Best Deals: Compact crossovers

Every car company doing business in America has at least one compact crossover its its stable, and several automakers have two. These vehicles have taken over as the family car of choice for the majority of Americans, and it's easy to understand why.

With greater utility to go along with higher ground clearance and an elevated seating position, crossovers offer an attractive alternative to the traditional sedan.

But with so many options available, choosing the right model can be confusing. And it can be a challenge for shoppers to know for sure that they are getting a fair deal.

That's where we come in. This slideshow breaks down all of the compact crossovers for sale in 2019, and includes average transaction prices for each. We've sorted the list by the percentage of discount off their suggested retail prices.

We've kept luxury brands off this list to keep the number to a manageable level. Click on the image above to get started.

MSRP: $26,730
Transaction Price: $22,058
Discount: $4,673
Percentage Discount: 17.5%

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was brand new for the 2018 model year, and there aren't any major changes for 2019. It's not our favorite option in this crowded segment, but it is the discount leader, with average transaction prices coming in at a 17.5-percent discount off MSRP for 2018 models.

The 2019 edition is selling at a pretty good discount too, with its $23,435 average transaction price representing a discount of just under 13 percent.

MSRP: $26,651
Transaction Price: $22,600
Discount: $4,051
Percentage Discount: 15.2%

The Compass is one of two compact crossover offerings from Jeep, and we think it's a pretty good option for buyers who covet its iconic seven-slot grille.

Leftover 2018 Compass models are seeing discounts of over 15 percent, as you can see from the numbers up above. The 2019 edition is averaging $24,212 — not quite as high as the 2018, but still a solid 13-percent discount off its sticker price.

MSRP: $33,352
Transaction Price: $28,372
Discount: $4,980
Percentage Discount: 14.9%

The Mitsubishi Outlander is one of only two compact crossovers on this list that offer three rows of seating, though potential buyers should know that its third row is predictably tight.

Interestingly, the Eclipse Cross is the two-row compact crossover with the lowest average transaction price in America, and the Outlander earns the same title for three rows. So if you're looking for a deal, you may want to check out your nearest Mitsubishi dealer.

MSRP: $29,816
Transaction Price: $25,509
Discount: $4,307
Percentage Discount: 14.4%

There's a brand-new Ford Escape coming for 2020, but that one isn't yet on sale. The pricing you see above is for the 2019 Escape, and for those keeping track, its 14.4-percent discount is the largest of all the 2019 models.

MSRP: $30,295
Transaction Price: $26,329
Discount: $3,966
Percentage Discount: 13.1%

The Jeep Cherokee differs quite a bit from its sibling, the Compass. The Cherokee offers an optional six-cylinder engine, and it's slighter higher price reflects a more upmarket interior.

The pricing information above is for the 2019 model, which was updated with new styling that we greatly prefer over the 2018.

MSRP: $27,117
Transaction Price: $23,981
Discount: $3,125
Percentage Discount: 11.6%

The numbers above are for the 2019 Kia Sportage. Interestingly, Kia is reporting sales of the 2020 Sportage as well, with an average transaction price of $28,847.

MSRP: $38,953
Transaction Price: $35,048
Discount: $3,905
Percentage Discount: 10%

Getting a 10-percent discount off any car's listed sticker price represents a decent deal. In the case of the Buick Envision, however, the resulting average transaction price of $38,953 means it's the most expensive compact crossover on this list.

Buyers may be more likely to cross shop the Buick Envision with premium nameplates — Acura, BMW, Lincoln and Lexus, for instance — but we decided to include it in this list as a sort of in-betweener.

MSRP: $30,011
Transaction Price: $27,002
Discount: $3,009
Percentage Discount: 10%

The Nissan Rogue is one of the best-selling compact crossovers in America, and part of its sales success could be due to its reasonable transaction prices. The numbers above are for the 2019 edition; oddly, 2018 Rogues are selling at a smaller discount of 7.8 percent.

The Nissan Rogue is one of only a couple of compact crossover to offer an optional hybrid powertrain.

MSRP: $28,471
Transaction Price: $25,652
Discount: $2,819
Percentage Discount: 9.9%

Hyundai has several crossovers in its current stable, including the 2019 Tucson seen here. We're not officially including it on this list, but the slightly larger Hyundai Santa Fe may also be cross-shopped with a lot of these compact crossovers. The 2019 Santa Fe's average transaction price of $28,869 represents a discount of 8.8 percent off its sticker price.

MSRP: $31,278
Transaction Price: $28,381
Discount: $2,897
Percentage Discount: 9.3%

The Volkswagen Tiguan is the only German vehicle on this list. Its average transaction price of $28,381 and 9.3-percent discount puts it about mid-pack in the compact crossover segment.

The Tiguan is also the only compact crossover besides the Mitsubishi Outlander to offer a third row of seats.

MSRP: $31,879
Transaction Price: $29,706
Discount: $2,173
Percentage Discount: 6.8%

The numbers above are for leftover 2018 CR-Vs. Interestingly, although the 2019 CR-V is selling at a smaller discount off MSRP, its average transaction price of $28,649 is actually a bit lower than the 2018s are averaging.

The Honda CR-V is one of our favorite compact crossovers, and its 40.4-inches of rear-seat legroom means it's also one of the roomiest for passengers.

MSRP: $31,557
Transaction Price: $29,473
Discount: $2,085
Percentage Discount: 6.6%

There's a brand-new Toyota RAV4 for 2019, and we like the new version a lot more than we like the version it replaces. These numbers are for the older 2018 model.

As you'd expect, though, there's practically zero wiggle room on the new RAV4's list price — the 2019's average transaction prices are less than a thousand dollars under its sticker.

MSRP: $30,369
Transaction Price: $28,486
Discount: $1,883
Percentage Discount: 6.2%

Mazda is known for building cars that are fun to drive, and the CX-5 is no different. It's aimed at driving enthusiasts and doesn't sell in nearly the same quantities as the segment's leaders.

The numbers above apply to leftover 2018 CX-5s; the 2019 edition's average transaction price of $30,194 represents an even slimmer discount of 5.3 percent off sticker price.

Still, if you value dynamics over a low price, Mazda's compact crossover is still worth a look.

MSRP: $32,145
Transaction Price: $30,430
Discount: $2,819
Percentage Discount: 5.3%

We'd guess that the chromed-out and leather-lined Terrain Denali plays a role in the GMC's comparatively high average transaction price of $30,430.

MSRP: $30,152
Transaction Price: $28,614
Discount: $1,538
Percentage Discount: 5.1%

The 2019 Subaru Forester is the final vehicle on this list. Its average transaction price is a bit higher than many of its competitors, but remember, the Forester comes with standard all-wheel drive. Plus, with 76.1 cubic feet of storage space with the second row of seats folded flat, it's also the most capacious vehicle in this segment.