Car Reviews

The all-new 2020 Hyundai Venue is an affordable new crossover

An entry-level crossover perfect for city life.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue. Hyundai

January 20, 2020

The all-new 2020 Hyundai Venue is an affordable option for the entry-level buyer. Its compact dimensions make it ideal for cities where space is at a premium, and its price tag and fuel economy make it easy on the budget. Despite its low starting price, the Venue comes with a wide range of standard features, even in its base form.

This five-passenger crossover has a surprisingly spacious interior given its smaller size. There’s plenty of room for passengers and cargo with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Fold those seats flat and cargo capacity expands to 31.9 cubic feet. Adding a layer of flexibility, the rear seats split-fold 60/40 to let longer cargo pass through while still offering room for a rear passenger.

The Venue is available in three trims starting with the SE at $17,350 with a six-speed manual transmission. If you don’t know how to drive a manual, then this is your chance to learn. Otherwise, you can choose the SE with a continuously variable automatic transmission that’s standard across the rest of the lineup at a starting price of $18,550. The midrange SEL is priced from $19,250 with the Denim coming in at $22,050. Regardless of the trim you choose, the Venue has an entry-level price that makes it easier to afford.

There are also two option packages available, but they’re reserved for the SEL trim only. The Convenience package adds features including a power sunroof and blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic collision warning for $1,150. There’s also the Premium package, which can only be added along with the Convenience package. It comes in at $1,750 and includes heated front seats and navigation.

Power for the Venue comes from a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine with 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. While those numbers don’t seem impressive, remember this is a small crossover. It doesn’t need monstrous amounts of horsepower like larger SUVs, and is perfectly suited to a smaller engine.

That smaller engine also helps the Venue achieve impressive fuel economy. Equipped with the manual transmission, it gets an EPA-estimated 27 miles per gallon in the city, 35 on the highway, and 30 combined. The continuously variable automatic also gets great fuel economy with 30 miles per gallon in the city, 34 on the highway, and 32 combined. When gas prices rise, the Hyundai Venue will help you stay on budget rather than emptying your wallet at the pump.

The Venue is strictly front-wheel drive, which may be a deterrent for those who worry about winter weather. In an effort to overcome the lack of all-wheel drive and make tackling snowy roads easier, there are three driver-selectable drive modes designed to suit various driving conditions.

Normal mode is for daily driving and suitable to most situations. Sport mode offers a more spirited drive experience for those who prefer a more performance-oriented ride. Finally, there’s snow mode, which offers advanced traction control to handle poor road conditions from rain to snow to ice.

Infotainment includes an eight-inch touchscreen with AM/FM/HD radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a USB charging port even on the base trim. No need to go with the top trim level just to get a decent infotainment system and smartphone connectivity. The SEL is available with optional navigation that includes real-time traffic updates and adds dual USB ports and a 6-speaker audio. The top Denim trim makes navigation a standard feature.

The Hyundai Venue may be affordable, but it still puts a priority on safety. It has not yet been crash-tested, but comes with a solid suite of standard safety features. These include forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist, and driver attention warning. Blind-spot collision warning with rear cross-traffic collision warning is an optional feature on the SEL and becomes standard on the top Denim trim.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue is an affordable new crossover option. It combines key safety and technology features with a comfortable interior and the flexibility to carry people and cargo. It’s now available at your local dealership.