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Best Subcompact SUV for 2022

Best Subcompact SUV for 2022

Bigger doesn't always mean better. Despite being seen by many as affordable mass-market machinery, subcompact SUVs can provide everything a growing family needs at a great value. It's not the largest market at the moment, but the growing appeal means that more competitors are showing up every year.

Whether you're looking for something fancy, something efficient or something simply good, these are our choices for the best subcompact SUVs your money can buy. It's also worth noting that some of these subcompacts may be larger than others, but rest assured: Everything we mention here is quite small.

Hyundai

For years now, the Hyundai Kona has remained one of our absolute favorite small SUVs. And despite an influx of new competition, the Kona still stands out as one of the best subcompact vehicles available for purchase.

There isn't just one reason, either. The Kona drives superbly, whether with its tiniest engine or the honkin' turbo four-pot in the Kona N. There's also an electric variant available for those ready to embrace EVs. For its price, styling and build quality are surprisingly high. We could keep going, too. It's a great value.

Emme Hall/Roadshow

Step aside, Kona; you're not the only high-quality game in town anymore. Even though the Kona has long been one of our top choices for a subcompact SUV, Japanese automaker Mazda has a new offering that gives the Kona a serious run for its money.

The CX-30 packs an excellent powertrain by way of an optional turbocharged I4 producing 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, which makes it pretty darn sprightly for something this small. And it does that engine justice by virtue of being a great car to drive. Sure, the infotainment system leaves a bit to be desired, but excellent styling and driving characteristics make the CX-30 a proper value. 

Jon Wong/Roadshow

There aren't many small luxury SUVs on sale, but of the few choices on offer, Audi's subcompact Q3 crossover leaves the best impression.

The Audi Q3 grew a bit in its second generation, but dimensions only tell part of the story. Build quality and style are top-notch, and the infotainment system standard on every Q3 is one of our favorites across the entire car industry. It may not win many races, but it'll definitely look the best when it arrives. And with a starting price well below the average new-car transaction price, the Q3 is a good way to break into a luxury marque without breaking your wallet in two.

Hyundai

The Hyundai Kona is traditionally a pretty sedate mass-market crossover, but not in this form. The Hyundai Kona N is a kick in the pants in a segment that doesn't generally offer this kind of experience.

The Kona N gets its power from a turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 making 276 hp and 289 lb-ft, which is sent to the front wheels by way of an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. It's loaded with all sorts of fun tricks, like overboost, racing-game-inspired cabin tech and a variable exhaust tone. It's a beast.

Kia

Electrified subcompacts aren't quite ubiquitous yet. But that's good for the Kia Niro, because its many variants have a lock on the market until enough competitors arise.

The Kia Niro Hybrid is a standard gas-electric hybrid sandwiched into a capacious hatchback body. It isn't exactly powerful, nor does it love to get tossed around, but that's not the point of the car; instead, it's going to keep you away from gas stations for longer and provide a ride that's comfortable with tech that's easy to use. What's not to like? 

Kia

Plug-in hybrids allow buyers to go electric with the comforting backup of a proper gas engine. There are even fewer PHEVs in this segment than there are hybrids, but again, that's a good thing for Kia.

The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid takes the same formula as the standard hybrid and adds a 8.9-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. That might not sound like much, but it allows for about 26 miles of electric driving at a time, which could cover a commute. And, like every other Niro variant, the car wrapped around that powertrain is pretty darn good.

Volvo

The Volvo C40 Recharge is the automaker's first full battery-electric vehicle, although many, many more are on the way. Yet, despite being a first effort of sorts, our time with the Recharge proves this feels nothing like a first attempt.

Relying on a 78-kWh battery and a pair of electric motors, this tiny SUV offers up an impressive 408 hp and 487 lb-ft, with 60 mph arriving in 4.5 seconds. Volvo expects this little guy to get around 225 miles on a charge, which isn't as much as some competitors, but the whole experience is polished in a way that, say, a Hyundai Kona isn't.

Read our 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric review.

Hyundai

Some of these cars on this list are easier to pick than others. This category was simple, because we didn't have to pick a favorite, the US government did.

The EPA rates the Hyundai Kona as more efficient than any other non-electrified subcompact SUV, with an estimated fuel economy of 30 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. Then again, this little utility vehicle is all about thrift, making just 147 hp from its 2.0-liter inline-4. Its CVT is smooth, and the interior quality is higher than what you'd maybe expect from one of the least expensive vehicles on sale today.

Kia

With the average new-car transaction price shooting well past $40,000 this year, it's no surprise that so many people are clamoring for a new car that's not going to break your wallet in half. Well, friends, you're in luck, because the Kia Soul exists, and it's great.

The 2022 Kia Soul starts at $20,545 including $1,175 for destination, making it one of the most affordable new cars on the market. And it's a good one, too, offering about 33 mpg highway and a standard 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Throw another $900 into the mix and you can fit the Soul with every active and passive safety system Kia offers. Not a bad deal!

Jon Wong/Roadshow

There are plenty of fine subcompact products from the usual players in the luxury game, like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But none of them looks like a million bucks as much as a Range Rover Evoque does, especially now, when its latest refresh puts its looks closer to the big-boy Range Rover than ever before.

