2023 Land Rover Defender vs 2024 Hyundai Venue

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was a standout in the SUV market, outselling its sibling, the Land Rover Discovery, by a significant margin. Despite sharing similar size and price points, the Defender's boxy, classic Land Rover design appealed more to consumers than the Discovery's Ford-like appearance. The Defender's design was a nod to the beloved old LR4, and since its introduction in 2020, it captured the attention of buyers who appreciated its rugged, square-jawed aesthetic. The vehicle's design was consistent throughout, with its square-jawed face, rectangular hood, and doors parallel to the ground, creating a classic truck look. The Defender also featured tasteful accents reminiscent of the original 1980s model, such as the dome and faux-metal step plates on the hood, skylights along the roof, and a body-color square separating the side glass. The Defender was available in three body styles—90, 110, and 130—offering a range of options for consumers.

Inside, the Defender maintained its rugged character with a focus on function and durability. Despite its high price, the interior was primarily composed of rubbers and plastics designed to resist stains and wick moisture. The dashboard featured a six-inch-wide metal piece, exposed screws, and plain-looking air vents, giving it a basic and barren feel. However, this simplicity was refreshing, as it preserved the Defender's hardcore character, setting it apart from the more luxurious Range Rover models. While the build quality and fit were excellent, the Defender's price tag, especially for the 110 V8 Carpathian Edition, seemed excessive to some. Nevertheless, its popularity remained strong, with around 20,000 units sold annually, making it the second most popular model in Land Rover's lineup.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was offered in SE, SEL, and Limited trim levels, with prices ranging from $21,275 to $24,525, including the destination charge. The Venue SEL, priced at $23,275, was recommended for its improved exterior appearance and added convenience and safety features. The Limited trim, with Ecotronic Gray paint and carpeted floor mats, brought the MSRP to $24,735. The Venue's design was appealing, with a sense of genuine style that was often lacking in affordable cars. Despite its small size, the Venue's interior featured unexpected style elements, such as stripes and piping on the seats and white trim around the dashboard air vents and transmission shifter.

The Venue's digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were highlights, offering modern graphics and logical menu structures. The controls exhibited typical Hyundai quality, with thoughtful design and stylish details. The Venue was a high-quality small SUV, offering a stylish and well-designed interior that belied its affordable price tag.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was a formidable off-road vehicle, showcasing exceptional grip, wheel articulation, and clearance. Its air suspension allowed it to tackle challenging trails with ease, although most owners rarely used its full off-road capabilities. The Defender's permanent four-wheel drive and Terrain Response 2 system were impressive, but its on-road performance was less refined. The vehicle's drivetrain friction and body drag resulted in speed loss downhill, excessive body roll, and slow, imprecise steering. Wind noise and long pedal travel during braking further detracted from its on-road experience. However, the Defender's turbocharged inline-six and supercharged V8 engines provided impressive power, with the V8 delivering 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The six-cylinder engine, part of a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain, offered 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, while the turbocharged four-cylinder engine was less powerful at 296 hp and 295 lb-ft. Fuel economy varied, with the V8 returning 14/19/16 mpg, the six-cylinder achieving 18/23/20 mpg, and the four-cylinder rated at 17/20/18 mpg.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Weighing 2,612 pounds in base SE trim, the Venue's continuously variable transmission (CVT) maximized available power, making it suitable for city and suburban driving. Its small size, nimble handling, and excellent visibility made it ideal for urban environments. However, the Venue's suspension struggled on rough pavement, resulting in a busy ride quality and structural shudders. On the highway, the Venue could maintain freeway speeds, but the CVT and engine noise were noticeable under hard acceleration. The Venue lacked all-wheel drive, but its 6.7 inches of ground clearance allowed it to handle snow better than a typical car. The Venue's fuel economy was rated at 31 mpg combined, with our testing averaging 30.3 mpg.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender excelled as an everyday SUV, offering unmatched seating configurations. The Defender 90 could seat six with a jump seat, while the 110 offered an optional third row, and the 130 had a standard third row for up to eight seats. The Defender's large glass areas, including alpine lights, provided excellent visibility. Cargo space varied by model, with the 130 offering 77 cubic feet with seats folded, the 90 providing 58 cubic feet, and the 110 offering up to 79 cubic feet. The Defender's versatility extended to its off-road capabilities, with options for off-road or all-season tires, a metal roof rack, and various accessories like a console refrigerator and winch.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's increased ground clearance made entry and exit easier, while its compact size offered decent comfort. The driver's seat featured manual height adjustment, and the steering wheel offered tilt-and-telescopic adjustment. The Venue's back seat was best suited for two passengers, with limited storage space and no air conditioning vents. Cargo space was on par with a compact car, offering 18.7 cubic feet with the seats up and 31.9 cubic feet with them folded. The Venue's interior featured appealing fabric inserts, artificial leather bolsters, and heated front seats, providing comfort despite its small dimensions.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender featured two touchscreen infotainment systems running Pivi Pro software. The standard 10-inch screen was integrated into the dashboard, while the optional 11.4-inch screen offered greater legibility. Both screens were quick and easy to operate, with standard features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a voice assistant. The Defender S trim added heated 12-way power seats and a Meridian stereo, while the X trim included air suspension, a locking rear differential, and adaptive cruise control. Additional features like a head-up display, cabin air purifier, and configurable ambient lighting were available.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display offered modern graphics and simple operation. Standard features included Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Venue Limited added a navigation system, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a wireless smartphone charger. However, the Limited trim required wired connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which was a drawback. Despite this, the Venue's infotainment system was sophisticated, with an impressive native voice recognition system and the ability to stream music effortlessly.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender had not been rated by U.S. safety organizations, but it received a five-star rating from Euro NCAP. It was equipped with six airbags, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional features included a digital instrument panel, head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system. However, the Defender lacked a self-steering highway assist.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came with Hyundai SmartSense, offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. The Venue SEL added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the Limited trim included cyclist detection. The Venue received Good ratings in IIHS crash tests and a four-star overall rating from NHTSA. However, it lacked adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist.