2021 Nissan Rogue 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 was designed as a practical people-mover with a distinctive upright 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 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.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue, on the other hand, showcased a handsome new styling with a more technical appearance, making it look more like an SUV. It featured dark gray plastic cladding, bold skid plates, and clean LED lighting elements, giving it a modern aesthetic. The Rogue was available in four trims: S, SV, SL, and the new Platinum, each offering varying levels of luxury and amenities. The interior was highlighted by improved Zero Gravity seats, a spacious cabin, and a focus on reducing interior noise. The Rogue also offered a generous cargo capacity, especially with the SL and Platinum trims, which included a Divide-N-Hide cargo management system.

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 came with 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 performance was more akin to a compact hatchback, with underwhelming 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 decent, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

In contrast, the 2021 Nissan Rogue was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. While this output was adequate for daily driving, the Rogue's nearly 3,500-pound weight made it feel underpowered. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) performed well, with programmed ratios that mimicked a traditional automatic. The Rogue offered available all-wheel drive, up to 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and new driving modes for off-road and snowy conditions. The Rogue's ride and handling were praised for their smoothness and predictability, thanks to its robust architecture and advanced suspension systems. The tested Rogue SL with front-wheel drive achieved 27.5 mpg, slightly below the official EPA rating.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered a decent amount of interior space. It provided ample head- and legroom in the front seats, even for taller drivers, and decent legroom in the rear. However, its cargo space was limited, with only 31.9 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded. The Venue's control layout was user-friendly, with traditional buttons and dials for key functions. The SEL and Denim trims featured automatic climate control with a unique display design.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue, on the other hand, featured improved Zero Gravity seats that were comfortable and supportive. The Rogue's interior was spacious, with generous rear-seat headroom and legroom. The rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle, making it easy to load passengers and cargo. The Rogue offered a range of climate control options, including a triple-zone system in higher trims. The cargo capacity was generous, with up to 36.5 cubic feet available in the SL and Platinum trims, and a maximum volume of 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

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 was praised for its logical layout and ease of use, with large icons and fonts. The screen placement was well-designed, allowing for easy interaction while driving.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue offered a competitive infotainment package, starting with an 8-inch touchscreen display on the S trim, which included Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like NissanConnect Services, a WiFi hotspot, and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim included a larger 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a Bose premium audio system. The Platinum trim also featured advanced technology like wireless smartphone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came standard with a range of 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 added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which were standard on the Denim trim.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue prioritized safety with a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) under the Nissan Safety Shield 360 umbrella. This included features like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and lane-departure warning. The Rogue also offered a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert, which was standard across all trims. Additional safety features included ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. The SV trim and above included ProPilot Assist with adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance, with an upgraded version available on higher trims.