That counts both inside and out, too. The Evoque is full of clean lines and minimal visual clutter. Most of the center stack is a screen, and the seats can be outfitted with the same soft Windsor leather we enjoy on far more expensive Land Rover products. It's hard to find a plusher subcompact SUV than this one.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

You won't be tackling Moab in any subcompact, because the wild hardware required isn't really available in this segment. That said, if you do plan on tackling some trails and maybe finding a more remote place to camp, and you need something small for the task, the Subaru Crosstrek is a pretty good way to get there.

The Crosstrek isn't really a subcompact, but it's small and we're rounding down. All-wheel drive is standard, as is 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the latter of which should be pretty important in the event of a few stray rocks on the trail. In addition to being small and fordable, the Crosstrek has an attractive cabin and some impressive on-road efficiency, meaning it won't be totally annoying to pilot once you're back on solid ground.

Read our 2021 Subaru Crosstrek review.

Emme Hall/Roadshow

A few of these categories don't have a clear winner. Since automakers share so much of their tech between their vehicles these days, it only felt right to talk about our favorite tech-laden cars as a group.

In this category, Hyundai and Kia reign supreme. When their vehicles don't include the full suite of active and passive safety systems, those upgrades are often available for a low price. Nearly all their vehicles across the price spectrum come standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but if you do prefer the in-house interface, these automakers have one of the best infotainment systems on offer today. These are easy cars to recommend for tech aficionados.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Again, we have a tie. Automakers have offered long warranty periods as a way to offer buyers peace of mind for a longer stretch of time, which these days can often extend to a full decade.

Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Kia all offer impressive warranties. In terms of bumper-to-bumper coverage, all three offer a 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty. All three also give the buyer a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty for the powertrain. It's never fun calling the dealership, but knowing you're protected against unforeseen costs can help soften the blow.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

This category would have had a different winner a few months ago. Prior to the release of VW's latest SUV, the subcompact with the most cargo room was the Kia Seltos. But now, thanks to some clever packaging, the Volkswagen Taos has taken the crown.

Despite its diminutive frame, the VW Taos offers nearly 28 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats up. That number jumps even higher to 66 cubes once that second row is folded down. Simply put, that's a ton of capacity. The number shrinks a bit if you opt for all-wheel drive, given the extra hardware required to get those wheels to move, but the Taos is a hard act to beat either way.

Read our 2022 Volkswagen Taos review.

Tim Stevens/Roadshow

You're not going to be towing horse trailers or entire double-wides with a subcompact SUV, but some of these little utes are able to tow a couple thousand pounds, which should help you get more of your stuff around town.

The Jeep Renegade, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30 are all capable of towing 2,000 pounds, but that's not the highest figure among small SUVs. Volvo has them all beat, with the XC40 SUV offering an impressive 3,500-pound tow rating. Need to get a race car across town? Now you can, and you don't have to buy something the size of a small apartment building to make it happen.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Most vehicles these days carry the same kinds of active and passive safety systems -- forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, all that good stuff. Which is why, to settle this category, we went straight to the experts at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. According to their figures, the Mazda CX-30 reigns supreme in safety.

Safety is more than the sum of the aforementioned tech systems. In every crash test, the CX-30 achieved the IIHS' top rating of Good. It also received full marks for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian crash protection. Surprisingly, what puts the CX-30 ahead of its rivals, however barely, is its child-seat LATCH system, which the IIHS rated Good+ thanks to its ease of use.

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Comparison of the best subcompact SUVs for 2022

Category	Name	Base Engine	Output	Fuel Economy (mpg, city/hwy/combined)	Base Price
Best subcompact SUV	Hyundai Kona	2.0-liter I4	147 hp / 132 lb-ft	30 / 35 / 32	$22,545
Best subcompact SUV runner-up	Mazda CX-30	2.5-liter I4	186 hp / 186 lb-ft	25 / 33 / 28	$23,425
Best subcompact luxury SUV	Audi Q3	2.0-liter I4 turbo	228 hp / 258 lb-ft	22 / 30 / 25	$37,595
Best subcompact performance SUV	Hyundai Kona N	2.0-liter I4 turbo	276 hp / 289 lb-ft	20 / 27 / 23	$35,445
Best subcompact hybrid SUV	Kia Niro Hybrid	1.6-liter I4	104 hp / 109 lb-ft	51 / 46 / 49	$25,945
Best subcompact plug-in hybrid SUV	Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid	1.6-liter I4	139 hp / 195 lb-ft	105 MPGe	$30,845
Best subcompact electric SUV	Volvo C40 Recharge	Dual electric motor	408 hp / 487 lb-ft	TBD	$59,845
Best subcompact SUV for fuel economy	Hyundai Kona	2.0-liter I4	147 hp / 132 lb-ft	30 / 35 / 32	$22,545
Best affordable subcompact SUV	Kia Soul	2.0-liter I4	147 hp / 132 lb-ft	28 / 33 / 30	$20,545
Best subcompact SUV if money is no object	Land Rover Range Rover Evoque	2.0-liter I4 turbo	246 hp / 269 lb-ft	20 / 27 / 22	$46,050
Best subcompact SUV for off-roading	Subaru Crosstrek	2.0-liter H4	152 hp / 145 lb-ft	28 / 33 / 30	$23,820
Best subcompact SUV for cargo space	Volkswagen Taos	1.5-liter I4 turbo	158 hp / 184 lb-ft	28 / 36 / 31	$24,690
Best subcompact SUV for towing	Volvo XC40	2.0-liter I4 turbo	187 hp / 221 lb-ft	23 / 32 / 26	$36,195
Best subcompact SUV for safety	Mazda CX-30	2.5-liter I4	186 hp / 186 lb-ft	25 / 33 / 28	$23,425

How we made our list

We drove them, of course! Over the past year, and for many years prior, Roadshow's editors have evaluated the entire new-car spectrum, which gives us all the context we need to figure out which cars are best for you, dear consumer. We have decades of collective experience in determining what provides the best value, and those efforts have led to the list you're reading right now.

