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Most Reliable New Cars and SUVs Under $30,000 Recommended by Consumer Reports

Deciding on which sedan or SUV is the right choice for you and your family while staying within your budget can be a daunting task, but not impossible…with a little assistance. Here’s the latest from the good folks at Consumer Reports with their recommendations that showcases their list of the most reliable new cars and SUVs that you can find under $30,000.
Reliable and Affordable Family Cars

Reliable and Affordable

There’s no denying that the choice for new sedans and SUVs can be bewildering. However, as CR analysts pointed out recently, a little data digging can help narrow down your choices to ones that have the performance, safety features, and pricing tailored perfectly to suit your needs.

To help you make a smart and informed purchase decision, automotive analysts from Consumer Reports recently created a new list of their recommendation’s of 2022 sedans and SUVs under $30K to help you find the most reliable vehicles at the best price.

Using data from their exclusive Annual Auto Surveys, they ranked the models listed below based on their predicted reliability scores and road test analyses. Which also includes models that possess the latest modern safety features smart consumers seek in their new car purchases.

That said, here is a summary of CR’s latest report.

Please note the following safety feature abbreviations used:

• FCW---forward collision warning
• BSW---blind spot warning
• AEB---automatic emergency braking

The BEST SUVs UNDER $30K TODAY

1. 2022 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
Price Range: $21,800 - $27,400
CR MPG: Overall 27 / City 19 / Hwy 37 mpg
Rated #3 of 14 Subcompact sport-utility vehicles
Safety features: Standard active safety features include forward collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, while blind spot warning (BSW) is optional.
Predicted reliability rating: 5/5 with one recall with the warning that “The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.”

2. 2022 Toyota Prius Prime
Price Range: $28,220 - $34,000
CR MPG: Overall 69 / City 56 / Hwy 81 mpg
Rated #3 of 8 Compact cars
Safety features: While FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection are standard, only the Limited is available with BSW.
Predicted reliability rating: 5/5 with one recall with the warning that “…in certain 2022 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles…the Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may falsely detect an error and shut down the hybrid system, causing a loss of drive power.”

3. 2022 Toyota Prius
Price Range: $24,625 - $32,920
CR MPG: Overall 52 / City 43 / Hwy 59 mpg
Rated #2 of 8 Compact cars
Safety features: FCW, AEB with pedestrian detection, and lane keeping assistance (LKA) are standard. BSW is standard on all but the base trim.
Predicted reliability rating: 5/5 with one recall with the warning that “…in certain 2022 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles…the Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may falsely detect an error and shut down the hybrid system, causing a loss of drive power.”

4. 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Price Range: $27,300 - $38,200
CR MPG: Overall 34 / City 25 / Hwy 42 mpg
Rated #1 of 4 Roadsters
Safety features: FCW, AEB, and BSW are standard.
Predicted reliability rating: 5/5 with no other data regarding recalls

5. 2022 Honda Insight
Price Range: $25,760 - $29,790
CR MPG: Overall 54 / City 44 / Hwy 62 mpg
Rated #1 of 8 Compact cars
Safety features: FCW, AEB, and BSW are included as standard equipment.
Predicted reliability rating: 5/5 with one recall with the warning that “Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system.”

6. 2022 Subaru Crosstrek
Price Range: $22,645 - $35,845
CR MPG: Overall 29 / City 20 / Hwy 39 mpg
Rated #1 of 14 Subcompact sport-utility vehicles
Safety features: FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection are standard with the automatic transmission but are not offered with the manual transmission, and BSW is optional.
Predicted reliability rating: 5/5 with no recall or trouble data available.

7. 2022 Nissan Rogue Sport
Price Range: $24,760 - $30,890
CR MPG: Overall 26 / City 19 / Hwy 34 mpg
Rated #2 of 14 Subcompact sport-utility vehicles
Safety features: FCW, AEB, and BSW are standard.
Predicted reliability rating: 5/5 with no recall or trouble data available.

And finally…

For additional articles about CR recommended vehicles for 2022, here are a few recent selections for your consideration:

• Recommended Compact Cars with the Roomiest, Most Comfortable Interiors Per Consumer Reports Testing

• SUVs With the Roomiest and Most Comfortable Interiors Per Consumer Reports Testing

• Consumer Reports Best Used Older Cars for Under $10,000 That You Can Buy Right Now

• Worst Deals on New Cars are Dominated by This One Popular Make

COMING UP NEXT: A Determined Catalytic Converter Theft and Other Car Fails

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

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