So, the buying process needn't be painful. Develop the price you are willing to pay, depending on the vehicle. New ones in high demand you might have to pay MSRP. Anything other than high demand should go go for some amount over invoice. Say $500-$1000. Work from there. Email dealers, ones that wont discuss price via email, kiss them goodbye. You inital neogotiation should be done before you get there. Out the door price stettled. Last three cars I've bought new has been less than 30 minutes from walking in to driving away.
1. Do your own financing.
2. Know exactly what you want, including option packages, what you MUST have vs what you WANT to have.
3. DO NOT TRADE IN. Sell privately, maybe sell it to CARMAX, but trade in is just another pathway to both spending more time and losing more money.
4. Search inventory online, most makers have a tool that lets you configure with options and search. Virtually always easier than having a dealer do that for you. And reduces the chance that they might do to you what they did to us, where they brought a new Jeep from South Carolina all the way up here and it wasnt configured as we asked. When questioned, she first insisted it had that option, then told us it didnt matter. So we walked.
5. Make sure the deal is set before you show up. You have a blank check go for more than what you negotiated price it.
6. Do NOt let them upsell you on fabric/paint treatments, VIN etching, wheel insurance, any of that crap. If they did it without asking you, they can eat it or inlcude it for free.
All that being said, I would highly consider a certified pre-pwned vs brand new. The amount of off-lease small SUVs is off the charts. Take adavantage of that fact. Add a factory extended warranty if it makes you feel better, but getting a 2 year old upscale model with 30K and a lot more features for less money can be a great deal.