Of course, it bears mentioning that this list shouldn't be taken as canon. Your experience matters most, so take these recommendations to your local dealerships and get to test driving. Once you've actually had some time with a car, you'll be in a better place to make a decision that takes your interests and preferences into account. And don't forget to take the above prices with a grain of salt; haggling is, for better or worse, still part of the buying experience for most people.

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Tesla Solar Panels Review: Cheaper Than Other National Players

Tesla Solar Panels Review: Cheaper Than Other National Players

Like

• Low prices and a price match guarantee
• Quality equipment
• Lower profile panels

Don't Like

• Anecdotally, customer service can be poor
• Four set sizes limits flexibility
• Fewer equipment options

More and more homeowners are turning to rooftop solar panels as a way to save money or address climate change. But solar panels represent a huge financial investment. While there are dozens of solar panel providers and installers around the country, it's worth looking at the major players.

Although most people likely know Tesla as an electric car company, it took a major step into the solar business with its 2016 purchase of the solar company SolarCity, which was founded by cousins of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. It now installs solar panels and its unique Solar Roof in at least parts of 25 states and promises to match the prices of its competitors.

Tesla is one of the largest solar installers in the United States (though it's no longer one of the three largest, Wood Mackenzie reported). Tesla gave ground to companies with more aggressive sales tactics, opting for an online-only sales method that feels less pushy. It backs its already low prices with a price match guarantee.

Tesla offers low-profile solar panels and are likely cheaper than those from other national companies.

Tesla

Those guaranteed low prices, matched with quality panels, batteries and inverters means Tesla likely offers more solar power for less money than other national players. Tesla customers might lose some of that value in customer service. While customer satisfaction ratings don't exist for the still relatively new solar industry, anecdotal evidence suggestsTesla may be skimpingon customer service after purchase.

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Advertiser Disclosure : CNET's corporate partner, SaveOnEnergy, can help you find the right energy fit for your home. The SaveOnEnergy marketplace helps you search, compare, sign up and save on the right energy fit for your home — all for free. If you're interested in solar, answer a few questions to get an exact price quote from our solar advisors.  

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Tesla is a good option for someone who wants the most solar for the least amount of money, even if it means some challenges elsewhere. While we weren't able to test a Tesla solar installation or the customer's experience, if you value customer service you're likely to have a better experience with a different provider. Note also that the US Security and Exchange Commission is investigating a whistleblower claim that Tesla misled customers and regulators when fixing fire hazards in its solar panel systems. More on that below.

It's difficult to compare solar providers, since each rooftop installation is unique. It will perform differently based on everything from the orientation of your roof to nearby tree cover to local weather from one day to the next. Below, I'll give you the essential information about Tesla's solar panels and, where possible, let you know how it stacks up to the competition. I'll stick with Tesla's panels here, and write up the Solar Roof in its own article since it's so unique. 

Read more: Solar Panels vs. Tesla Solar Roof: Biggest Differences Broken Down

What do I get from Tesla solar panels?

Tesla offers four sizes of solar panel installations measured in kilowatts: 4.8, 9.6, 14.4 and 19.2kW. Tesla allows you to package your solar panel purchase with a Powerwall, its well-regarded battery system that can store power for use during surge pricing, outages or after the sun sets.

As you might expect, Tesla boasts about its panels' sleek, low-profile design. To my eye, Tesla's installations are indeed less obtrusive than others. If that's important to you, Tesla has an advantage here.

Unless you're really particular about who manufactures your panels, what's really important is how long they'll last and how well they'll work. Tesla's warranty says your panels are guaranteed to work at 85% capacity after 25 years or it will replace them. That's roughly in line with other major companies, though stronger than some.

Tesla's solar panels have maximum efficiency ratings that range from 19.3% to 20.6%, which compare favorably with other panels (though slightly higher-efficiency panels are available).

Tesla's first foray into solar power was not with panels, but with storage. Its Powerwall battery is still one of the top choices in the industry, to the point that other major solar companies offer the Powerwall with their installations.

Tesla's warranty says your panels are guaranteed to work at 80% capacity for 25 years or it will replace them. 

Tesla, Inc.

Powerwall can hold 14 kilowatt-hours of energy. Tesla says it has the ability to power most appliances, though full use of larger 240-volt appliances like air conditioners and clothes dryers may require more batteries. How long 14 kilowatt-hours lasts depends on how much energy you use, but if you avoid using energy-intensive appliances like washers, dryers or air conditioners, it should last you a couple of days at least. (Keep in mind your solar panels will provide power during the day and possibly recharge your Powerwall, weather permitting.) Powerwall can provide 5 kilowatts of energy continuously or 7 kilowatts for a short peak.

Powerwall's warranty guarantees that the battery will hold at least 70% of its rated capacity after 10 years (or after you've cycled 37.8 megawatt hours through it).

You can install Powerwall batteries indoors and outside of your home. They're roughly 6 inches deep, 2 and a half feet wide and almost 4 feet tall, so they shouldn't be difficult to tuck away somewhere.

