2022 Jeep Compass vs 2021 Hyundai Venue

The 2021 Hyundai Venue was a stylish little crossover that seemed to defy the passage of time with its design. Its upright stance, nearly horizontal roofline, and steeply dropping tailgate gave it a robust appearance that belied its compact size. The grille was appropriately sized, drawing attention without overwhelming the car's design. Roof rails and wide-spaced letters spelling out the Venue's name added to its crossover appeal. The headlights and taillights featured unique designs, enhancing its modern look. The Venue's exterior updates from 2020 to 2021 were minimal, with the most notable change being the replacement of 15-inch steel wheels with alloys on the base SE trim, and 17-inch alloys becoming standard on the SEL and Denim trims. The Denim trim, with its white roof and unique paint job, was particularly eye-catching, while the SEL trim offered great value with standard features previously part of an extra-cost package.

Inside, the Venue's cabin was a testament to Hyundai's ability to create a modern feel without a hefty price tag. While the materials were largely plastic and lacked soft-touch finishes, the design allowed for plenty of natural light, making the interior feel spacious. The SEL trim offered heated seats and a modern look despite its budget-friendly build. However, the sunroof's mechanical tracks were visible, detracting slightly from the overall aesthetic. The Venue's interior was practical, with thin A-pillars and large windows contributing to a greenhouse-like atmosphere.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite receiving exterior styling updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its familiar look from its 2017 redesign. It resembled a smaller Grand Cherokee, with our High Altitude test vehicle featuring 19-inch multi-spoke wheels that matched its upscale appearance. Inside, the Compass High Altitude impressed with its premium SUV feel. The new dashboard design, digital instrumentation, and infotainment systems, along with soft-touch surfaces and luxury-grade leather seats, elevated its sophistication. The High Altitude trim, the most expensive in the lineup, offered a range of features, including all-wheel drive and option packages that added to its premium appeal. The Compass lineup started with the base Sport trim and included several other models, with prices ranging from $26,020 to $35,085, excluding a $1,595 destination charge. Our test vehicle, equipped with every possible upgrade, had an MSRP of $40,470, including destination.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue was powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. This small, economical engine was designed to provide just enough power for the Venue's lightweight frame, which weighed in at 2,612 pounds. The Venue's performance was comparable to competitors like the Nissan Kicks, Ford EcoSport, and Toyota C-HR, although it was smaller and lighter. Front-wheel drive was the only option, with no all-wheel drive available. The Venue featured a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), as Hyundai discontinued the six-speed manual transmission from the base SE trim. While the Venue's powertrain didn't offer thrilling performance, its light weight allowed for a lively feel in lower-speed areas.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 177 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 172 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. Dubbed the "Tigershark" engine, it lacked the power of a turbocharged engine, which would have been beneficial for a compact SUV weighing around 3,500 pounds. The engine was paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, except for front-wheel-drive models, which had a six-speed automatic. The transmission prioritized fuel efficiency, resulting in a busy and unrewarding powertrain character. The automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage the engine, leading to hard engagement during acceleration. The Compass featured Jeep Selec-Terrain with Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud driving modes, and the Active Drive AWD system could send power to the rear wheels when needed. The EPA estimated 25 mpg in combined driving, but our testing averaged 23.8 mpg. The Compass had 8.1 inches of ground clearance, making it suitable for light off-roading. The Trailhawk trim offered enhanced off-road capabilities with features like a low range, hill descent control, and skid plates.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue offered ample headroom and legroom in the front seats, considering its compact size. Storage space was decent, with a handy tray ahead of the gear selector and another in front of the passenger. The center console's bin was small but functional. Automatic climate control effectively managed the cabin's temperature. The back seat was tighter, with limited legroom for adults on longer drives, though headroom was sufficient. Cargo space was limited, with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 31.9 cubic feet with the seat folded down. The Venue's cargo capacity lagged behind competitors like the Nissan Kicks, Toyota C-HR, and Ford EcoSport. While it offered extra ground clearance, those prioritizing cargo space might consider other options.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, positioned among Jeep's similarly sized SUVs, offered enough space for four adults and their luggage. The High Altitude trim featured premium touches, such as eight-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The Elite Interior Group option package added premium leather upholstery and contrast stitching. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof and redesigned dashboard with a new Uconnect 5 infotainment screen enhanced the interior's sophistication. The center console provided increased storage, though the bin beneath the armrest remained small. The Compass offered 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the seat folded down, surpassing the more expensive Cherokee model.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue impressed with its technology offerings, despite its budget-friendly price. An 8-inch touchscreen sat atop the dash, flanked by air vents. Physical buttons provided quick access to media sources, navigation, and settings, with a customizable starred button. The interface was designed for simplicity, with a high-resolution screen and responsive swipe functionality. The Venue's infotainment system allowed for driver profile customization, appealing to families with multiple drivers. Standard features included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with wireless CarPlay available on the base SE trim in the future.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than its predecessor. An 8.4-inch touchscreen was standard, with a 10.1-inch upgrade available. Uconnect 5 supported dual-device Bluetooth pairing, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and more. Over-the-air updates ensured the system remained current. Additional features included a navigation system, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, and a wireless charging pad. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, though it struggled with specific requests. Overall, Uconnect 5 impressed but wasn't as user-friendly as the best systems in the industry.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue offered a range of safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and driver-attention warning as standard. The SEL and Denim trims added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Hyundai's ADAS were seamlessly integrated, avoiding distracting alerts. In crash tests, the Venue received four out of five stars in the NHTSA's driver-side and passenger-side front collision tests, as well as for rollover.

The 2022 Jeep Compass saw improvements in safety features for 2022. Standard features included forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. Highway Assist, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance, was set to be added later in the model year. The Compass offered a parking assistance system and a 360-degree camera system. While the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems generally worked well, there were some issues with false positives and hard braking. The NHTSA had not yet published safety ratings for the updated Compass, but the previous three-star rollover resistance rating was carried over.