2020 Hyundai Venue vs 2021 Nissan Kicks

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 with a more affordable and upright design, contrasting the Kona's premium features and all-wheel drive option. The Venue's exterior featured unique touches like a white contrasting roof on the Denim trim and a large chrome grille reminiscent of the Hyundai Palisade. Inside, the Venue offered 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 recommended for its additional features and optional Premium package.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks underwent significant exterior changes, adopting a bolder design in line with other Nissan models like the Armada and Rogue. The Kicks featured a distinctive "double V-motion" grille and thinner, longer headlights, with the SR trim level boasting LED multi-reflector headlights and fog lights. The rear of the Kicks received a new bumper and LED taillight combination, enhancing its proportions. The Kicks offered a variety of paint options, including two-tone combinations that emphasized its upmarket look. The SR trim included sporty features like LED headlights, black heated mirrors, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The interior maintained high-quality materials, with new seat and door designs and a full center console armrest in the SV and SR trims.

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 front-wheel drive only, lacking an all-wheel drive option. Despite its SUV aspirations, the Venue's acceleration was underwhelming, with noticeable engine noise and a slow climb to highway speeds. The Venue offered drive modes like Normal, Snow, and Sport, but its performance remained modest. Fuel economy was rated at 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined with the CVT, with a slightly lower combined rating for the manual transmission.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks featured a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT and front-wheel drive. The Kicks' electric power-assisted steering and independent strut stabilizer bar suspension contributed to its nimble handling. While not particularly powerful, the Kicks offered a good power-to-weight ratio for its size. The Kicks SR maintained composure on icy roads, with minimal engine noise in the cabin. The Kicks came with standard 16-inch steel wheels on the S trim, while the SV and SR trims featured 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. The Kicks boasted a traction control system, stability control, and hill start assist, with the SR trim offering additional features like adaptive cruise control. The Kicks achieved an impressive fuel economy rating of 31 mpg city, 36 highway, and 33 combined.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered a practical interior with ample head- and legroom in the front seats. The Venue's cargo space was limited, with 31.9 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded, compared to the Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. However, both vehicles offered around 19 cubic feet with the rear seats up. The Venue's control layout was user-friendly, with traditional buttons and dials for the radio and climate controls. The SEL and Denim trims featured automatic climate control with a unique display design.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks made efficient use of its compact size, offering easy-to-reach buttons and knobs throughout the cabin. The Kicks provided good small-item storage, easy-access USB ports, and multiple smartphone storage options. The climate controls were intuitive, and the seat warmers and heated steering wheel were appreciated features. The Kicks offered best-in-class front seat legroom, though the hip room was somewhat limited for larger drivers. The rear seats were spacious enough for adults, and the available tonneau cover provided hidden storage in the cargo area.

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 on the dash for major functions. The screen placement was well-designed, allowing for easy use while driving.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks offered a robust set of tech features, starting with a 7-inch infotainment touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth on the base model. The Kicks SV added features like Nissan Intelligent Key, automatic climate control, and a 7-inch driver information screen. The SR Premium Package included a class-exclusive Bose Personal Plus sound system with eight speakers, providing an immersive audio experience. The Kicks also offered a surround-view monitor and a WiFi hot spot with over-the-air updates.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue included standard safety features like a reversing camera, traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a full array of airbags. It also offered driver-assistance technology 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 Nissan Kicks came standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. The Kicks featured 10 airbags, with the SV and SR trims offering a driver alertness monitor and rear door alert. While the 2021 Kicks had not been crash-tested by the IIHS, the 2020 model received Good marks in crashworthiness. The NHTSA awarded the 2020 Kicks a four-star overall rating.