2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L 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 Kona. While the Kona was more premium and powerful, the Venue focused on being a practical people-mover with a distinctive upright design. It featured unique touches like a white contrasting roof on the Denim trim and a large chrome grille reminiscent of the larger 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 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L was a new addition to the Jeep lineup, offering a seven-passenger model with a third-row seat and more cargo volume. Its styling was a strong selling point, resembling a smaller version of the more expensive Wagoneer models. The Grand Cherokee L was available in multiple trims, including Laredo, Altitude, Limited, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve, with prices ranging from $36,995 to $64,235. The Summit trim, in particular, featured luxurious materials like quilted and perforated leather and real wood trim, along with advanced technology. Despite some interior material shortcomings at higher price points, the redesigned interior was a significant improvement over the previous model.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. It 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. While it offered decent ride height, its acceleration was underwhelming, and the engine was noisy when pushed. The Venue's drive modes included Normal, Snow, and Sport, with Sport mode providing slightly livelier performance at low speeds. Despite its taller setup, the Venue handled corners with minimal body roll, but its lack of power affected its ability to handle tight spots and highway speeds. Fuel economy was respectable, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered rear-wheel drive or three different 4WD systems with front-axle disconnect technology. The V6 provided brisk acceleration, though it was loud when revved. An optional 5.7-liter V8 engine was available for higher trims, delivering 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, with a towing capacity of 7,200 pounds. The Grand Cherokee L featured various driving modes, including Sport, Snow, Mud/Sand, and Rock, with the Quadra-Lift adaptive air suspension enhancing ride comfort. The SUV's off-road capabilities were impressive, with up to 10.9 inches of ground clearance and 24 inches of water fording capability. The Grand Cherokee L excelled in handling and provided a smooth ride, making it suitable for both daily driving and off-road adventures.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue offered a practical interior with ample head- and legroom in the front seats, even for taller drivers. The rear seats provided decent legroom, contrasting with the Kona's limited space. The Venue's control layout was user-friendly, with traditional buttons and dials for essential functions. 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 automatic climate control system had a unique design, with a central display that resembled a dial, which could be confusing for some users.

In the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, comfort was a priority, especially in the Summit trim, which featured heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats with 12-way power adjustment. The four-zone automatic climate control system provided air vents in all three rows, though the dashboard vents were small, affecting cooling efficiency. The Grand Cherokee L offered captain's chairs in the second row, with the option for a bench seat. The third row was surprisingly comfortable, with large side windows providing a great view. Cargo space was competitive, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 46.9 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 84.6 cubic feet behind the front seats.

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. The system's layout was intuitive, with large icons and fonts, and redundant hard buttons for major functions. The screen placement was well-designed, allowing users to brace their hands while using the touchscreen, minimizing distractions while driving.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, offering faster response times and an improved user experience. Two touchscreen sizes were available, with the test vehicle featuring the larger 10.1-inch screen. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Alexa compatibility, satellite radio, and connected services like a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The optional 19-speaker McIntosh audio system provided excellent sound quality, though its logo didn't quite match the interior's aesthetic. Additional features included a digital instrumentation panel, a digital rearview mirror, a thermal-imaging night vision system, and a Fam Cam rear-seat monitoring system.

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 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, which were standard on the Denim trim.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L introduced Active Driving Assist, a hands-on driving-assistance system combining adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. While effective, the steering assist felt artificial, and lane changes were more abrupt than expected. The Grand Cherokee L also featured Intersection Collision Assist, which could detect threats at intersections and apply brakes if necessary. Additional driver aids included Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist. As of the review, crash-test ratings were unavailable, but improvements over the previous model were anticipated.