2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 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 introduction of the Kona in 2018, the Venue distinguished itself as a more affordable option with a straightforward 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 offered a modern and clean cabin with ample space for both front and rear passengers, ensuring good 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.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, in its second generation since 2014, continued to impress with its luxurious design and advanced features. The 2018 refresh introduced a dual-screen center console that became a hallmark of Land Rover interiors. The Range Rover Sport offered a variety of trims, from the base SE to the high-performance SVR Carbon Edition, each with its own set of luxury and performance enhancements. The interior was characterized by high-end materials and a spacious layout, with an optional third row for increased seating capacity. The Range Rover Sport's design and features underscored its status as a premium SUV, offering a blend of luxury and capability.

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 featured a continuously variable automatic transmission (IVT). The Venue was front-wheel drive only, lacking an all-wheel-drive option, which limited its off-road capabilities. Despite its SUV classification, the Venue's performance was more akin to a compact hatchback, with modest acceleration and a noisy engine. It offered drive modes like Normal, Snow, and Sport, but struggled to reach highway speeds quickly. The Venue's fuel economy was commendable, averaging 31.7 mpg in combined driving with the CVT.

In contrast, the 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of powertrain options, starting with the base P360 mild-hybrid powertrain, which combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, delivering 355 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The HST model featured a more powerful P400 version, while the HSE Silver Edition offered plug-in hybrid and diesel options. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims boasted a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine, producing 518 horsepower, while the SVR models pushed this to 575 horsepower. All models came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive, along with height-adjustable air suspension and a Terrain Response system for various driving conditions. The Range Rover Sport excelled in both on-road comfort and off-road capability, with impressive towing capacities.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered a practical interior with decent head- and legroom in the front seats. The rear seats provided adequate legroom even with the front seats adjusted for taller drivers. However, the Venue's cargo space was limited, with only 31.9 cubic feet available when the rear seats were folded, compared to the Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. The Venue's control layout was user-friendly, with traditional buttons and dials for essential functions, although the automatic climate control on higher trims could be confusing.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport provided a more spacious interior, with up to 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space when the rear seats were folded. It offered an optional third row, increasing seating capacity to seven, though the third row was best suited for children. The first and second rows provided ample headroom and legroom, with luxurious appointments throughout. The Range Rover Sport's interior was designed for comfort and practicality, making it suitable for both daily commutes and longer journeys.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims, equipped with Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system was praised for its logical layout, with large icons and fonts for easy readability. The screen placement allowed for convenient use while driving, with redundant hard buttons on the dash for major functions.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport's interior was dominated by a dual-screen center console, with the lower screen handling climate controls and vehicle settings, and the upper screen dedicated to infotainment. While the system had a learning curve and some earlier bugs, it offered a range of functions controlled by integrated dials. The upper screen provided access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a real volume button located at the base of the lower screen. Despite its complexity, the system offered a comprehensive suite of features for tech-savvy drivers.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came standard with a reversing camera, traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a full array of airbags. It also included advanced driver-assistance features 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 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a solid list of standard driver assistance features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and front-and-rear parking sensors. However, features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were optional. Additional available features included a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and park assist, enhancing the vehicle's safety profile.