2021 Subaru Crosstrek vs 2021 Hyundai Venue

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek was a testament to Subaru's strategy of adapting its Impreza hatchback into a crossover, much like the successful Outback. With standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and a rugged appearance, the Crosstrek stood out with its black body cladding, model-specific 17-inch wheels, and a taller ride height offering 8.7 inches of ground clearance. This design allowed the Crosstrek to mimic an SUV's character while maintaining the Impreza's core attributes. The Crosstrek's vibrant color options, such as Plasma Yellow Pearl, added to its appeal. Inside, the Crosstrek retained the Impreza's functional yet plain interior, with some attempts at flair through color accents and simulated carbon-fiber trim. The Sport trim featured water-repellant StarTex upholstery, enhancing its practicality for outdoor adventures.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue, on the other hand, was a stylish little crossover that seemed timeless in its design. Its upright stance, horizontal roofline, and steep tailgate gave it a unique presence that belied its compact size. The Venue's grille was appropriately sized, drawing attention without overwhelming the design. Roof rails and wide-spaced letters spelling out its name added to its crossover credentials. The Venue's exterior updates for 2021 included 15-inch alloys on the base SE trim and 17-inch alloys on the SEL and Denim trims. The top-line Denim trim, with its white roof and unique paint job, was particularly eye-catching. Inside, the Venue's cabin was practical, with plenty of light and a modern look despite its budget-friendly materials. The SEL trim offered good value with standard features like 17-inch alloy wheels and advanced driver-assistance systems.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered two gasoline powertrains. The Sport and Limited trims featured a new 2.5-liter boxer-four engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, while the base and Premium trims continued with a 2.0-liter boxer-four engine delivering 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The Crosstrek's boxer engine, a Subaru trademark, provided a lower center of gravity for improved handling, although the SUV-like ride height somewhat negated this benefit. A six-speed manual transmission was standard on Base and Premium trims, with an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT) available. The Sport and Limited trims were CVT-only, offering the larger engine. All trims came with standard AWD, featuring torque vectoring and X-Mode for loose surfaces. Despite its SUV aspirations, the Crosstrek was more suited to pavement, with predictable handling and a comfortable ride. The new 2.5-liter engine offered more power but didn't dramatically change the driving experience.

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 adequate power for the Venue's compact size. Front-wheel drive (FWD) was the only option, with no all-wheel drive (AWD) available. The Venue's CVT managed power adequately, and while the driving experience wasn't thrilling, the car's light weight made it feel lively in lower-speed areas. The Venue's performance was comparable to competitors like the Nissan Kicks, Ford EcoSport, and Toyota C-HR, although it was smaller and lighter. The Venue's slim weight allowed it to move sprightly in lower-speed areas, but it lacked the horsepower for a more thrilling highway experience.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek shared its front and rear legroom with the Impreza hatchback, offering slightly more rear headroom. Both models had the same cargo space, with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat providing flexibility. While the Crosstrek was competitive in passenger space among small crossovers, it lagged behind some competitors in cargo capacity. The Crosstrek offered more cargo space than the Hyundai Kona and Jeep Renegade but fell short compared to the Honda HR-V, Kia Seltos, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, and Nissan Rogue Sport. The Crosstrek featured a rear-seat reminder system to prevent leaving children or pets unattended. Up front, a handy cubby hole was provided for small items, but rear-seat passengers had limited storage options. The driving position was higher than the Impreza's, offering good outward visibility, but it didn't provide the commanding view of traditional SUVs.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue offered ample headroom and legroom in the front seats, considering its compact size. The cabin featured practical storage solutions, including a tray ahead of the gear selector and another in front of the passenger seat. However, the center console's bin was small, and the basic cupholders lacked grips, making spills likely on bumpy roads. The back seat was tighter, with limited legroom for adults on longer drives, although headroom was sufficient. Cargo space was limited, with 31.9 cubic feet available with the rear seats down, lagging behind competitors like the Mazda Mazda3 hatchback, Subaru Impreza hatchback, and Honda Civic hatchback. Despite its compact size, the Venue offered a bit more ground clearance than its competitors, but those prioritizing cargo capacity might find better options elsewhere.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek featured Subaru's Starlink infotainment system, with a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system included a second screen above the main touchscreen, displaying redundant information. The top Limited trim level came with an 8-inch touchscreen and navigation, which was also optional on lower trims. The 8-inch touchscreen was user-friendly and responsive, with easy navigation. The steering wheel featured buttons for controlling EyeSight driver-assistance features, ensuring driver safety. The system included standard adaptive cruise control with lane centering, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning on CVT-equipped models. Additional safety features like automatic high beams, reverse automatic braking, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on the Limited trim and optional on the Premium and Sport trims.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue boasted an impressive array of technology features, especially considering its budget-friendly price. An 8-inch touchscreen was standard, offering high resolution and responsive swipe functionality. The interface was designed for simplicity, with easy-to-use buttons for media sources, navigation, and settings. The infotainment system allowed for customized driver profiles with radio presets, appealing to families with multiple drivers. Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto were standard features, with wireless CarPlay available on the Base Hyundai Venue SE in the future. The Venue's infotainment system was user-friendly, with a high-resolution screen and customizable options for a personalized experience.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests. Although the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not tested the 2021 model, the 2020 model, which was virtually identical, received the "Top Safety Pick" award with the highest "good" rating in all crash tests and for front-crash prevention. CVT-equipped Crosstrek models came with standard adaptive cruise control with lane centering, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. The Limited trim level included additional features like automatic high beams, reverse automatic braking, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert, with some features optional on the Premium and Sport trims. Subaru's EyeSight system, using stereo cameras, offered standard features comparable to those of Honda and Toyota, although its functionality was limited by camera positioning.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue, despite its small size, was equipped with a range of safety features to prevent accidents. Automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist were standard, while the SEL and Denim trims included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Hyundai's advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) were seamlessly integrated, allowing for normal driving behavior without distracting alerts. The Venue received a four-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests. While the Venue's small size might raise concerns in a collision with larger vehicles, its safety features were designed to prevent accidents and provide a sense of security for occupants.