2021 Kia Telluride 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 budget-friendly 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 side 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.

In contrast, the 2021 Kia Telluride was praised for its impeccable styling and quality execution both inside and out. The Telluride's design was free from criticism, with a contemporary interior that only had minor flaws like some glossy hard plastic. The transmission shifter was strategically placed to preserve storage space, and its operation was smooth, adding to the sense of quality. While the Telluride's interior color options were limited to black or gray unless opting for the SX trim, the overall look and feel of the SUV were impressive, making it a standout in its class.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a single 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 lb-ft 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 AWD vehicles. Acceleration was underwhelming, with the engine making considerable noise, 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 every bump and crack on the road. Fuel economy was decent, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2021 Kia Telluride, on the other hand, featured a robust 3.8-liter V6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, delivering 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It offered optional AWD with a low-speed Lock function for enhanced traction, making it more capable in challenging conditions. The Telluride's suspension tuning minimized head-toss, providing a smooth and composed ride. It featured a MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, with self-leveling rear suspension on EX and SX trims. The Telluride's fuel economy was rated at 21 mpg combined for AWD models, and it averaged 20.5 mpg during testing.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered decent interior space for its size. It had 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, which was less than the Hyundai Kona. However, it provided ample head- and legroom in the front seats, even for taller drivers, and decent legroom in the rear. The Venue's control layout was intuitive, with traditional buttons and dials for essential functions. The automatic climate control on higher trims had a unique display that could be confusing at first, but overall, the Venue's interior was well thought out for everyday use.

The 2021 Kia Telluride excelled in comfort and utility, with a driver’s seat offering 14-way power adjustment and a forward view reminiscent of a Range Rover. The test SUV featured heated and ventilated front seats, with the Prestige package adding premium leather upholstery. The second-row captain’s chairs were also heated and ventilated, with sunshades and separate climate control. The third-row seat was accessible via a button that tilted and slid the second-row seat, and robust grab handles aided in exiting. The Telluride provided ample storage solutions, including smartphone trays and USB ports. The smart hands-free power liftgate revealed 21 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 87 cubic feet with seats folded.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The layout was logical, with large icons and fonts, and redundant hard buttons for major functions. The screen placement was ergonomic, allowing users to brace their hand while using the touchscreen, minimizing distractions while driving.

The 2021 Kia Telluride offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio across all trims. The EX and SX trims featured a 10.25-inch screen with navigation and additional upgrades. Kia’s UVO Link Lite connected services were free for five years, with options for more advanced plans. The Telluride allowed pairing of two smartphones simultaneously and offered wireless charging on upper trims. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with menu shortcut buttons and intuitive operation. The SX trim included a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, Driver Talk, and Quiet Mode. The Prestige package added a head-up display with comprehensive information.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came with standard safety features like a reversing camera, traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a full array of airbags. It also included driver-assistance technologies such as 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 2021 Kia Telluride boasted a comprehensive suite of safety technologies, including blind-spot warning, lane-maintenance technology, forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic emergency braking. Highway Drive Assist, standard on EX and SX trims, offered semi-autonomous driving capabilities. Additional features included Rear Occupant Alert and Safe Exit Assist. The SX trim had front parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, and a Blind-Spot View Monitor. The Telluride earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA, despite some concerns about headlight performance.