2020 Honda Pilot vs 2020 Hyundai Venue

The 2020 Hyundai Venue filled a gap in Hyundai's lineup by offering a more affordable subcompact SUV option compared to the slightly more premium Kona. Despite initial confusion over its introduction, the Venue distinguished itself with a more upright design and features like a contrasting white roof on the Denim trim and a large chrome grille reminiscent of the Hyundai Palisade. Inside, the Venue offered a modern and clean cabin with ample space for both front and rear passengers, providing excellent visibility due to its upright layout and large windows. The Venue was available in SE, SEL, and Denim trims, with the SEL being the recommended choice when paired with the Premium package for added features like heated front seats and navigation.

The 2020 Honda Pilot shared the dynamic styling of the Honda lineup, featuring thin LED headlights and a multi-tiered grille. Its design cleverly masked its size, giving it a sleeker appearance. Inside, the Pilot boasted a modern cabin with a semi-digital instrument panel and a spacious, comfortable interior. However, it used hard plastics in some areas, which was a step down compared to rivals like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. The Pilot offered a range of trims from LX to the Black Edition, with the EX trim recommended for its added features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and tri-zone climate control. The higher trims provided additional luxury features, including leather upholstery, a power moonroof, and a premium audio system.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a manual transmission on the base trim, while most trims came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (IVT). The Venue was front-wheel drive only, lacking an all-wheel-drive option, which limited its capability compared to other SUVs. Acceleration was underwhelming, and the engine was noisy, especially when trying to reach highway speeds. Despite its taller setup, the Venue handled corners with minimal body roll, but the ride was firm, transmitting road imperfections to the cabin. Fuel economy was a strong point, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2020 Honda Pilot was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It offered both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. The LX, EX, and EX-L trims featured a 6-speed automatic transmission, while the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trims came with a 9-speed automatic for smoother acceleration and better fuel economy. The Pilot's V6 provided strong acceleration for everyday driving, and its ride was tuned for comfort, making it ideal for commutes and road trips. The Intelligent Traction Management System offered drive modes for different conditions, enhancing its versatility.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered decent interior space for its size. It provided 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, which was less than the Hyundai Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. However, both vehicles had around 19 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up. The Venue excelled in front-seat head- and legroom, even accommodating taller drivers comfortably. The control layout was intuitive, with traditional buttons and dials for key functions, although the automatic climate control display could be confusing.

The 2020 Honda Pilot offered a spacious 8-passenger cabin with second-row bench seating, while higher trims featured captain’s chairs, reducing capacity to seven. Unlike some rivals, the Pilot's third row was adult-friendly, and the EX trims and higher had one-touch fold-down rear seats for easy access. With the second and third rows folded, the Pilot provided 83.9 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to competitors like the Toyota Highlander and Kia Telluride. The Pilot was designed for family use, with ample storage spaces and features like a conversation mirror to keep an eye on rear passengers.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system was user-friendly, with logical layouts and large icons, minimizing distracted driving. The screen was well-placed, allowing easy interaction without obstructing the driver's view.

The 2020 Honda Pilot's base LX trim had a 5-inch color LCD screen, while other trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The infotainment system, however, was criticized for its confusing layout and lack of a tuning knob. Higher trims offered additional features like HD Radio, SiriusXM, and a premium audio system. The Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trims included navigation, a rear-seat entertainment system, and mobile hotspot capability.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came with standard safety features such as a reversing camera, traction control, and a full array of airbags. It also included advanced driver-assistance technologies like forward-collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention warning. The SEL trim with the Convenience Package added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, standard on the Denim trim.

The 2020 Honda Pilot was equipped with the HondaSensing suite, offering forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. It also had standard airbags, child-seat anchors, and traction control. Optional safety features included parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring. The Pilot earned a five-star overall crash test rating from the NHTSA and a Good rating from the IIHS, with a Superior score in crash prevention technology.