2020 Hyundai Venue vs 2020 Jeep Compass

The 2020 Hyundai Venue filled a gap in Hyundai's lineup by offering a more affordable subcompact SUV option compared to the Kona. While the Kona was more premium and powerful, the Venue was designed as a practical people-mover with a distinctive upright design. It featured 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 boasted 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 trim being recommended for its additional features and optional Premium package.

The 2020 Jeep Compass, on the other hand, was a handsome SUV that reflected the refined side of the Jeep brand, akin to the Grand Cherokee. It was available in four core trims: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, with various packages and special editions to enhance the lineup. The Compass started at $22,280 for the Sport trim with FWD and a manual transmission, while the Limited trim with AWD and additional features could reach up to $39,755. Despite its attractive design and premium features, the Compass was marred by cost-cutting measures that affected its overall appeal. However, it was a significant improvement over the original Compass model.

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 featured a continuously variable automatic transmission (IVT). The Venue was FWD only, lacking an AWD 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 well, though it transmitted road imperfections to the cabin. Fuel economy was decent, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2020 Jeep Compass was equipped with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, known as the Tigershark, delivering 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. However, the engine was loud, slow, and fuel-thirsty, with the test vehicle averaging 23.1 mpg, below the EPA's 25 mpg combined rating. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly, and the automatic stop/start system affected air conditioning performance. On-road performance was hindered by heavy steering and a sensitive brake pedal, though the Compass excelled off-road, especially in Trailhawk trim with its advanced AWD system and off-road modes.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue offered limited cargo space, with 31.9 cubic feet available when the rear seats were folded, compared to the Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. However, it provided ample head- and legroom for front passengers, even accommodating taller drivers. The Venue's control layout was intuitive, with traditional buttons and dials for radio and climate controls. The SEL and Denim trims featured automatic climate control with a unique display design. Overall, the Venue demonstrated Hyundai's attention to user-friendly design.

The 2020 Jeep Compass featured the Luxury Seat Group, adding premium leather, ventilated front seats, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. The Compass's back seat was spacious, with air conditioning vents, a USB port, and a power outlet for rear passengers. Cargo space was 27.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the seats folded, surpassing the Renegade and Cherokee. However, cabin storage was limited, and cupholders were awkwardly positioned.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system was user-friendly, with logical layouts and large icons, minimizing distracted driving. The screen placement allowed for easy use while driving, with redundant hard buttons for major functions.

The 2020 Jeep Compass featured the Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and 4G LTE WiFi connectivity. The system was intuitive, with appealing graphics, though some features were buried in menus. Voice recognition worked well, and primary controls were separate from the display. The system impressed for its segment.

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

The 2020 Jeep Compass extended its driving assistance and collision avoidance technology to the base Sport trim, with optional Safety and Security Group and Advanced Safety Group packages. These included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and more. The Compass received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, with some areas needing improvement.