The final bit of hardware is the Tesla solar inverter, which converts the direct current electricity your panels generate into alternating current that your house can use. A key metric here is efficiency. Tesla's solar inverter operates at 97.5% or 98% efficiency, according to the company. That puts it near the top end of what's typical. It comes with a 12.5-year warranty.

When everything is up and running, you can monitor it all from the slick-looking app Tesla offers its users. Via the app you can monitor your energy production and usage. If you have a Powerwall, you can also customize how it operates. You can set how much charge you'd like your Powerwall to reserve for outages, boost its reserve when a storm is approaching, and adjust when you draw energy from your Powerwall based on time of day. The app has a 4-star rating on Google Play and a 3.8 in the App Store.

Are Tesla solar panels a good deal?

Each of Tesla's four offerings compare favorably to national averages for value measured in dollars per watt. According to the consulting firm Wood Mackenzie, the average cost of residential solar in the United States in 2021 was $3.28 per watt.

Tesla's online estimates usually come in well below that amount, even including one Powerwall (or two with the 19.2 kilowatt option). With the suggested storage options and the federal tax credit (30% of the cost if you install through 2031), Tesla's estimates range from $3.18 per watt for the smallest option down to $2.18 per watt for the largest. If you remove the suggested Powerwall batteries, the estimates come to $1.49 per watt for each size. 

These prices are well-below the information available for other national providers, though they may not be the final cost. Your $100 refundable deposit only starts the process. You may need to upgrade your electrical main panel or pay extra for hiding the conduit from your solar panels. Tesla has also suddenly changed solar panel prices in the recent past. 

Tesla will match any installer who quotes you a lower price. If that quote comes within 14 days and is for an array of the same size or larger, Tesla will match the price on a dollar-per-watt basis. All you need to do is to email them the quote and your Tesla reservation number.

Tesla offers fewer choices than some other installers. While others might offer Tesla's Powerwall and another brand or size of battery, Tesla only offers Powerwall. Because your energy needs will vary from others, you might find a better fit for your needs with another company.

In early December, Reuters reported the SEC was investigating a whistleblower's claims that Tesla failed to notify customers of an issue that may have caused some solar arrays installed before 2018 to catch fire. The company launched Project Titan in 2018 to fix the issues, but was not upfront about the reason and did not offer to shut down solar panels to decrease the risks. Several of its solar customers have sued Tesla over fires. The SEC said that the ongoing investigation into Tesla does not mean it has found that Tesla broke the law, Reuters reported. Tesla does not operate a press office to handle requests for comment.

Read more: Your Solar Panels Can Make You Money. Find Out When and How

Does Tesla operate in my state? How do I order?

The only surefire way to know if Tesla's solar panels are available in your area is plug your address into its website and check. I found services in parts of 25 states. That means it's available in a few more states than some of the other major solar companies, like Trinity and Sunrun, though SunPower serves more. (Tesla's service areas for solar panels and solar roofs are not identical. It's possible that solar roofs are available through a certified installer where panels are not.)

The ordering process is fairly straightforward: Enter your address. Enter your average monthly electricity cost. Tesla will then spit out a suggested solar array and number of Powerwall batteries. It also provides an estimated cost and a visual mockup (though not of your house). You can add or remove solar panels and Powerwalls from your order and see how it will affect your estimated electricity usage and storage capabilities.

When you're satisfied with your setup, you can place your order with a refundable deposit of $100.

From here, you'll need to submit your utility bill and take a few pictures of your roof. Tesla uses that information and satellite imagery to design your system. 

While it may seem strange that Tesla doesn't send someone out to view your roof before designing your solar system, the idea here is to reduce costs. (While the price-per-watt cost of residential solar is falling, the price of panels, inverters and other hardware is falling faster than the soft costs like labor and site visits.)

Tesla solar panel services are available in parts of 25 states.

Tesla

At this point, you'll sign a contract and installation moves ahead largely as it would with any installer. Permits are pulled. Tesla sets an install date (which can be rescheduled). A local team puts panels on your roof.

Your installation may be subcontracted to a certified installer. Tesla has in-house installation teams, but more and more it's relying on third-party installers to expand the reach of its tech. In particular, it certifies installers for the Powerwall and its other solar option, Solar Roof.

Although Tesla did not respond to requests for confirmation about its selection process for install teams, this is information you should be provided before you sign your contract, if it's important to you. 

You have a couple of backstops, too. You can cancel your contract within up to three days after you sign. Also, your final payment isn't due until the newly installed system passes an inspection by your local authority. You also have the option to return your system for up to seven days after it's fully functional. Some work won't be refunded or returned (like a Powerwall installation) and Tesla won't make cosmetic repairs to your roof after it removes panels. What is or isn't returnable and refundable will be detailed in your Energy Products Order Agreement, which you should read carefully before signing.

Is Tesla the best choice?

As with any major purchase, you should get multiple quotes from multiple companies. Make sure they answer all your questions and provide the information you need. While Tesla doesn't have a press office, its customer service representatives were easy to get in touch with and seemed knowledgeable. Still, it shouldn't be your only call.

If you're looking for the lowest prices and the backing of a national brand, Tesla is the way to go. Tesla's price match means it will always be competitive in terms of cost. Likewise, the estimates it provides online (which are only estimates) come in well below the national average. If the look of your panels is really important, Tesla's do sit closer to the roof and look sharp. Tesla also offers more information up front about its warranty than some of the other players. Still, make sure you can view it in detail before committing.

