2021 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2021 Hyundai Venue

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, in its final year of the current form, offered a nostalgic experience with its Heritage Edition trim. This version celebrated the SUV's 65th anniversary with a classic design, featuring bronze BBS wheels and a Yakima Megawarrior roof storage basket. However, the standard Land Cruiser, which arrived for review, was dressed in Magnetic Gray paint and Terra leather upholstery. Its exterior design, reminiscent of a first-generation Toyota Highlander, was adorned with oversized headlights and a chrome-heavy two-box shape. Inside, the Land Cruiser combined Toyota's parts-bin switchgear with Lexus-inspired design elements, offering plush materials and a traditional hand-operated parking brake, creating a retro yet luxurious atmosphere.

In contrast, the 2021 Hyundai Venue presented a modern and stylish appearance that seemed timeless. Its upright stance, horizontal roofline, and steep tailgate gave it a larger-than-life presence despite its compact size. The Venue's grille was appropriately sized, and its roof rails and wide-spaced letters on the tailgate added to its crossover appeal. 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 unique paint job and white roof, was particularly eye-catching. Inside, the Venue's cabin was practical, with a focus on functionality and modernity, despite its budget-friendly materials.

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser was powered by a 5.7-liter V8 engine, producing 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine, shared with the Toyota Tundra, was remarkably quiet during acceleration, contributing to a refined driving experience. The Land Cruiser's eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel-drive system, with a two-speed transfer case, provided excellent off-road capabilities. It featured a Torsen limited-slip differential, mud-and-snow tires, and a suite of off-road technologies like Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select. Despite its off-road prowess, the Land Cruiser's on-road performance was smooth and luxurious, though its nearly 3-ton weight required some effort when maneuvering. It had a towing capacity of 8,100 pounds.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue, on the other hand, was equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), provided adequate power for city driving but lacked the excitement of more powerful options. The Venue's front-wheel-drive setup and lightweight design made it nimble in urban environments, though it wasn't designed for off-road adventures. While it didn't offer the same level of performance as the Land Cruiser, the Venue's compact size and efficient powertrain made it a practical choice for everyday commuting.

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser's interior was luxurious, with premium leather upholstery and heated and ventilated front seats. The spacious cabin featured a four-zone automatic climate control system and 28 air vents, ensuring comfort for all passengers. The second-row bench seat was roomy, with heated cushions, while the third-row seat could accommodate adults for short trips. Cargo space was limited to 16.1 cubic feet behind the third row, but folding the seats expanded it to 82.8 cubic feet. The split clamshell-style liftgate and tailgate provided easy access to the cargo area.

In contrast, the 2021 Hyundai Venue offered a more compact interior with ample headroom and legroom in the front seats. Storage space was practical, with trays for small items and a modest center console bin. The Venue's automatic climate control efficiently managed the cabin's temperature. The back seat was tighter, with limited legroom for adults, but the hatchback design allowed for 18.7 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 31.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While not as spacious as some competitors, the Venue's design maximized its compact dimensions.

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser featured a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Toyota Entune technology. While functional, it lacked modern features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system relied on tap-based navigation and offered basic voice recognition. The Land Cruiser's dashboard was adorned with large buttons and knobs for easy control, and the rear-seat entertainment system, though dated, provided DVD playback and HDMI connections. A 14-speaker JBL Synthesis audio system delivered good sound quality.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue, in contrast, boasted an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with high resolution and responsive swipe functionality. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as standard features. The Venue's interface was user-friendly, with physical buttons for quick access to media and settings. The infotainment system allowed for driver profiles, making it convenient for families with multiple drivers. The Venue's tech offerings were impressive for its price point, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS-P) driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beam headlights. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services. However, the Land Cruiser lacked more advanced driving assistance systems like stop-and-go adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance. Crash-test ratings were unavailable for this model.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue offered a comprehensive suite 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. The Venue's safety systems were seamlessly integrated, providing a smooth driving experience without excessive alerts. In crash tests, the Venue received four out of five stars in the NHTSA's front collision and rollover evaluations.