2020 Hyundai Venue vs 2020 Subaru Outback

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 with AWD, the Venue focused on being a budget-friendly people-mover with an upright design. It featured distinctive touches like a white contrasting roof on the Denim trim and a large chrome grille reminiscent of the Hyundai Palisade. 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 being the recommended choice when paired with the Premium package for added features.

In contrast, the 2020 Subaru Outback aimed for incremental improvements while maintaining its winning formula of utility, safety, and performance. Built on Subaru's Global Platform, the Outback boasted a 70% increase in structural rigidity. The exterior changes were subtle, with more noticeable updates to the head- and taillights. Inside, the Outback introduced an 11.6-inch touchscreen for most trims, except the base 2.5i, which had dual 7-inch screens. The Outback also featured innovative tech like DriverFocus, which used facial recognition to enhance safety. With seven trim levels, the Outback offered a range of features, from the base 2.5i with standard safety features to the more powerful XT trims with a turbocharged engine.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was powered by a single 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 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 with minimal body roll, but the ride was firm, transmitting road imperfections to the cabin. Fuel economy was decent, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2020 Subaru Outback offered two engine options: a 2.5-liter engine with 182 horsepower and a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. The turbo engine, available on XT trims, provided brisk acceleration, reaching 60 mph in around 7 seconds. Both engines were paired with a CVT, which Subaru tuned to mimic a traditional automatic transmission, reducing the typical CVT drawbacks. The Outback's symmetrical AWD system was a standout feature, providing consistent power delivery and enhancing on-road and off-road performance. With 8.7 inches of ground clearance and upgraded X-Mode on the Onyx XT, the Outback was capable of handling various terrains, though it wasn't designed for extreme off-roading.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered a practical interior with ample head- and legroom in the front seats. Even with the driver's seat adjusted for a tall driver, the rear seats provided decent legroom. However, cargo space was limited, with only 31.9 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded, compared to the Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. The Venue's control layout was user-friendly, combining traditional buttons and dials with modern technology. The SEL and Denim trims featured automatic climate control with a unique display that could be mistaken for a dial.

The 2020 Subaru Outback excelled in interior space and functionality, offering 32.5 cubic feet of trunk space, expandable to 75.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The increased width between the rear wheels contributed to the spacious interior, allowing even tall passengers to sit comfortably in the back. The Outback's design prioritized visibility, with excellent sightlines in most directions, though the rear quarters had a noticeable blind spot. The low load height and lower center of gravity compared to an SUV enhanced handling and reduced rollover risk, making the Outback a practical choice for families.

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 allowed for easy use while driving, as it partially extended from the dash, providing a stable surface for finger bracing.

The 2020 Subaru Outback featured a tablet-style, 11.6-inch touchscreen, which was visually impressive and easy to navigate. However, the system suffered from lag, affecting navigation, app usage, and even basic functions like volume control. The camera resolution was also lacking, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the screen's size and layout had potential, and Subaru aimed to address these shortcomings in future updates.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including a reversing camera, traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a full array of airbags. It also included advanced driver-assistance technologies like 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 Subaru Outback's safety features were a mixed bag. While the standard safety suite impressed, the EyeSight system's optical nature meant it could be deactivated by obstructions like snow or fog. The DriverFocus system, designed to alert distracted drivers, was overly sensitive, often triggering false alerts. Despite these issues, the Outback's AWD system provided reliable traction, and optional blind-spot monitoring was available to enhance safety.