The Powerwall is widely considered an industry leader in batteries. It sets the Tesla's equipment apart, but it's also available from some other installers.

There is very little reliable customer service and satisfaction information for the solar industry. Tesla Solar doesn't have a score on with the Better Business Bureau (which companies receive only if they pay a fee), but anecdotally Tesla's customer service for solar is bad enough in cases to make some people regret their purchase. It's customer service call center was responsive and it's not hard to find customer service complaints for any of the major solar installers, but the complaints about Tesla seem louder and more numerous.

It's also important to note that I researched this as deeply as was practical and tried to provide the clearest answers, but I didn't go through the purchasing process, interact with customer service as a buyer or base my assessment of Tesla's performance on any first-hand experience. This category is a hard one to review in the traditional sense, so if possible, you'll want to make sure to get multiple estimates from the different providers in your area before you make a purchase decision.

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Amid War in Ukraine, Should Ordinary Russians Be Banned From Trading Crypto?

Amid War in Ukraine, Should Ordinary Russians Be Banned From Trading Crypto?

This story is part of War in Ukraine, CNET's coverage of events there and of the wider effects on the world.

As Russia's war on Ukraine intensifies, the US and its allies have continued to increase their economic pressure on the Russian government, to isolate the country further from the global financial system and debilitate its military capacity. Western allies have frozen Russian assets abroad, removed Russian banks from international banking networks and even banned all gas and oil imports, among other unprecedented penalties. But there's still growing concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his supporters might turn to cryptocurrencies to avoid economic sanctions.

With their ability to operate as alternatives to the traditional financial system, cryptocurrency exchanges -- digital marketplaces where you can buy and trade digital currencies -- have become an effective option both for Ukraine supporters to raise funds for relief efforts and for ordinary Russians to seek financial shelter from the economic sanctions imposed on their country.

That's why both the Ukrainian government and advocates for even further economic penalties against Russia have become increasingly vocal about the role crypto exchanges can play in the conflict. Hundreds of Western businesses, such as oil companies Shell and BP and tech players Netflix and Microsoft, have scaled back or halted their dealings in Russia since the beginning of the war. And some people argue that similarly stopping crypto operations in the country could significantly weaken Putin's hold on Russia's economy and its citizens.

"I'm asking all major crypto exchanges to block addresses of Russian users," Ukraine's vice prime minister and minister of digital transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, tweeted Feb. 28. "It's crucial to freeze not only the addresses linked to Russian and Belarusian politicians but also to sabotage ordinary users." 

Fedorov also sent letters to eight cryptocurrency exchanges, including two of the largest by volume, Coinbase and Binance, asking them to stop offering service to Russian users out of concern digital currencies are being used to evade sanctions.

The response was swift. 

"We are not preemptively banning all Russians from using Coinbase," CEO Brian Armstrong tweeted March 3. "We believe everyone deserves access to basic financial services unless the law says otherwise." And hours after getting Fedorov's letter, a Binance spokesperson told CNBC, "We are not going to unilaterally freeze millions of innocent users' accounts. Crypto is meant to provide greater financial freedom for people across the globe. To unilaterally decide to ban people's access to their crypto would fly in the face of the reason why crypto exists."

But the CEOs of several exchanges, including some that got Fedorov's letter, said that though they'll continue to offer access to ordinary Russians, they're complying with US law in regard to sanctions. On March 7, Coinbase reportedly said that to facilitate sanctions enforcement, it had blocked more than 25,000 wallet addresses related to Russian individuals or entities thought to have engaged in illicit activity and had reported them to the US government.

"Some ordinary Russians are using crypto as a lifeline now that their currency has collapsed. Many of them likely oppose what their country is doing, and a ban would hurt them, too."

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong

Ukraine's request for an all-out ban on Russian users, and the unequivocal rejection from most regulated crypto exchanges, has sparked a debate about the responsibilities digital currency platforms have in an international conflict. As a growing number of Western companies decide to stop conducting business in Russia, should crypto exchanges follow suit and go beyond what they're required to do by law? And even if they did, would banning all Russian users from crypto exchanges make a difference in slowing down Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

Some crypto specialists interviewed by CNET, including executives from crypto companies and public officials working to prevent Russia from using digital assets to sidestep economic sanctions, said a full Russian ban from crypto platforms could do more harm than good in regard to ordinary Russians. And some said the volume of the whole crypto market is still too small to really help Putin's government counter the impact of Western economic penalties, even if it tried.

But other experts on the role the private sector can play in global conflicts said bringing the Russian economy to a standstill is the one nonmilitary way to thwart Putin's advance on Ukraine, and that crypto exchanges can contribute to that only if they stop operating in Russia altogether. 

Cryptocurrencies are digital assets that are recorded on a blockchain, a distributed digital ledger that can't be altered. They usually aren't backed by an underlying asset, such as fiat currency. That's why they could be an ideal safe haven amid a wave of economic sanctions. 

Why crypto exchanges won't budge on Russia

In refusing to kick ordinary Russians off their platforms, cryptocurrency exchanges argue that the move would further hurt Russian citizens who are suffering from the economic impact of the war and who might consider buying cryptocurrencies as a way to protect their financial standing.

"We all saw those photos of runs on ATMs from Russian citizens -- lines around the block in Moscow," said Todd Conklin, counselor to the deputy secretary of the US Treasury Department. "One would suspect ordinary citizens may have been looking for an alternative to the ruble." Conklin made the remarks during a March 4 webinar hosted by blockchain analytics company TRM Labs about the possibility Russia could use cryptocurrencies to avoid economic sanctions. 

