of £40,000, this isn't 1 of this chart's better-value entrants - but it does amusement that Peugeot tin travel up with desirable alternate cars again, erstwhile it puts its caput to it. 

4. Mazda CX-30

We similar the Mazda CX-30. Its silky handling and plush interior basal it retired successful this class, and the attractiveness and sophistication of the svelte exterior plan is rather a uncommon thing, matched by fewer rivals successful this class.

Neither is it an particularly analyzable instrumentality successful concept: determination is simply a prime of 2 petrol engines, and either front-drive oregon four-wheel drive. The pricier e-SkyActiv X enactment uses Mazda's innovative SCCI thin combustion exertion to chopped substance depletion rather impressively successful longer-range cruising. But with either motor you get Mazda's mild-hybrid exertion arsenic well, and precise nicely judged handling traits delivered connected a thrust and handling compromise that's a small connected the sporting broadside of the people norm.

The car falls down a interaction successful presumption of interior space, due to the fact that it's smaller than immoderate cars here; and some engines deficiency the easy-access turbocharged torque of galore rivals, truthful they request to beryllium worked harder than you mightiness expect if you privation the car to truly perform. 

Otherwise, the CX-30 is arguably the astir dynamically accomplished car in this class.

5. Kia Niro

Back successful second-generation form, the Kia Niro is retired to drawback your eye. Having moved mode beyond the ocular entreaty of its slightly bland and amorphous-looking predecessor, the caller Niro has angular features, and overmuch greater chunky ocular presence. You'll announcement it erstwhile you spot one; and you'll beryllium definite of what you're looking at, acknowledgment to the greater plan cohesion that Kia is conjuring crossed its galore exemplary lines now.

The car's akin successful proportions to its predecessor, truthful it doesn't widen acold beyond the accustomed footprint of a modular hatchback, but it does beryllium a small higher connected the road. Interior abstraction is peculiarly good, particularly successful enactment two; and if you take the close powertrain option, footwear abstraction is beauteous competitory also.

The car's driving acquisition isn't rather arsenic awesome arsenic immoderate of its different selling points. While refined capable - and some rangey and punchy if you spell for the Niro EV - the 1.6-litre turbocharged motor of some the regular- and plug-in hybrid doesn't instrumentality to hard enactment precise willingly, portion the car's controls tin consciousness a small anodyne. Driven much moderately, though, some combustion-engined versions of the car tin beryllium impressively economical; and prices connected the regular hybrid commencement good beneath £30k.

6. BMW X2

The X2 is 1 of the much antithetic additions to BMW's X-branded scope of cars, those models with greater practicality and a raised thrust height. It's astatine slightest arsenic overmuch hatchback arsenic crossover - but that's nary atrocious happening with the boxier BMW X1 to transportation the much applicable role.

Back successful 2017 this became 1 of BMW's archetypal front-wheel thrust cars - but that shouldn't discourage those who cherish driving, who should enactment the X2 astatine oregon adjacent to the apical of their wish-list. The car launched with a prime of petrol-, diesel- and hybrid powertrains, the diesels having present been deleted from the motor range. But car's surviving three- and four-cylinder turbo petrol engines connection plentifulness of muscularity and decent refinement.

There's a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid derivate (25e xDrive). The top-of-the-range BMW X2 xDrive M35i is nary uncertainty the astir amusive to drive, but for regular driving duties, the little versions person a much rounded compromise.

The X2's steering is enjoyably direct, portion assemblage power is fantabulous by the standards of the class. There are much applicable alternatives, but fewer that are arsenic dynamically keen.

7. Toyota C-HR

The Toyota C-HR was a enactment of caller aerial erstwhile it came retired astatine the extremity of 2016, erstwhile it became 1 of the archetypal cars successful this illustration to amusement that crossover hatchbacks truly could look desirable. Seven years aboriginal and towards the extremity of its life, it inactive stands retired - and it has the handling to backmost those sporty looks up, too.

While the 1.8-litre, 120bhp hybrid powertrain tin consciousness a spot gutless, the 2.0-litre version with 182bhp is usefully brisk, and a small spot little fixed to rev astatine the driblet of a hat. And inside, portion that sloping roofline eats into rear caput country astatine small bit, this remains a reasonably applicable four-seater for big passengers.

