What city SUV should I buy?

The dilemma

Emma loves her 2005 Holden Astra but recently it's been spending more and more time hobbled by mechanical niggles. That and the impending arrival of her first child mean it's time for a new car.

She wants to stick with something small and economical - her partner's Nissan X-Trail will fill the family-car role - but it has to be safe and reasonably child-friendly, too. She's been looking at Mazda's CX-3, or should she be targeting something else?

The budget

Up to $30,000

The shortlist

The CX-3 ticks off most of Emma's key criteria but it's also something of an underperformer in the practical field. Certainly it's capable of fitting a kid or two in the back but there are many rivals that could be more readily described as 'child-friendly'.

Singling out contenders from this group that won't ask her to make unreasonable sacrifices elsewhere relative to the Mazda is where things get a bit more complicated.

Ford's EcoSport and Holden's Trax are simply outclassed in 2017. Peugeot's 2008 and Renault's Captur are hobbled by undernourished drivetrains and various nags. Fiat's 500X and Jeep's

Renegade ultimately lose out to our chosen CX-3 alternatives against Emma's criteria. Toyota's promising-on-paper C-HR wasn't yet available as this was written.

Honda HR-V, from $24,990

This Honda might be small on the outside but it's spacious inside and has a big 439-litre boot.

Its split-fold back seat folds flat, low and incorporates bases that fold up, transforming the back-seat space into a unique load-carting opportunity.

All models have a reversing camera and, in this budget range, you can have autonomous emergency braking. It's quiet, comfortable and couldn't be easier to drive or park.

But the mandatory 1.8-litre petrol engine/CVT auto combo needs plenty of revs to deliver its best and its economy rating is similarly so-so (6.6-6.9L/100km). Its handling is competent but not quite laudable or inspiring.

Honda's five-year/100,000km fixed-price servicing deal and yearly/10,000km intervals aren't class benchmarks, even if the latter aren't a negative point of difference here.

Read Drive's Honda HR-V reviews:

• Road test: Honda HR-V
• Road-test comparison: Baby SUVs

Mazda CX-3, from $19,990

This Mazda's back seat is tighter than the Honda's, its boot considerably smaller (264 litres) and its folding back-seat setup comparatively crude (it just folds, and not quite flat at that).

Its 2.0-litre petrol engine makes a bit of a racket when pushed and road noise can be intrusive on coarse surfaces.

But the CX-3's petrol engine is flexible, willing and delivers some respectable economy numbers (6.1-6.7L/100km). Its road manners are a great balance of agility, entertainment and comfort.

It can be had with the same key safety tricks as the Honda (reversing camera, autonomous emergency braking) but unlike its rival it offers the choice of a manual gearbox, thrifty diesel option or all-wheel-drive.

While it has the same unremarkable yearly/10,000km service intervals as the HR-V, Mazda fixes prices for the life of the vehicle.

Read Drive's Mazda CX-3 reviews:

• Road test: Mazda CX-3 sTouring
• Road-test comparison: Baby SUVs

Suzuki Vitara, from $21,990

This Suzuki is competitively spacious, has a handy 375-litre boot and its road manners land on an impressively equitable mix of pampering, poise and fun.

Buyers in this price range can choose a 1.4-litre turbo petrol model, which serves up stronger, more flexible performance than mainstream 1.6-litre non-turbo models with only a tiny economy penalty (5.9L/100km vs 5.8L/100km).

But the Vitara is the only car here that can't be specified with autonomous emergency braking.

Its cabin lacks the sense of occasion of its rivals, even if it you do get the chance to indulge in various personalisation opportunities not available with the other cars.

Suzuki's five-year/100,000km fixed-price servicing deal has this group's least convenient intervals (six-monthly/10,000km) and diesel models, unlike the Mazda, aren't on in this budget range.

Read Drive's Suzuki Vitara reviews:

• First drive: Suzuki Vitara 
• Road-test comparison: Citroen C4 Cactus vs Fiat 500X vs Suzuki Vitara S Turbo

Drive recommends

With the Honda super-practical but outgunned in the driving/underbonnet fields and the Mazda a great drive that's a little impractical, the best-of-both-worlds Suzuki looks to have it wrapped up.

But the Vitara is also the only car here not to push the safety boundaries with driver aids such as autonomous emergency braking. With safety high on Emma's list of priorities, its grasp on the winner's trophy could be up for debate.

If so, it will come down to the HR-V and CX-3. And in that scenario, we suspect the former's practical advantages might count for more than the latter's driving and other rewards.