Five Great SUVs You Can Get For $500 Per Month

The Hyundai Tucson XRT isn’t the smallest SUV in the Hyundai lineup, and it gives you a lot of value for your $500 per month. The XRT is not the base model either. It adds a few extra features and a more rugged appearance package. At this price point, you get all-wheel drive, which adds traction and huge safety benefits. It is powered by a 187-hp 2.5L four-cylinder engine that gives you a combined average fuel economy of 25-miles per gallon. It comes with heated front seats and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with built-in navigation. It also comes with all the safety features you’d want, like collision avoidance, lane departure warnings, and downhill braking assistance. Hyundai uses strong steel in the construction and a wide array of advanced airbags, which help give the Tucson a five-star safety rating. It also comes with a 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty on the vehicles, with a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the drivetrain. They also throw in 5 years of 24/7 roadside assistance coverage. Using Hyundai’s financing with a special 1.9% rate, you get payments of $528 a month for 60 months.

Subarus have a solid reputation as a long-lasting and very safe vehicle. All-wheel drive comes standard on all models, too. The Subaru Forester Premium is a very popular model and slots right into that size range that the Tucson sits in - not the smallest model, but still compact and sporty. The Forester Premium is not the base model, and there are other trims that get you different options without going much higher in price. It uses a 2.5 liter, four-cylinder BOXER motor and a CVT transmission for a smooth, shiftless ride. Fuel economy averages 25 mpg. The Subaru Forester Premium comes with a 3-year, 36,000 mile new-car warranty, a 5-year, 60,000 mile powertrain warranty and a 5-year rust protection warranty. It will be no shock to learn the Forester comes with a 5-star safety rating. It is one of the safest SUVs on the road. The interior area feels bigger than it should, and the Forester is a lot of fun to drive, too. Payments are $499 for 63 months with a 5.9% interest rate from Subaru Financial.

The compact Chevy Trailblazer LS uses General Motors EcoTech 1.3L four cylinder motor that produces a respectable 155 horsepower. That power makes its way to the pavement through a 9-speed automatic transmission. Inside you’ll find a massive 11-inch digital display screen with wireless interface, giving you both Apple Carplay and Android services. On the safety side, the Trailblazer comes with Chevy’s automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert monitoring, front pedestrian braking, following distance indicator, lane keep assist with a lane departure warning, and IntelliBeam auto high beams. It should not be a surprise to find the Chevy comes with the famed OnStar service, too. As far as safety in concerned, the Trailblazer gets a five-star rating. With an estimated 4.9% interest rate and the $5,000 trade in, you can buy a new Trailblazer for $501 per month over just 48 months. A brand-new, all-wheel drive SUV that you can pay off in just four years is a huge win.

Up next is the midsize Nissan Rogue S AWD. This may be Nissan’s most popular SUV and with good reason. You get a lot of bang for your buck. It uses a 1.5-liter DOHC 12-valve three-cylinder engine that produces 201 horsepower. Fuel economy is great at 33-miles per gallon combined. It has fully independent suspension for a smooth ride and a shift-free CVT automatic transmission. Inside you’ll find an 8-inch touchscreen system with Apple Carplay and Android compatibility. Like the other vehicles in this list, you get a five-star safety rating because what good is a lower payment if the vehicle isn’t safe? You can pick up the Rogue for around $480 per month for 60 months with Nissans financing at a 2.9% interest rate. You get a lot of vehicle for that price.

Kias are well known for a couple of major things - good quality vehicles at a low cost and a great warranty. The 2025 Kia Seltos LX has a lot to offer. If you want an economical, safe vehicle that you can depend on, this is a great option to explore. It comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 146 horsepower. If you want to add features, there are a couple of trim levels that start under $30,000 that have a 1.9 liter turbo-charged motor for 195 horses.The base LX comes with all the safety features you should expect in newer vehicles and it also carries the five-star safety rating that is important. These are fun SUVs to drive and they have more interior room that you’d expect. Financing the Kia for 60 months at 4.5 percent interest will get you a pretty low payment of $393 a month. For a compact SUV in all-wheel drive and a great warranty, that’s a smoking good deal.