These Top 5 Crossovers for 2020 Prove Good Things Can Come in Small Packages

Despite a recent slowdown in national auto sales, demand for crossovers and SUVs continues to steadily rise. And with a record number of brand new and redesigned models cropping up every year, it’s clear that automakers are all-in on the average consumer’s new vehicle of choice. However, fuel economy regulations and standards for comfort and connectivity rule the roost these days—and that means the SUV of the good ol’ days is gone.

Body-on-frame strength has been swapped for a rider-friendly unibody structure, while utilitarian interiors sport cushy leather seats and enough touchscreens to make you dizzy. We even found this to be true when we broke down our list of new 3-row SUVs—a segment traditionally dominated by rugged contenders.

Whether you greet this information with a shrug or a shudder is immaterial: the crossover is here to stay. Mercifully, a number of automakers have found ways to make this status-quo mobile attractive, economic, and, dare we say… interesting.

With that in mind, here are our top 5 picks for the most exciting new crossovers set to land in 2020.

2020 Hyundai Venue

Starting off our list is Hyundai’s latest sub-compact crossover to hit the market, the Venue. Sporting three trim levels, this boxy but stylish ride is ideal for urban residents living in tight spaces, falling in line with similar models like the Nissan Kicks, Kia Soul, and Ford EcoSport. A little 1.6-liter inline-four pushes out 121 tiny ponies that, while underwhelming, provide enough passing power when needed.

What the Venue lacks in power, though, it makes up for in attractive design, a plethora of standard safety equipment, and a crazy-low price tag.

While the first word that comes to mind to describe the styling is, unfortunately, “cute”—it’s worth noting that cute sells. Plus, the Venue’s top-tier Denim trim package offers an exclusive Denim exterior color with contrasting white roof that bumps the overall design up a few notches.

Inside, hard plastic dominates, but contrasting fabrics and small details help elevate the interior. Cargo space is surprisingly good, with 19 cubic feet and plenty of seat-folding configurations to make the most of it.

Helping the 2020 Hyundai Venue stand out from the pack though is its standard convenience and safety equipment, including an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as Hyundai’s SmartSense safety suite. Well-suited for new drivers who may need to lean on such safety bells and whistles, the Venue also starts at a little over $17k—making it a great fit for tight budgets.

In today’s market of ever-rising new vehicle costs, we’re impressed with how much utility Hyundai packed into a little, low-cost package.

2020 Toyota RAV4 with TRD Off-Road Package

Our next entry is a veteran in the CUV game—a hard-nosed contender known for its fine design, rugged features, and track record for excellence over time. But while the 2020 Toyota RAV4 may not be all-new, its treatment to a TRD Off-Road package sure is.

Unveiled at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, this new TRD Off-Road model features a specially-tuned suspension as well as upgraded coil springs and re-valved shocks. Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail all-terrain tires wrapped around 18-inch matte black TRD alloy wheels give the RAV4 a grippy ride while ensuring it remains light on its feet. Also assisting in off-road adventures (and on-road styling) are the TRD RAV4’s high-rise roof rails, large over fenders, and aggressive bumper, grille designs, fog light surrounds, and bevy of TRD badging.

Power comes from a 203-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with an 8-speed auto and torque vectoring all-wheel-drive system, offering “get-up-and-go-anywhere performance,” as well as impressive fuel economy. Toyota’s Safety Sense suite comes standard, as does a 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa compatibility.

This upgraded model starts around $35k, but that extra money down provides drivers with a grab bag of fantastic features for the price. The RAV4 has always meant business—and now it really looks the part.

2020 Lincoln Corsair/2020 Ford Escape

Next up on the list we have a twofer: the 2020 Lincoln Corsair and 2020 Ford Escape.

The Corsair, an all-new entry model from Ford’s luxury badge Lincoln shares its underpinnings with the completely redesigned Ford Escape. But while the two crossovers share similar roots and design features, there are some key differences worth noting.