Toyota's infotainment strategy wants for immoderate features erstwhile compared with rivals, though the facelifted mentation got Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity arsenic standard.

8. Audi Q3 Sportback

Few firms person embraced the cult of the crossover rather truthful wholly arsenic Audi, which offers an astir endless array of Q-badged models, from the entry-level Audi Q2 done to the imposing Q8. Many versions are besides offered successful Sportback guises, which propulsion a dash of coupe styling into the mix.

Based connected the standard Q3, the Q3 Sportback features a little roofline that adds immoderate kerb entreaty but robs those successful the rear of immoderate headroom - though the footwear remains unchanged astatine 530-litres. Under the tegument it has the aforesaid prime of petrol and diesel engines, positive a reasonably well-priced plug-in hybrid enactment - and, of course, the availability of quattro all-wheel thrust that brings enhanced traction but is inactive better-suited to slippery roads than the unsmooth stuff.

It's a composed, susceptible and refined car to thrust but offers small successful the mode of operator engagement, and the debased velocity thrust tin beryllium connected the steadfast side, peculiarly if you specify athletics suspension oregon larger wheels. The interior has plentifulness of benignant and interaction astir it, is reasonably solidly finished and packed with integer touchscreen exertion - though it doesn't person the solidity of worldly prime consciousness of Ingolstadt's bigger models.

Chances are, you'll truly person to emotion the Sportback's looks to warrant forking retired the other mates of 1000 pounds implicit the dynamically identical and marginally much applicable Q3. But, for Audi buyers, plan has ever been a large draw.

9. Mercedes-Benz GLA

Where the archetypal Mercedes GLA was small much than a ruggedised Mercedes A-Class, the latest 1 is the effect of a overmuch much considered plan effort. It's inactive not the cheapest oregon astir applicable option, either successful this people oregon that you mightiness find successful your Mercedes showroom (the Mercedes GLB offers much utility, and if you're looking for worth you shouldn't look to Stuttgart anyway) but it volition beryllium overmuch much appealing to anyone aft a stylish crossover.

The latest procreation capitalises connected the A-Class' appealingly designed and materially upmarket cockpit and versatile MBUX infotainment system. It besides manages to tick the all-important SUV container of a precocious hep point. Despite large wheels and AMG Line suspension, it adjacent manages to present bully thrust comfort.

If you privation to spell accelerated successful your crossover hatchback, nary volition spell faster than the – heavy enactment – Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 S 4MATIC+ Plus. Thanks to a faintly ridiculous 416bhp volition sprint to 62mph successful 4.3sec. £66,000 is simply a batch of wealth for a crossover, but it's a amazingly superior show car.

Among the different engines are a batch of overmuch much affordable and sensible four-cylinder turbocharged petrols and diesels, arsenic good arsenic the tax-efficient GLA 250e plug-in hybrid. Meanwhile, for those who're acceptable to spell afloat electric, the Mercedes EQA is ostensibly an all-electric conversion of this precise car.

10. Subaru XV

Genuine off-road capableness isn't mostly precocious among the priorities of astir crossover hatchback shoppers. But for the fewer for whom it does fig - Scottish travelling midwives, inferior veterinarians, retired birdwatchers, and each the different stereotypical Subaru buyers you've ever heard mentioned - determination is the Subaru XV.

The Japanese marque offers thing antithetic than others successful this people due to the fact that not lone is the XV four-wheel thrust only, but it besides has due centre-diff-based imperishable symmetrical four-wheel thrust and a utile 220mm of crushed clearance. So portion 'all-wheel drive' rivals usage clutch-based, part-time four-wheel drive, the XV truly does thrust each of its wheels each of the time. On the close tyres, it truly would spell overmuch farther, and ascent higher, off-road than galore would believe.

Subaru offers the car with lone 1 hybridised petrol engine: a 2.0-litre turbocharged boxer motor with 148bhp of power, that tin beryllium had successful manual oregon CVT automatic form. It's not an breathtaking motor - but it does person an antithetic offbeat charm.

Subaru Global launched a third-generation XV (known arsenic the Crosstrek successful different markets) successful 2022, though there's nary quality from the company's UK distributor astir erstwhile UK income of it mightiness start.