For the latest Hyundai Venue pricing and information:
https://www.kbb.com/hyundai/venue/

Is it possible for the cheapest crossover sold in America to not be awful? Let’s find out.

This little guy is the Hyundai Venue. It’s a subcompact SUV-like conveyance akin to the Toyota CH-R, Chevy Trailblazer, and Nissan Kicks.

If all you care about is saving money, the cheapest Venue SE, including destination charges, only costs about $18-and-a-half thousand dollars…a fact made clear by its manual transmission, steel wheels, and rear drum brakes.
But don’t let the cheap bits put you off. The Venue also has some strong fundamentals.


For instance, space. I’m 5’10” and, with a little empathy from the front seat occupant, I fit behind in the back seats just fine. And check out the cargo hold; plenty of room with the seats up (18.7 cu-ft), even more with the flat-folding 60/40 split seats dropped. There’s also an adjustable height load floor and the cargo cover cleverly slots behind the rear seats when not in use. Interior space might be generous for such a small vehicle…
…but does it feel cheap?

Yes. But appropriately so.

If a new car costs less than 20k, hard plastics will dominate the interior. And in the Venue’s defense, those plastics are attractively shaped. As a bonus, the cabin and its controls are so simply arranged that even I can understand them.
Sadly, the Micah Muzio elbow comfort index squirrel is less generous than I am.

The armrests are well-positioned, but the outboard post is hard and leaves my squirrel friend cold.

Whatever Venue you buy, there will be a decently efficient 1.6L 4-cylinder engine (121hp, 113 lb-ft) lurking under the hood.

A 6-speed manual transmission comes standard on the base SE trim (27/35 mpg manual) while a continuously variable transmission is a $1,200 option (30/34 mpg CVT) on the SE and standard on the higher SEL and Denim trims.
When you need to go “fast” the engine doesn’t have much power to offer and the CVT makes it sound like this.

In the pantheon of driving experiences, accelerating in a Venue ranks low but, again, proper context reframes the experience.

The Venue is cheap…and really, by percent, how much time do you spend driving around a full-throttle? For me, it’s 80% tops.

Most folks drive at modest speeds and the Venue does that well. It also cruises comfortably once up to speed. Beyond that, ride quality is agreeable, parking is a breeze, outward visibility is generally good…
And aside from a tendency to wander on the freeway, the Venue steers just fine.


For how it’s priced, the Hyundai Venue drives better than it needs to; a reality amplified by the standard SmartSense suite of Active driver assists that includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane-keep assist.

Let’s see how that lane keep assist works.

The Venue’s value story is further bolstered by a standard, intuitively organized 8-inch infotainment screen featuring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. On top of that, there’s standard cruise control, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel offering an excellent range of movement for maximum driver comfort. Tap higher trims and the option sheet if you’d like heated front seats, smart key access, LED head and taillights, or blind-spot warning.

All up, a loaded Venue peaks a touch above $23k.
However, there is one thing missing from the option sheet.

If you think “SUVs” ought to deliver all-weather traction, the Venue will disappoint because, like the Nissan Kicks, Kia Soul, and Toyota CH-R, all-wheel drive is not available. If you need all-wheel drive, the pricier Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Kia Seltos, or Mazda CX-30 can accommodate.


Returning to my initial question, I think we have an answer. No, though value-priced the Hyundai Venue is not awful…it’s quite the opposite. The Venue offers commendable functionality, more than passable drivability, and outstanding value; encased in charming style.


I remember a time when inexpensive cars rubbed your nose in their basicness. Not so much anymore. The Hyundai Venue proves there’s never been a better time to drive cheap.

00:00 2021 Hyundai Venue
0:20 Price
0:38 Interior
1:38 Engine
1:57 Driving Impressions
2:46 Safety Features
3:13 Trim Levels
4:03 Competitors