2020 Lincoln Corsair

The 2020 Corsair (which replaces the Lincoln MKC) is, as expected, a cushier ride than its Ford sibling. Sharp exterior styling meets a luxurious interior, complete with 24-way power-adjustable leather seats, ambient lighting, an available panoramic vista roof, and a floating center console sporting a user-friendly and ergonomic layout.

On-board tech abounds, with plenty of cameras, personalized touchscreen configurations, a wireless charging pad, and “approach detection” that “welcomes” you with sequential lighting, soft illuminating glows, and a Lincoln logo welcome mat. There’s even an app that lets users unlock, lock, and start the car with just a few taps on their smartphone.

Power comes via two turbocharged inline fours: a standard 250-hp 2.0-liter or an available 295-hp 2.3-liter, both mated to an 8-speed auto. Intelligent all-wheel drive optimizes performance, while a new rear suspension minimizes harshness, noise, and vibration. A plug-in-hybrid Grand Touring model is set to join the Corsair’s lineup, sporting a 266-hp 2.5-liter and permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor.

Starting just under $36,000, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair is prestige, quality, and punchy performance in a tidy package.

2020 Ford Escape

The fourth-gen Ford Escape sports a fresh redesign for 2020, with five trim levels, four engines, and enough smart features to keep anyone happy.

Longer, wider, and lower than previous Escapes, the new model is also lighter, thanks to the use of high-strength steel. This new agile structure is powered by your choice of a standard 181-hp 1.5L gasoline EcoBoost, 250-hp 2.0L gas EcoBoost, or a hybrid/plug-in hybrid with 2.5L iVCT Atkinson-cycle engine.

The interior is nicely laid out but lacks any real refinement unless you hit a higher trim. Similarly, standard driver-assist technology is impressive, but infotainment-wise, most of the real goodies are only available as add-ons. Car and Driver seems to have the right of it by saying that the 2020 Ford Escape “fights in a tough class filled with more refined and less expensive vehicles.”

A decently-equipped new Escape will easily throw you into the mid-30k range, at which point you might be better off asking for a Lincoln salesperson. Here’s hoping Ford tacks on enough incentives to make it worthwhile because at the right price, this is a solid contender.

2020 Genesis GV80

American consumers: meet Korean luxury. Introduced via teaser image on New Year’s Eve, the all-new Genesis GV80 marks the automaker’s first-ever SUV offering. The GV80 will go head-to-head with competition like the Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Mercedes-Benz GLE-class, offering bold exterior styling, a clean, almost-minimalist interior, and powerful twin-turbo V6.

Like the other top 5 crossovers on this list, standard safety bells and whistles are bountiful, as is the on-board tech. RoadShow reports a massive 14.5-inch infotainment display as well as augmented reality overlays to the navigation system. “A controller on the center console lets occupants work through the infotainment functions, and includes handwriting recognition tech.”

According to reports, the standard version of the GV80 should hit American shores later this year, likely launching as a 2021 model. Rumored base price is around $50,000, which significantly would undercut its competition by thousands of dollars.

2020 Aston Martin DBX

Rounding out our list of top 5 crossovers to watch in the new year, is the latest model to emerge in a recent long line of uber-ultra-not-for-us-plebs luxury crossovers coming from fancy badges: the 2020 Aston Martin DBX. Joining the likes of Bentley, Lamborghini, and Rolls Royce, Aston Martin is releasing its own version of a crossover and, SURPRISE: it’s really expensive.

Sporting a standard 4-liter twin-turbo V-8 pushing out 542 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque with a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.3 second and top speed of 181 mph, the 2020 DBX is, simply put, a beast. A luxurious interior with plenty of next-generation infotainment and safety tech comes as no surprise. Although, the midsizer’s ability to haul nearly 6,000 pounds is pretty astonishing.

If you happen to have an extra $192,086, (the base price point for this CUV) then good for you! This would be a great option to flex HARD on everyone on your next trip to the grocery store.

Would you buy any of these top 5 crossovers for 2020? Let us know in the comments.