2022 Kia Seltos 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, almost horizontal roofline, and steeply dropping tailgate gave it a unique presence that belied its small size. The grille was appropriately sized, drawing attention without overwhelming the car's design. The Venue's exterior updates from the 2020 model were minimal, with the most notable change being the replacement of 15-inch steel wheels with alloys on the base SE trim. The top-line Denim trim, with its white roof and unique paint job, was particularly appealing to those drawn to the Venue's fashion-forward style. Inside, the Venue's cabin was filled with plastic, but it managed to feel modern and airy, thanks to its large windows and thin A-pillars.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Seltos offered a more robust and refined appearance, positioned between the smaller Soul and larger Sportage. The Nightfall Edition, with its matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, turbocharged engine, and black grille, added a sporty touch. Inside, the Seltos displayed a good sense of style with contrast-color dashboard panels and metallic accents, although the abundance of shiny hard plastic detracted from its overall appeal. The controls were logically arranged, and the infotainment system, despite its odd purple theme, was intuitive to use. The Seltos was larger and more useful than many of its direct rivals, offering a more engaging driving experience, especially with the turbocharged engine in the Nightfall Edition.

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 paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive (FWD), as all-wheel drive (AWD) was not available. The Venue's lightweight design allowed it to feel sprightly in lower-speed areas, but it lacked the power for a more thrilling driving experience. The Venue's performance was comparable to rivals like the Nissan Kicks and Ford EcoSport, but it was the lightest and smallest among them.

The 2022 Kia Seltos offered more power and versatility with its engine options. The base models, LX, S, and EX, featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The Nightfall Edition and SX trims boasted a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The turbocharged engine provided a more engaging driving experience, with torque available between 1,500 and 4,500 rpm. The Seltos also offered AWD with a Lock function for better traction in challenging conditions. However, the suspension tuning was less appealing, with the Seltos exhibiting lateral rocking motions on uneven pavement and feeling bouncy on undulating roads.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue offered decent interior space for its size, with ample headroom and legroom in the front seats. Storage space was adequate, with a handy tray ahead of the gear selector and a small center console bin. The back seat was tighter, with limited legroom for adults, and cargo space was limited to 18.7 cubic feet with the back seat in place and 31.9 cubic feet with it down. The Venue's cargo capacity lagged behind competitors like the Nissan Kicks and Ford EcoSport.

The 2022 Kia Seltos excelled in form and function, offering a roomy interior with easy access thanks to its ride height and large door openings. The Nightfall Edition featured a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat and a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel for a comfortable driving position. The rear seat provided ample legroom and footroom, with rear air conditioning vents and a center armrest with cupholders. Cargo space was generous, with 26.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down, making the Seltos a practical choice for families.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue impressed with its technology offerings, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with high resolution and intuitive controls. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as standard features, with the ability to set up driver profiles for customized radio presets. The Venue's infotainment system was designed for simple, easy use, with physical buttons for quick access to media sources and settings.

The 2022 Kia Seltos expanded its technology offerings with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system available on the S trim and standard on the EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX trims. The system included Bluetooth, navigation, connected services, satellite radio, and a six-speaker stereo, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto requiring a cable connection. The infotainment system was intuitive to use, with physical buttons for primary functions, but lacked a native conversational voice recognition system. The Seltos' voice recognition system was less reliable, making smartphone digital assistants a better option.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue came equipped with standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and driver-attention warning. The SEL and Denim trims added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Venue received four out of five stars in the NHTSA's driver-side and passenger-side front collision tests and four stars for rollover.

The 2022 Kia Seltos offered a comprehensive suite of safety features, including forward-collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Seltos EX added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim included adaptive cruise control and Highway Driving Assist. The Seltos received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS for the SX trim and an overall four-star rating from the NHTSA.