2020 Hyundai Kona vs 2020 Hyundai Venue

The 2020 Hyundai Venue filled a long-standing gap in Hyundai's lineup by entering the subcompact SUV segment. Despite the initial confusion due to the prior release of the Kona, the Venue distinguished itself with its affordability and practical design. It featured a more upright design compared to the Kona, which was positioned as a more premium option with additional power and all-wheel drive capabilities. The Venue's exterior was marked by unique touches like a contrasting white roof on the Denim trim and a large chrome grille reminiscent of Hyundai's larger SUVs. 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.

In contrast, the 2020 Hyundai Kona was celebrated for its sleek, sporty, and dramatic exterior design, which set it apart in the subcompact SUV segment. Larger than the Ford EcoSport, the Kona's design cleverly masked its compact dimensions, making it appear taller and wider. The tiered lighting, matte plastic trim, and two-tone wheels contributed to its premium vibe. However, the interior did not match the exterior's excitement, with hard plastics and lackluster finishes. The Kona's cabin was functional but lacked the tactile quality found in competitors like the Mazda CX-30 and Honda HR-V. Despite this, the Kona's exterior design and overall presence made it a standout choice for those seeking a visually stimulating vehicle.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a single engine option: 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 featured 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, with the engine making considerable noise, especially when trying to reach highway speeds. The Venue offered drive modes like Normal, Snow, and Sport, but even in Sport mode, it struggled with acceleration. Despite its taller setup, the Venue handled corners with minimal body roll, though it communicated every bump and crack in the road. Fuel economy was decent, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona, on the other hand, offered a more powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This engine, available on the Limited and Ultimate trims, provided strong acceleration and confidence when merging onto highways. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) complemented the engine's performance, delivering quick shifts and a satisfying turbo whoosh. The standard engine was a 2.0-liter inline-four with 147 hp and 132 lb-ft, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Kona offered both front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive, with torque vectoring to improve handling. Despite some noise and vibration, the Kona's steering was direct, and its suspension provided a stable ride with minimal roll. Fuel economy was average for the class, with the 1.6T AWD achieving 26 mpg city, 29 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered a decent amount of interior space for its size. It provided ample head- and legroom in the front seats, even accommodating taller drivers. The rear seats offered decent legroom, contrasting with the Kona's limited space when the driver's seat was pushed back. However, the Venue fell short in cargo capacity, offering only 31.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, compared to the Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. With the rear seats up, both vehicles offered around 19 cubic feet of cargo space. The Venue's control layout was user-friendly, with traditional buttons and dials for the radio and climate controls, though the automatic climate control display could be confusing.

The 2020 Hyundai Kona, while visually appealing, struggled with interior space and utility. It offered seating for four, with average rear legroom and a scalloped roof for more headroom. However, its cargo space was limited, with only 19 cubic feet available and 46 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Competitors like the Honda HR-V and Buick Encore GX offered significantly more cargo capacity. Despite its easy-to-use controls and infotainment system, the Kona's limited interior space made it less practical for those needing to transport larger items or more passengers.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims, featuring Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Hyundai's logical touchscreen layout minimized distracted driving, with large icons and fonts and redundant hard buttons on the dash. The screen placement was well-designed, allowing users to brace their hands while using the touchscreen.

In contrast, the 2020 Hyundai Kona offered a range of technology features depending on the trim level. The base SE model included a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while higher trims like the SEL added features such as proximity entry, heated front seats, and blind-spot monitoring. The SEL Plus trim introduced an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, wireless charging, and an eight-speaker Infinity stereo. The Limited trim added leather upholstery, and the Ultimate trim featured a sunroof, an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, and adaptive cruise control. The Kona's technology offerings were comprehensive, with the Blue Link app providing remote start and vehicle monitoring capabilities.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came standard with a reversing camera, traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a full array of front- and side-impact airbags. It also featured impressive driver-assistance technology, including forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, 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 Hyundai Kona received high safety ratings, scoring five out of five stars overall in NHTSA crash tests and earning a 2020 Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. It came standard with forward emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and a driver attention monitor. However, pedestrian detection was only available on the Ultimate trim, and the Kona lacked front knee airbags and rear side airbags, which some competitors offered.