Small suv for daughter need help

It doesn't make much sense to buy a used car right now. Toyota RAV4 (especially Hybrid) and Mazda CX-5 and CX-30 are some of the most reliable mainstream SUVs right now. They are all good choices. I wouldn't worry about the CVT in the CR-V. The CVTs from Honda have been reliable. Subaru and especially Nissan have the worst CVTs.

The CR-V has the most cargo and passenger space. The Mazdas have the least space. The RAV4 is on the smaller side, but still good.

I haven't heard of anything with headlight problems on the RAV4. I've heard of people having trouble filling their cars with gas due to the gas chamber closing off. Also, the gas tank gauge sometimes is inaccurate. Not a big deal.

I too am shopping for a small SUV with AWD. I am very leery of CVT's as down the road, replacement costs are astronomical and are reportedly not as reliable and long lasting as a conventional automatic. I've had a few cars with CVT's and also found the hesitation when pulling out quickly frightening (Chevy Spark), though the hybrid CVT's seem to work better (C-Max, Prius). So if you remove CVT's and dual-clutch automatics (again, quirky, costly to repair, reliabiity issues), then the selection is way down. I've read reports where the new design RAV-4's have had a lot of issues and the prices are very high with no discounts, especially 2021. I've narrowed it down to: Buick Encore (not Encore GX... tried both and the quality of the GX seemed lacking in comparrison... even slamming the door the GX sounded less solid than the older design Encore), Ford Ecosport (though I detest the swing-open rear "hatch" and no spare tire), and possibly Honda HR-V (yes, it's a CVT, but reliability seems to have improved on the Honda CVT's, though I still don't like the driving characteristics). The Mazda is a good choice if it fits in your budget and cargo room needs. I looked at the CX-30 and the cargo space is just too small (I have 2 dogs and carry large boxes at times). For your daughter, I would strongly urge you to look at the current Kia Sportage. Really NICE vehicle... quiet, nice ride, good handling, good performance even with base engine, MPG is o.k., good old 6-speed automatic. I would grab one in a heartbeat, but unfortunately, my garage is too small and I wouldn't be able to open the doors; so I need something narrower. Hope that helps!