The ruble, Russia's national currency, has lost nearly 50% of its value against the US dollar since the start of the year, according to Reuters. Other parts of Russia's financial system have also been impacted by the West's pressure on the country to stop its aggression on Ukraine. Digital payment services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay aren't available in Russia any longer. Visa, Mastercard and PayPal also halted operations in the country. Ordinary Russian citizens, worried that economic sanctions will devastate the Russian economy even further, have flocked to ATMs and banks, seeking to withdraw as much cash as possible before it might be too late. 

"Some ordinary Russians are using crypto as a lifeline now that their currency has collapsed," Armstrong, the Coinbase CEO, tweeted. "Many of them likely oppose what their country is doing, and a ban would hurt them, too."

As long as US crypto businesses are complying with US laws in ensuring that sanctioned individuals or entities aren't using their platforms, "crypto could be a vital lifeline for ordinary Russians to preserve their savings [and] receive familial remittances," Michael Parker said in an email. Parker is a former federal prosecutor who's now head of anti-money laundering and sanctions practice at Ferrari & Associates, a Washington, DC-based law firm.

Jesse Powell, co-founder and CEO of Kraken Exchange, another crypto platform, tweeted that though he understood the rationale behind Ukraine's request to remove all Russians from crypto exchanges, Kraken "cannot freeze the accounts of our Russian clients without a legal requirement to do so." 

"I would guess that the vast majority of crypto holders on @krakenfx are anti-war," Powell tweeted. "#Bitcoin is the embodiment of libertarian values, which strongly favor individualism and human rights."

Given the anti-authority libertarian streak that fuels so much of the cryptocurrency sector, the refusal from crypto exchange executives to stop operations in Russia isn't surprising, said Yale University professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who's the president of the Chief Executive Leadership Institute, a nonprofit focused on CEO leadership and corporate governance.

Crypto executives don't like "being told what to do," Sonnenfeld said. "And yet, there's a striking naivete [in] that they are working in support of [Putin], the greatest autocrat alive today, the most restricted world leader, [who] they are tacitly supporting by enabling a bypass, if it's even for the cognoscenti, for elites and for oligarchs, if it was as limited as some claim."

Sonnenfeld said that the reason more than 300 Western companies have pulled out of Russia so far isn't that the government told them to do so. "It's the maverick streak of these CEOs who pulled out and started this thundering herd," he said, "courageous CEOs who had the moral character to pull out."

What a full ban on Russia would and wouldn't do

Some specialists said that blocking all Russians from crypto would not only potentially inflict damage on millions of innocent citizens, but it would also do little to amplify the West's sanctions on Russia's economy. The reason? Russia doesn't have the digital infrastructure to tap into crypto assets at a level required to outmaneuver the economic penalties already imposed by the US and its allies.

"You can't flip a switch overnight and run a G20 economy on cryptocurrency," Conklin said during the webinar hosted by blockchain intelligence company TRM. He explained that in recent years, Russia has worked to bolster the ruble and build up its reserves, instead of laying the rails needed to support crypto. That's why US economic sanctions have been focused on preventing Russia from accessing the reserves it keeps overseas. "Big banks in an economy need real liquidity," Conklin said. "Conducting large-scale transactions in virtual currency is likely to be slow and expensive."

Anthony Citrano, founder of Los Angeles-based NFT platform Acquicent, pointed to crypto prices as a clue to what's going on. "If the Russian government really were using crypto as a major piece of their international finance strategy, you'd expect to see absolutely explosive growth in prices of major crypto [currencies]," he said, "which we have not seen. Time will tell, but for now there is zero evidence this is happening."

"If you can show [Putin] to be truly impotent over the economy, that he doesn't have control over civil society, then he and the oligarchs fall flat on their face, and that's what cryptocurrency mavericks can do."

Yale University professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld

Former federal prosecutor Ari Redbord, who's now head of legal and government affairs at TRM, said the economic sanctions levied so far have been so "serious and so draconian in their measures" that Russia would need much more than crypto assets to counterbalance them. "We're talking about [the] potential loss of, or no access to, hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen [Russian] Central Bank assets. We're talking about $1.5 trillion in potential trade losses," he said. "The entire crypto market cap doesn't approach what ultimately Russia would need to prop up a G20 [economy] government and fight what is going to become a more and more costly war."

But that doesn't mean the Russian government or Putin's supporters won't try to use crypto to circumvent economic sanctions. "Russian actors are very adept at money laundering and have been for a long time," Redbord said. In the case of crypto, they'll be looking for "noncompliant exchanges in order to move those funds." 

Such exchanges include platforms like Suex, which was blacklisted by the Biden administration in September for allegedly helping launder ransomware payments. TRM has identified about 340 exchanges that are either in Russia or Russia-related and don't have compliance controls in place, "and that is where illicit actors will look to move on as on-ramps and off-ramps for crypto," Redbord said.

Those digital platforms are already operating outside the law, though. For any US business, including businesses in the crypto industry, "there is still a full compliance obligation to not deal with sanctioned parties or interests in blocked property," said Parker, from Ferrari & Associates. "US crypto businesses must, and largely do, institute robust compliance programs, including advanced analytics software, to ensure legal compliance with US sanctions."

Bringing Russia to a standstill

Yale's Sonnenfeld argues that it's beside the point whether Putin and his supporters can actually get their hands on enough digital assets to offset the impact of Western sanctions. He said that by halting all operations in Russia, crypto exchanges could contribute to putting even more pressure on Putin's government, until it reaches a tipping point.

"Government-ordered sanctions have limits," Sonnenfeld said, even if they're a coordinated effort between multiple international actors, including the US, the EU, the UK, Australia, Japan and the UN. "They work best when voluntary efforts of the private sector rally."

That's what happened in South Africa in the late 1980s, Sonnenfeld said, when international pressure contributed to putting an end to apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation that had ruled the country for more than 40 years. Economic sanctions imposed by the US government had an effect only when dozens of major private companies joined in. "It brought civil society to a stop/standstill," he said.

Sonnenfeld and his research team at Yale compiled a list of companies that continued operating in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. After the publication of a Washington Post story that mentioned that McDonald's and Starbucks were on the list, both chains announced plans to stop operating in Russia. Since the list was created and made public, it now shows "over 330 companies [that] have announced their withdrawal from Russia in protest" of the Ukraine war.

For Sonnenfeld, paralyzing Russia's economy is the only nonmilitary option the West has against Putin's advances on Ukraine.

"The humanitarian thing to do is to not go with bombs and bullets, and to strangle civil society" and dissolve Putin's image of being a totalitarian with full control over all sectors, he said. "If you can show him to be truly impotent over the economy, that he doesn't have control over civil society, then he and the oligarchs fall flat on their face, and that's what cryptocurrency mavericks can do" should they decide to halt operations in Russia. "They can be really helpful here." 

Allowing ordinary Russians to have access to digital assets through crypto exchanges is "not doing anything humanitarian," Sonnenfeld said. "People should be thrown out of work, they should be out on the street" due to an economic collapse brought on by government-ordered sanctions and to private companies denying Russian citizens access to services, goods and money. "Is that cruel?" Sonnenfeld said. "No, it is better than shooting them, than bombing them -- and that's the stage we're at right now."

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4K and 8K TV refresh rates from 60hz to 120Hz: Everything you should know

4K and 8K TV refresh rates from 60hz to 120Hz: Everything you should know

Refresh rate is one of the more confusing aspects of TV technology and TV makers don't do much to explain it. In fact, they often obscure it.

Refresh rate is a number that specifies how many times per second the image on your TV changes. With most TVs it's 60, though it's rare you'll ever see a TV with that number listed. Instead, manufacturers use different technologies, such as the soap opera effect and black frame insertion, to claim a higher number. Sometimes those claims are justified, sometimes they aren't. 

Higher refresh rate claims with numbers like 120, 240 and higher are common, but not always accurate. In fact, no matter what number you see listed with a 4K TV, no 4K TV has a native panel refresh rate higher than 120Hz. As we'll explain, though, a number higher than 120Hz doesn't necessarily mean the claim is false.

Here's the basics:

• Refresh rate is the number time times per second (written in hertz, or Hz) a TV refreshes its image.
• Movies are almost always filmed 24 frames per second, or 24Hz. Live TV shows at 30 or 60.
• Most TVs refresh at 60, some midrange and higher-end models at 120. Some older 1080p LCD TVs refreshed at 240Hz.
• One benefit of a higher refresh rate is to reduce the motion blur inherent in all current TV technologies.
• Motion blur is the softening of the image when an object, or the entire screen, is in motion.
• Another benefit is compatibility with 120 frame-per-second signals from PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and some video cards.
• TV manufacturers use multiple technologies in addition to refresh rate to come up with an "effective refresh rate."
• Effective refresh rate means the TV refreshes its image at a lower rate, but might appear to have similar motion resolution as a TV with an actual higher refresh rate.

What TV makers say

Let me start with the terms you'll see on various TV makers' marketing materials and web sites. Each one calls the TVs motion handling capability something different, and many don't even mention the term "refresh rate" or use "Hz" at all.

LG:  TruMotion

LG's web site lists the panel's native refresh rate up front. On TVs that have a 120Hz refresh rate it simply says "120Hz Native," while with 60Hz models it lists "TruMotion 120 (60Hz Native)." 

Samsung:  Motion Rate

Samsung is better than it used to be about this, albeit not as transparent as LG. The 4K TVs and 8K TVs on its site list a "Motion Rate." This is, generally, twice the native refresh rate. So Motion Rate 240 indicates a native refresh of 120Hz while Motion Rate 120 means a 60Hz refresh. In the least expensive of their TVs, a Motion Rate of 60 means a 60Hz refresh.

Sony: MotionFlow XR

For most of its 2021 TVs Sony doesn't list a number on its website, instead it just says "Motionflow XR." On some, however, it lists a number along with the native refresh: "Motionflow XR 240 (native 60 Hz)" and "Motionflow XR 960 (native 120 Hz)."

Vizio: Refresh Rate

Vizio used to list an "Effective Refresh Rate" on its web site, which was just double the native refresh rate. For 2021, however, none of its TVs use that term as far as we could find, and most don't list any refresh rate spec. The bottom line? All of Vizio's 2021 TVs are 60Hz native, except for the P-Series and the H1 OLED, which are 120Hz native.

TCL:  Clear Motion Index or Natural Motion

TCL's sets are all over the place. Some don't list any motion term -- those are 60Hz native. Some say "120Hz CMI," which stands for Clear Motion Index, but they're actually 60Hz native too. And some say Natural Motion 240, but they're 60Hz as well. The only TCL TVs that are true 120Hz say Natural Motion 480. 

For the most effective increase in motion resolution, and compatibility with next-gen gaming consoles' best video output modes, you need a native 120Hz refresh television. That said, it is possible to have some improvement in motion resolution even with a 60Hz TV if it uses some other feature, like backlight scanning or black frame insertion, that improves motion resolution. 

That's a lot of technical jargon, so let's tackle it from the beginning.

Back up a second: What's refresh rate?

Refresh rate is how often a TV changes the image (also known as a "frame") onscreen. With traditional televisions, this was 60 times each second, or "60Hz."

Some modern TVs can refresh at double this rate, or 120Hz (120 frames per second). We've covered this before, with 1080p HDTVs, and it's the same idea with 4K TVs. Certain parts of the world have TVs that refresh at 50Hz normally, with some TVs that refresh at 100Hz. That just depends on the electricity in your country. 

For the purposes of this article, 50 and 60 work the same, as do 100 and 120. For my own sanity, and ease of reading, I'm going to stick with 60 and 120, but feel free to read that as 50 and 100 if you're in the UK, Australia or any place that has 50Hz electricity. 

So are these higher refresh numbers just another "more is better!" marketing ploy? Not entirely. Higher refresh rates can reduce motion blur in LCDs and OLED TVs. 

What's motion blur? Glad you asked...

Your brain on blur

All LCD and current OLED models suffer from "motion blur." This is where anything in motion, either an object on screen or the entire image (like when the camera pans), blurs and looks softer than if it was stationary.

Motion blur makes images in motion look softer than stationary ones.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

Interestingly, this blur is largely created by your brain. Basically, your brain notices the motion, and makes assumptions as to where that object (or overall image) is going to be in the next fraction of a second. The problem with LCD and current OLED TVs is that they hold that image there for the full 60th of a second, so your brain actually smears the motion, thinking it should be moving, when in fact it's just a series of still images.

It's actually quite fascinating, but the details are beyond the scope of this article. I recommend checking out BlurBuster's great article for more info.

The motion blur we're talking about here, despite coming from your brain, is caused by how the television works. This is separate from whatever blur the camera itself creates. 

Some people aren't bothered by motion blur. Some don't even notice it. Others, like me, do notice it and are bothered by it. Fortunately, it can be minimized. 

One sure sign of a native 120Hz TV? The ability to accept a 4K/120Hz input.

David Katzmaier/CNET

Antiblurring technologies beyond refresh rate

Refresh rate itself is really only part of the solution. Just doubling the same frames doesn't actually do much for reducing motion blur. Something else is needed.

There are two main methods. The first is frame interpolation, where the TV itself creates brand-new frames that are sort of hybrids of the frame that came before, and the one that comes after. This can fool your brain enough that it doesn't blur the image. Depending how aggressive the interpolation is, however, it can lead to the soap opera effect, which makes movies look like ultra-smooth reality TV shows. Some viewers like the effect, but it's generally hated by film buffs and others who pay close attention to image quality. 

There are different levels of this processing, where a little might reduce motion blur some, and not cause undue harm to the quality of the image. Or on the other end of the "dial," it's cranked up so that there's even less motion blur, but the movement is hyper-realistic and for many, distractingly unreal. Some TVs let you choose how much of this processing gets applied to the image, others have just a single setting. More on these settings further down.

The other alternative is black frame insertion (BFI) or a scanning backlight. This is where all or part of the backlight of the TV turns off (goes black). This effectively means the image doesn't "hold" in place, so your brain doesn't blur it. Do it poorly, however, and many people will see the image flicker. The light output of the TV also drops, as it's not outputting any light for a period of time. 

Both of these techniques are what manufacturers use to come up with their "effective refresh rate" numbers. For example, a TV with a 60Hz refresh and a scanning backlight might claim to have an effective refresh rate of 120. A TV with a more elaborate BFI mode, and frame interpolation, might have a claimed effective refresh rate of "540." There's no transparency in how companies determine their "effective rate" numbers, but there is at least more consistency than there used to be.

It's also possible these features, when enabled, are bothersome over time. Some people are especially sensitive to a flickering backlight, so you might need to turn these features off. If you're concerned about that, or notice motion blur, it's best to find a TV that actually has a 120Hz refresh rate.

Bottom line (should you care?)

There are two things at play here. The first is simple, and one we've said many times before: don't trust marketing. At least, don't trust it at face value. Marketing is designed to sell you a product, not give you information about a product. That's secondary.

The second is being able to reduce motion blur. When 120Hz 1080p TVs first hit the market, they offered a noticeable improvement in motion resolution. The technology has only gotten better. 

But if you're sensitive to motion blur, or you want to get the most from your Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, it is worth checking for a true 120Hz TV. It would be a shame to let all that extra 4K resolution go to waste due to blur. It's also worth checking reviews for measurements and subjective takes on how the TV handles motion -- that's more useful than any manufacturer-supplied spec.

Note: This article was originally published in 2015 but has been updated regularly since.  

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Got a question for Geoff? First, check out all the other articles he's written on topics such as why you shouldn't buy expensive HDMI cables, TV resolutions explained, how HDR works and more.

Still have a question? Tweet at him @TechWriterGeoff, then check out his travel adventures as a digital nomad on Instagram and YouTube. He also thinks you should check out his best-selling sci-fi novel about city-sized submarines and its sequel.

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